Sport And Biking Talk: Fezzari offers new return policy, scales tall mountains

Friday, May 5, 2017

Fezzari offers new return policy, scales tall mountains

“Iron Cowboy” James Lawrence and his Fezzari Solitude carbon 27.5+ carbon hardtail at the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Photo courtesy Fezzari

For the uninitiated, Fezzari is a direct-to-consumer bike manufacturer located in Lindon, Utah, with some of the best road and mountain bike riding just five miles from their door. They make a huge range of bikes, including a great selection of mountain and road bikes. And they offer a custom 23-point fit system, and by selling direct, they bring prices down so you get a whole lot more bike for your money. Mtbr visited the Fezzari booth at Sea Otter to find out about their current bike lineup and to get reacquainted with what makes them different from other bike brands.

Fezzari’s Sea Otter Classic booth was right in the center of the action.

The latest news with Fezzari is their “Love It or Return It” program. From what we’ve seen, Fezzari owners are generally very happy with their bikes. Their bikes also get great reviews from respected bike magazines and online publications. That said, buying a bike you can’t test ride or even look at in person requires a leap of faith. But because they’re so confident in their bikes and service, and to eliminate any concern potential buyers might have, Fezzari instituted a new program that allows buyers to return any bike within 30 days of purchase.

They even cover return shipping. Essentially, that means you get a 30-day, no-risk demo ride on any Fezzari bike you buy. And in a surprising development, since the “Love It or Return It” program was announced, returns have actually decreased. So not only has the generous return policy increased confidence before people buy, it’s also made them feel better about their Fezzari bikes after they get them.

The new Fezzari Solitude carbon hardtail can be configured as either a 29er or a 27.5+ bike. The bike pictured here was actually part of the Iron Cowboy Kilimanjaro expedition and was ridden to the summit by one of the other members of the party. It’s the exact same setup that James Lawrence, a.k.a. the Iron Cowboy, rode.

Fezzari had a couple of new bikes to show off at Sea Otter, too. The first was the recently redesigned Solitude carbon hardtail. The new Fezzari Solitude has clearance for tires up to 2.8 and can be configured as either a 29er or 27.5+. With an 120mm fork, boost spacing, a 69-degree head angle, internal dropper post routing, and a 1x drivetrain, the Solitude is light, versatile and reliable. Renowned triathlete James Lawrence, a.k.a. the Iron Cowboy who in 2015 completed 50 Ironman triathlons in 50 states in 50 days, just rode/carried a Fezzari Solitude 27.5+ to the top of 19,341-foot Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. Check out this video teaser to see the Iron Cowboy and the Fezzari Solitude hardtail in action.

Fezzari’s Shafer gravel road bike has a carbon frame, 40mm tire clearance, wide gearing, and hydraulic disc brakes.

Fezzari also showed us their new gravel bike. Named after the Shafer Trail in Moab, it’s long, low and slack with a carbon frame, hydraulic disc brakes, and a Shimano Ultegra drivetrain. Designed with clearance for tires up to 40mm, there are rumors you can wedge even bigger rubber in there. If you’re in the market for a bikepacking rig or a dedicated gravel racer, the Shafer is a great new option. And even if you’re thinking about buying a road bike it’s worth a look.

The Shafer has clearance for tires up to 40mm wide but (unofficially) it can accommodate even wider rubber, if you’re so inclined.

The stretched-out geometry and tall front end make it more stable and comfortable than traditional road bikes, and the disk brakes, wide gearing, and fat tires mean you won’t be limited to only pedaling on the pavement.

Learn more about the Fezzari Shafer in this long term RoadBikeReview bike review.

The Fezzari Shafer gravel road bike comes with a Shimano Ultegra drivetrain and 11×32 cassette for big climbs and big rides.

The Fezzari Shafer gravel road bike is available direct from Fezzari for $ 3199. The Fezzari Solitude carbon hardtail will be available starting on July 1 and will be sold in three 27.5 and three 29er configurations, priced at $ 1999, $ 2999 and $ 3999. The entry-level 27.5+ model will be spec’d with a RockShox Reba fork, SRAM NX1 1×11 drivetrain and WTB wheels. The $ 2999 version will come with a Fox Float 34 fork, Stan’s Baron wheels, and Maxxis Rekon 2.8 tires. Specs on the top-shelf $ 3999 Solitude 27.5+ are yet to be determined as are 29er specs.

Learn more at www.fezzari.com.

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