Touring - Loaded tour on the Fuji Touring?

I'm trying to decide between the Fuji Touring and the Trek 520... I've found a great deal on a Fuji, so it will price out at just over half of the price of the Trek. I like the ride of both bikes, but haven't ever done a loaded tour, and can't guess whether the Fuji is goign to handle as well as the Trek when fully loaded... and the web doesn't seem to be much help!

Has anybody here done a loaded tour on the Fuji Touring? Any advice?

Thanks!

-chris

I have also been lookin at the Fuji touring bike and really like the prices that I can get one for. What model year are you looking at? Is it a new one? They did some changing around of components during the different model years. I have talked to some people that ride the tourer as a commuter bike and like everything except the rack seems to be weak.

I have noticed the general consensus around this site seems to favor, ok love, the Trak 520. It is a great all around bike it seems. But then again right now you can pick up a Fuji for a lot less. That will leave you with some money to buy some good panniers.

Plus there is the upside that you won't have to work as much to pay for that bike enabling you to ride more!

I special ordered my Fuji Tourer for a little under $1.000. I have no complaints.Takes the hills well under a load. My bike mechaniccritiqued it before I bought it.The drive train is mostly Tiara components. He called that adequate.
A good solid ride. Sturdy frame. I like the ride..After about 2,000 miles I did start to have problems with spokes. The mechanic who put together my bike gave me a deal and replaced spokes at a price of two wheels for one. Put on double butted, heavier spoke. Side pull brakes.
I use it for commuting..I would recommend it..
I might have gotten a more expensive touring bike and maybe I should have considering the crux of my riding is for touring. But I have no complaints..Darn good bike for the money..Bike mechanic on one organized I went on, said he has worked on many Fuji's and said it is an excellant bike for the money.
I saved a little on my touring bike after just spending big bucks on my road bike to my wife's surprise.
"You did what."? Sort of shocked for a week..

I'm trying to decide between the Fuji Touring and the Trek 520... I've found a great deal on a Fuji, so it will price out at just over half of the price of the Trek. I like the ride of both bikes, but haven't ever done a loaded tour, and can't guess whether the Fuji is goign to handle as well as the Trek when fully loaded... and the web doesn't seem to be much help!

Has anybody here done a loaded tour on the Fuji Touring? Any advice?

Thanks!

-chris


I toured for years on Fuji S-12-S in the 1980s and early 1990s. Now I have just the Fuji 'touring' bike; did a tour around new england a few years ago and another one is coming up this summer in the Northeast US/Canada/Great Lakes.


I had no problems. I doubt I would on any bike: I travel light, keep the components clean and properly lubricated, and ride on pretty good rural roads with light traffic and decent shoulders.

Most people I talk to about Trek are more excited about it being "American Made" than any other feature. I am far too much of a free-trader to fall for that line.

roughstuff

I have noticed the general consensus around this site seems to favor, ok love, the Trak 520.


Trek started building the 520 in 1983. It's the only bike from 1983 that they still build making it among the most enduring bicycle models ever offered by any manufacturer. Since 83 Trek has continually updated the 520 and the price hasn't changed in years. What's not to love?
The 520 endears itself as a most bang for the buck best buy. For loaded touring there are a few changes that have to be made, but it's still 50 to 200% cheaper than the semi custom and custom alternatives. Are some of those alternatives better bikes than the 520? Maybe, but none are 50 to 200% better. At least not to me.
Is the 520 better than a Fuji? It's got a better component group, but that doesn't make it a better bike. The Fuji is a fine choice. Especially if your of the opinion that Trek's higher end parts don't add enough value to justify it's higher cost.

The Trek has a steel frame (that's good). Does the Fuji have a steel frame?

The Trek has a clamp on stem (what I call a "stupid stem"). What kind of stem is on the Fuji? If it has a quill that means you will have some adjustability (a good thing).

Do you know the frame specs? The Trek has a seat tube angle (73 degrees) that I consider too steep for a true touring machine. For all day comfort I prefer a saddle position that is much farther back - for example: 72 degrees and the saddle pushed all the way back. But I have a long torso. If you have a short torso you can probably make do with 73 degrees. What is the seat tube angle of the Fuji?

I finally bought the Fuji today. With the money saved over the Trek, I upgraded to XT in the rear, Ultegra up front, and picked up some Dura-Ace bar-end shifters I can swap on when it's time for a tour that will take me far enough from bike shops that I'll worry about the STI shifters that come stock... and I'll still have cash for new camping gear to go with it! And I think it fits me better than the Trek does, anyway.

Both bikes are steel; the Fuji is a custom tubing made for Fuji. The geometry is quite similar to that of the Trek (73 deg seat tube angle) but has a longer effective top tube and a quill stem - the stock stem is angle-adjustable with a hex key, so it can be switched to a more upright position on heavy days & etc. I too ahve a long torso, and the Trek that would have fit me at the top tube was bigger than I'd like in other dimensions.

Thanks for all the advice... I'll report back after my first long ride!

-chris

Congratulations on the new ride! Please do let us know how it rides, I am very eager to hear your opinions on it. Thanks.

Also what model year did you pick up?

Congratulations on the new ride! Please do let us know how it rides, I am very eager to hear your opinions on it. Thanks.

Also what model year did you pick up?

I got the last of the 2003s in the area, so far as I can tell... which is why I got such a deal ;) I'll report back in a couple of weeks!

-chris

Alllrighty, its been a few weeks. Have you been able to put much time in on the new bike? Any impressions that you would care to share?

Thanks for any thoughts that you would like to share.

So far, I've only had short rides... the first of the longish day trips will be coming up in a couple weeks, as soon as my out-of-town visitors get back out of town ;)

So far, so good! It's taken a little while to get it dialed in to where I'm as comfortable on it as I am on my other bikes, but I'm finally getting there (geometry's a little different) but so far I'm very happy with it. Wheels seem strong - which was a worry - and it's turnign out to be a good cruiser - not superfast, but very, very stable. I'm happy with it for just riding around, and will report back after that first loaded day trip in a couple weeks!

-chris