Toona

So I got on this forum last year seeking some advice on a old Fuji Berkeley. I originally posed a thread in the Triathlon sector here. I got no response, but about 700 views to my thread which had no pictures. Anyway I will post the original post below followed by my progress on the bike so far.

Converting a Fuji Berkeley into a Triathlon Trainer

I just recently inherited a old Fuji Berkeley. And for a little over a year I wanted to begin training toward a triathlon. So the bike has sentimental value and I want to change it into a triathlon bike, at least to train with. Now the Fuji Berkeley, I am told, was for taller men. And the bike does have a 27 inch wheels standard.

Anyway I am new to the triathlon thing and I need advice on how to most cost effectively change this bike into the tri bike I need. After I list the specs here I will say what I had in mind for the bike. Then I expect to be corrected by those who know more than me.

Here are the specs on the bike. I will post photos of it tomorrow.

FUJU BERKELEY

Ser No. SJ318157

SUGINO arms and crank..(the non crank arm was slightly bent and was hitting the kickstand & chainstay, I hammered it as straight as I could.)

SUNTOUR AR shifters/ derailleur

FUJI VALite Butted 414 tubing

SR Laprade seat post

FEATHER seat

NITTO handlebar stem

NITTO "Olympiade" handlebars

DIA COMPTE "500" brakes

WOLBER Model 58 "Super Champion" rear rim, made in France

UKAI 27 x 1-1/8 front rim, made in Japan

HP SPORT Schwinn 27 x 1-1/4 90psi/510gm tires, front and rear.


So I wanted to get a tri aerobar set and put it on the bike. Also I wanted to add LOOK clipless pedals, but I need ones for triathlon setup. I also wanted to get smaller wheels and TENY mag rims for the bike. 27in is much too high for me...so I need advice on how to bring the bike down to size. I need seat advice as well as I do not want to use the seat it has.

Any advice? I would sure appreciate it.



So here is how the bike looked when I brought it out of the basement and hosed it down. Sorry about the out of position photos.





And here is what I had done to it so far. Though I haven't put on the new clipless pedals that I bought as I am using the bike for commuting until spring, when I will start using it for actual training. I will also be getting Nitto Cromoly North Road handlebars. I will do this because after reading the latest issue of Bicycling magazine, I discovered that a guy bought a pair of HYLIX carbon from e bay and they snapped on him, thus landing him in the hospital with critical injury. He couldn't do anything legally about it either.

Now I have aluminum bars, but I checked the company that I bought them from...and sure enough a complaint of cheap aluminum that snapped on the rider. So for me steel is the only way. The added weight will only make me stronger in my opinion.