bikingshearer 

A nice, big box greeted me when I got to work today. I brought it home . . .





and I opened it up. What could it be?




There was something white and shiny inside. Maybe it was the 1993 Fuso I had just purchased on eBay!!!But before I could be sure, I first had to take out . . .



. . . some wheels and a saddle/seat post. I wonder what else is in the box. Stay tuned to find out.

USAZorro

Looks like an Orbea.

bikingshearer 

Ah, but looks can be deceiving.

No, at first it looked like gaspipe, or maybe water pipe, wrapped against the winter chill.




But removing the wrapping material revealed the Fuso beneath.



I managed to get a few details before the battery in my camera died.















Campy C-Record all over the place. 8 speed. This bike was definitely used, but not abused. The Delta brakes appear to be in superb condition, the cranks and derailleurs very good condition, the frame has a small handfull of nicks.

The photos do not do it justice. Man, is it gorgeous in clean-lined, understated-elegance sort of way. The only downside is that I will have to run pretty narrow tires (23mm on there now - it might be able to fit 25mm's, but I wouldn't bet the ranch) and I am a large person. I think I can learn to live with it.

guygadois 

I almost bid on that! Freaking nice.

cudak888 

Is that a sleeved downtube? Interesting.

-Kurt

miamijim

Have you considered sending a PM to the guy who made it?

Very nice BTW. We sold a few of those back in the day and the build quality/workmanship was top notch.

Jim

Spinz

Sweet!! Is it rider or a dust collector? Lp

BlankCrows

I'm pretty sure it is going to be a rider. Bikingshearer doesn't mess around with dust collectors.

guygadois 

I own a fuso and looking closer at yours that fork doesn't look the same. Is it original to the frame? Any markin gon the fork crown?

USAZorro

They shipped with the rear derailleur mounted?

bigbossman 

It's going to get torn down and sold for scrap. The money the scrap brings in will fund a new Campagnolo 10 speed drive train for the frame, and it will be reborn into something useful.

bikingshearer 

Yeah, it'll be a rider. For that to happen, though, I'm almost certainly going to have to swap out the C-Record 8-speed double stuff for 10-speed triple. It won't be easy, thought, because that C-Recrod swag is drop-dead gorgeous.

Now all I have to do is find time to ride it and the Paramount and the Ron Cooper. Decisions, decisions . . . .


You know, I didn't even notice that until I looked at the pics again this morning, and now I'm at work so I can't check if that is the frame or my crappy photography skills. I think it's the latter, but I'll double check and let you know.

Yes, I have. In fact, I was just checking out Dave Moulton's website and blog. Lotsd o' fun stuff. He doesn't do the bike frame building thing any more, but he still takes an active interest in his "children."

tmh657

Great bike. Can you tell us what it costs? What's up with the drapes in the background?

bikingshearer 

I am assuming it is original to the frame - the listing sure didn't indicate otherwise (good seller, he would have said something about that if he knew). Also, the paint on the fork matches the paint on the frame, and the there in no indication of a respray. On the other hand, that fork crown on mine is one honkin' solid piece of metal, and the blades are very round - closer to track forks than what one usually sees on a road bike. I guess now Ihave to pull the fork to see if the serial numbers mathc up . . . .

Yup. Looks to have come through with flying colors.


Jeez, do you have to give away all of my secrets?

guygadois 

E-mail the pics to Dave. He will be able to verify the forks. He was very specific about the forks he used.

-GG-

pacifico

Possibly a Russ Denny? Does it have the "dave moulton" decal on the non-drive-side chainstay?

LP560

congrats. enjoy it!

bikingshearer 

Excellent idea. Thanks

Considering the 1993 build date, that is very possible. It does not have the "dm" decal of which you speak. Of course, I think I can live with a Russ Denny-built frame.

Oh, you betcha! Thanks.

bikingshearer 

$1300 BIN on eBay. Did I overpay? Maybe, but I can't say as I much care.

As for the drapes, when I moved in with my GF, they were already there. That means they have seniority.

guygadois 

I don't think Russ Denny ever made Fuso. He made John Howards (the later ones after Dave made the first 100).

pacifico

Check out this thread: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/229751-fuso-ebay-not-one-mine.html

Russ built Fusos for about a year after Dave handed him the reins; still pretty rare according to his post in that thread.

Speaking personally, that '93 that you got is very, very nice. I love the way the dropouts were brazed into the stays, and the lugwork looks great. I think it's probably a Russ Denny - it doesn't have Dave's signatures like the 'scooped' seatstay caps or the Dave Moulton decal.

Enjoy the bike!

bigbossman 

I have a brand new set of 25mm Conti GP 4000's here, if you wanna do a test-fit.

miamijim

I can deal with my GF's drapes. Carpeting on the other hand....no way. I prefer the cleany waxed look and feel.

QuickDraw

yeah not to mention that the drapes, do not match the carpet in any way.

bbattle

I'd send Dave Moulton an e-mail and pics of the bike. Be sure to include the serial number on the bottom bracket.

That fork doesn't look original to me; meaning it doesn't look like any other Fuso fork that I've seen before. But Moulton did a lot of custom and semi-custom stuff so it could be one of his.

Mine is a 1987; used to look like this: