OldsCOOL

I've stumbled into a bargain on the bike for 10.00. Condition is typical of what you'd find from a string of owners that really didnt appreciate the Fuji-ness of the bike. The frame fit is proper for me and if the paint is good I'm refurbing it. If not, it's getting stripped of the goodies and frame put away somewhere.

As a rider, could any of you give me your thoughts on the bike? I'm not a flipper (yet) and wouldnt mind having a "trader" but really I'd like a japanese bike in the collection.

seely

I'm not a Fuji expert, but I remember this being in the mid to lower end of the lineup from my shop days, somewhere above the ubiquitous "Special Road Racer." Honestly, I'd almost buy a Huffy for $10, so it's a steal and easily worth more, provided its in okay/serviceable condition. I'd imagine it has the trademark excellent Japanese quality of the time, which carried through even to lower-end bicycles with less desirable tube sets. Heck, the favorite in my stable is my Miyata 610, with a basic chromoly frame and a hi-ten fork. Nothing special, but it rides and fits great, and the quality is very nice.

StevePGN10

I commute on one every day and just love the feel of the ride. As far as I know, the S10-S is the Special Road Racer. Early models had some Fuji gaspipe and later ones were cromoly, still later had butted cromoly. Mine is early gaspipe, but don't think that means low quality. This is gaspipe unlike any I have ever experienced, light and responsive. Mine has a lovely blue cromovelato finish, but I don't know if the S10-S always had that finish. One of the qualities of the bike that I like best is the wide stay and fork spacing, and lots of eyelets. It is dead easy to install fenders of a useful width. I just love this friggin bike and has no idea it might be my grail bike when I bought it. I vote you keep yours.

seely

Makes sense they'd be the same bike -- I always found them strikingly similar. They do ride nicely; I helped a coworker convert one into a fixed gear about 5 years ago, and she still rides it daily.

OldsCOOL

I'm hoping for a good/decent paint condition. Hey, downtube shifters and no turkey levers.....that's 2 out of 3 in my criteria and worth keeping. I had to pass on a Del Rey and have regretted it so this S10-S will be my "for now" Japanese bike in the garage.

Glad you enjoy yours that much! Love the vintage stuff.

ScottRyder 

Even tho the early Fuji catalogs list the S10-S as the Road Racer model, there was no S10-S designation on the frame until the mid '70's. I recall hearing that Fuji dropped the Road Racer name because it didn't do well in the American market labeled as such.

Either way, they're awesome bikes, no doubt. I call them my zombie Fujis, you can't kill them. Here's my '73:






Scott

OldsCOOL

Very nice! Love the chromed dropouts.

cycleheimer

I've had 3 "Special Road Racers" in the past (1 white one, 2 yellow ones), and I currently own an '81 S-12-S (an 18-speed). Personally, I have always liked the way they ride. They are well made. I have never really had any troubles with them, except for "back in the day" on my first one. It had a spoke "clicking" sound problem that apparently was found on some of the early models. The Belt saddles are nice looking, and comfortable. The Ukai rims have always been my personal favorite for durability. These bikes, properly maintained, are very reliable and dependable. In college, I probably rode my second one at least 3,000 to 4,000 miles without any problems at all. It still almost looked like new when I sold it to buy my Kabuki Diamond Touring, which I still own. Fujis are just great bikes, and riding a properly adjusted one in your size can be very nice. Be warned, Fujis can be addicting. Before you know it you will own a Fuji America, a Touring Series model, etc.
Whatever you do, put a pair of Paselas on it!

My 18-speed S-12-S, which now has 27" x 1" Pasela Tour Guards on it.

OldsCOOL

That is a nice one!

Uhhhhh, you said "27x1 Pasela's"?? I've got a thread running on that very tire size I want to put on my Motobecane Super Mirage with 27" weinmann concaves. Thanx, for the comment on that.

ScottRyder 

Tell me about it!

Yes, the clicking spokes. That was caused by the holes in the hubs to be drill slightly oversized for increased speed in lacing. Once that was discovered the specs were changed, wheels shipped back to Japan for replacement.

Scott

mctrek

ScottRyder, great job on your Fuji Special Road Racer. It looks awesome. I have a red S-10-S that I have re-conditioned. I bought a Fujita saddle with a nice seatpost for it since the original seatpost was kind of short and the saddle was replaced on it. Now I'm thinking of getting a frame pump. Could you tell me what kind of pump it used to have? And did you actually ship the wheels to Japan for replacements???

ScottRyder 

McTrek, the original pump would have been the Japanese "Primus". Not easy to come by, they tend to show up on eBay not so often. I'm not the original owner of the Special Road Racer, so in my ownership the wheel set wasn't shipped back. I suspect the cause of this spoke problem was corrected very quickly and the amount of wheels that were actually replaced were pretty low.

Love to see some photos of your red S10-S!

Scott

SteveSGP

Love the Special Road Racers, really pretty bikes and a lot of fun to work on.

Here's the one I did last year.

ofgit

[QUOTE=ScottRyder;13970892]Even tho the early Fuji catalogs list the S10-S as the Road Racer model, there was no S10-S designation on the frame until the mid '70's. I recall hearing that Fuji dropped the Road Racer name because it didn't do well in the American market labeled as such.

Either way, they're awesome bikes, no doubt. I call them my zombie Fujis, you can't kill them. Here's my '73:







Scott[/QUOTE



Hello Scott! Can't tell from the small pics but is this bike metallic gold? The one I had in '73 - '76 was and I have been looking for a pic of one.

Terry in LP

cycleheimer

Revived thread...chance for an update!

The original photos for this 2-year-old thread are four-years-old. I have since switched to a leather saddle, and added a frame pump and bags. The bike is still in the exact same "primo" condition.

The picture below was taken today...

ScottRyder 

[QUOTE=ofgit;16956222]Terry, no metallic gold on mine, just a very saturated yellow.

Scott

ofgit

Maybe it was yellow and it is my memory of it that is golden!? Now wishin I'da kept it instead of getting a car. I did get a nice blue S12-S in about '80 that I still have though.

ScottRyder 

I like the later S10-S models a little better than the earlier ones .. I had an '80, wished I'd kept in now.

Scott

OldsCOOL

[QUOTE=ofgit;16956222]A zombie thread for "zombie fuji's". That works.


I never did buy the bike. It belonged to a teen drug addict in our recovery program. I contacted the mom if she ok'd or even knew of her son wanting to sell it. Nopers. That's what I thought. That's how we roll up here.

jonwvara 

If anyone is looking for a S-10-S/Special Road Racer with a 21-inch frame (or maybe a 22, not sure) I have one that I'd be happy to see go to a good home for a reasonable consideration, especially if it doesn't have to be shipped. Very good/excellent white paint and chrome, seemingly all original except for the crankset. PM me and I can send some photos.

Phil_gretz

... a '77, when the 6-speed cluster was introduced. It has a little decal above the shifter boss that has "12" in the image of a chain link.

Great all-around bike for any type of riding. I love mine. But I already said that.

ofgit

I'd be interested but my post count isn't enough yet?!?! First forum I've been on that has this requirement?!?



Okay. Now I'm an Elite Member! PM sent!

noglider 

My adjectives for the S10-S: solid, pleasant, slow, well-built. They had a lot of happy customers. They also had a persona that exceeded the actual value and quality of the bike, and that is not a bad thing at all.

I recently took an old one and converted it to a fixie for a friend of mine. He likes it.