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Fuji touring bike for $700, but found touring bikes that cost over twice as much?

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Fuji touring bike for $700, but found touring bikes that cost over twice as much?

Old 08-27-15, 05:38 AM
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Originally Posted by jargo432
I was looking at the Fuji about a year ago, in the end I decided on the DT. (built it myself) The thing that worried me was the wheel set. I'd heard a couple of stories about broken spokes. I looked at what it would cost to put a good wheel set on the Fuji and it brought it to the price of a DT.
Assuming that DT means Disc Trucker... That is probably a reasonable decision if you like the DT better and or it is better suited to your style of touring. For me the DT and the LHT are a bit more of a truck than I want or even than I would have wanted when I was packing heavier. If you either carry a pretty heavy load or just like that kind of ride the Truckers are probably a better bike for you. I found the Fuji (actually the bikesdirect.com clone of the fuji) about right for me when I was carrying 45 pounds on my first tour (Trans America) and even when over time I cut the load to 22 pounds it was pretty nice, but when I went ultralight I went with a lighter bike with sportier geometry and liked it better.

I concede that I am a bit of an odd ball in that I like twitchy criterium bike handling just fine even for touring and also like to camp and cook with a super light load (14 pounds on the Southern Tier and I have trimmed a bit more since then). That said, my two companions on the Trans America found their Fuji clones well suited to long distance touring with medium loads. They probably carried 30-35 pounds on the TA, but the bikes would have been fine with more.

As far as the wheels on the Fuji, they are OK, but typically could benefit from a touch of hand tuning and stress relieving.
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Old 08-27-15, 07:40 AM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by jargo432
I was looking at the Fuji about a year ago, in the end I decided on the DT. (built it myself) The thing that worried me was the wheel set. I'd heard a couple of stories about broken spokes. I looked at what it would cost to put a good wheel set on the Fuji and it brought it to the price of a DT.
What 'good wheel set' did you want to put on the Fuji?
Its $400+ difference between a Fuji and DT, right? And that's when the DT is purchased built. Building a bike up is typically even more, unless you go used or cheaper for components. I assume you used the nicer wheelset for the DT build?


I am a big guy, so I am told quite often, and the only wheel failure I have experienced is spokes having broken a couple times and I am pretty sure both times was just from age and use. I built some wheels over the winter for a sport-touring bike I use a lot. I built them and then took them into an LBS for them to perfect the wheels. I had built them so they rolled perfectly- they were as true as could be- but they needed to still be fine tuned to ensure they could hold me plus bike(255#) and gear on top of that.
$20 later, I had good quality wheels that were properly tensioned and rolled great- all for $150.



To each their own- not knocking your decision to get a DT. And building a bike up is awesome, it can be a lot of fun...or frustrating but rewarding and good nonetheless.
I just don't get being scared of wheelsets when they can be worked on and made great by professionals for relatively cheap if needed.
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Old 08-27-15, 08:03 AM
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Originally Posted by jargo432
I was looking at the Fuji about a year ago, The thing that worried me was the wheel set. I'd heard a couple of stories about broken spokes.
And again the story just won't die, yes, 10 or more years ago, some Fuji touring bikes were sent out with defective spokes of which Fuji was more than willingly to replace the wheels. But since then, according to my local Fuji dealer, he's not had one issue with even one tourer leaving the shop and returning with multiple broken spokes. After all this time, I wouldn't let that prevent me from purchasing a Fuji touring bike.
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Old 08-27-15, 09:10 AM
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Originally Posted by jargo432
I was looking at the Fuji about a year ago, in the end I decided on the DT. (built it myself) The thing that worried me was the wheel set. I'd heard a couple of stories about broken spokes. I looked at what it would cost to put a good wheel set on the Fuji and it brought it to the price of a DT.
Just to clarify my experience, 34 of 36 spokes on the rear wheel were just fine after I did the tension and stress relief thing. (The other two broke before I got a round tuit.) If you've got a decent wheel mechanic in your area, I'd expect he could do the same for you for less than $100 for the set. Since I've had similar trouble with two other wheel sets, I'd expect to do the same for any set of wheels I bought -- so the Fuji-DT differential would be preserved.
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Old 08-27-15, 10:35 AM
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Kertrek, These days most wheel sets on factory builds are machine made so no matter which bicycle you choose, you'll be best served by stress relieving and re-truing the wheels yourself or by a pro at a LBS. Touring bike wheels are under a lot of stress, in particular the rear wheel, so a tune-up prior to a trip is a good idea anyways.

There are some work-arounds if you need heel clearance. In the pictures are the two possible rear rack mounting locations available on most touring bicycles. One mounts the rack higher and the other moves it rearward, but lower. Also pannier size can be reduced for more heel clearance.

The Fuji is a good choice, IMHO.

Brad

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Old 08-27-15, 11:55 AM
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Originally Posted by robow
And again the story just won't die, yes, 10 or more years ago, some Fuji touring bikes were sent out with defective spokes of which Fuji was more than willingly to replace the wheels. But since then, according to my local Fuji dealer, he's not had one issue with even one tourer leaving the shop and returning with multiple broken spokes. After all this time, I wouldn't let that prevent me from purchasing a Fuji touring bike.
I purchased my 2008 Fuji Touring with the thought that they had fixed the problem. I loved that bike, but in the four years that I put about 30,000 miles onto it, I replaced almost half of the rear spokes because they broke. Luckily, it had a place to mount extra spokes on the chainstay and I kept a spoke wrench with a cassette breaker with me at all times.

So while Fuji did probably address the issue from 10 or 15 years ago, I question how well they did on actually correcting the problem.
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Old 08-27-15, 12:31 PM
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Originally Posted by MMACH 5
I loved that bike, but in the four years that I put about 30,000 miles onto it, I replaced almost half of the rear spokes because they broke.
.
So you got 30,000 miles out of the same set of wheels and you're complaining about replacing spokes over that time. This is a tough crowd !
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Old 08-27-15, 12:33 PM
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Some of the Jandd racks are a bit longer than most other racks which will help with pannier placement and heel strike.

Expedition Rack
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Old 08-27-15, 12:36 PM
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Originally Posted by robow
So you got 30,000 miles out of the same set of wheels and you're complaining about replacing spokes over that time. This is a tough crowd !
I did say I loved the bike. I'd still ride it, if I had it. I'm just saying the wheels are an issue.

I've put over 10,000 miles onto my current bike without a single broken spoke.
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Old 08-27-15, 12:43 PM
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Get the fuji
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Old 08-29-15, 02:40 AM
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Originally Posted by gandrimp
I got my Disc Trucker on black Friday of last year for $950.00. I do like the looks of the Fuji and it is 3-4 lbs lighter than the surly. Ride both.
3 - 4 pounds is more than I would have expected.
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Old 08-29-15, 07:10 AM
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If it fits and you like it I would go for the Fuji. That is a great deal. Rebuilding the wheels is relatively inexpensive if they are an issue. Disc brakes are nice, but not necessary. I don't own a bike with disc brakes at the moment. I have ridden tens of thousands of miles on bikes with coaster brakes and rim brakes. My first transcontinental tour was on a low end "sport" bike. Motobecane Nomade. Still have it some 40 years later. Are their better bikes out there? Maybe, depends on your needs and wants.

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Old 08-29-15, 02:16 PM
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Originally Posted by robow
Gee, "I don't get no respect"

and as to the chain length thingy, though I wear a size 10, even shorter 430mm have never given me any problems
That's my experience with my Surly Ogre (431mm) chain stays and size 10 US shoes utilising my Tubus Cosmo and Rear Roller Classic Ortliebs.

I concede to some dog tail wagging with heavier loads though.

Last edited by rifraf; 08-29-15 at 02:19 PM.
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