Absolute; The 1.3 (
Fuji Bikes | Absolute 1.3) has some features which, in my opinion make it Much better than the 1.7 (
Fuji Bikes | Absolute 1.7).
First, hydro discs. Much stronger braking performance.
Flat-mount discs---this is now the standard. I guess it transfers the forces more directly to the fork and with less leverage.
Carbon fork---Really sucks up the bumps better. Not a shock absorber---but it mutes the vibrations, the buzzes and rattles which increase fatigue. Same fork I have on my Sportif.
Both have threaded bottom brackets. Octa-link is no longer manufactured. You might be advised to buy a spare now …. It should last 10,000 to 20,000 miles (depends a lot on how much rain-riding you do) and you could probably replace the bearings …. But because it is Shimano –proprietary, if you change the BB you would need to change the cranks.
The 1.7 has a square-taper BB …. Still plenty of them around and still a decent selection of cranks for them.
The 1.7 with its triple front ring is definitely geared for mud and gravel and steep, steep hills. I think the 50-34 with an 11-32 cassette should be plenty unless you plan to ride mostly on forest trails up mountains. Neither is bad in any way.
The big difference between the Absolute and the Sportif seems to be flat bars versus drop bars. I have extensive experience with both and prefer drop bars for anything over about 25 miles … but I did all my riding (car-free at the time, so I rode a lot every day) on a Bridgestone MB4 with a flat bar. It absolutely works.
If I were planning 50-mile rides I would add bar ends at least just to have a different posture available, and the width of the bar (you can cut it but cannot stretch it---but flat bars are cheap) and the angle of the sweep is important. If it fits you,.. nothing wrong with flat bars at all.
One thing about Performance Bikes---they often have “Double Points” and “Triple Points” weekends, when you can sign up as a “Team Performance” member for $30 for a year and get free points which can be traded for merchandise.
I got my $100 Sportif for $800 on a triple points weekend, and had $300 to put towards merchandise for the rest of the year.
Another thing about Performance Bikes---they sometimes have “Special” bikes which don’t show up on the Fuji website. My Sportif 1.0 LE was like that---different parts and pieces than any of the Fuji factory builds.
I think Performance has some specislty bikes built at the Fuji factory each season which they think will sell better than the regular Fuji models. Same frames, just different parts mixes and different prices.
Sometiems the regular models are better deals, sometime the Performance versions are. Worth watching.
One more thing about Performance …. You can test a bike, and then order something else. If you know your frame size but they don’t have exactly what you want you can mail order---also, if you buy a bike mail-order, they are Really good about taking it back.
You can bring it to your local performance shop, even if you bought it online, an d trade it in or get credit. Useful in case you get the wrong size or something.
You will want to make sure your local Performance store does that. It may vary.
Re: the Jaris----you are right---expensive and heavy. Really meant more for gravel and packed dirt, not so much for streets. (
Fuji Bikes | Jari 2.1) (
Fuji Bikes | Jari 2.5)
I would think that for most pavement, a bike with a carbon fork and 32-35-mm tires ought to be okay, even for bad pavement, and also for most gravel/dirt roads, so long as you weren’t riding MTB single-track. If you plan mostly to ride on pavement and well-groomed paths and trails, the Jari might be overkill.
I’d love one, but I know I wouldn’t use it much.
The Sportif 2.1 is pretty good (
Fuji Bikes | Sportif 2.1) ----five pound lighter. It doesn’t have disc brakes, but I’d rather have good rim brakes than cheap mechanical discs. If you ride in the rain a lot $10 for some Swiss-stop or Kool-stop orange/black pads …. All the stopping you could want.
I would ask at the shop how wide a tire it could fit.