Fuji Gran Tourer Info?
 

Hello all,
I'm fairly new to the boards, mostly a lurker, but at any rate. The father of a woman I work with was going to toss this old bike until my co-worker mentioned I ride quite a bit. I thought it was just an old no name 10 speed. I showed up to pick it up and it turned out to be a 12 spd Fuji Gran Tourer. Does anyone know or can point me towards any detailed information about these bicycles. Are they good bikes?

Thank you in advance!

Brad

ps: The bike cleaned up nice! There was a film of filth and rust on all surfaces!

Serial # is 77E04171

http://i808.photobucket.com/albums/z...tiff/Fuji1.jpg
http://i808.photobucket.com/albums/z...tiff/Fuji2.jpg
http://i808.photobucket.com/albums/z...tiff/fuji3.jpg
http://i808.photobucket.com/albums/z...tiff/fuji4.jpg

That's a pretty nice bike. There are a couple of regulars around here who are restoring Fuji Gran Tourer. I think robatsu is one. If you use the search feature, you'll find a wealth of information. Here's a few:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ji+gran+tourer

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ji+gran+tourer

And here's the Classic Fuji site:
http://www.classicfuji.com/GranToure...ars_Thumbs.htm

Thank you very much!

All Fujis are pretty decent. I have four right now. Yours is a low end model, with nutted rear axle, high ten steel frame (I think), turkey levers and stem shifters.

It cleaned up very nice.

Visit the vintage Fuji site, its pretty good.

Well done.

bill

Should be a lot of fun to ride once I replace the bent wheels. I need a different seat too. I think this one crawled out of the bowels of hell...

Yes... the wheels probably need replacing. The rims appear to be steel, which are heavy and probably not the best stopping in rain. I really like the glow on the paint... did you repaint or is that a super wax job?

As for the hi-ten frame tubing, I wouldn't worry too much about it. With lighter wheels, you will probably be under 30 pounds.

I'm rebuilding a Fuji S10-S from 1972, which has similar components and weight. Steel rims too, which I might replace.

Yes, there are a few Fuji restorers here on the site. As said above, Robatsu has been working on building a Gran Tourer SE into a daily rider for a little while, while Scottryder and myself also collect them. They are great old bikes.

Here is a link to Robatsu's blog, if you are interested in looking at what he has done with his bike, along with several others.

http://nihonmaru.blogspot.com/

Using the pictures that you posted, I am assuming that this is your bike.

http://classicfuji.com/1977_10_GranTourer_&_GranTourerMixte_PageB.htm

You could verify that by looking up the serial number at the link below.

http://classicfuji.com/0_Serial_Number_TableAA.htm

I've been working on a '73 Special Road Racer, which is a comparable model and I love it. I even decided to keep the steel rims.

Best of luck with the bike. It is a beauty.

I didn't repaint or wax it... yet (wax). The glow may just be elbow grease I forgot to clean up. :) Do you have any suggestions on waxes? The paint is in relatively good condition, other than a vertical scratch the whole length of the front fork.

Thanks for the comments.
Brad

Welcome, Brad, and nice find! +/- a year or so, this is probably your bike:

http://www.classicfuji.com/GranTourer_1978_PageB.htm

full specs: http://www.classicfuji.com/1978_17_S...ions2_Page.htm

I have two Fuji's from the early '80's (S-12s, and a Berkeley), and am impressed with the overall componentry, build quality and ride. Yours is at the lower end (like the Berkeley), but still a very nice bike - especially for what you paid for it!

I just finished four Fujis myself in the last week, a 81 Royale, a 81 S12S, a 83 Touring Series IV and a 84 del Rey. So I certainly like the Fujis.

+1 I would go for alloy rims. Niagara sells wheels for about $25 each: alloy rims, stainless spokes and quick release hubs. Your other "thrifty" choice is to look for a donor (cheap bike where you can borrow the wheels). Or put a WTB 27 inch alloy wheels on your local C/L. I would probably go the NIagara route.

thrifty bill

Thanks! I was just surfing the web looking for deals and info on 27 inch wheels.

Are the top tube cable clips a readily available part? Comparing mine to the catalog it looks like I'm missing original steel ones.

I suspect you are looking for these?

http://www.velo-orange.com/brpaandca.html look towards the bottom.

So, I'd say the link I posted to the '78 looks like a ringer for yours? Very nice, indeed. But I'd have to second the others who have suggested changing to alloy wheels.

There's a particularly neat entry about Robatsu riding his Gran Tourer 50 miles to a bicycle show (with his 5-year-old in a trailer...), entering the bike in the show, then cycling home in the afternoon.

I bought one at a tag sale about 8 years ago for $25, and later gave it to a buddy of mine. Nice, dependable bike to ride as it is because "it is what it is". IMHO...you can always put the money you would spend here on upgrades into the purchase of another higher-end bike, and keep this one on hand. If it is the right fit, you can get alot of trouble-free use out of this type of bike. They are also pretty easy to work on. Steel rims don't stop well in the rain? So, you don't have to ride it in the rain. Also, are the wheels bent? Or do they just need to be trued? Even if they are a little "bent", they can often be pushed/pulled back some while you are trueing them. "Hops" and dents can be a pain, however. Those seats were really uncomfortable. You can always hold onto it if you change it, putting it back on if you ever send it onto another owner. Looks in fantastic shape for being nearly 30 years old...probably can touch it up with Testors model paint, or auto touch-up. Good thing you saved it from being tossed. Really nice catch! Hope you get some good use out of it this summer & fall.

Almost forgot, this is the Fuji I am riding now. If more people catch on to how really good vintage Fujis are, the prices will go up!

IMHO, if it's a Fuji it's a good bike. I've got four right now, a Berkley that I'm going to flip, a 85 Team and a 86 Team and a 1985 Espree with less than 100 miles on it. Still has the original rubber.

As a previous poster noted, I've made a later model Gran Tourer into a daily rider. Today, I rode it about 40 miles to attend a business meeting. I find it a very comfortable bike that I can lope along on all day and still be enjoying the ride at the end.

The later ones have cromoly frames, the earlier ones hi-ten steel, I think the break point was about 1980 or so.

Mine isn't so heavy that it is a pig or anything. The tradeoff is that it is a very sturdy bike and quite comfortable. I appreciate the geometry on mine that on a 23" frame I can run 35mm tires, fenders, large toe clips and not have any overlap. It certainly is an alternative to using a MTB as a durable commuter and utility bike.

While it is far from the "nicest" bike I've ever owned, it is weirdly enough the one that I've gotten the most random compliments on.

Anyhow, ride it like it is, enjoy it for what it is.

Rode it out to my local shop last night to see what they could do about the wheels. The shop is about 2 miles away and is normally and quick and easy trip on my other bike... Wow, both wheels oscillated at opposite intervals of the brake feeling on... then off... on... then off... Took alot out of my legs, but it was still a fun ride!

I'm planning on doing a century this fall and was going to use my Giant Cypress, which isn't much of a comfort bike now, but if I can get this old vitage rig going good I think I may take this one. Even in it's current state it feels more nimble on pavement than my Giant.

Great blog Robatsu! Is there really that big of a difference in high tension vs. cromoly? I've read and heard it alot in many blogs. It's seems like high tension is made out to be this cheap dangerous material, or maybe I'm just reading into it too much.


Cheers! And thanks for all the comments!

PS. I have turkey levers? I think thats what they are called, and I'd like to wrap the handle bars with something a bit more comfortable than black tape. I've seen tutorials on wrapping, but all the brake levers I've seen have boots, mine do not. How is the area handled around the levers when using a thicker material like modern wrapping? Any insight or pictures of the handle bars with a similar "turkey lever" set up would be great!

Thanks again!

I took the turkey levers off my Fuji Supreme, with a screw driver and a hacksaw to remove a small protrusion. Then I took the levers off the handlebar and put brake hoods on them (very patiently...). http://www.niagaracycle.com/product_...ucts_id=402802
These should fit your bike. You should be able to lift the hood a little to get the bar tape under it. Be careful though... the fit may be tight and there is a risk of tearing a hood. I just wrapped the bar tape as close as I could.