I'm feeling old!
 

Hi, I'm new here, just started biking again after, ahem, 20 years. Pulled out my trusty road bike and started riding. But looking at this website, you guys are calling my bike vintage! Must mean I'm vintage, too!

I have a 1980's Fuji Sagre SP that I used to commute on and ride on the weekends. Then we moved 30 miles away from work and it's been sitting around all that time. Seems to work fine. The deal with DH is that if I put 1,000 miles on it (just bought an odometer) that I can buy a new bike. 8 miles down, 992 to go!

Any thoughts on what upgrades I might do to the Fuji to make it a better bike?

Thanks!

Welcome back to cycling! First, I would have your bike tuned and fitted to your body. Setting up the bike is extremely important if you want to have enjoyable ride. Also, I would install quality tires. Next, I would seek to make the bike more comfortable. Saddle technology has improved greatly and quality handlebar tape relieves hand pressure. Lastly, I would buy bicycle clothing. Bike shorts and jersys greatly improve ride quality. I would not recommend changing components. Although dated, the components should be fine. Save the money for your new bike. .

Welcome back to the road! The Fuji Sagre was a fine bike, so I don't think you need to worry about making it better. However, if it has truly been sitting there for twenty years you might think about giving it a proper tune up (changing cable, repacking the BB, hubs, headset etc) and possibly changing the tires. Also you never know, maybe after you put 1000 miles into your Fuji you'll discover you don't want a new bike.

Thanks for the replies. I do plan on taking it to a shop for a tune up. It has really been sitting around for 20 years, but I did loan it to someone last year for a few months who took it to a shop to get it working again.

Can most bikes be made to fit most people? What do they do? Do they do things like raise/lower the handlebars? Of course they would raise/lower the seat. Any thoughts on a good new seat to get?

Specialized saddles are very good. Specialized has done substantial research into improving blood flow in that region. A good bike shop should be able to fit you to a proper seat for your riding conditions. Hopefully, your bike is the right size for you. Do a web search on bike fit. There should be substantial information for on setting it up correctly. For a fee, a bike shop will fit you to your bike, but I would recommend to do a search.

I seem to remember the Sagres came with an Avocet racing saddle. I have Avocets on a number of my bikes, and I think they're nice riding saddles. If it's already had a tune-up, then ignore my previous comment. As to fit, you can raise and lower the saddle and bars yourself. Unless you have grown or shrunk significantly in the past 20 years, your bike should still fit. Raise/lower the saddle until you can almost fully extend your leg at the bottom of the pedal stroke, but not quite. If you have to rock your hips when you're pedaling, it's too high. If you're legs are always bent and you're pedaling like a circus-monkey, it's too low.

If I were you and just getting back into cycling I would start with the bars higher than normal so you can focus on getting comfortable on the road again before getting into a "racing" position. Once you get comfortable riding upright, you can try dropping the bars a bit.

If it fit you back then, it should be close to fitting you now. I still ride the bike I bought 30 years ago. I didn't ride for 10 years, and when I got back on it, it hurt a bit, but I got a more comfortable saddle, and rode a bit, and a bit more, and it got better.

If the saddle you have now isn't comfortable, then that's a good place to start.

I got a Specialized Body Geometry saddle. There are lots of models under that brand, and lots of other brands. Which one is best for you is hard to say. Some people have to try out several before they find the right one, and what's good for one person is torture for another sometimes.

Well, I've certainly grown in some directions, not necessarily good ones. And, in my 20's any bike seemed to fit.

Replace the brake pads with salmon KoolStops!

1980 is not old for a bicycle (see my signature).

According to what I can find, the Sagres SP was only made in 1988. It came in two colors, turquoise and red. Can you post some pics of your bike?

http://i539.photobucket.com/albums/f...23SagresSP.jpg

http://i539.photobucket.com/albums/f...fications4.jpg

1988 sounds about right. I got it right after meeting my husband. Mine is the red one. I'll try to take some pics tonight.

And thanks, John, for the tip about the brake pads. I'll ask about them at the bike shop.

Everyone seems to have missed the point that if tabriz rides 1000 miles she can buy a new bike - we should be helping her have so much fun that after 1000 miles she'll never WANT a new bike!

Love to see pictures - the catalog photos shows quite a nice bike. Hope you get it fitted to suit you and you enjoy riding it a lot....my wife is loving her Norco.

Mark

Welcome back! I too had a 20 year break, unfortunatley I sold my roadbike before returning, big mistake!!!! Hang on to your Fuji. start slow and build up, in no time you'll be putting big miles under the saddle. In a year or so, you'll have a better appreciation of what you have and what you want to improve. I'd just do a tune-up and a nice set of tires to get started.

Save the original parts if you plan on selling it after 1000. You should be riding a new bike in under a year. Welcome to the forums.

Certainly - take it to your LBS, have them pull the hubs, repack 'em with fresh grease, and put in a new set of bearings. Have them do the bottom bracket and head tube while they're at it. Have new brake pads installed. New cables if necessary. Have the drive train lubed and adjusted.

Then get the bike properly fitted to you.

Ride.

If you're a DIY'er like most on here, then go for it if you know what you're doing. If you don't, get a copy of a decent bike maintenance book. I personally like Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance.

If you're just riding to have fun and/or commute, I don't see a real reason to get a new bike. If you're going to be competing or doing long distance touring, that's different.

[QUOTEIf you're just riding to have fun and/or commute, I don't see a real reason to get a new bike. If you're going to be competing or doing long distance touring, that's different. ][/QUOTE]

Unsupported touring the bike is too light but why set a limit beyond a heavy tour? She's got a great bike that would outperform many mid-level modern bikes. it would be a great ride for Centuries, Club Rides, daily training rides or some light Inn to Inn credit card touring. It's a beauty; ride, ride, ride then get out and ride some more!

trust me,

being young ain't that great. most of us think very highly of ourselves for no reason.

I'm a big dreamer. I can retire in 3 1/2 years and hope to bike across the country, something I've wanted to do forever. I'll have my own SAG wagon, my husband said he'd drive the camper. Would the Fuji be ok for a trip like this?

And, at the risk of sounding totally ignorant (which I guess I am!), people have referred to this Fuji as a nice bike or a nice ride. What makes it a good bike?

the frame is made out of good chromoly steel and the parts are quality. aluminum rims, etc

Certainly. As long as the bike is in good repair, and you're in generally good health and condition.

In 1944, these two women went on a long bike tour, on 1- and 2-speed bikes...
http://mjgradziel.com/thelmajones/lu...eopenroad.html

You're not old. I returned to the fold after a 28 year absence. I'm 60, do a minimum of 15 miles a day and am having a wonderful time.

If you're happy with your bike, keep it. One of the big strengths of the Fuji line is that they never made a bad bike. Anything with their nameplate on it was (and is, for that matter) quality for that specific price range. I'm always happy to point a newbie in the direction of a Fuji, whether he's looking at vintage or new.

As to the Sagres, looking at the specifications from the catalog page, everything that it comes with is nicely functional even thirty years later. Assuming the Accushift is still indexing properly, any changes you make on that bike should be limited to personal comfort. I'm riding equivalents to that bike on a daily basis now, and find them just as good as the three modern bikes I've got in the stable.

Specs show it equipped with a 52/42 crank set, and a 13/26 rear freewheel. Hills will be tough - especially the big ones west of Denver and the big one's on and close to the CA/NV border :) The Fuji is a fine bike, but IMO you'll need more gears to keep the trip from being a death march.

They didn't cross the Sierra, the Rockies, or the Appalachians.

If all her gear is in the Swag, with no additional weight onthe bike, the climbs would not be that bad. In a few years you will know what you are capable of and the limits of the bike.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=170973http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=170974Here's some pics of my bike.