Cougrrcj

I don't have a problem getting decent 27" tires. I used to use the Performance GT2k, but they are now discontinued, so then went with Vittoria Ruffino. My latest ride came with Bontrager T1 that look OK... I just ordered some Paselas. All are less than $25 even in Kevlar versions, and are decent tires.

cyp

Finally getting around to having my '72 Fuji Newest overhaul / restoration project underway. Bike shop wizard does resto mods on his days off from his regular job. Too busy with my job to undertake this work, just needs cleaning and overhaul / tuning to get this bike back on the road. Sweet vintage ride that was a lucky find, before pic, waiting to get this one back on the road.

stankonia

Digging around a shed at my parent's house I stumbled across a black 83 Fuji Del Rey my Mom brought new and used to commute to work before I existed. This happened literally 3 days after I ordered a new bike online...My mom had no problem handing her old bike down to me, and honestly, if I found this one first I might not have bought the new one. But my new bike is a fixed gear, so I'm excited to keep this one around as a geared bike.

The tires hold air, and the bike is ride-able, but I definitely want to put some time and money in it eventually. Any general tips on where to start with this bike? Rims, BB, hubs? I'll definitely replace the brakes soon as the original ones don't seem very responsive, but any other input is appreciated.

VintageRide

No pictures yet but I hope to purchase a 58cm early '80's S12S frame ( metallic brown ) and build it up as a 650b low trail bike. It has geometry very similar to some of the French randonneurs such as Herse with a 73 degree head tube and 60mm or so of fork rake. Should look decent with a nice handlebar bag, front rack, Soma terracotte B Line tires, Brooks honey saddle and some hammered fenders, bar cons and a Shimano 9 speed drive train with Sugino XD 600 triple crank set. It has been difficult finding many S12S in my size, never mind the LTD or America. Should have something to show in a month or so. I just love the color combination with some chrome - nice curve on the forks as well. I hope this is not considered sacrilege as I also have to have it spaced for a 135mm xt hub. At least the frame is getting a new lease on life as it were and I am putting more into it than most would probably consider. The front bag and rack will be more than a stock bike would bring most likely. Am I crazy doing this to a straight gauge frame (even if it is chrome moly) with some hi ten thrown in?

ScottRyder 

The S12-S is a very nice frame, I think if the geometry is right it's a perfect candidate. Let's see some photo when you're done with the build.

Scott

VintageRide

The frame is on it's way - looking forward to putting it together and taking it for a spin.

VintageRide

It isn't much but here is the Fuji S12S I converted over to a low trail 650b - I still need to take for a ride though. If I can find an S12S Ltd frame in this color in excellent condition it would be that much better. The paint is fairly scratched up with quite a number of chips showing surface rust but I guess it adds to the character! I am using a Carradice Zipped Roll until a V.O. front rack and Grand Cru handlebar bag show up.

ScottRyder 

VintageRide, nicely done! I'm assuming your stem isn't above it's insertion point? If not, the Fuji Gods applaud ..

Btw, nice bottle, where did that come from?

Scott

VintageRide

Scott - Necessity requires I have the bars fairly high these days but the Nitto Technomic stem is still below it's maximum and the V.O. Grand Bois randonneur handlebars add a bit more height as well. That stainless steel ( and insulated ) bottle is made by Purica, a company located in Eastern Canada. You can find them on Ebay although with shipping ( 10.00 ) the total cost was 30.00. I looked around for something to compliment a vintage or vintage looking bike and this was the only one with any reasonable capacity that fit the bill. I will try and post some more images in the next few days. I was having problems with the left Campagnolo Ergo shifter and was going to get some Suntour barcons but I think it was just binding as it works now so I will keep using them.

eschlwc

sold my '84 club fuji today. a really nice guy showed up to buy it for his mom, whom he said used to ride one competitively back in the day. i asked $540, and he was about to hand it all over with no complaint, but i gave him a bit of a break on that total. -- he was just too nice!

here is the before and after:





owning this one taught me a lot about the brand and this particular frame material and design. at first, i thought it was made for me. i really liked the sizing and racing geometry with its short stays. but as i rode it more, its newness wore off, and i felt it wasn't as forgiving nor as light as my other bikes (made of 531 and vitus). i'm not great at explaining the feel of these bikes, but this valite frame just didn't put a smile on my face like the others. i even think my old univega gran rally (chromoly) was more enjoyable to ride. i guess this club bike was just too stiff.

still, i keep looking for another fuji ... this time, one of their chromoly frames.

ScottRyder 

Nice turn around on the Club. I owned one for awhile and actually was surprised at how well it rode. Then I bought a Fuji Design Series and the Club was quickly replaced.

Scott

SteakKnifeSally

Picked up this Club Fuji an another in 58 cm foro\ $100. Sold the pictured 55cm for $189 (half the original catalog price) in 2 hours. Certainly enough left over to put a 11-28 Mega7 freewheel, yellow cork tape, black hoods, and some used Michelin Carbon (with yellow stripe) on. I'll post pictures when done.

rekmeyata

Not as light as your other steels, hmm, my Club weighs 21.1 pounds, it's my lightest steel bike.

eschlwc

^ my '73 531 frame feels a lot lighter. haven't weighed them; there's no need. it's all feel.

my '80 vitus tourer feels sleeker. even up hills.

[they all have the same tires and similar wheelsets and seat tube sizes.]

i just haven't found my opus yet...

rekmeyata

Weigh it.

eschlwc

like i said, i don't need to. i ride them. i know how they feel.

pure weight on a scale doesn't translate to how the bike feels underneath you. a bike that weighs two pounds more might feel pounds lighter based on the way it feels to you while riding.

the club bike felt heavy and a little dead. was it actually heavier than my grand jubilé, for example? maybe not. but it didn't feel nearly as sleek, especially going up hills.

i'm done.

rekmeyata

I'm glad your done, but I'm not. A 70's bike in no way weighs less than the mid 80s Fuji Club...unless you have a high end racing bike from that period in which case it would weigh about 18 to 22 pounds...darn close to the Club I have and scaled at 21.1 pounds, but the average mid level bike (like the Fuji Club) of that era weighed 25 to 27 pounds about 5 pounds more than the Club.

Feeling is just a perception, not an actual weight since the Grand Jubilee weighed an average of 25 pounds back then, now I'm done.

By the way, I don't care if you sold your bike, if you didn't like you didn't like it, no big deal, but don't get started on weight and making claims, it kind of comes off like you never owned the Club or the Motobecane.

reggieob

Unrelated Fuji Club post: I picked up an 84 a while back and after some minor tuning and adding new tires, seat and bar tape it's done. Took it out for a 22-mile spin this weekend. It rode nice and was more comfortable and quicker than I anticipated. I'm new to Fujis but was quite impressed. I think I'll keep this one!

rekmeyata

Sweet, it looks just like mine except your's must have been the last batch made in 84 because you have Cyclone derailleurs which Fuji didn't put on till 85, I have the ARX derailleurs...I prefer the Cyclones to the ARX but they came on the bike and they work fine just not quite as good as the Cyclones.

I got mine at a garage sale for $100 from a guy who bought it new in 84 but hated riding it so after 5 miles he stored it; I got it with the original tires/tubes still on it and they weren't even cracked! I rode it for awhile with the original tires but took them off and put on modern flat resistant Kenda Konstrictors and lighter tubes. The tire/tube change did make the bike ride a tiny bit better.

I like the bike too, but it is the harshest riding steel bike I own (which isn't harsh compared to an aluminum bike I once owned), but it's the lightest steel bike I own. I might for fun put my Torelli Master Series rims I have that have DT Comp spokes on the rear and DT Rev's on the front and see how it feels. I also have a aluminum fork that I polished up to a near chrome appearance and also thinking about putting that on to reduce the weight more...for fun of course just to see how much weight I can get off of it.

oronzous

I'm joining the FUJI ranks thanks to a 1986 Fuji Allegro that entered my stable.

Looks that every bit is original (tires, cables, pads, derailleurs, saddle, mirror, etc.) but the freewhell (an old Sunrace).
Damage and scuffs due to storage more than rolling.

New foam on the handlebars, grease in the hubs, clean/lube cables and chain, check the tubes, and it is good to roll.

ScottRyder 

You'll enjoy it no doubt.

Scott

Murray Missile 

I'm sure you've all seen this in my FUJI thread and are probably sick of it by now BUT........... Sold this Supreme about 12 years ago, it was supposed to be a 1982, if not then it was an '83. I swapped on the pantographed crank set from a badly wrecked FUJI I bought for parts, added Shimano Ultegra derailleurs, Dura Ace brake levers and locally built 700c aero rims. It had some paint flaws and was a hair tall for me but rode great.




Started missing it and picked this up on eBay a couple days ago. NOS 1982 Monterey frame set in my size, not a high end collector's item but it should make a nice "resto-mod" only I can skip the restoration part of it and jump straight to the modification.



Found these wheels and tires a few hours later......



Nothing fancy but a lot nicer than the steel tractor wheels it would have come with new. I'll pick up the rest over the Winter.

itstom

Picked up this 85 Team from ebay.
The good:
It fits me. It's a 52cm frame with 165mm cranks and a 70mm stem, and feels better out of the box than my other Fujis, which are stock 21" frames (53+cm) with 170 cranks.
It's super light. I didn't weigh it, but catalogue had it at 22.5 lbs and right now it's without a freewheel or derailleurs.
It rides pretty nice, and all parts are working.
Original FD, & rd were included (Superbe). All original parts except rear wheel, shifter, and pedals.
Appears to be all chromed under the paint.

The bad: Paint is pretty scratched up, and all bearings are in need of servicing, but everything should be ok. Original rear wheel is gone.

The ugly:
The rear hub is 135mm between locknuts. I don't know for sure, but this probably started out at 126, or maybe less. I haven't measured to see if it's off center, but should I be concerned that the chainstays have been spread this wide?

So I'm looking for recommendations for a rear wheel. I'm also considering stripping the paint and leaving it chrome. The color is so odd (Fuji called it "Flamingo") that I sort of like it in a ugly stepchild kind of way. If it were pristine I'd leave it alone... but I think this bike would look pretty sharp all chromey-like. Any opinions?

TIA!

More pix here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/5413492...7639428361913/

rekmeyata

That web site with your photos is loaded with spam has pop up ads and hack ads, Anyone reading this don't go to the site.

Michael Angelo 

Fuji Del Rey, Got it for free. Rehabing it, more than likely gifting it to my Daugther's Boyfriend.