sloar 

Picked this Fuji up a few weeks ago and fell in love with it. I’m retiring soon and was looking for a do all bike. Took me a few rides to set up the fit and collect a few parts. Very comfortable all day bike. This winter I’m brazing some cage bosses and fork bosses on then fresh powder coat. I think this will do for a very capable touring bike.

abdon 

If you are brazing modifications already I would route the top cable inside the top tube, add a chain hanger if one is not there already, holes for routing a dynamo cable through the fork (same braze ons as bottle cage), down tube shifter bosses (even if just to put the cable guides there), and I would replace that rear cable end on the chain stay with something prettier.

Basically give yourself time to think it through before you send it to the power coater.

Tourist in MSN

Interesting mix of older and newer parts.

I would not braze anything on it. Or if I did it would only be mid-fork low rider mounts for something like a Tubus Tara.

An older lugged frame that looks that good, I would not want to damage it. For the rear rack, upper rack bolts could use P clips.

If you break a front brake cable and your canti yoke cable grips the front tire, you could have a nasty accident. I would suggest fenders. If you do not want front fender, make sure your brake cable is in great shape.

Nice bike.

abdon 

The reality is that these old touring frames do have a bit of value but not really all that much. It makes a ton of sense to modify them to suit your needs.

Take the list of things the OP wants plus the stuff I suggested. Go ask a frame builder how much it would cost to build a frame with those specifications. Chances are it would set you back $1,500~$3,000. Or if you can braze you can take a well fitting $200 vintage frame, $30 worth of bits to braze, and get it pretty darn close to the custom bike of your dreams.

sloar 

The rear stays have rack mounts, they are on the inside of the frame so it’s hard to see. I’m doing mid fork mounts for a Tubus rack that I have and cage mounts on the seattube to replace the hose clamps. I want to keep everything else as is. I’ll run my fender when I’m touring but I’m leaving them off for everyday rides.

bwilli88 

I would not run the rear brake in the top tube, I would put cable housing stops under the top tube.
I would also have housing stops on the downtube.
Pump stops on the NDS seat stay.

abdon 

I moved the brake cable inside of the top tube on my trek 720 and I'm very happy with the outcome. Modern brake casing is extremely low friction, it has no noticeable impact on breaking. It is protected, there is nothing to snag, nothing to get in the way of attaching a bag, and I'm yet to find a negative. The braze-on I used has a fairly generous entry/exit so fishing the cable wasn't bad at all.

sloar 

Retaining water is the only problem, depending on how it’s done.

thumpism 

A retirement touring bike can be fun. I bought myself an RB-T in prep for a TransAm ride but neither worked out. Lessons learned and other plans made, got an '80s Nishiki Cresta GT, toury-er than the Bridgestone but I haven't really ridden it yet. Enjoy your Fuji!


Years ago I found a Trek 510 frameset and had a load of braze-ons done by a local framebuilder; canti bosses, lowrider bosses, top tube cable guides, a setup for three water bottles, pump peg, downtube cable stops for barcons, all the touring stuff. That all worked but the frame was too whippy, just as the RB-T turned out to be. Make sure the Fuji handles a load before you spend much money on frame upgrades.