Difference between Schwinn Voyageur and Fuji S-12S ride quality/efficiency
I will finally bite the bullet next year, and start riding my late 80's Schwinn Voyageur (with modern components) on the gravel and crushed stone rail trails I usually ride, since I think my gut will no longer be an issue. This will be a treat, since the bike has about 10 miles on it since I bought it 5 or 6 years ago, and it is still in very nice shape... I hope for a little efficiency gain from the hybrids I have been riding.
I also have a Fuji S-12S that I have never ridden since I bought it at a garage sale. Since it has been decades since I have ridden a classic sports/tourer, I am curious about whether I would feel a difference between the two bikes, assuming similar wheels (sturdy 36 spoke wheels) and tires (Panaracer Pasela TGs). I am especially thinking about gaining some efficiency when I am on paved roads, such as a metric century, charity ride, etc. Would a casual cyclist even feel the difference between two vintage framed bikes if one was a touring frame and the other was a sports/touring frame? I have put a Technomic stem on my Voyageur, but may stay with the stock on the S-12S for a more aero position. This info will help me to pick my winter project. On a somewhat related issue. Is there a noticeable difference in ride/feel between the Pasela TG and non-TG tires? |
I've flipped a few S-12S and just started riding a 1980 Voyageuer. It could be the tires, Paselas, but the Voyageur seems like a plusher ride than the Fuji IMHO. The Fuji never excited me as particularly quick or comfortable, even though I believe they were the same size frame.
https://dl.dropbox.com/s/zvoihyee13d...44.38.jpg?dl=0 https://dl.dropbox.com/s/8sjn3k8xeem..._0980.jpg?dl=0 |
The two big differences - the Voyareur has butted tubing, the Fuji does not. (I could be wrong about the S12-S. The earlier S10-S certainly did not have nice tubing. Strong; the frames went decades but never with a nice ride.) Also, the geometries are probably significantly different. I would ride both with that in mind. Better fit makes for a better bike and better ride. Better tubing is nice but better ride upstages nice. (My opinion - fit rules!)
Ben |
I always felt like my Voyageur had a "dead" ride quality. I traded it for a a Shogun 2000 that worked much better for me; to be fair, I think the Voyageur rode better for the BF member it wound up with than me. As always, YMMV.
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I'll echo the 'fit is king' sentiment. That said, I've never riden a S-12-S but did ride a Fuji Sports 10 around for a while (lower end sport geo bike). It worked fine but if I remember correctly came with pretty junky parts, and while fun to ride (what bike isn't?) it was pretty unremarkable. I've found that I prefer my 1989 Voyageur to that Fuji and the other bikes in my stable (Centurion Ironman, B-Stone MB2) for everyday riding and longer all-day rides. It's stable without feeling unresponsive and is fun on fire roads too. I've swapped out the stock wheels for 700c wheels running a generator front hub and run 38c Continental Touring Plus tires. I upgraded the stock brakes to older Deore Cantis, which also was good. It may not be too different from the hybrids you've been riding, though.
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