hampsterblade

I picked up an old Fuji bike. Not sure on the model. Its orange and the first 3 of the serial number are M8B which from what I've found is 1973, but can't find any orange bikes for that year.

Took a little work to get going, but with new brake and shifter cables, inner tubes, tires, and a new front derailleur ordered it rides pretty nice.

Love these tires, but they were dry rotted


The brakes kind of suck


The first thing that sticks out are the bad brakes. I definitely want something better. Looking at rebuilding the rims at some point and will look at braking options at the same time.

The gearing is where I'm the most lost and looking for some ideas. I don't mind friction shifters, but I absolutely hate their location on this bike. Its very inconvenient. I like the idea of index shifters inside the brake levers, and am looking at the best way to do that.


Overall I love the style of this bike. Might even consider restoring it with fresh paint and new stickers. Kind of would like to give it its fresh original look with some more modern gearing and aluminum rims.

Cougrrcj

That is a Tourer/Special Tourer. I had two of those back in '74, the first being stolen at 3 months, replaced by the identical bike. Yes, mine were orange as well, but 23" frames. F9B18529 was stolen, replaced by F9B18546.

The Tourer/Special Tourer was all-steel - steel wheels, steel cottered crank, and I think steel handlebars. Check out Fuji Bicycles - Indentification by Serial Number, Catalog, Model and History 1971-1991 and click on the '74 catalog. The Tourer was new for the '74 model year, but yours is a late '73 calendar year build for the '74 model year.

https://www.classicfuji.com/1974_07_Tourer_PageB.htm

The brakes themselves are probably fine, but your pads are probably hard from age. Old, hard pads do not stop chrome steel wheels very well!

Please flesh out your profile with your location. Many of us here on BF.net have parts bins of salvaged parts - including wheels. OR you might try your local bike co-op for a better wheelset.

hampsterblade

Done.
Glad someone recognized the bike. Helps in research knowing what I have. I've been reading a lot from Sheldon Brown trying to figure out what will be the most cost effective upgrade path to get it riding well. How I concluded I'll probably have to build new wheels.

Narhay

The most cost effective method of upgrading would be to start with a better quality bike. Your bike is fine but it is basic entry level.

hampsterblade

I figured as much. However I've been having a hard time locating cheap used bikes around. When I found this one I really liked the frame on it. I knew it would probably cost about 100 to get it running. Willing to put 100 or 200 more down the line to get it how I like it.

brianinc-ville

I'd definitely put some new brake pads on it (Kool Stop orange pads are worth the extra $). As for shifting, it depends on how much work you want to put into the bike and how much you like the handlebars that came on it. You could put bar-end shifters or Suntour command shifters on it, but with those bars I'd probably put some friction thumb shifters on it and call it a day. Personally, I think that bike would be well suited for city use with upright bars (North Road, moustache, or similar) and either thumbies or bar-ends.

dweenk

Looks like you bought a 1974 Fuji Tourer, which was at the bottom of the "racer" lineup for Fuji. The good news is that even the low end Fujis were decent bikes considering their price point. If it were mine, I would not spend any more than necessary to get it in good riding condition (tires,tubes, cables, brake pads, and bearing maintenance).

Narhay

FUJI BIKE

This looks about the size of the bike you've got now. $40 and it looks to have new tires is a steal.

This one also looks pretty decent and about the same size.

VINTAGE MENS SCHWINN

hampsterblade

Thanks. I think that's what I'll do. I definitely know I hate the shifters it has. Those will probably do.
Are these the right brake pads?.

So I think I'll go the cheap route with some better shifters and new brake pads. Thanks for the advice guys. I like the frame on the bike, but no sense polishing a turd. Not going to buy another bike right now. I just bought this one and it rides good and does great on the path where I'm riding. I'm not planning on racing it or anything.

I'm mostly riding on a bike path. Don't mind the handlebars actually. The drop bars were a big part I like about it.

John E

I concur -- salmon-colored KoolStop brakes pads and barcons.

WolfRyder

The biggest thing going for it is the original orange paint job. Other than that it is not Mid or High end or anything. I would turn it into a City bike with apropiate bars. Yeah I am very familiar with those shifters by the neck. I still get a chuckle out of um. They suk but their 70's 80's so it
s period correct retro kind of cool but not really. I always hated them. It's funny riding a bike like that. Brings back fond memories of my youth. You could change those out. Much prefer downtube shifters. it's all steel but whatever don't spend too much cash on it but you can learn off building it up swicthing stuff around and getting it to your liking. It's not worth that much but still could be ok bike.
I would try to keep brakes same.

Nice foot shot btw

clubman 

Don't do this. I know you say you don't want to buy another bike down the road but here's a recent example of a bike that was offered for $250 here. Not in the same cosmos.

hampsterblade

Yup. Based on advice here I'm just doing the brakes shifters and maintenance. It'll be a good ride for about $100. I'll shop around next year and try find a good aluminum or chrome project. I'm mostly riding bike paths, and I like the down bars for that. Yeah. That pesky foot invaded the frame

FullGas

not to be a buzzkill, but putting $100 into such a low-end bike is poor economics.

lipstick, pig kinda thing...

brianinc-ville

The Supra 2 pads would probably work, but there's a chance that they'll be too long (i.e., the back end of the brake pad will bump into the fork blade). These are the more traditional shape for classic brakes: Kool-Stop Continental Bicycle Brake Shoe

Bearonabike

I disagree, kinda...

If the OP intends to put enough into the bike to ride it safely and then intends to ride it until it falls apart, then go for it. If this will be a bike that will be used for a while then flipped to buy something newer and better, then by all means, cut the losses and start with something better.

I restored an S-10-S that I ride regularly and it rides like a DREAM. Not my best bike by any means but one of my most enjoyable.

hampsterblade

Pretty much my logic on it. 100 bucks is a cheap Walmart bike, and it rides better than anything from Walmart. My logic on it is something I can ride til I can afford a nice bike. Shopping around all I really see in the shops are hybrids and mountain bikes around 500 or 600. Most of the road bikes I've seen in the style I want, drop bars and large frames are priced 800+. Plus an old bike I know needs work is a good way to get used to repairs, truing wheels, cables, shifters adjustments, etc.

I'm not trying to flip the bike, just get something I like true to my style. I love the blocky shaped vintage Fuji frames. A lot of the vintage Schwinn's look too feminine to me. Although next year when I go to upgrade I really like the look of the vintage Peugeots. Part of why I'm looking at rebuilding the wheels, and upgrading different parts. Way I see it if I spend 20 dollars here or there to upgrade a part and learn to install and tweak it that's money well spent. Not to mention any upgrades I do here wouldn't be all that difficult to move to a better frame.

FullGas

oh well, we all have our metrics for what constitutes something being worth effort and expense.

in my part of the world, you can find 80s vintage steel frames (Centurion Ironman, etc) with infinitely nicer components for $200-250 that would make for a far nicer project.

given that, just can't see trying to resurrect that Fuji with its seriously low-end parts.

Seizedpost

It was $15. If he's okay with downtube shifters he can probably get a pair for $5, and get some used 27" alloy wheels for $20 from a bike co-op. It seems worth it to me.

USAZorro

You're close to me (Florence, KY). Does that thing take 700c or 27"?

Cougrrcj

27" wheels on the Fuji Tourer. I also have a set of 27s and new cheap tires he could have, but I'm up in the Cleveland area.

I took my Tourer with me when I went to Ohio State back in '76. Quite a few guys in my dorm had 'better-quality' bikes, and after riding my roommate's Viscount Aerospace Pro just once, I was sold on the difference. I quickly sold the Tourer and bought the S-10S that I still use today. I really wanted to go a bit higher quality, but the step from the S-10S to the America was another $100 - which I didn't have, and anything above that was almost another hundred and used tubular tires. I wasn't about to go there...

hampsterblade

27". I've thought about converting to 700c for better tires but not sure if the brakes could bend down that far.

bulldog1935

you need to be able to move the pads down half a centimeter.
They also make brake pad reach extenders, and these hold nice cartridge pads
Gigantex Brake Pad Holders (Lowered Braking Surface)

ApolloSoyuz1975

That must be a pretty competitive market. On my local CL, there are people asking that much for electro-forged Schwinns

USAZorro

If this is still available, it may simplify everything. https://cincinnati.craigslist.org/bik/5773587967.html