Fuji America verses 1982 Miyata 610 or Fuji S-12S?
09-23-19, 04:13 AM
#1
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Fuji America verses 1982 Miyata 610 or Fuji S-12S?
A Fuji America came up on my radar and I've started to scheme.. but out in the garage is a forlorn 1982 Miyata 610, a year with caliper brakes and Cr-Mo double butted tubes along with a Fuji S-12S that is glacially turning into a low trail 650B machine. Is the America that much of a better or different bike to replace one of these? I haven't found any specs as far as having low trail like the S-12S , or anything to realy differentiate it from the Miyata 610.
I'm telling my self that its redundant and I need to stop collecting projects. That's crazy talk right?
I'm telling my self that its redundant and I need to stop collecting projects. That's crazy talk right?
09-23-19, 05:21 AM
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Crazy talk. Buy the Fuji America. They're hard to find and they're terrific bikes. I rebuilt a 1970-71 Fuji Newest which is a wonderful bike and is similar geometry wise to the Fuji America. In fact, if you look at the catalogs over time, I think the Newest eventually morphed into the America as both have sports touring geometry (standard reach brakes, room for a decent volume tires, decently long chain stays, etc.) 70s era racing bikes like the Newest typically have geometry closer to a sports touring bike than what today we would consider a racing bike.
09-23-19, 05:42 AM
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Agreed- the Americas are hard to find.
If it’s CrMo/CrMo- get it.
If it’s CrMo/CrMo- get it.
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09-23-19, 12:22 PM
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09-23-19, 12:47 PM
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now go out to that garage and love on the forlorn Miyata 610 I had a 79 912 and loved how it rode.
09-23-19, 01:06 PM
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I've had a 1977 S-10S (12 speed) and a 1983 America. In my experience (and granted that I only had the America for about two weeks), the America is much more bicycle all the way around. Better hubs, better saddle, better crankset, better derailleurs, and a way livelier riding frame.
09-23-19, 08:08 PM
#7
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The America was Fuji's touring model before the Touring III, IV,or V came into being... Still, The America is CrMo/CrMo, whereas the S-12S possibly isn't (is yours a S-12S, or S-12S LTD?) Different specs, to be sure!
That said, I still have my '75 S-10S, but with many upgrades over the past 40+ years! AND I have the '84 Univega Gran Tourismo (comparable to a '84 Miyata 610). They weigh within a pound of each other, and ride pretty much the same, although the Uni has rack mounts, bottle mounts and canti brakes... I still have a soft spot for my old Fuji, mainly because of our long history together, so I'll never get rid of it.
< ahem > N+1 for the Win!!! (I'm such an enabler...
)
That said, I still have my '75 S-10S, but with many upgrades over the past 40+ years! AND I have the '84 Univega Gran Tourismo (comparable to a '84 Miyata 610). They weigh within a pound of each other, and ride pretty much the same, although the Uni has rack mounts, bottle mounts and canti brakes... I still have a soft spot for my old Fuji, mainly because of our long history together, so I'll never get rid of it.
< ahem > N+1 for the Win!!! (I'm such an enabler...
)
