Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Classic & Vintage
Reload this Page >

Fujita Seamless saddle

Notices
Classic & Vintage This forum is to discuss the many aspects of classic and vintage bicycles, including musclebikes, lightweights, middleweights, hi-wheelers, bone-shakers, safety bikes and much more.

Fujita Seamless saddle

Old 03-27-19, 01:23 PM
  #1  
noobinsf 
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
noobinsf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Oakland, CA
Posts: 3,291

Bikes: '82 Univega Competizione, '72 Motobecane Grand Record, '83 Mercian KOM Touring, '85 Univega Alpina Uno, '76 Eisentraut Limited

Mentioned: 57 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1088 Post(s)
Liked 1,204 Times in 700 Posts
Fujita Seamless saddle

This saddle, which came to me on a recent acquisition, is in rough shape, but poking around reveals that it may be rare and/or desireable. Is that correct? Just wondering what I have — I don’t have any illusions about value given the condition.





noobinsf is offline  
Likes For noobinsf:
Old 03-27-19, 02:00 PM
  #2  
wrk101
Thrifty Bill
 
wrk101's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Mountains of Western NC
Posts: 23,570

Bikes: 86 Katakura Silk, 87 Prologue X2, 88 Cimarron LE, 1975 Sekai 4000 Professional, 73 Paramount, plus more

Mentioned: 96 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1236 Post(s)
Liked 957 Times in 624 Posts
In its current poor condition, very little value if any.
wrk101 is offline  
Old 03-28-19, 09:45 AM
  #3  
zukahn1 
Senior Member
 
zukahn1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Fairplay Co
Posts: 9,582

Bikes: Current 79 Nishiki Custum Sport, Jeunet 620, notable previous bikes P.K. Ripper loop tail, Kawahara Laser Lite, Paramount Track full chrome, Raliegh Internatioanl, Motobecan Super Mirage. 59 Crown royak 3 speed

Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 786 Post(s)
Liked 1,706 Times in 620 Posts
Nothing real special in my opinion just another nice leather over plastic saddle. You can pic up similar saddles in real nice condition for $20-30 pretty easy.
zukahn1 is offline  
Old 03-31-19, 04:05 PM
  #4  
lostarchitect 
incazzare.
 
lostarchitect's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Catskills/Brooklyn, NY
Posts: 6,978

Bikes: See sig

Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 40 Post(s)
Liked 55 Times in 38 Posts
Ironic that it is "seamless" but covered in stitching.
__________________
1964 JRJ (Bob Jackson), 1973 Wes Mason, 1974 Raleigh Gran Sport, 1986 Schwinn High Sierra, 2000ish Colian (Colin Laing), 2011 Dick Chafe, 2013 Velo Orange Pass Hunter
lostarchitect is offline  
Old 10-01-19, 04:57 PM
  #5  
noobinsf 
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
noobinsf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Oakland, CA
Posts: 3,291

Bikes: '82 Univega Competizione, '72 Motobecane Grand Record, '83 Mercian KOM Touring, '85 Univega Alpina Uno, '76 Eisentraut Limited

Mentioned: 57 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1088 Post(s)
Liked 1,204 Times in 700 Posts
I like to have little projects here and there, and I have no black saddles at the moment that I want to use, so I decided to recover this saddle using the technique outlined in a thread here on BF. An added bonus — this keeps me from buying one of the several frames I’ve seen pop up recently in my size.

I am halfway there, having removed the leather topper. This meant snipping each thread to avoid tearing up the foam, and then each thread loop had to be picked out individually. It’s a process I expect to be enjoyable exactly once, so it’s good that I only have one of these quilted saddles.




noobinsf is offline  
Old 10-01-19, 05:01 PM
  #6  
noobinsf 
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
noobinsf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Oakland, CA
Posts: 3,291

Bikes: '82 Univega Competizione, '72 Motobecane Grand Record, '83 Mercian KOM Touring, '85 Univega Alpina Uno, '76 Eisentraut Limited

Mentioned: 57 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1088 Post(s)
Liked 1,204 Times in 700 Posts
Many thanks to member @ScottRyder for his vintage Japanese bike site that shows me what this saddle must have looked like when it was new:

https://fujitasaddleyfc.posthaven.co...r-deluxe-black

https://fujitasaddleyfc.posthaven.co...r-deluxe-brown


noobinsf is offline  
Old 10-01-19, 05:30 PM
  #7  
cb400bill
Forum Moderator
 
cb400bill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Kalamazoo MI
Posts: 21,324

Bikes: Fuji SL2.1 Carbon Di2 Cannondale Synapse Alloy 4 Trek Checkpoint ALR-5 Viscount Aerospace Pro Colnago Classic Rabobank Schwinn Waterford PMount Raleigh C50 Cromoly Hybrid Legnano Tipo Roma Pista

Mentioned: 58 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3059 Post(s)
Liked 6,378 Times in 3,691 Posts
Thread title edited and thread moved from Appraisals to regular C&V.
cb400bill is offline  
Likes For cb400bill:
Old 10-01-19, 06:17 PM
  #8  
merziac
Senior Member
 
merziac's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: PDX
Posts: 14,099

Bikes: Merz x 5 + Specialized Merz Allez x 2, Strawberry/Newlands/DiNucci/Ti x3, Gordon, Fuso/Moulton x2, Bornstein, Paisley,1958-74 Paramounts x3, 3rensho, 74 Moto TC, 73-78 Raleigh Pro's x5, Marinoni x2, 1960 Cinelli SC, 1980 Bianchi SC, PX-10 X 2

Mentioned: 267 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4493 Post(s)
Liked 6,297 Times in 3,632 Posts
My new Mizutani Super came with one of these in 75?, it was cool albeit not comfortable. Always thought this was diamond tuck with no roll.
merziac is offline  
Old 10-01-19, 06:48 PM
  #9  
noobinsf 
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
noobinsf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Oakland, CA
Posts: 3,291

Bikes: '82 Univega Competizione, '72 Motobecane Grand Record, '83 Mercian KOM Touring, '85 Univega Alpina Uno, '76 Eisentraut Limited

Mentioned: 57 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1088 Post(s)
Liked 1,204 Times in 700 Posts
Originally Posted by merziac
My new Mizutani Super came with one of these in 75?, it was cool albeit not comfortable. Always thought this was diamond tuck with no roll.
Well, shoot, I guess it would have been advisable to try it first.

It did keep me from buying that Gitane for sale right now...
noobinsf is offline  
Old 10-01-19, 09:08 PM
  #10  
Lascauxcaveman 
Senior Member
 
Lascauxcaveman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Port Angeles, WA
Posts: 8,016

Bikes: A green one, "Ragleigh," or something.

Mentioned: 194 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1627 Post(s)
Liked 629 Times in 355 Posts
I've got one somewhere in my big box o' saddles. 1973 version in real good shape. It's not too bad to ride but I prefer the suspended leather (Brooks/Ideale) or naked plastic (Unicanitor) saddles better.
__________________
● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●

Lascauxcaveman is offline  
Old 10-02-19, 11:54 AM
  #11  
noobinsf 
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
noobinsf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Oakland, CA
Posts: 3,291

Bikes: '82 Univega Competizione, '72 Motobecane Grand Record, '83 Mercian KOM Touring, '85 Univega Alpina Uno, '76 Eisentraut Limited

Mentioned: 57 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1088 Post(s)
Liked 1,204 Times in 700 Posts
Originally Posted by Lascauxcaveman
I've got one somewhere in my big box o' saddles. 1973 version in real good shape. It's not too bad to ride but I prefer the suspended leather (Brooks/Ideale) or naked plastic (Unicanitor) saddles better.
Bare plastic are actually comfortable? I haven't ridden one of those since my department store BMX'er in the 80's, but I'm sure that one's quality was pretty awful, so I wasn't trying the best.

I have Brooks on my bikes, but the width on this Fujita looks like it's in between my B17's and the Concor that I just sold (which was too narrow for me), so I'm looking forward to trying it with new leather. Plus, it's more for the tinkering than anything else. Snipping the threads while my daughters sat next to me and watched a cartoon on a Sunday afternoon was pretty relaxing.
noobinsf is offline  
Old 10-02-19, 02:30 PM
  #12  
rhm
multimodal commuter
 
rhm's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: NJ, NYC, LI
Posts: 19,852

Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...

Mentioned: 584 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1908 Post(s)
Liked 574 Times in 339 Posts
Originally Posted by noobinsf
Bare plastic are actually comfortable? ...


But yes, they can be. A good plastic saddle feels pretty much the same as a good leather saddle. For long distance riding, if there's any chance of rain*, I use a plastic saddle.

I have made some changes to the ones I'm using, though. They were too hard, so I cut some of the plastic off the top.



*With long distance riding there is always a chance of rain.
rhm is offline  
Likes For rhm:
Old 10-02-19, 09:58 PM
  #13  
merziac
Senior Member
 
merziac's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: PDX
Posts: 14,099

Bikes: Merz x 5 + Specialized Merz Allez x 2, Strawberry/Newlands/DiNucci/Ti x3, Gordon, Fuso/Moulton x2, Bornstein, Paisley,1958-74 Paramounts x3, 3rensho, 74 Moto TC, 73-78 Raleigh Pro's x5, Marinoni x2, 1960 Cinelli SC, 1980 Bianchi SC, PX-10 X 2

Mentioned: 267 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4493 Post(s)
Liked 6,297 Times in 3,632 Posts
Originally Posted by Lascauxcaveman
I've got one somewhere in my big box o' saddles. 1973 version in real good shape. It's not too bad to ride but I prefer the suspended leather (Brooks/Ideale) or naked plastic (Unicanitor) saddles better.
I'd like to see it if it ever surfaces.
merziac is offline  
Old 10-08-19, 07:53 PM
  #14  
Lascauxcaveman 
Senior Member
 
Lascauxcaveman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Port Angeles, WA
Posts: 8,016

Bikes: A green one, "Ragleigh," or something.

Mentioned: 194 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1627 Post(s)
Liked 629 Times in 355 Posts
Originally Posted by merziac
I'd like to see it if it ever surfaces.
Ask and ye shall receive!




I have another one just like it, too, but in rougher shape and not an actual Fujita.
__________________
● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●

Lascauxcaveman is offline  
Likes For Lascauxcaveman:
Old 10-13-19, 10:24 PM
  #15  
juvela
Senior Member
 
juvela's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Alta California
Posts: 14,324
Mentioned: 414 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3781 Post(s)
Liked 3,284 Times in 2,145 Posts
-----

Catalogue pages from the manufacturer -








-----
juvela is offline  
Likes For juvela:
Old 10-14-19, 03:24 PM
  #16  
noobinsf 
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
noobinsf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Oakland, CA
Posts: 3,291

Bikes: '82 Univega Competizione, '72 Motobecane Grand Record, '83 Mercian KOM Touring, '85 Univega Alpina Uno, '76 Eisentraut Limited

Mentioned: 57 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1088 Post(s)
Liked 1,204 Times in 700 Posts
Thanks, @Lascauxcaveman and @juvela for posting the examples and history!
noobinsf is offline  
Old 10-15-19, 02:24 PM
  #17  
ScottRyder 
Photographer
 
ScottRyder's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: The other Cape, Cape Ann
Posts: 3,158
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 105 Post(s)
Liked 98 Times in 53 Posts
Nice to see my Fujita blog is getting some viewers!

I've ridden with that saddle many times, actually quite comfortable for me. Not to hard, not too soft. This saddle was available as an upgrade on the early Fuji Finest. The original leather version, not the later plastic material.

Another interesting thing about these Fujita saddles. In the back, where the two rails attach. you'll frequently see these are cut or split, separated from the main base. That's because the leather was trimmed by hand and the worker wasn't careful and cut too far into the plastic.

Good luck with the restoration!

Scott
__________________
ClassicFuji.posthaven.com.archive

IG @scottryder.surf.cycle
IG @scottryder.fine.art
























ScottRyder is offline  
Old 10-15-19, 02:47 PM
  #18  
dweenk
Senior Member
 
dweenk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Maryland
Posts: 3,980

Bikes: Lots of English 3-speeds, a couple of old road bikes, 3 mountain bikes, 1 hybrid, and a couple of mash-ups

Mentioned: 53 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 887 Post(s)
Liked 335 Times in 225 Posts
One of those came on the Nishiki Competition I bought in 1972 or 73. I replaced it when I converted the bike to upright bars and thumb shifters. Somewhere along the years and moves I've lost the saddle, Suntour barcons, and wound cable housings. It was a very good saddle.
dweenk is offline  
Old 06-04-20, 10:54 PM
  #19  
yelro
rookie
 
yelro's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: golden shack
Posts: 10

Bikes: bridgestone, ave maldea custom fixed gear

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by merziac
My new Mizutani Super came with one of these in 75?, it was cool albeit not comfortable. Always thought this was diamond tuck with no roll.
i wonder if the comfor factor has to do with the roundnes or flat. looking at these types and the njs variety.
njs or the professional variety are a bit too
​​​​​narrow which equal to soreness for a longer period? than the flatter ones, I wanna know..
yelro is offline  
Old 06-05-20, 07:48 AM
  #20  
ScottRyder 
Photographer
 
ScottRyder's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: The other Cape, Cape Ann
Posts: 3,158
Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 105 Post(s)
Liked 98 Times in 53 Posts
Originally Posted by yelro
i wonder if the comfor factor has to do with the roundnes or flat. looking at these types and the njs variety.
njs or the professional variety are a bit too
​​​​​narrow which equal to soreness for a longer period? than the flatter ones, I wanna know..
I found these saddle to be pretty comfortable.

Scott
__________________
ClassicFuji.posthaven.com.archive

IG @scottryder.surf.cycle
IG @scottryder.fine.art
























ScottRyder is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
The_Joe
Classic and Vintage Sales
5
02-27-19 11:29 AM
flyingPiggy
Classic & Vintage
8
01-12-19 03:49 PM
zukahn1
Classic and Vintage Bicycles: Whats it Worth? Appraisals.
3
03-18-18 09:12 AM
Joec03
Classic and Vintage Bicycles: Whats it Worth? Appraisals.
10
08-28-16 02:23 PM
mac4095
Bicycle Mechanics
7
03-19-12 06:33 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.