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Not Mine : Someone needs to buy this beautiful Fuji Opus III!

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Old 03-18-23, 09:42 PM
  #1  
Kilroy1988 
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Not Mine : Someone needs to buy this beautiful Fuji Opus III!

Vintage Fuji Opus III - 56cm | eBay

I've been keeping an eye on Fuji Opus models on eBay for years and not only are they very rare but I have never seen such a fine example come up for sale... If it were in the 60-62cm range, I would not have hesitated to pull the trigger despite trying very hard to thin the herd lately... It's just gorgeous! Even finding nice photos of them for reference is hard so I wanted to share the photos from the advertisement here for the sake of posterity.

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Old 03-18-23, 11:10 PM
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Yeah, that is a gorgeous bike. Paint and graphics don't look original, or I should at least say, they don't match any catalog's imagery. I'll take a 64cm even as I, too, am trying to keep a lid on things and just ride the great stuff I have (no thanks to rain or, now, an injury!)
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Old 03-19-23, 04:19 PM
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Ha! I had a 58cm one and it seemed cursed. It got frequent flats, so I bought a Design Series frameset and transferred the parts/wheels over, then the issues went away. I eventually gave the Opus frameset away to a member here. I sometimes wonder if the next owner had similar bad luck. I recall it was not a bad riding bike, but there were just too many bad experiences with rides that were cut short.
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Old 03-19-23, 05:00 PM
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Originally Posted by RiddleOfSteel
Yeah, that is a gorgeous bike. Paint and graphics don't look original, or I should at least say, they don't match any catalog's imagery. I'll take a 64cm even as I, too, am trying to keep a lid on things and just ride the great stuff I have (no thanks to rain or, now, an injury!)
In Scott Ryders "Japanese steel" there is an Opus III from 1983 that looks a LOT like this one. As far as I can see the paint looks right, and apart from a SLIGHTLY different positioning of the sticker on the top tube, it looks right to me. Could the position of the sticker have varied between 1982 and 1983???.
Anyway, with all the Superbe parts (The RD is a Superbe Pro), in apparently very nice condition, it looks like a very good deal to me. If the frame was just one size bigger, and if the seller would send it to Denmark, it would have bought it by now.
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Old 03-19-23, 05:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Highmass
In Scott Ryders "Japanese steel" there is an Opus III from 1983 that looks a LOT like this one. As far as I can see the paint looks right, and apart from a SLIGHTLY different positioning of the sticker on the top tube, it looks right to me. Could the position of the sticker have varied between 1982 and 1983???.
Anyway, with all the Superbe parts (The RD is a Superbe Pro), in apparently very nice condition, it looks like a very good deal to me. If the frame was just one size bigger, and if the seller would send it to Denmark, it would have bought it by now.

Oh yeah. don't get me wrong. Condition, componentry, and frame quality with that price would be fair to me if I were looking.
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Old 03-20-23, 07:02 AM
  #6  
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Originally Posted by RiddleOfSteel
Yeah, that is a gorgeous bike. Paint and graphics don't look original, or I should at least say, they don't match any catalog's imagery. I'll take a 64cm even as I, too, am trying to keep a lid on things and just ride the great stuff I have (no thanks to rain or, now, an injury!)
Yep, I agree. I don't see a black one anywhere and graphics are off. Like the missing stripes on the seat tube. That said, a gorgeous bike, maybe repainted? Price is OK ( I got mine locally and fully refurbed for less) but the shipping is a bit crazy in my book.

I'll also say that my 85 Opus III continues to be one of my all time favorite bikes and I can't ever image letting it go.

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Old 03-20-23, 07:26 AM
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I can't recall seeing a bike with a 56mm seat tube having such a long head tube. Based on the head tube, it looks more like 58 or even 60.
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Old 03-20-23, 09:23 AM
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Originally Posted by jamesdak
Yep, I agree. I don't see a black one anywhere and graphics are off. Like the missing stripes on the seat tube. That said, a gorgeous bike, maybe repainted? Price is OK ( I got mine locally and fully refurbed for less) but the shipping is a bit crazy in my book.

I'll also say that my 85 Opus III continues to be one of my all time favorite bikes and I can't ever image letting it go.

As I´ve already mentioned in post #5, there is one in Scott Ryder´s "Japanese steel" in the exact same colours. Great book btw, if you´re into older Japanese steel road bikes. I´d be surpised if the one in the book and the one for sale have been refinished in the exact same colours.
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Old 03-20-23, 09:57 AM
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If you're into pondering head tube lengths, here's my 62cm c-c Opus III (I guessed '86)
I got it from the brother of the second owner, who had "upgraded" to D-A and 600 drive to get click shifting.
Actually, a pretty nice move back when it was done.
I've seen references that the Opus was built in the Fuji "Special Projects" shop. I've also read that better of the early Fujis were built by Cherubim.
That would be special, has anybody chased that possibility?
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Old 03-20-23, 10:18 AM
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I wonder if the cool display stand is included? Something tells me... no.
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Old 03-20-23, 12:57 PM
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Somebody in Parsippany, New Jersey needs to buy it. The shipping is 42% of the landed cost.
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Old 03-20-23, 02:44 PM
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Originally Posted by jamesdak
Yep, I agree. I don't see a black one anywhere and graphics are off. Like the missing stripes on the seat tube. That said, a gorgeous bike, maybe repainted? Price is OK ( I got mine locally and fully refurbed for less) but the shipping is a bit crazy in my book.

I'll also say that my 85 Opus III continues to be one of my all time favorite bikes and I can't ever image letting it go.

Wow, still rocking 7s friction in 1985.

Makes me feel that my '79 Professional was perhaps ahead of it's time(?).

I wonder what the geometry is like, if it's on the steep side (74x75) like my '79 Pro? Any other differences I wonder?


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Old 03-21-23, 12:18 AM
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Certainly gotta be a 58 and I with the color and graphics look off.
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Old 03-21-23, 05:00 PM
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I like it, and it is is in my size, but not quite good enough for my tastes.
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Old 05-02-24, 11:27 AM
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What’s market for decent condition opus III in 60cm frame?
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Old 05-02-24, 12:27 PM
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Something like that, very small. On the buying side. One would have to get lucky within local postings, or pay premium of national listings.
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Old 05-02-24, 01:15 PM
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Originally Posted by adventuremanco
i like it, and it is is in my size, but not quite huffy-esque enough for my tastes.
fify
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Old 05-02-24, 02:07 PM
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Originally Posted by bikingshearer
fify
Good fix.
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