Lower gearing on vintage Fuji
 

Hello out there! I’m sure this has been discussed before but I’m new and can’t find anything on this. I have an 1985 Fuji Espree that I would like to lower the gearing on. The drivetrain is stock with Sugino GP 52/42 front and Suntour Mighty six 14-30 six speed rear. Friction downtune shifters. Is it possible to change the crank to a single 32 tooth and keep everything else the same? I would remove the front derailler. I realize I would have to remove some chain links. What parts would work?

Well .... you might want to start with a 32-tooth crank with the proper bottom-bracket width.

Might it make sense to lower the gearing by simply installing a modern a 50-34 crank set? Or a 14-34 cassette?

This might need to go to C&V (Classic and Vintage -- https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/) but they might excoriate you for changing such a perfect example of outdated technology .... :D

Basically any British Standard (BSA) crank set ought to fit (https://wheelsmfg.com/bb-standards) or check out Sheldon Brown (https://www.sheldonbrown.com/) but as far as I know 6-7-8-speed chain will work with almost anything. There is this "Narrow-Wide" concept (https://www.worldwidecyclery.com/blo...ainrings-guide) which you will want to explore, but as far as I can tell you can get a narrow-wide chain ring and run a normal 6-7-8 chain and get great results.

Post #17 from this thread (https://www.mtbr.com/threads/will-ra...-chain.895702/) is about a guy running a RaceFace 32T with an 8-speed chain and he says it is fine .... so take a shot at it I guess .....

Do you really want to lose the higher ratios you get with the 52 ring? For most road bikes, 50/34's are easy to find and that'll give you lower than what you have now and retain most all the high ratios you currently have.

The difference between a 32 ring and a 34 ring on the current 30 rear will probably feel a little less than the difference you currently have between the 28 and 30 when in the 42 front. Note that I'm saying difference, not that the ratios or gear inches will be the same.

And you could pair that with a wider ranging rear possibly depending on what that is on your rear. But you'll probably have to also get a new rear DR to handle the larger rear cogs and front ring difference and that rear DR might spawn other changes like the shifters, though maybe not, I think you did say friction on the downtube. Whether that'll limit you for newer DR's I'm not certain.

Might be simpler all around to just get a 3x front and a front DR for 3x and then you'll have some very low ratios and retain the high ratios. Though very possibly you'll also have to change the rear DR to handle the front difference.

Welcome to BF!

Thanks for the input! Yes I'm sure I won't miss the higher gears on the 52 ring. I never use the 52 ring and only the larger cogs on the back. I'm pushing 70 now and use the bike for once a week somewhat hilly rides of about 20 mi. I could get a new bike but I love the ride on the Fuji. I've tried a friends aluminum bike with similar gearing to what I'm looking for and love the gearing but not so much the ride. I want to do this the simplest way which sounds to me like switching the crank to 32. I'm still confused though about compatibility ie chain and bottom bracket. my LBS only wants to sell me a new bike

By the way my other bike -Trek 520-now resides with my daughter.

If you are sure, then just see if you can find a smaller ring to replace the 42 with. However depending on what the PCD/BCD is for that crank, you may not be able to go that small.

You still have the option of looking for a 2x crank with a smaller rings. Or you can put a single on it. In both cases you want to know what your current BB is. I'm assuming square tapered and possibly a cartridge BB. The shell if likely BSA thread and 68 mm wide. So you need to look at whether your current spindle width will give a new crankset the same chain line or not. Many times chain line is a hard to find spec. And different cranks can be designed for different chain lines depending on what they expect the number of gears on the rear to be and also just simply on what spindle length they expected.

And if you are willing to replace the BB, then you open up a lot more cranks to look at. And their BB that is compatible with BSA shells is probably only going to set you back < $20. Though many require special tools. But your LBS will probably install them for cheap..... if you purchased the right stuff!

If you are running a 6 speed 14-30, I’m guessing it is a freewheel.

If it is still original, I’m guessing it has friction shifters.

When I converted my wife’s ‘86 Univega road bike to a flat bar around the neighborhood and beach bike, I installed a 22-32-42 mtb crank. She rides in the 32t middle ring 90% of the time.

To be honest a 32/30 lowest gear is not that low anymore. Obviously better than 42/30, but not a really low climbing gear as you head further into your 70’s. With a 22t, you will always have a bail out, plus a 22/30 ratio is .73:1 which is low but not obscenely low.

The caveat is needing a new crank, new BB (one that will work with 68mm shell and give the correct chainline), a mtb FD, and probably a mtb long cage RD.

It may sound like a lot, but it will hopefully give you a longer term solution.

John

I couldn’t find the Espree in the ’85 catalog but I found a thread where a member describes his:
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...985-value.html and this write-up -- https://racingbikes.org/1984-fuji-es...ed-immaculate/

So it seems your bike has a steel frame with probably 126-mm dropouts, BSA BB, and is built for 27" wheels.

So .... you can get six- and 7-speed clusters with 11-34 and 14-34 gearing (the original wheels, if you use them, probably don't have free hubs--the freewheel mechanism is in the gear cluster .... I'd consider converting to 700 c and cold-setting the rear triangle to 130 mm ...... And the good thing about BSA bottom brackets is they last forever, don't usually cost a lot, and you can run a ton of different chain sets.

If I were you I would look into a 46/32 front set-up but if you are dead set on a single ring, I found a bunch of square-taper 32-tooth crank sets (I won't post Ebay ads which rapidly expire and if you Must enrich the evil Bezos, please us smile.amazon.com and support some charity) but for $50 or $70 you can get a good new 32T set-up. BB is cheap and easy .... except I am not sure what width you would want. I'd guess maybe 110-112 mm for a good chain line, but there are a lot of much more knowledgeable people here. And since you already have a working BB, I would start with that and see how the new crank set fits.

Either way, single or double, you should have no trouble getting the parts you need .... not a ton of cash, really simple installation.

I found this thread (https://www.bikeforums.net/singlespe...onversion.html) about BBs and one poster mentions 119-mm BB width (standard 68-mm road shell.) There is a single-speed/fixed gear forum where some folks might know more (couldn't know less) than I. https://www.bikeforums.net/singlespeed-fixed-gear/

Might be time for a name change. IE: mrTrek, mrSpecialized, mrGiant and etc.

Are you sure the crankset isn't a Sugino GT? Seems that's what (sometimes) came on Fujis of the era. If it is, it's got a 110BCD, and the smallest chainring for that BCD is 33. The quickest/simplest thing to do is ditch the 52t chainring, put the 42t on the outside (you should be able to just flip it so the inset for the chainring bolts are on the outside) get a 33t, 110BCD chainring and put that on the inner position. You'll have to lower and readjust your FD. Eliminates having to change your BB/spindle, etc. It won't get you super low, but it will get you lower.

Wow that would be great but crank clearly says GP. Does anyone know if this would work with my crank?

Thanks ehcoplex and everyone else. I measured my crank and it is 110mm BCD. I did a quick search and found a 34T ring for 9 sp chain which I believe will work. I will try to put this on the inside and the 42 on the outside. I will post a picture when its done!
What a great source this site is! Thanks again. As for my name don"t you remember Mr Fuji and Prof Tanaka?

A few more posts and you'll be able to upload photos. And as has been mentioned, I think, you may want to head over to the Classic & Vintage sub-forum, which is all about tinkering & keeping fine old steeds on the road and almost equally about keeping them useable for aging riders!

That bike will have a freewheel

I did this with my vintage Panasonic (34t chainring) and was very happy with the result. BTW, I am 75 years young.

Yup .... sorry i forgot to say "cluster" instead of "cassette," though I don't know if "cluster" is actually the term for the gear stack on a freewheel .... but I know they exist because I have one on my 1983 Cannondale. 48-38-28 gearing and a 14-34 means I cruise in the top two cogs most of the time but when it is time to haul a load, the bike is more ready than I am.

Very glad you found a simple solution .... but if you remember Toru Tanaka and Mr Fuji ... Chief J Strongbow or Bruno Samartino .... you are almost too old for riding bikes ... :D
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a5e9312e54.jpg

They were way too big to ride bikes .... almost as big as me. :( I am more the Haystack Calhoun body type.