schensted

I’ve always admired the Japanese-built loaded touring bikes of the early-mid ‘80s, classics like the Miyata 1000, Specialized Expedition, Nishiki Cresta, and the subject of this project, the Fuji Touring Series V. Inspired by the beautiful photos of this model in “Japanese Steel” by William Bevington, I found this frame on eBay:


The frame was in good shape, no rust or dents. Cleaning with mineral spirits and polishing with Renaissance wax brought back the gleam to the beautiful metallic green-blue paint job.


An early challenge: pulling the SunTour Vx sealed bottom bracket. It was stuck tight and the proprietary tool is nearly impossible to find. After breaking a pin spanner I resorted to really big Channel-Lock pliers after a two-day soak in Kroil oil. I restored to better-than-new condition using Phil Wood retaining rings and new Nachi bearings packed with marine grease.

The build proceeded using an assortment of parts on hand and others sourced from eBay. I decided at the start to use only Japanese components when possible, but no Shimano. I have nothing against Shimano - most of my bikes have Shimano drivetrains- but I wanted to use some of the fine SunTour pieces from my parts stash.


Cyclone MkII front…

and rear derailleurs

Superbe downtube levers

I’m pleased with the end result:






Here’s the build list:

Frame: Fuji 9658 quad-butted CroMo (Ishiwata 019?), CroMo stays and fork, 3 water bottle bosses, front/rear rack bosses, double eyelet fork endsHandlebar and stem: Nitto B135 Randonneur 45cm, Nitto Technomic, Newbaum’s dark blue cloth tape

Headset: Hatta Swan

Brakes: Dia-Compe 960 Cantilever, Kool- Stop Pads, Dia-Compe Gran Compe levers, Yokozuna British Racing Green housing

Crankset: Sugino AT 28-38-48, SunTour Vx bottom bracket w/Phil Wood retaining rings, Nachi sealed bearings

Derailleurs: SunTour Cyclone MkII front and rear

Freewheel: SunTour Winner 13-34, 7-speed

Chain: KMC X-8

Pedals: SunTour Superbe w/Nachi sealed bearings, MKS toe clips, Soma black leather straps

Wheels: Sun CR18 700c silver rims, SunTour Sprint sealed cartridge bearing hubs, hand-built by Sugar Wheelworks

Tires: Panaracer Pasela Tourguard 700cx35mm

Saddle: Brooks B-17 black leather

Seatpost: Sugino SP-H alloy, CrMo binder bolt

Color: Metallic Green Blue

Accessories: Tubus Cargo Classic rear rack, Nitto M-1 front rack, King Iris stainless steel bottle cages, Kiley Eyelights USB rechargeable headlight, B&M Top Line taillight, Planet Bike black fenders

niliraga 

nice work, and gosh darn that paint is wonderful. the TS-IV is so dull by comparison.

schensted

Thanks! It is a beautiful color, really sparkles in the sun.

52telecaster

Really beautiful!

polymorphself 

Really aweosome. Love this model. Will you stick with 27”?

TiHabanero

Our shop was a Miyata and Fuji dealer back then and in 86 I struggled with getting a Miyata 1000 or the Fuji Touring Series V. I picked the Fuji based on the looks and the spare spoke holder.
Long point lugs, window cutouts, spare spoke holder, and the graphics were simply stated...how can that be denied?! Years later I was gifted an 85 Miyata 1000 by one of the guys I worked with at the shop. It was NOS frame, fork, crank and once I built it up I realized how much better it was at loaded touring and sold the Fuji. Should have kept it in the collection. Fuji had some real standouts in that time period.

schensted

I’m sticking with 27” for now. Not sure if the cantis will work with 700c on this frame. I’ve got some wheels I could try but I’d have to violate the no-Shimano rule (and spread the frame).

schensted

I’m curious, in what way was the Miyata better? Was the handling under load significantly different? The Fuji seems to have pretty low trail; perhaps it would perform better with a heavier front load. I’ll be experimenting.

polymorphself 

If the cantis that came on it don't reach, there are available options that will, we've seen a good amount of these on this forum with 700c conversions.

schensted

I’ve read a ton of threads about successful conversions. I’m going to try a 700c this afternoon. Am I correct in thinking it’s usually the front brake that causes problems? Just to be clear, the brakes aren’t original spec, I chose them for period correctness.

niliraga 

Seconded -- you can easily go to 700c but maybe not with those brakes. I *think* i see 960s on there now... if so, those are the least adjustable DiaCompe, not just for pad placement but also stuck with fixed lengths of straddle cable (which prevents you fine tuning your "mechanical advantage").

I used 981s when moving to 700 rims on my TS-IV, and they (along with the even better 982s) work better in pretty much every respect.

polymorphself 

Your post says DC 901, are you sure the aren't 981? I'm not familiar with a 901 and a quick google isn't showing anything for cantis, just bmx brakes.

I haven't experienced any issues with front vs rear in my conversion, and from what I've seen on this forum brakes will either fit well in front and back or they won't fit at all, but I'm sure there are exceptions and somebody else will chime in with better experience.

EDIT: Niliraga answered my question.

981s seem to be one of the most recommended for this, and are what came on my bike and worked great.

schensted

You’re right, they’re definitely not 901s, my mistake. I’ll change the build list. The eBay listing said they’re 981s, but they have double-ended straddle cables. Could they be 960s?

Chr0m0ly 

I love this.
I have a Suntour preference myself and the long reach cyclone is a favorite of mine.
As for the Miyata comment…

My wife has a 210 Miyata tourer. It’s a heavy piece of iron, and she had big rack on the back, with collapsible basket, then she hung a U lock from the top tube because with her small size frames, it was the only place that didn’t interfere with the water bottle. Full sized fenders, the works. The result was a heavy bike with the weight high up. It always felt like it was trying to pull her down.

I found her an 80’s Cannondale ST 400, I set it up with short pull levers, and personalized cockpit. I hung a folding Z lock on the underside down tube bottle mount, to keep the weight really low. Lighter rack, race blade fenders, it probably weighs 8 pounds less, unloaded, AND the weight is placed MUCH lower down. She likes it a lot, and she can load it down for commuting and travel.


but riding them back to back, despite the downsides of the Miyata, she says that when it’s loaded down it feels like it “wants to go” in a way the Cannondale doesn’t.

The Dale is lighter, stiffer, better weight distribution…
who knows, it could be tires, right?

but that’s what she says.

it’s funny though, I think she and I have VERY different experiences even on the same models of bikes, because we ride such different sizes frames. She uses 46/48cm frames and I’m on 60cm frames. So the tubing on my frames is longer, plus the taller head tube, compared to the true triangle geometry that her frames have.

When someone says this or that frame feels a certain way, see what size they’re using, and if they’re a spinner or a masher. Lots of factors go into frame feel!

polymorphself 

My girlfriend briefly had a 210 and it didn't seem any heavier (if not lighter) than her current 720 or my Voyageur, as shown here. Goes to show how differently we all interpret these things!

schensted

I tried a 700c wheel on the front. Everything looks good to me, but I’d love hear from those with more experience doing these conversions. What should I be looking for?

non-fixie 

So am I.

Nice!

TiHabanero

The Miyata 1000 is able to handle a 700x38mm tire whereas the Fuji used the limited tire selection of 27x1-1/4. Real big difference. I also found the Miyata handled better when loaded with gear. It was less noodle like up front than the Fuji. Unloaded the Fuji is a real easy going machine while the Miyata shows it's sport bike heritage. Again, I have no complaints with the Fuji, I simply experience a better touring platform with the Miyata. FWIW, frame sizes are 58 for the Fuji and 57 for the Miyata.

RiddleOfSteel

If you like the braking performance of the 700C conversion, then that's great, and you'll be able to fit a larger tire underneath the fenders (for the same overall diameter), which is a ride comfort bonus in my book. The angling of the pads and everything looks good to me! I've done a few 27" to 700C conversions and they've worked out well. Nothing out of the ordinary here. Love that you have a TS V! Beautiful build!

IdahoBrett 

Gorgeous! Well done!

schensted

Thanks for the encouraging words. I’m trying the 700c conversion with a pair of SunTour Sprint hubs laced to Sun CR18 rims. It looks good with 28mm Panaracer GKs, tomorrow I’ll try with 35mm Paselas. I’ll be perfectly content if that combination fits with fenders.

The Golden Boy 

^^^ That.

You more or less want your pads striking the rim kind of level. Notice how your pad posts are *roughly* level?

What happens with brakes that almost work- is they're angled downwards- and the pads are striking the rim along the top edge of the pad.

While this is great- it does pain me because I've always looked at the DC960s as kind of 'low rent.' I've heard the 960s work well, but I've also heard they don't work. As was mentioned- the DC981s are also supposed to be favored to work. My favorites are the Shimano XT M732 or the Deore II MT62 cantis- just because they look so well designed and there's no exposed spring and just look so good. And I've had success with the Suntour XC Pro cantis on my 1985 Trek 720- and those are some pretty brakes- that champagne color would really work on a green frame like the TS-V.

Your TS-V is beautiful.

I thought it was interesting you chose to make your bike Shimano-free... The 1984 and 85 Schwinn Voyageur SP were both Shimano-free builds as well. I used to be a total Suntour homer and go out of my way to not use Shimano stuff. After deciding to use indexing past 6 speeds- Shimano was just better at it. I still think a Suntour XC Pro RD feels nicer than even an M900 XTR RD- Accushift 6 is fine, but I don't have a lot of confidence in Accushift 7 and haven't used 8 at all.

As far as the Suntour BB- I'm running one- and keep an eye on eBay- I think I picked up my BB tool on eBay for like $20. Then again, some clowns have them up for ridiculous amounts of money...

The Golden Boy 

My secret theory is that a lot of the Class A 'flagship model' tourers were built with prestige being a primary factor in their creation- as befitting their 'most expensive bike in the company's range' status. Kind of like having bragging rights of a premium tube set taking precedence over a stiffer or stronger tube set that doesn't have the cachet or the weight savings. However, thicker tubing generally does better under load. I'm not a strong rider, but I flex my 620 frame- and for as many times as I've read about the 720 being "flexy..." those are things you don't want on a touring bike. My 1990 M1000LT is heavier- but it's also much stiffer- But my 1985 Trek 620, 720 and 1984 Voyageur SP are definitely more comfortable unloaded.

schensted

My front pads are pretty level but the rear pads hit the rim at a distinct downward angle. Thanks for the tip on the SunTour XC Pro cantis. I’ll see if I can find a set.

This bike is pure friction so I’ll be able to keep the drivetrain Shimano-free. It would be cool if I could add SunTour brakes as well.

The Phil Wood retaining rings work perfectly with the SunTour bottom bracket. Actually cheaper than trying to buy the special tool off eBay!

The Golden Boy 

Just looking at the pic- I think the 960s will be great for you. Unless you're one of those dorks that just HAS to try to find the best parts ever.. not like I don't know about that... The NGC982 are the Gran Compe cantilevers that everyone goes nutty for- but they're one that I've never used. The DC981 are supposed to be good for conversions- I've only used them for 27" wheels.

(FWIW- I think the difference between the DC960 and the GC960 is that the GC are polished and have Allen bots instead of hex heads)

The XC Pros really are fantastic brakes, they're great stoppers, they're low profile, they're outrageously adjustable and pictures do not capture how beautiful these brakes are and the champagne colored glow they emit. I don't have a really good pic of them on the bike- and of course, I decided to take other pix of the brakes in my basement, partially lit with strands of Christmas lights...



720FrontRack by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr


Superbe Pro Brakes by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr



But there is the DiaCompe 981s as pictured above the XC Pros and below the carbon Spookys.


Grail Brakes by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr



I didn't mention that I really like most of all your equipment choices- The TS-V is a really special bike- IMO only the best stuff goes on there. NOT hunting down a LeTech is a good decision.