Fuji Touring (2015 model)
12-31-15, 10:47 AM
#1
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Fuji Touring (2015 model)
Last edited by TransitBiker; 12-31-15 at 10:51 AM.
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12-31-15, 10:57 AM
#2
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It was one of the ones that I was considering when I purchased my Kona Sutra: the others were a Brodie Elan and the Cinelli Bootleg Hobo. The Hobo was my favourite but I got a great deal on the Kona and I couldn't find a dealer (in Toronto, in 2013) that had a Hobo.
12-31-15, 11:02 AM
#3
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For the price on a new touring bike, it's hard to beat, period.
That said, I picked up a 2009 fuji touring second hand recently. I was not overly impressed with the quality of the parts on the bike but the parts on the '015 model are frankly better (real shimano hubs and not some junky fuji knockoff and a much better choice in a crank).
That said, I picked up a 2009 fuji touring second hand recently. I was not overly impressed with the quality of the parts on the bike but the parts on the '015 model are frankly better (real shimano hubs and not some junky fuji knockoff and a much better choice in a crank).
12-31-15, 11:12 AM
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I thought you "were sooo done with rim brakes!". This isn't a bike that could be easily converted to discs. The rear disc is just plain out. I suppose that you could have someone add disc tabs to the rear but that isn't going to be cheap. It may not even be possible. The tubes on the nondrive side may not be strong enough to withstand the braking force.
You could put discs on the front but that's still going to be expensive. You'd need a new fork, a new wheel and a disc caliper. All in you'd be looking at $150 to $250 depending on the quality of the parts. If you don't install the parts yourself, you are looking at another $150 to $200 for labor. That's adding a lot to the cost of the bike and getting it pretty close to the price of a LHT Disc Trucker.
Bottom line: It's a good bike as it sits. It's not necessarily a good bike for you if you start fiddling with it.
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Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
12-31-15, 05:25 PM
#5
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I don't think that I like to ride home with a new bike wishing that I had something else.
12-31-15, 11:45 PM
#6
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The bike is nice enough and sits right in the touring category.
But my first thought was, "There are no disc brakes."
But my first thought was, "There are no disc brakes."
01-01-16, 09:45 AM
#7
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FWIW, the BikesDirect "Windsor Tourist" is generally acknowledged to be a knockoff of the Fuji Touring. Depending on which sub-model you get and the particular component selection, it can be a better deal.
Disclaimer: Bought the Windsor for my teen a couple of years ago. Very, very good value.
Disclaimer: Bought the Windsor for my teen a couple of years ago. Very, very good value.
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01-01-16, 01:39 PM
#8
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The Windsor Tourist is very differently specs though. The Windsor comes with Sora/Tiagra STI and a crank with a 30t small ring. It's also has some no name hubs.
The Fuji has Deore hubs and crank with a 26t small ring, and also has bar ends for shifting.
Pretty different specs.
The Fuji has Deore hubs and crank with a 26t small ring, and also has bar ends for shifting.
Pretty different specs.
01-01-16, 01:40 PM
#9
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The 16 Fuji Touring is a really solid entry level tourer. I could see it bei g great for commuter duty too.
01-02-16, 01:38 AM
#10
contiuniously variable
Thread Starter
It's an okay bike that's a pretty good value. Nothing too special but not too many warts either. However...
I thought you "were sooo done with rim brakes!". This isn't a bike that could be easily converted to discs. The rear disc is just plain out. I suppose that you could have someone add disc tabs to the rear but that isn't going to be cheap. It may not even be possible. The tubes on the nondrive side may not be strong enough to withstand the braking force.
You could put discs on the front but that's still going to be expensive. You'd need a new fork, a new wheel and a disc caliper. All in you'd be looking at $150 to $250 depending on the quality of the parts. If you don't install the parts yourself, you are looking at another $150 to $200 for labor. That's adding a lot to the cost of the bike and getting it pretty close to the price of a LHT Disc Trucker.
Bottom line: It's a good bike as it sits. It's not necessarily a good bike for you if you start fiddling with it.
I thought you "were sooo done with rim brakes!". This isn't a bike that could be easily converted to discs. The rear disc is just plain out. I suppose that you could have someone add disc tabs to the rear but that isn't going to be cheap. It may not even be possible. The tubes on the nondrive side may not be strong enough to withstand the braking force.
You could put discs on the front but that's still going to be expensive. You'd need a new fork, a new wheel and a disc caliper. All in you'd be looking at $150 to $250 depending on the quality of the parts. If you don't install the parts yourself, you are looking at another $150 to $200 for labor. That's adding a lot to the cost of the bike and getting it pretty close to the price of a LHT Disc Trucker.
Bottom line: It's a good bike as it sits. It's not necessarily a good bike for you if you start fiddling with it.
As dead set that you were to switch to disc brakes this should be a deal breaker for you. This isn't like buying a bike with tires that you don't like or a saddle that doesn't work for you. This is something that you will have to live with. Are you ready to invest in a bike that is missing one of the major features that you were looking for.
I don't think that I like to ride home with a new bike wishing that I had something else.
I don't think that I like to ride home with a new bike wishing that I had something else.
- Andy
01-02-16, 09:09 AM
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Who are we critiquing it for? There is a usual assumption when one posts a new bike with a call for opinions that the bike is for you.
It may have been better to ask, "So I'm looking at a bike for____, opinions?"
It looks like a great entry level bike. A solid frame and good components. I've personally found bar ends not practical for my riding style, how does this person ride? I do think discs are the way to go these days. That being said rim brakes are more than adequate and not going anywhere.
In general it's a solid bike and would be more than sufficient to most people wanting to get into commuting and touring and weekend rides without a large financial burden.
It may have been better to ask, "So I'm looking at a bike for____, opinions?"
It looks like a great entry level bike. A solid frame and good components. I've personally found bar ends not practical for my riding style, how does this person ride? I do think discs are the way to go these days. That being said rim brakes are more than adequate and not going anywhere.
In general it's a solid bike and would be more than sufficient to most people wanting to get into commuting and touring and weekend rides without a large financial burden.
01-02-16, 10:17 AM
#12
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And you got them. It's a fairly good touring bike of good value for someone who isn't adamantly against rim brakes. It's not a bike that is worth trying to retrofit for disc brakes.
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Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
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Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
01-02-16, 03:08 PM
#13
contiuniously variable
Thread Starter
Who are we critiquing it for? There is a usual assumption when one posts a new bike with a call for opinions that the bike is for you.
It may have been better to ask, "So I'm looking at a bike for____, opinions?"
It looks like a great entry level bike. A solid frame and good components. I've personally found bar ends not practical for my riding style, how does this person ride? I do think discs are the way to go these days. That being said rim brakes are more than adequate and not going anywhere.
In general it's a solid bike and would be more than sufficient to most people wanting to get into commuting and touring and weekend rides without a large financial burden.
It may have been better to ask, "So I'm looking at a bike for____, opinions?"
It looks like a great entry level bike. A solid frame and good components. I've personally found bar ends not practical for my riding style, how does this person ride? I do think discs are the way to go these days. That being said rim brakes are more than adequate and not going anywhere.
In general it's a solid bike and would be more than sufficient to most people wanting to get into commuting and touring and weekend rides without a large financial burden.
I am sure i didn't use the brakes properly on my breezer. It isn't meant to speed down trails in a park like my cruiser could, my cruiser had a beefy coaster brake. I did that for the first 3 months and nearly ruined the rims. Next thing i will need is a new set of both rims and spokes.... IF i cannot afford that, i'll be SOL.
- Andy
01-02-16, 04:43 PM
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I am sure i didn't use the brakes properly on my breezer. It isn't meant to speed down trails in a park like my cruiser could, my cruiser had a beefy coaster brake. I did that for the first 3 months and nearly ruined the rims. Next thing i will need is a new set of both rims and spokes.... IF i cannot afford that, i'll be SOL.
- Andy
01-03-16, 01:27 PM
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I am sure i didn't use the brakes properly on my breezer. It isn't meant to speed down trails in a park like my cruiser could, my cruiser had a beefy coaster brake. I did that for the first 3 months and nearly ruined the rims. Next thing i will need is a new set of both rims and spokes.... IF i cannot afford that, i'll be SOL.
- Andy
- Andy
I suspect that you are dragging the brake on downhills. Learn a different technique. Let the bike roll, hit the brakes hard to scrub speed and then get off them. Don't just clamp on the brake at the top of a hill and keep them on until you reach the bottom. Even with a coaster brake...especially with a coaster brake...dragging a brake from top to bottom is a way of wearing out the brakes. With a coaster brake, it's a way of not having any brakes at all when the mechanism overheats.
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
05-21-16, 11:57 AM
#16
contiuniously variable
Thread Starter
I was riding the brakes on fairly steep downhills. Oops!
The rims are not the bad guy here, the way I was using super hard brake pads is the problem. I have since corrected my technique. I also have stopped trying to slow on hills where I don't need to.
I plan to replace the rims when needed with similar if not same model, as i am very happy with them overall. The new back tire is a 58 psi continental touring plus (26 x 1.75), which does not push on the rim wall as much as the old kenda kwik (26x1.50) at 80 psi. It's a great setup, because it gives me some more suspension especially with loaded grocery bags.
- Andy
The rims are not the bad guy here, the way I was using super hard brake pads is the problem. I have since corrected my technique. I also have stopped trying to slow on hills where I don't need to.
I plan to replace the rims when needed with similar if not same model, as i am very happy with them overall. The new back tire is a 58 psi continental touring plus (26 x 1.75), which does not push on the rim wall as much as the old kenda kwik (26x1.50) at 80 psi. It's a great setup, because it gives me some more suspension especially with loaded grocery bags.
- Andy
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