Fuji Valite Quad Butted Steel tubing
#1
Unique Vintage Steel
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Fuji Valite Quad Butted Steel tubing
What other tubings does this compare to? Just curious.

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Not sure, but it's not all that light as the name would suggest. I have two Club Fuji's, and even without wheels they're kind of hefty. I have no doubt it's strong though. Someday I need to get one of them on the road
. It's about 4th in line though.,,,,BD


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I read somewhere that Valite tubing was developed specifically to be brazed by robots.
I've never been able to figure out what quad butted means. I can understand double and triple, but what's quad butting?
It seems to be very stiff tubing. It took more force than usual when I coldset a Valite frame.
I've never been able to figure out what quad butted means. I can understand double and triple, but what's quad butting?
It seems to be very stiff tubing. It took more force than usual when I coldset a Valite frame.
#4
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
Fuji was one of the earliest companies to use quad butted tubing but I cannot find specs on the actual tubes... if they were like Ishiwata they drew tubing in a variety of thicknesses for different applications.
I have seen some really light bikes built with Ishiwata quad butted tube sets and know that quad butted does not always equal heavy.
I have seen some really light bikes built with Ishiwata quad butted tube sets and know that quad butted does not always equal heavy.
#5
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
Quad butted tubes have 4 different thicknesses along their length... Ishiwata EXO M tubes are .9/.6/.5/0.8 mm and the EXO L is 0.8/0.5/0.4/0.7.
#6
Unique Vintage Steel
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Interesting. Would it be a better tube set than say Tange Infinity? A slightly heavier tubeset would likely be fairly ideal for a sport touring application I would venture to guess.
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My guess is that it's very comparable to Tange Infinity. I've got a friend who's got a Fuji from the mid-'80's, its a lower end bike with Valite tubing. I think Valite is a vanadium steel alloy, not a chromoly.
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It is isn't it? Working 10 hours 5 days a week, and 8 hours on Saturday isn't very conducive to getting them done though
On the bright side, having the bikes is half the fun IMHO.,,,BD

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What would you say a bike like this is worth? I'm thinking of buying one as a commuter.
#13
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If it is the one on CL in SF CA, it is worth every penny if it is in good shape.
I have a Team, which is the next model up. The main triangle is 9658 chromo, but the seat/chain stays and fork are valite. I like it.
I have a Team, which is the next model up. The main triangle is 9658 chromo, but the seat/chain stays and fork are valite. I like it.
Last edited by beech333; 06-02-10 at 03:09 PM.
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Mine was like $15? Flea Market price though. I take back my earlier hefty statement. I have sense found the catalog page, and they
were 24 pounds give or take for frame size. 24 pounds is not all that bad considering. The derailleurs had steel parts, so now that I
have mine built up with Cyclone M-II, it's really nice. Rides like a dream, and no swimming bottom bracket out of the saddle. You'll
like it!,,,,BD
were 24 pounds give or take for frame size. 24 pounds is not all that bad considering. The derailleurs had steel parts, so now that I
have mine built up with Cyclone M-II, it's really nice. Rides like a dream, and no swimming bottom bracket out of the saddle. You'll
like it!,,,,BD
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Khatfull: As a word of advice, you might want to save yourself the trouble and set your sights higher. Sure, the Club is a fine ride, but once you get it, then you will want the Team, then the Opus, then the Pro, then the SR, then the...well, I am sworn to secrecy for now.

Last edited by beech333; 06-02-10 at 03:17 PM.
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If he has to shed a PX10 and maybe a Le Champion, I'd say he doesn't need a Club Fuji.
Khatfull: As a word of advice, you might want to save yourself the trouble and set your sights higher. Sure, the Club is a fine ride, but once you get it, then you will want the Team, then the Opus, then the Pro, then the SR, then the...well, I am sworn to secrecy for now.
Trust me, it will save you time in the long run. Scott and Jay never shared this advice with me and I learned it the hard way.
Khatfull: As a word of advice, you might want to save yourself the trouble and set your sights higher. Sure, the Club is a fine ride, but once you get it, then you will want the Team, then the Opus, then the Pro, then the SR, then the...well, I am sworn to secrecy for now.



A Team would be next on the list. The 89 looks good to me

Oh, and I should add that Collin expressed interest in a Fuji...I told him for the price that Club would be a hard ride to beat.
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I guess the quad butting could result in a stiffer tubeset as it might place more steel farther down the tube, away from the lugs, but as some have mentioned, it could mean a slight weight penalty. I did remember looking over brand new Fujis in my LBS back in the 80's and finding them not specially light in weight. I thought they weigh similar to bikes made with Columbus Tretubi tubsets. I was more impressed with the Fuji's flawless build quality and finish back then, and considered the whole quad butted thing more of a marketing gimmick. JMOs
Frankly, I can see quad butting more appropriate with track frames where ultimate stiffness comes into play.
Chombi
Frankly, I can see quad butting more appropriate with track frames where ultimate stiffness comes into play.
Chombi
Last edited by Chombi; 06-04-10 at 06:40 PM.
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The team Fuji that I sold to my friend was made from that. It was fairly light but not exceptionally so, and I never really liked how it rode. Pretty stiff but it just didn't feel good like the Columbus and Reynolds bikes I've ridden.
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I think it would be a really good frame for criteriums... i am thinking about seekung one out to use for racing, with a modern drivetrain
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I think he meant, that there was more steel out further, because the butting had four stages of thickness. Therefore, there would be thicker steel past where a double butted tube would already be at it's thinnest.,,,,BD
All I know is that they ride nice and smooth, lively, and not very much flex at all out of the saddle. A nice combo if you ask me.
All I know is that they ride nice and smooth, lively, and not very much flex at all out of the saddle. A nice combo if you ask me.
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If he has to shed a PX10 and maybe a Le Champion, I'd say he doesn't need a Club Fuji.
Khatfull: As a word of advice, you might want to save yourself the trouble and set your sights higher. Sure, the Club is a fine ride, but once you get it, then you will want the Team, then the Opus, then the Pro, then the SR, then the...well, I am sworn to secrecy for now.
Trust me, it will save you time in the long run. Scott and Jay never shared this advice with me and I learned it the hard way.
Khatfull: As a word of advice, you might want to save yourself the trouble and set your sights higher. Sure, the Club is a fine ride, but once you get it, then you will want the Team, then the Opus, then the Pro, then the SR, then the...well, I am sworn to secrecy for now.
