Fuji Track / Fuji Track Pro / Fuji Track Classic

Being in the US gives you a couple of advantages. Frames and complete bikes are cheaper for you than they are for us. So depending on your budget consideration you actually have a few better options than us.

I have tried out a few Fuji over the years, and I found them a little harsh for street riding. Try one and decide for yourself. You fill find fans of all of the bikes you have mentioned. I recently got a Surly Steamroller frame, and love it to bits. I built that up using the components from my previous bike which was a Raleigh frame I rescued and converted to SS/Fixed. (Nothing wrong with that frame except it was one size too big for me.)

The other notable American frames/bikes to look at are the All-City Big Block and the KHS Flite. (Which OJAW just mentioned.)

So here the condensed questions:

• is the fuji a good bike to begin with? For the same price, is better a new fuji classic track or a used Charge plug?

• which is the lightest frame (including fork) among the 3 bikes listed above?

• is a fixed gear ok to begin with? The fuji is sold without brakes...I can of course mount at least one at the beginning just to be sure that I'll be able to brake...but anyway, first time riding, will I be at least able to ride from the shop back home, without brakes ?

I should probably try and answer the questions too.

1.) Thats a preference thing, try them both out and decide for yourself.

2.) I don't think you should worry about weight for street riding. If you have track aspirations, then worry about weight by all means.

3.)No, don't try to ride home fixed without any brakes. Actually I would advise against trying to ride fixed in traffic if you haven't practised a little before hand. The rear wheel that comes with the Fuji's can have a regular freewheel attached to the other side of the hub. I would go for that option we are talking about $20 at worst surely. Plus I would get both front and rear brakes too. Again can't be more than $60-$70 for the pair. Factor those costs also into your price comparisons to the Plug and the other bikes I mentioned.

ATTENTION !! as I wrote in the original post....I DON'T live in USA....opposite, I have NO OPTIONS actually. Because in my country (switzerland) those popular models are impossible to find (i found only one charge plug and one paddy wagon which I really don't like...although I always liked KONA mountainbikes which are very good)....and everything is really expensive.

I know the KHS flite...it looks so gorgeous !! But I couldn't find it.

Let's talk again about the weight....how do you choose the components for the bike? Apart from wheels and cranks...what makes you prefer something over something else? The weight fascinates me because I have never cared about it before...and trying to 'build' the lightest bike possible looks so entertaining !

roger not to derail a perfectly polite and enquiring thread, but many of your questions and comments about the bikes you've mentioned can be found in some of the myriad OTP (off the peg) threads especially GA2G's excellent OTP list thread.

You haven't even bought the bike yet, and your imagining replacing all the bits. The best approach/most sensible is to find the bike you like the look of, is in your budget, and the size fits you (if you can take it for a test ride to make sure excellent, if not look up some of the sizing threads on here), then buy it, RIDE IT, then see what components you like, don't like, think are worth replacing, then do that over a period of months, years..

Most bikes at the price point you are talking about are much of a muchness, and it comes down to personal preference. Its a decision only you can make, and usually the myriad voices from here, with their different points of view will only muddy that decision..

forgot to add search box is up there to the right, really useful, this forum has answered pretty much all the questions you can ask and its all there if you take the time to read it..

enjoy whichever bike you buy..

Hey I didn't see that thread before...and also I get only now what 'off the peg' means (I think). Seems there are lots of cool things to read. Anyway thanks for the advice, you all were very kind. Keep posting in this thread if you feel like to anyway! It would only help me. After all I am not a bike newbe...I am only a 'single speed / fixed gear' newbe :) which is anyway a lot different from the MTB world.

wow nice to hear. I did read some nice reviews about it, but while googlinh through forums....users weren't speaking that well about it.....'awful looks' 'awful paint job', 'cheap'.....

I phoned the shop and they told me that for someone 170cm tall (5 feet and 6 inches) the correct size would be a 49 or 52. Is it right?

52cm sounds about right. I'm 174cm and have a 54. It's a touch too big and although I've just about shoe-horned it to fit me if I had my time again I'd have gone down a size. BTW it's a great bike to build up...

Hey roger, one more thumbs up for the fuji

I used to own a Fuji track and was really impressed with it, I doubt you'll get a better bike for that kind of money.

I have smashed one round London for 2 years and it's been great. Although the original wheels are long gone, I have replaced the headset, seatpost, saddle, stem, bars and front chainring. So really, the frame is great, and the original cranks and Bottom Bracket are OK it seems. The rest of the components you can wear out and replace over time.

If your looking for light then it's the wrong place to start.

I love my Fuji. Although it's an '07, it's the same build quality. Only the frame is left now, everything else got gradually upgraded - Phil Wood/Mavic wheels, Campagnolo Record cranks, Shimano 105 headset, Centaur BB, Veloce front brake and Paul Comp lever, Cinelli stem and some cheap old risers off a Kona MTB.

Versatile, resilient, cheap and good-looking frames. Can't go wrong.

i have had the 2011 blue one for one week.

I am not really impressed with the paint...these gray ones I've been watching in this thread look much nicer....the paint on mine looks like any paint on a 100£ supermarket bicycle. I was not impressed with it. As soon as you touch a pole it comes off also.

I'll take a picture of my bike as soon as I can. Now it is without chainring (see other thread in mechanics)

That is a cheap-looking colour. Nothing that new paint can't fix.

Latest guise for my Fuji.

that frame is wonderful....looks nothing like mine (which is the newest, also) !

What rims do you have there? transmission is the stock FSA ?

Hehe, 'Leedstrong'. (I don't look at the Leeds forum, in case it's old news.)

that frame is wonderful....looks nothing like mine (which is the newest, also) !

What rims do you have there? transmission is the stock FSA ?

Yes crankset is stock FSA, wheels are TB14s laced laced to Halo hubs.

Cheers!

Hehe, 'Leedstrong'. (I don't look at the Leeds forum, in case it's old news.)

Haha yeah these stickers get a lot of attention. Dude who made them is on the forum i believe. The Leeds section gets no love on here.

Does anybody have pictures of the 2011 silver model? i ordered mine month but it wasnt in stock, now im thinking of switching it to yellow or blue.

Is it shiny silver or basic metal silver?

Matte silver was 2009 me thinks - its what I've got.

2008 Battleship Grey FTW.

Not a Fuji Track but my Fuji Feather...looks fair bit different now from the light blue OTP I purchased last year!

Nice photo. Nice bike too. Rizla clearance for the rear tyre there.

looks lovely!

Cheers! Yeah I really like the tight clearence on the rear, want to try and get a straight rake fork with tighter clearence.

Got distracted by the Fuji Track 2.0 at lunchtime which looks very much the track bike but had a drilled fork and front/rear brakes fitted as standard. Might be they're just needed to sell it as road legal rather than really intended for use on the road?

Anyone have any experience of this bike? Last year it was the Fuji Track Comp, and I think the year before it was called the Track Pro.

http://www.fujibikes.com/bike/details/track_2_0

Rims that come with it are 'Fuji CGC Aero 30', and the braking surface looked white - would this be anodized aluminium or painted? Any impact on braking performance (can't skid, brakes would be useful).
Also, anyone ridden one and have any idea whether I'm just asking for trouble by considering it as a commuter?

It's £540 atm - overpriced, bargain, about right, plain stupid?

Ta

My friend is rocking one as a single speed commuter.

The wheels seem fine. From a quick glance they looked, machined but painted. The white will get messy and wear where the brake hits it, but eventually it will turn silver. I guess this might be a problem in the wet until the wear, but just ask the guys in the shop. Also it's summer, so it'll prolly wear by the time the rains hit.

The main thing that seemed wrong, was the track bars. If you have drops the position looks fucked. But thats an easy switch. FSA compacts are good and cheap.