# 1975 Fuji S 10-S  (Special Road Racer)...another!



## HARPO (May 6, 2019)

I picked this one up this morning (_I bought a yellow one last year_), and here it is as purchased. Almost all original, but missing is the Fujita Belt Saddle and obviously the paint on the forks. The forks, after a quick look, do appear to be original. As to why the paint is gone, the gentleman I bought it from had no idea. He assumed it came like this.

The extras on the bike, though, are the Pletscher rack...Zefal bike pump...and a fork headlight (_of which I have no idea as to its functionality_). Incredible that the cloth tape, though tattered, is still there, along with the original hoods that haven't become a fossil like on the other one I purchased last year. It's going to need a good cleaning/detailing, but I have high hopes for it coming out well.

A good deal, once again, at $60......


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## HARPO (May 6, 2019)

And here is the Catalog page from 1975, even in the same color!


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## juvela (May 6, 2019)

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Congratulations Don Federico!

No new arrivals from you for several _weeks.  :eek:  _

Hath thee been on sabbatical?

Outstanding job with the imagery!  

I miss seeing the I-beam stem worn by the yeller one.

Interesting to note that the yeller had slightly nicer chainset with both chainwheels replaceable.

Fork is an off-the-shelf item from Tange; not produced by the holy mountain folk.  You will find Tange and JIS markings on steerer.

This one got ridden eno' that a previous owner had new tyres fitted.

Shall look forward to following along as ye performeth thine magick _normale.  _

_Buona Primavera!_

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## HARPO (May 6, 2019)

juvela said:


> ------
> 
> Congratulations Don Federico!
> 
> ...




Thank you for your astute observations yet again! 

I has hoped it being original (the fork) but I was only kidding myself. Oh well! And yes, the crankset on the other was more appealing I agree. And, it's pretty funny that the tires are Schwinn of all things that could have been placed on the rims.

Looking forward to playing with this (_but check out the Schwinn Suburban I just finished recently. I've been busy!_)

fred


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## juvela (May 6, 2019)

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did not assert fork to be a replace-a-mente.

it may well be.

_most _manufacturers of Japanese production cycles do not fabricate their own forks.

producers such as Akisu and Tange can simply provide them cheaper due to economies of scale.  they are fork specialists.

for reference here is a closeup of the crown on the yellow example.  note it is the same Tange welded model crown as on the new arrival.





if fork of green bicycle a replacement it is not necessarily due to collision damage.  always the possibility the original fork may have been damaged in shipment and the replacement was performed at the distributor/importer level.

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## HARPO (May 7, 2019)

Are the prices scribbled in pencil on the Catalog page the average selling price for back then? Taller frame I'm sure commanded the bit higher price, but how did this Fuji compare to others in the same price category? Just curious...


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## juvela (May 7, 2019)

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Prices look slightly high to my eye for a bike like this at this time.

Retail for Nippon machines may have been a bit greater in your neck of the woods than mine due to shipping costs.

Fuji has a reputation/mystique for quality and their products were somewhat higher in cost at each quality level than other rising sun badges.

For example, they were the first Honshu producer to convert their entire range from 10V to 12V in 1978.

Never heard of larger frames costing more than smaller ones.  That's a new one.

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Found it interesting to note that this example also fitted with bottom bracket lock washer.  This means BB spindle likely nr. 5S rather than the usual 3S one would expect for a 68mm shell with two plateau drive.

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## bulldog1935 (May 7, 2019)

They were well-equipped bikes for their market, didn't receive any respect until the decade turned.


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## dweenk (May 7, 2019)

@HARPO 

If you need a Belt saddle, let me know. I have a B.1.4.4 that I am willing to part with.


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## HARPO (May 7, 2019)

dweenk said:


> @HARPO
> 
> If you need a Belt saddle, let me know. I have a B.1.4.4 that I am willing to part with.




Thanks, I appreciate it, but I still have one from the other Fuji. I sold the bike and kept the saddle.


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## HARPO (May 8, 2019)

All done. I didn't go as crazy as usual, but it came out nice, and will be flipped shortly. Someone will just need to add tires and replace the tattered tape.


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## bulldog1935 (May 8, 2019)

cleaned up nicely.  Has a bike-boom-college-campus look about it


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## juvela (May 8, 2019)

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Looking superfine HARPO!  

Great work and alacritous as well.

With three sacred mountains taken in within short order you could open a dealership.

Can see the signage now..."Fred's Floral Park Fuji Faire"  

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## HARPO (May 8, 2019)

Lol!


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## juvela (May 9, 2019)

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1975 FUJI -

_BICYCLING! _ maagazine review of 1975 Fuji Ace model -

Bicycling! Feb 1975 Road Test FUJI Ace Full Article.pdf


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## HARPO (May 10, 2019)

Thanks for the link. Cool article on a great bike that was undervalued at the time. 

They made one for a couple of years in all black, maybe to be like the Cannondale Black Lightning (_I have one)_ which looks very cool.


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## juvela (May 10, 2019)

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Can faintly recall seeing one of the all-black Ace models BITD

IIRC it was fitted with the black finish version of the Shimano DuraAce road ensemble.

At launch, the DuraAce ensemble was not complete as there was no headset, pedals or rear mech.

The Crane rear mech served and it was necessary to fit headset and pedals from other component makers to finish out the machine...

All best wishes to "Fred's Floral Park Fuji Faire, Inc."  

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