1972 Fuji Special Rcer

[nortonguy]

An old friend of mine bought this brand-new in Boston area. He did not ride it for the last three or four decades, new I was an avid rider and dropped it off not too long ago. I put tires and new brake pads and did a bit of maintenance on it and have been riding it here and there this summer. I think it has the original bar-tape on it still. I cleaned out and lubed the bottom-bracket and also took the rear derailleur apart as it was very cruddy. I may have also done the wheel bearings but I can not remember because it was a month ago and my 60+ year-old brain does not keep details like that for long. I do know my friend told me he fitted a closer-ratio rear gear cluster on it at one point. Gearing works well for me and the bike will cruise along easily on the flat at a hair under 20mph if the rider has some rest and a good meal under his belt.

 

[nortonguy]

P.S., there is not much special about this bike besides my friend's long history with it and myself. It is a heavy bike with straight-gauge frame tubing, steel rims and heavy derailleurs. But it gets the job done very well for me, and my friend said when he lived in Boston fifty years ago it worked very well for him as basic transportation. When I got it there were some alloy pedals with straps on the bike, but I have big feet and there were not comfortable so I swapped them for flats. the type of pedal I am most used to.

 

[juvela]

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forum member @HARPO has done three of these

he will be able to comment/advise

they were also produced private labeled for a company in Van Nuys, California where they received the Campania badge


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[nortonguy]

The other day I rode the bike over to the home of the friend who gave me this bike. He gave me the BELT saddle that came on the bike when it was new, the BELT saddle that is on the bike now is off a similar vintage Fuji Dynamic parts bike I used to have a number of years ago. The saddle my friend gave me was pretty much as hard as rock, but I have been slathering it with food-grade mineral oil and it seems to maybe be back to where it is usable so I will put it on the bike and give it a try. I also have a better set of tires I will put on the bike that are blackwall. The tires on the bike now are in great condition except they were stored in a way that put a few wiggles into them when the wheels are turning, so I have a different use for one of them and will put the better blackwall tires on the bike. Another project that I will be able to keep tweaking for a long time. I am missing one of the yellow handlebar plugs for this bike, so if anyone out there has one let me know, it is marked Fujita I think.

 

[juvela]

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Belt brand saddles produced by the firm YFC / Fujita

saddle pillars also produced:

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