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Wednesday, July 22, 2015

I'm back: 1987 Fuji 450 SE

After two and half years of absence on this blog, I'm back.
Having been (relatively) successful in fighting off the itch to play with bicycles during the last couple of years, here I am again.

My sister thought her bicycle in New York had been stolen (which actually turned up later), but it was enough reason for me to look for a new bike to play with.
Coincidentally, this bike was posted on Washington D.C. (that's where I'm at now) Craigslist for a couple of days without having been sold. After a quick Google search on the bike, I contacted the seller and bought it for $70. It sounded like the seller were the original owners of the bike who had put this away in their garage a long time ago and it had sat there for decades.

The bike doesn't seem to have been ridden much -- the tires were original and its treads seem to have very little wear. But it doesn't seem to have been stored very carefully, judging from the scuffs on the frame and rust on chain and other steel parts.

My selection of tools are very limited here, but I did my best to clean and tune up the bike.
Tires were replaced (the front wheel is an obscure 547mm size) and I bought Cane Creek gum hoods for the brake levers. Shift cables were replaced as well as the front brake cable and housing. Oh, and the brake pads and chain were replaced, too. Otherwise all parts are original.

1987 Fuji 450 SE - Drive side

1987 Fuji 450 SE - Front view

1987 Fuji 450 SE - Suntour Accushift Alpha 3000 downtube shifters -- supposedly not compatible with other Accushift systems

1987 Fuji 450 SE - Suntour Accushift Alpha 3000 rear derailleur

1987 Fuji 450 SE - Sugino VP crankset; Steel chainrings

1987 Fuji 450 SE - Suntour Alpha 3000 front derailleur; Still some rust on the chainrings :(

1987 Fuji 450 SE - Head tube detail

1987 Fuji 450 SE - Fuji head badge decal

1987 Fuji 450 SE

1987 Fuji 450 SE - Fork crown with Fuji logo stamped

1987 Fuji 450 SE - Seat cluster

1987 Fuji 450 SE

1987 Fuji 450 SE - Win stem and Win Pista handlebar

1987 Fuji 450 SE - Dia-Compe Junior brake levers -- the levers seem to be slightly shorter than usual

1987 Fuji 450 SE - Cane Creek gum hoods -- fits fine!

1987 Fuji 450 SE - Dia-Compe Q500N brakes

1987 Fuji 450 SE - Chrome Tange headset

1987 Fuji 450 SE - Sansin QR hubs

1987 Fuji 450 SE - 6 speed Suntour Perfect freewheel

1987 Fuji 450 SE - MKS AR-5 pedals

1987 Fuji 450 SE - OGK GX-200 bar tape/end plugs



Specs, as sees in photos:
Frame: Fuji quad-butted VALite Si 45 frame; 46.5cm; fully-lugged
Fork: Fuji Hi-ten
Headset: Tange
Crank: Sugino VP; 165mm; 52-42t chainrings
Shifters: Suntour Alpha 3000 Accushift indexed
Derailleurs: Suntour Alpha 3000 Accushift
Pedals: MKS AR-5
Chain:KMC Z50
Seatpost: [forgot to check before giving to my sister]
Saddle: [forgot to check before giving to my sister]
Stem: Kusuki
Handlebar: Kusuki Winpista
Brakes: Dia Compe Q500N
Brake Levers: Dia Compe 141 Junior; Cane Creek gum hoods
Hubs: Sansin ET quick release; 6-speed Suntour Perfect 13-28t freewheel
Rims: Ukai 27 x 1 1/8 rear; Ukai 24 x 1 1/4 (547mm)
Tires: 27 x 1 1/8 Kenda K36; 24 x 1 1/4 Kenda K23-S6

2 comments:

  1. Just today I picked up a Fuji 450 SF it's actually a racing bike complete with all the fittings mint condition and even original tires I'd like to include pictures but I don't think you can

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  2. You have some real insight into the things you write about. Do you still feel this way? mtb bike rims

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