Fuji Flair Frame Build Out

Recently picked up a 1988 Fuji Flair frame in good condition.

It does not have any components.

I have never built a bike before, but have an idea what I want.

I have a Sole single speed flat-bar that I enjoy, but I would like to build a more versatile commuter bike with some gearing.

There is a long list of items I need to get for the frame, but need a place to start.

For example, it needs forks. How do I know which to get? Threaded? 1" or bigger?

Can I safely use 700c wheels or should I look for old 27" like it was original...?

If any of you have built out an old frame like this, could you point me to some references and sources for decent budget friendly parts.

Thanks for any input.

Ed

 

The FORK will probably be your greatest hurdle ...

• you will need a fork which has a 1" steerer
• EITHER threaded or threadless ... for a THREADED fork, the steerer needs to be the length of the head tube PLUS about 2" to allow for the stack of the headset
• for a THREADLESS fork, the steerer needs to be the length of the head tube PLUS about 5" (?), or more, to allow for the headset + stem + spacers ...

FWIW. Based on my limited experience with Fuji's steel frames, even though the Flair was apparently sold with 27" wheels, you can probably use any fork which has a 1" steerer that uses a regular Road brake caliper (vs. cantilever brake calipers or V-brakes) ... BUT, NO GUARANTEES!

If you decide to use 700c wheels, you will probably need LONG REACH brake calipers -- measure the distance very carefully ...

Of course, check eBay for parts.

 

Thanks for the info. Its exactly what I needed to get started.

Ed

 

BTW. Depending on the fork which you use, you may only need a LONG reach brake caliper for the rear brake ...

Again, measure the necessary "reach" carefully.

 

Will getting a 700c fork change the geometry negatively since it was designed for 27"?

 

As you suspect, on SOME frames, the geometry can-and-will be changed if you were to install a 700c fork in a frame which was designed for (capable of handling) 27" wheels ...

FWIW. I am currently in the process of re-building a 1978 FUJI S10-S frame which originally had 27" wheels ...

• this has been a slow motion project because I wanted to install a crankset which uses an external BB (the frame is fine with a "regular" BB)
• and so, I had to correct the frame's asymmetric 70mm (!?!), English threaded BB and, I was only motivated to do THAT about a half-year ago

Because I am certainly an infidel in the eyes of those who think an older bike should EITHER be rebuilt as it appeared when-it-left-the-factory OR merely rendered as a Single Speed of some sort because those people think that there is zero reason to put money into an older bike/frame WHEREAS I think that a vintage steel frame is often an excellent candidate to continue life as an up-to-date Road bike ... consequently, I have zero concern with maintaining the bike's original appearance ...

And, at the moment, my Fuji S10-S frame is merely awaiting some cable clamps because it is a frame which does not have cable guide braze-ons for the rear brake cable & I haven't scrounged around in my unmarked boxes to find some ...

That's a long prologue to say that what should be of interest to you is that I have successfully mated a "stock" Kestrel Carbon Fiber fork with the frame AND the top tube is "horizontal" ... no effort beyond a normal installation was made ...

• I just re-checked the frame/fork combination a few minutes ago AND it appears that it may slope downward, but I reckon that the downward slope of the top tube is less than 1º when the rear wheel is at the front of the rear dropout ... and, when the rear wheel is set toward the rear of the dropout it will be closer to horizontal OR ever so slightly up sloping ...

• with a 700c wheel, the REACH for the rear brake caliper on the Fuji S10-S frame is ~63mm ... THAT is longer than what is now considered to be a "long" reach brake caliper ... and, I was debating how I would handle that either use a caliper with an appropriately longer reach
• or, use a drop bolt or drop "hanger"
• or, modify the frame with a lower brake mount
• or, ________ ? ________

[*]the Kestrel fork uses a standard reach brake caliper (39mm-49mm)

So, you may-or-may-not also be able to use almost any fork which uses a "regular" brake caliper (vs. cantilever brake calipers) which is designed for 700c wheels & which has a 1" steerer on your Fuji Flair frame, too ... again, NO GUARANTEES!!!

• I have a Trek frame which once had 27" wheels whose rear dropouts I modified so that I could use a (different) Carbon Fiber fork, BTW

 

The way I see it, you build the bike you want to ride. Not like any of us are building a museum.

Do you think this set of old forks would fit my Fuji Flair? http://goo.gl/cyYWEp

Says it is 24" full length and since I don't have the original I can't tell if it would work.

Great price if it would and original Japan made Tange that came on it.

BTW, I will be using an adapter to convert it to a new stem for flat bars.

Ed

 

27" wheels on a bike made in 88? What kind of ass backwards thinking was going on at Fuji?

http://www.classicfuji.com/1988_35_Specifications4_Page.htm

 

THAT could be an excellent fork for your frame ...

• BUT, the HUGE caveat is that you need to know roughly how WHERE the threading on the steerer begins ....

• Because, it will probably cost from $5-to-$20+ per inch for a shop to add threads to the appropriate point on the steerer ... and, THAT presumes that there is a bike shop in your neck-of-the-woods which can even do the work
• otherwise, a machinist will probably charge you $35+ per inch of additional threading on the steerer

 

Hopefully you realize that 700mm is 27.5"....

The question from a novice is whether the .5" makes any more difference than 2 rat farts in a bottle.

 

Yes, it makes a difference ...

• A 27" wheel has an effective rim diameter of 630mm ...

• A 700c (it's not a millimeter measurement of the rim or any modern tire) wheel's rim diameter is effectively 622mm ...

The 4mm difference in radius does mean something because the brake caliper pad has a finite range of motion in the caliper arm of typically 10mm (11mm on some Campagnolo calipers) ...

As FATE would have it, the odds are that if a bike which had 27" wheels is equipped with what are now considered to be calipers with a "normal" reach of 39mm-to-49mm, then they probably are not long enough to reach the rims of a 700c wheel ...

Fitting the brake calipers can therefore be suggested to be made on a case-by-case basis when non-standard configurations are being implemented ...

As far as the difference between a 700c tire and a 27" tire ...

• a 27x1 1/8 has roughly the same diameter of a 700x32 tire
• a 700x28 is considered the largest "normal" Road tire size for a Road bike ... most modern carbon fiber forks had a difficult time with tires larger than 700x25
• some Italian carbon fiber forks appear to have been able to accommodate 700x28 tires, but I never really tested that observation

[*]a comparatively fat 700x32 size tire is what is typically used on Cyclocross bikes