Need some advice on this bike pls... Fuji

[anonymousmoose]

I'm looking for a bike and been test riding a few.

Today I came across a Fuji Absolute 3.0 24 speed Shimano Sora.

I kind of like the bike as its the only one I've seen in my price range that has Sora gears and adjustable handle bars.

I've been to BikeForce and also test ridden their $400-$500 Trek & Mirida range.

Is this Fuji value for money? It is reduced from $700 to $500 because its got a bit of tear ride wear and also been sitting there a while the salesman said. I suspect its an older model.

The bike in this article looks like it as far as I can tell
http://www.rantrex.net/bicycles/fuji-ab ... sions/1474

I also have attached some photos of the actual bike...

Would this bike be better than the Trek around that budget? My logical thinking is if the Trek & Mirida is $500 retail, the fuji might be good if it used to be $700 retail.

(right click on the image and click view if its doesnt fit in the frame)

[moosterbounce]

Thought this was more appropriate in the buying section.

Seems like a good bike to me. If it fits and is comfy and in your price range, it may be the one for you.

There are great deals to be had when a shop wants to clear stock. My last bike (a tt bike) was 50% off retail price. I wouldn't ave upgraded otherwise. Makes up for my next buy which will e at full retail - I reckon it sounds better saying I got 25% off each!! Anyway, don't panic that it is going cheap...in fact,see what the shop will throw in as well

[AndrewBurns]

Current Sora is 9 speed while that one is 8 speed, so it's as least as old as before Sora went 9 speed. That's not a problem, just a reason for them to drop the price, it could be 2 or 3 years old and they want to get it out the door to make way for new stock.

[anonymousmoose]

Thanks, whats the advice on the bike as a whole? Any good? How does it compare to the other brands I mentioned. I never heard of Fuji bikes till yesterday...

I just got an email for a local dealer, I can get this bike for $490
http://99bikes.com.au/bike/merida-cross ... v/129/6463

Which one out of the Fuji vs the Merida Crossway would you go for?

[macca33]

Looks like a decent buy - a few hundred off - and from what I've seen & read, Fuji cycles are fairly good rigs, so it should be no worries.

As for the Fujji vs Merida - one is a MTB (Merida) and one is more a road cruiser (Fuji) which will be a slightly easier pedal - they are different, but the standard of groupset, etc, between the pair is similar.

cheers

[MarkG]

Fuji rock!

[jasonc]

Fuji rock!

I think we may be bias there Mark...

[just4tehhalibut]

It is reduced from $700 to $500 because its got a bit of tear ride wear and also been sitting there a while the salesman said. I suspect its an older model.

The article you found suggests that this might be a 2009 or so model. Fuji Australia doesn't even list this model on their website, the nearest model is their Absolute 2.3 http://australia.fujibikes.com/bike/details/absolute_23. You saw this bike in a Perth bikeshop, in another local shop they've just got in some other Fuji models that I'm sure the salesman would also say "has been sitting there a while", except that it has a flat toptube, threaded fork and quill stem of a decade ago and only just appeared in stock, is completely alien to the current model. I think a whole lot of old Fujis have been dumped in the local market and the bikeshop got them cheap; you might be able to use this to get a cheaper price. Ask them about warranty with Fuji Australia for starters.

[im_no_pro]

It is reduced from $700 to $500 because its got a bit of tear ride wear and also been sitting there a while the salesman said. I suspect its an older model.

The article you found suggests that this might be a 2009 or so model. Fuji Australia doesn't even list this model on their website, the nearest model is their Absolute 2.3 http://australia.fujibikes.com/bike/details/absolute_23. You saw this bike in a Perth bikeshop, in another local shop they've just got in some other Fuji models that I'm sure the salesman would also say "has been sitting there a while", except that it has a flat toptube, threaded fork and quill stem of a decade ago and only just appeared in stock, is completely alien to the current model. I think a whole lot of old Fujis have been dumped in the local market and the bikeshop got them cheap; you might be able to use this to get a cheaper price. Ask them about warranty with Fuji Australia for starters.

It is circa 2009 (give or take a year). There is no such thing as Fuji Australia, Oceania bikes are the Australian distributor for Fuji and afaik they havent had stock of these for a damn long time. I wouldnt at all be surprised if it has actually been sitting in the store for a couple of years.

edit: and given the age of it (in particular the running gear), I wouldnt say its a bargain. Not when you can get something like this for an extra $100

[anonymousmoose]

I also saw this bike today for the same price... looks a lot better than the old one I saw... thanks for your help so far guys, glad I didnt buy it yet.

http://www.bikeexchange.com.au/bicycles ... /100387659

I can also get this one for $500 for a dealer just down the road from me.
http://99bikes.com.au/bike/merida-cross ... v/129/6463

what you guys think between the two?

[jasonc]

I also saw this bike today for the same price... looks a lot better than the old one I saw... thanks for your help so far guys, glad I didnt buy it yet.

http://www.bikeexchange.com.au/bicycles ... /100387659

I can also get this one for $500 for a dealer just down the road from me.
http://99bikes.com.au/bike/merida-cross ... v/129/6463

what you guys think between the two?

if that's the choice, go the fuji - the suspension is more of a pain than anything (on bikepaths)

[MarkG]

Fuji rock!

I think we may be bias there Mark...

Damn right!

[anonymousmoose]

What about the gears quality? Is there any difference between them?

[jasonc]

What about the gears quality? Is there any difference between them?

looks like the merida may win out there but difference is minimal

[anonymousmoose]

What about the gears quality? Is there any difference between them?

looks like the merida may win out there but difference is minimal

Thanks Jason. Can you briefly explain why? This is my first bike in over a decade and I really know little about them

[jasonc]

What about the gears quality? Is there any difference between them?

looks like the merida may win out there but difference is minimal

Thanks Jason. Can you briefly explain why? This is my first bike in over a decade and I really know little about them

so one of them had a tourney groupset, the other I think was altera. both groupsets are at the bottom of shimano's ranges. what you'll find is they won't last as long (or be as easy to maintain) as a better groupset. e.g. they may have more plastic bits in the derailleurs. if you are just getting back into bikes, either option is fine. spend less now then save more for a betterer one in 6-12 months

[anonymousmoose]

so one of them had a tourney groupset, the other I think was altera. both groupsets are at the bottom of shimano's ranges. what you'll find is they won't last as long (or be as easy to maintain) as a better groupset. e.g. they may have more plastic bits in the derailleurs. if you are just getting back into bikes, either option is fine. spend less now then save more for a betterer one in 6-12 months

Thanks for that insite...

The thing is, I want a bike thats gonna last me. I realise there is maintenance involved yet I sort of dont want to have to buy something else in 6-12mths time. Its not so much about the saving money, if I really thought it necessary, I would be able to go and buy a $800-$1000 bike now, but I'm thinking 'why spend more than I need to'. Are you saying the bikes I linked to are only good for 6-12mnth before the maintenance becomes more expensive than upgrading?

Almost two decades ago I rode a Mountain Bike to school in Germany. It had Shimano but knowing my parents, they wouldnt have spent an awful lot on it, but it wasnt a department store bike either. I cant remember the name but it was a USA make and I rode in when we immigrated to Australia for years after too. It lasted a long time. In fact, they threw it out only a few months ago when cleaning the shed (I wasnt consulted or I would have taken it and see if I could have gotten it fixed, I liked that bike).

[jasonc]

Are you saying the bikes I linked to are only good for 6-12mnth before the maintenance becomes more expensive than upgrading?

depends on the amount of kms. If you're doing more than 100kms per week, a lot of maintenance would be required to keep it going with a cheaper groupset.

e.g. I get about 5000kms out of my shimano 105 (10 speed) chains. you do get more out of 7/8 speed chains than you do out of 10 speed chains.

[anonymousmoose]

Are you saying the bikes I linked to are only good for 6-12mnth before the maintenance becomes more expensive than upgrading?

depends on the amount of kms. If you're doing more than 100kms per week, a lot of maintenance would be required to keep it going with a cheaper groupset.

e.g. I get about 5000kms out of my shimano 105 (10 speed) chains. you do get more out of 7/8 speed chains than you do out of 10 speed chains.

Thanks, I doubt I'd do 100km a week at least for a while. And if I do, it would mostly be flat riding around the swan river.

I think I'm going to buy this one:
http://99bikes.com.au/bike/merida-cross ... v/129/6463

Local shop can do it for $490 and the servicing will be good because its less than 10 minutes walk away.

The Fuji 2012 models were no longer available at that other store and the fuji in the initial post... well its too old for $500 and i wont bother dealing them down. not if I can get that Meridia from down the street where as the fuji I'd have to transport a fair distance of any issues.