Mike D’s 1985 Fuji Espree

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Another entry from an OTSG veteran. Mike D and his 1985 Fuji Espree.

Hi Cameron,

Here is a real cream-puff, my 27 year-old Fuji Espree. A great ride, totally original including the tires and handlebar foam grips. It got a good cleaning, lube and tuning, and is back on the road again. Those quad-butted Fuji frames are both comfortable and responsive. Even the old Feather saddle is not too bad!

The last picture shows the Fuji in front of most of my other old-ten-speeds, waiting for their turn to be on your site! Each one needs a dose of TLC (some more than others). Okay, there are a few oddballs in there, but most are classic 10 or 12 speed road bikes from the 70s and 80s. And I guarantee every one of them has a frame of steel – as God intended!

Mike D.

Related posts:

  1. Julie S’s Austro-Daimler Puch Force XII
  2. Darin N’s 1983 Panasonic AR-6000 Aero
  3. Al M’s 1976 Fuji Gran Tourer
  4. Mark B’s 1984 Fuji Espree
  5. Ethan S’s 1982 Schwinn Traveler
  • Ryan Surface

    Man I want to go to Mikes house and stroll through the back yard ! oh and nice Fuji too.

  • vince gibson

    nice fugi mike i have a completly restored schwinn le tour incl new paint and new decals

    • Trailerparkcyclist

      Let’s see it!

  • john h

    You need any help riding those just give a holler!!! By the way I have a similar Fuji Special road racer I’ve been working on. Much to my surprise, the head set has loose bearings, I counted 25 top and 25 bottom going back in, not sure if any got away on dissemblance. How’s yours set up?

    • Mike D.

      The headset bearings are set in retainers. Don’t recall the actual bearing count in each. You can usually get by with a few missing bearings – but one too many and you will have problems!

      Hey, I can always use some help riding these – but you’d have to turn a wrench on most of them first!

  • BeaterRezQ

    Mike D., now that’s a collection! ( I think I see one yellow doggie in the herd, nice.)
    Does that Fuji get much use seeing that you have all those bikes lined up waiting to be straddled? It sure is beautiful, love the color.
    ” Frame of steel as God intended”—is that in Psalms?
    St.B

    • Mike D.

      No, that was my own paraphrase. The actual reference from the Beattitudes: “Blessed is the man that mounts a bike having a frame of lugged steel, for he shall be comforted”.

      : )

      • BeaterRezQ

        I search the scriptures daily and I just couldn’t remember where I read that…nice! Ü
        —-B

        • Trailerparkcyclist

          Ya mean the Gospel according to Sheldon?

          • BeaterRezQ

            That’s it! (chuckle,chuckle…)

      • Trailerparkcyclist

        I want that T shirt

  • drown

    Hi Mike, I aspire to be like you! I took my steel framed 1972 Raleigh Super Course for a 40km ride yesterday and I can’t understand why technology needed to progress beyond steel frames! It appears that bicycle manufacturers have tricked riders to opt for aluminium or carbon fibre frames….it’s beyond me! Steel is real! James @ perthvintagecycles.com/
    James

  • BeaterRezQ

    …I like oddballs!”

  • Mike D.

    I am at the beach for a week with the family. Brought the Bridgestone X03 to ride (closest to the Fuji in the “group” picture), after a complete tear-down and overhaul. Fantastically smooth ride but too many speeds to be considered here. It is definitely the oddball of the group!