Fuji Bicycles Finest AL

Price Paid:  $499.00 at Performance bike

Model Year:
2006

Favorite Ride:
67 chevy II

Bike Setup:
stock

Summary:
This is my first road bike. I love it. It is easy to ride, the shifters make it easy to keep your eyes on the road. It is smooth and the carbon fork not only looks good but keep the road from beating up your upper body.

Strengths:
I just think it looks great. Adjustable handle bars, carbon fork and shifter/break levers.

Weaknesses:
saddle, changed to a forte T1 tri saddle

Similar Products Used:
Raleigh $615

Price Paid:  $500.00 at Bikesdirect.com

Model Year:
2005

Favorite Ride:
Fuji Finest-AL

Bike Setup:
Main Frame Fuji custom butted 7005 alloy with Power Diamond down tube, Rear Triangle Fuji custom tapered 7005 series aluminum Fuji forged road dropout with replaceable derailleur hanger and eyelet - Stock with Shimano Sora derailers. Wheels are Class RKO? and Continental Sport 1000 tires, Ritchey neck, and blah...

Summary:
This could be a 2003 and I just don't know it. I love this bike. Now, I have to admit, I got a good deal with this since the other road bike I wanted...they didn't have my / and wife's size. We both bought the Fuji Finest-AL's and they put on carbon forks for free (no labor, even). www.bikesdirect.com (local store in Gilbert, AZ) Anywho, I've been riding this for almost 6 months now and love the bike. We went on the Tour de Farm (www.tourdefarm) this year, our first rally, and the bikes kicked butocks! I don't know if it was me or the fancy old people with $2k bikes + matching outfits riding really, really slow...but I didn't do half bad when I passed 2/3 of the pack on a 70 mile ride! And I'm 34! All I can say is this is a great bike for the price and anyone...and I mean anyone, who starts riding road bikes at any age is "good people" by me!

jhesusjhamez (QC, AZ) 2006

Strengths:
light in weight and price (24 lbs)

Weaknesses:
I believe I was fit for a larger bike than I should have been, 61 instead of a 60 (charts say 58cm) at no fault to the Fuji organization. After some adjustments...I'm a-okay G.I.

Similar Products Used:
None...I did extensive online research and consulted a hand-full of friends that are road fanatics.

Price Paid:  $550.00 at Performance

Model Year:
2005

Favorite Ride:
any

Bike Setup:
Stock except Terry Fly saddle, and a Forte' one piece stem.

Summary:
My first road bike ever and I like it. Always rode 24"BMX and MTB's, the transition was like going from driving a diesel pickup to a Lotus. I find myself going twice the distance I plan on going before I even realize it.

Strengths:
Light quick and nimble (compared to what I know) Cheap (always a plus in my book)

Weaknesses:
The shop who assembled my bike were a bunch of hacks, the first hill climb resulted in a toe strap falling off, and the rear derailleur not staying in a single gear, then the adjustable stem started to get loose ending up completely sloppy by the time i got home. The saddle was ok, but I still replaced it with a Fly.

Similar Products Used:
specialized cyclocross bike (can't remember the name)

Price Paid:  $530.00 at Performance Bike Sho

Model Year:
2005

Bike Setup:
Fort'e Pro SLX saddle (great for the price), Easton Carbon seat post, pedals

Summary:
I got this bike a few days ago, it is my first road bike, but i have been riding downhill mtb seriously for about 4 years. Before I purchased this I was ride a friend's Trek 1500 (a $1,050 bike) and to be honest, other than the few pounds of weight and the slighly stiffer shifts, its practically the same. I got a late 2005 LE model with a 9 speed rear and carbon front fork, I highly sugest you get some sort of carbon fork greatly reduces road vibration .

Strengths:
Price, price and price, same bike as the 2006 Trek 1000, same component set, very similar front end, and $170 less. The Quality was very good out of the box had slight problem with derailleur, but nothing really serious and I had it fixed at the 100 mile tune up (yes, more than 100 miles in 4 days, I'm addicted)

Weaknesses:
Derailleur misalignment (easily fixed by someone who knows what they are doing), the saddle will leave you bruised in all the wrong places.

Similar Products Used:
Trek 1000, Giant OCR2/1, Trek 1500

Price Paid:  $450.00 at Performance Bike

Model Year:
2004

Favorite Ride:
Any

Bike Setup:
Stock

Summary:
This is my first road bike and I love it. I have put a lot of miles on it in the past year and had very little problems. The only thing that has happened is I broke a spoke on the rear wheel. I would like a carbon fork and a 10 speed setup but for the money I can't complain.

Strengths:
Light and strong

Weaknesses:
no carbon

Similar Products Used:
None