Strengths: Light, responsive, fast.. for me at least. I have yet to change any parts because it's been so long since I had a road bike I think it's awesome.
Weaknesses: Not much in the bike that I know of.. makes my hands hurt from the different riding position, I've been riding mtb's for 15 years. Also, being a Clydesdale, I popped a tire the third time I rode.. pinch flat I think. I have added Mr Tuffy's and slime tubes, we'll see how that helps.
Bottom Line:
The second day I owned it I rode it to work and back.. round trip 18 miles. I'm what's referred to as a Clydesdale, over 200 pounds. I have been riding my Trek mtb but decided to take the new one to work. It's a slight uphill to work, downhill from.. And the ride in, uphill, took me 10 minutes less than the ride home usually does. The bike was comparatively very fast, of course. I love it so far. Looking forward to long tours.
Similar Products Used: haven't owned or used a road bike since 1993
Bike Setup: all stock.. Shimano Sora derailleurs, basic saddle (I may change that.. back problems)tektro brakes
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Adam
a Recreational Rider
Date Reviewed: August 1, 2007
Strengths: Easy to ride, not that expensive, looks good, not to heavy, tracks well with new stem, rides better with new fork, easy to get over 20mph on the flats
Weaknesses: Aluminum fork and seatpost makes the ride harsh, the saddle could be better designed for larger riders, brakes shouldn't be this weak
Bottom Line:
I've test ridden a Scott S50, Masi Alare and Specialized Allez Comp Triple, and I must say, each bike is great. But the Fuji that I bought felt just about as good as many of these substantially more expensive rivals and came similarly equipped. Since the 3 weeks I have owned this bike, I've done a little over 200 miles. The overall feel for the bike was good despite not being fitted to the T. The aluminum fork and seat post transmit ALOT of vibration up to the rider, making for a slightly uncomfortable ride, especially on cracked, uneven, or just plain bad roads. I upgraded the fork to a Look HSC Carbon unit and the ride has improved quite a bit. The stock Kenda tires are holding up well, and I the shifters are doing their job very well. I actually like the Sora shifters over the Tiagra style shifters, since I'm not in the hoods often, but it would be nice to get a couple more gears out back to smooth the transitions between the taller gears. I must concur with the seat though. The stock Fuji Velo seat isn't to comfortable for rides greater than 30 miles, but then again, it could just be my feel for it.
Strengths: -Price
-Shifting is fine if planned
-Brakes work well
-Carbon front fork
-Relatively light
-Relatively fast
Weaknesses: Only negative I can think of is the stock seat/frame rails squeak like crazy when you flex the seat.
Bottom Line:
2004 Model: After many years of MTB, I picked the Newest up to start road cycling, and am extremely pleased. For the price this thing is an extreme value. Tiagra shifters seem to do fine as long as there is no heavy load on front rings, brakes world well, fast out of the box. Overall a great bike for the recreational rider.
Strengths: The tires seem to provide me with excellent traction on the climbs and good cornering in the turns. The drivetrain shifts smoothly and gives you a wide range of gearing choices. The braking, while less responsive compared to a mountain bike, works good. Overall, a very comfortable and smooth ride!
Weaknesses: I haven't found one yet??
Bottom Line:
I have rode mountain bike since I was 12, but never anything else. I decided to purchase a road bike to help me train more torward mountain bike racing. I didn't want to spend a lot of money, but I was suprised with what I got for my small investment. The Newest is an excellent buy for a beginner or recreational road biker.
