Anybody have a Fuji Track Pro?

[Dr Luxurious]

How do they ride? Do they feel "big"?

I've been kinda chasing one but I don't know if I should go for a 56 or 58.
I usually ride 57s or at least a 57 top tube.
The Fujis are square so I'm worried that the 56 will feel tight and/or the 58 will be too long...

[8aaron8]

I rode one for a very short while many years ago so this may not be too helpful but I believe it was a 56. I can say that it felt really big to me I typically ride a 56st x 54tt. It didn't necessarily feel too long but it felt really high off the ground because of the bb drop, I could barely stand over it. The fit made me turn it into an upright city cruiser with riser bars for a month before I sold it.

[nooneline]

Use the stack and reach measurements instead of top tube length. That will give you the ability to compare to the bikes you're comfortable on now.

The 56 has a 135mm headtube - so I'd say that's pretty dern low and small.

[Look585]

What events do you ride? Trends seem to be towards bigger/longer bikes for sprint events. If you ride 57 on the road and are sprinting on the track, get the 58 for sure.

[shovelhd]

Some of them were recalled a few years ago. Nashbar blew them out.

[bcroslin]

Some of them were recalled a few years ago. Nashbar blew them out.

I brought this up in another thread about Fuji tracks and someone said those frames had to be used with cranks that were a certain length with a certain Q factor. I remember a kid coming into the local fixed gear shop and freaking out when he was told his cranks wouldn't work because of the spacing.

[11.4]

You have to indicate year of manufacture. They changed quite a bit year to year.

I've ridden most years' models. Generally Fuji tends to build bigger frames -- the XS is not a tiny frame at all, and the top tubes are relatively short for the size, so expect to ride longer stems. The stem isn't an issue because the bike handles well with them, but they really are designed as track frames. In particular, head tubes are short on shorter bikes, getting rather tall on bigger frame sizes. That's the measurement I'd really suggest you focus on (along with top tube length) because it affects drop to your bars. Remember on the track you are always in the drops, unless you're on aero bars. The bikes work particularly well for aero bars, but usually need some stem rise in the smaller frame sizes and a compact bar such as a Scatto.

Yes, Track Pros will feel tall if you straddle one with feet on the ground. That's what people say about Bareknuckles and various other track frames as well. The only thing that's really tall is the bottom bracket and everything else is in the same relative position. I don't know why people are adamant about sizing a track frame based on standover height -- you just end up with too small a frame and then struggle with too much handlebar drop.

There's a lot of difference between a 56 and 58 if those are the sizes you ride currently. If you are comfortable on a 56, get a 56 Track Pro. It'll be reasonably close to the same.

[Vinci]

Some of them were recalled a few years ago. Nashbar blew them out.
I don't think it was a recall, just a design screwup that they fixed mid-model.

The early examples of that model (with the integrated seat mast) required a wide crank or would only work with small chainrings. The FSA crank Fuji sold with the pre-built models was MTB-width as the bottom bracket, which allowed a 48T ring and crank arms to clear the stays. Normal track cranks would smack into them.

Later examples of that same frame had an additional crimp in the chainstays and allowed standard cranks to clear, and up to around 48T rings. I had a later one, from Nashbar, and had a Sram S300 courier crank on it with a 48T ring.

All that said, unless you're super sure that the frame you're looking at is the revised version, I wouldn't risk it. You won't like the early ones.

[Dr Luxurious]

I do mass start and the occasional IP

They pop up regularly on CL and/or the local track google group so the model year could be anything...

A 2009 is on CL right now. The 58 might be big; they've the same specs as a 61 except for the TT.

http://archive.fujibikes.com/archivebikes.php?prodid=798&prodname=Track%20Pro

EDIT. Well, maybe not. The delta in HT length from 56-58 is only 5mm

[11.4]

I do mass start and the occasional IP

They pop up regularly on CL and/or the local track google group so the model year could be anything...

A 2009 is on CL right now. The 58 might be big; they've the same specs as a 61 except for the TT.

http://archive.fujibikes.com/archivebikes.php?prodid=798&prodname=Track%20Pro

EDIT. Well, maybe not. The delta in HT length from 56-58 is only 5mm

It only takes 5 minutes to pop in a 7710 bottom bracket and add a pair of track cranks. No question about correct square spline dimensions or fatigued splines or whatever else. If it fits, you're good.

There was only a very short run in one year that had the problem, and it was a matter of not dimpling the chain stay sufficiently. Now bear in mind that just about every major bike brand that's made a track bike has had a problem. James had a whole year's worth of frames that had a similar clearance problem. There were Dolans and Teschners where the seat post wouldn't clamp unless it was extended quite a ways more than you'd be comfortable with. There was a major American brand with insufficient clearance between the chain stays if the wheel was moved forward in the slots -- you only had use of the back half of the slots. Another one that placed the chain stay bridge too low for anything more than about a 21 mm tire. Another with the same problem in the fork. Another that designed around such a short head tube that with drop bars you needed a Look articulated stem, pointed straight up to the bars. Early Felts were notorious for needing a hammer and screwdriver to get the flush stem on and off, and you had to remove the stem because the stem would only tighten properly on the bars one time and after that everything was stripped and prone to breaking. And on and on. It's a simple bike and should be easy to execute, right? Track frames have a few little issues that somehow the manufacturers don't catch on a regular basis. My point is that one shouldn't knock Fuji. They make really nice frames and except for a very short batch they didn't have any issues. I personally don't like their geometry for my needs because I want a longer top tube, but they are nice frames and I've set up a lot of riders on them. Any bike you buy, I would say without exception, be sure you have the right to install a major brand bottom bracket (and I'd suggest either the current Dura Ace 7710 or the Omnium) and confirm fit. You can bring everything to the shop or seller's home where you're looking at the frame. Tools are minimal, and it makes sure everything fits.