# Fuji Feather or Spesh Langster



## smokeysmoo (15 Aug 2012)

I'm definitely getting myself another fixed steed, and I was set on an alu Langster having previously had a steel one, but the current bike is discontinued, and the 2013 doesn't look as good IMO.

This got me having a mooch on t'internet, and I came across the Fuji Feather.

Now it seems a good buy too me, (in the scheme of things anyhoo), and it's bang on budget as well. I can't jusify spending anymore than this.

The other big plus, all colours are in stock in my size, but is this because the bike isn't that great, or simply because all the hipsters just go for the Langster and overlook this bike, (I'm certainly not a hipster BTW!).

It seems to have good reviews, but are there any CC'ers using one? I know Rob3rt of this parish has a Fuji track, and speaks highly of it, but any views on the 'Feather' would be appreciated


----------



## Rob3rt (16 Aug 2012)

Fuji Feather! I would justify the purchase based on that it looks much nicer, probably a chunk heavier though? I saw the Black one in store and it looked very nice. The Langster is very meh (but then again Specialized can do no right with me). Also check the geometry, I have a sneaky suspicion that the feather is a more road like geometry than the "Track".

As for hipster-ish-ness of each, tbh the Fuji is a very hip bike, steel frame, traditional look's, quill stem and smooth curvy sprint bars with little cross top levers. It also has a seatpost similar to a Miche Supertype and reasonably deep rims. But it is understated and you could add your own touch to the bike without it looking ridiculous. I think that the reason lots are left is because Evan's buy a lot of Fuji stock and the Fuji bikes are generally peoples 1st fixed wheel bike (because they are good VFM), so people will opt for the Track over the Feather.

I sold my Fuji Track on for £200 after thrashing it for a year (had to make space for my new fixed wheel build), it was a fairly heavy bike but it was a nice ride and it was very resilient, I still miss it sometimes and really get a craving for classic looking a steel track bike (current being alu). The wheels were a bit poor though, but for the price and the all weather, non gentle treatment the bike got, can't really complain and the wheels on the feather stand to be a bit stronger given the rim profile.


----------



## smokeysmoo (16 Aug 2012)

Rob3rt said:


> Fuji Feather! I would justify the purchase based on that it looks much nicer.


Cheers Pal. I've spoken to Evans at the Chill Factor and they've got a yellow one and a black one in store. I'm going to nip down tonight and have a look, quite fancying one now TBH, but not in yellow!


----------



## djb1971 (16 Aug 2012)

I'd go for the Fuji too. In fact I almost purchased it but they didn't have my size in the right colour. I purchased the Jamis Sputnik instead, just to be different from a Langster!

The yellow is nice


----------



## smokeysmoo (16 Aug 2012)

djb1971 said:


> I'd go for the Fuji too. In fact I almost purchased it but they didn't have my size in the right colour. I purchased the Jamis Sputnik instead, just to be different from a Langster!
> 
> The yellow is nice


Cheers Bud. I'll have a shufty tonight. TBH bieks always look better in the flesh so to speak, so the yellow might surprise me.

I remember agonising years ago over a Kona Hoss Deluxe. The colour was Rootbeer Brown, and the pics didn't do it justice at all. I rang every Kona dealer in the northern hemisphere to try and view one, but no-one had it.

In the end I bit the bullit and ordered it with fingers crossed, and when it came it looked bloody great. It was actually metallic, more of a bronze than brown really and with a realy nice metal flake in it too that relaly caught the light.

Shame the first one was damaged when it arrived, thank you Paligap, but that's another story


----------



## djb1971 (16 Aug 2012)

smokeysmoo said:


> Kona Hoss Deluxe. The colour was Rootbeer Brown


 
I had one in that colour too!


----------



## Rob3rt (16 Aug 2012)

The black Fuji Feather looks very nice, the finishing kit is also all black so super slick and it means if you put coloured bar tape or saddle with coloured bits or something on, it will really pop without making the bike look like you couldn't make your mind up and end up with a multicoloured heap of shoot..


----------



## smokeysmoo (16 Aug 2012)

djb1971 said:


> I had one in that colour too!


It was a nice colour wasn't it? But you'd never pick it off the page of a brochure, actually that's exactly what I did do, (eventually)


----------



## smokeysmoo (16 Aug 2012)

Rob3rt said:


> The black Fuji Feather looks very nice, the finishing kit is also all black so super slick


Yeah I'm sort of leaning toward the Ford Model T philosphy of any colour you want as long it's black.

A shiny black Feather would look the biz sat next to a matt black CAAD10 don't you think


----------



## benb (16 Aug 2012)

The black one looks badass!


----------



## fossyant (16 Aug 2012)

Very Nice.


----------



## uphillstruggler (16 Aug 2012)

Yellow Fuji

No contest purely on looks alone.


----------



## Rob3rt (16 Aug 2012)

Nice, there is a nice little road near the Chill Factor with very little traffic you can thrash up and down on.

Hope you like the bike after driving/riding over to Trafford.


----------



## smokeysmoo (16 Aug 2012)

Rob3rt said:


> Hope you like the bike after driving over to Trafford.


Lovin' it  They had a couple of yellow and one black in, all sadly too small for me to thrash anywhere on, but TBH I suspected this would be the case.

I just wanted a good look at the bike in the flesh, and guess what? I like it, in fact


View: http://youtu.be/Q_X8ZZwcs4k

How much is that exactly, well enough to put an order down for a 61cm frame in.....................................................*BLACK* 







So it'll be in early next week when they'll build it and I can go down and give it some stick. Then, and this is what I do like with Evans, if I happen not to like the ride for any reason, I get my deposit back and walk away, but I really hope it doesn't come to that.

I need to ride it with a slightly open mind as I will change the track bars and bar top levers as soon as possible, I just don't like track bars for road use but I will probably stick to drops.

Watch this space....................


----------



## djb1971 (16 Aug 2012)

Black!

Coward!




Nice choice


----------



## fossyant (16 Aug 2012)

Nice. Thought you would be lucky to find one in giant size.


----------



## djb1971 (21 Aug 2012)

smokeysmoo said:


> So it'll be in early next week
> 
> Watch this space....................


 
Got it yet?


----------



## smokeysmoo (21 Aug 2012)

It's arrived at Evans , but probably get down to test it until Saturday


----------



## djb1971 (21 Aug 2012)

Yes but it's a bank holiday 

An extra day to play on it!


----------



## smokeysmoo (21 Aug 2012)

Forgot about that, I like your thinking


----------



## Psyclist (22 Aug 2012)

smokeysmoo said:


> Watch this space....................


 
I order a nice single speed frame on Friday, watch the single speed/fixed gear forum for a new project over the week


----------



## Rob3rt (23 Aug 2012)

Not sure of the stock gearing on these things, but my Fuji Track came with 48:15 (~85"). Stubbornly/ignorantly, I rode this gear until I could spin it at leisure, but if you are less inclined to push such gears you might want to pick up an extra cog to make your life easier.


----------



## smokeysmoo (23 Aug 2012)

46:16. The Langster Steel I had was 44:17 IIRC, and I changed it to something like 46:17/18 ish.

I'll see how it feels as standard, but I'll swop the cog if need be. The SS is also a 16 as well FWIW.

I'm now going tomorrow night after work instead of Saturday Got my new drops, stem, brake levers and bar tape ready to go, just need a bike now to put them on 

Oh aye, need some bacl pedals too, I've only got white spd-r ones, they'll have to do for now until I can replace them.


----------



## Rob3rt (23 Aug 2012)

What brake lever's are you going to use?


----------



## smokeysmoo (23 Aug 2012)

Rob3rt said:


> What brake lever's are you going to use?


THESE


----------



## smokeysmoo (24 Aug 2012)

It's here 

pics to follow, some mods currently underway


----------



## djb1971 (24 Aug 2012)

About time!


----------



## smokeysmoo (24 Aug 2012)

Here we go, mods are finished, (for now ). I know the rear brake cable isn't perfect, (it'll settle), and I know the chains a bit slack before some smart @rse comments 






















OK, immediate changes include bars changed for standard oversize drops, this obviously involved fitting an ahead stem adapter and an oversize stem with aero tops, brake levers swopped for Cane Creek drop levers, tyres changed for Gatorskins I already had. 

There was a small paint chip on the rear triangle section of the dropout when I picked it up. Evans offered me £30 cash back, but I needed black pedals as I only had a pair of SPD-R pedals in white, and face it, it would have looked $hite with them on. So I said throw the pedals in and we'll call it a deal, the guy just agreed and off I went 

TBH if I was a bike buying novice I wouldn't be impressed with the presentation of the bike by Evans. It had clearly been test ridden somewhere before, this doesn't bother me, it's par for the course, but at least clean the evidence off the frame before showing it to a buyer. In contrast when I bought a Langster Steel off them it was perfectly presented. I think I caught them off guard to be fair. I was a little earlier than I'd said, but it was delivered on Monday to the store, so they could have had it done. No matter, it's sorted now 

Ride wise all I've done is a quick test ride on the roads around Evans @ the Chill Factor. By the time I'd got home and 'fettled' it to my liking it was pitch black and raining 

Fingers crossed the weathers OK in the morning so I can ride to Parkrun.

Anyhoo, hope you like it, if not that's OK cos it's mine not yours


----------



## djb1971 (24 Aug 2012)

Nice!

Like the stealth look, just need a red strobe light across the front now Michael. 

Did you get another top tube Cable clip? If not just stick a cable tie on it and it'll flatten in a few weeks. The cable curves and flexes between the clips anyway. You can get the top tube clips from eBay btw if a cable tie is too low rent for new posh bike


----------



## djb1971 (24 Aug 2012)

Nice avatar


----------



## smokeysmoo (24 Aug 2012)

djb1971 said:


> Nice!
> 
> Like the stealth look, just need a red strobe light across the front now Michael.
> 
> Did you get another top tube Cable clip? If not just stick a cable tie on it and it'll flatten in a few weeks. The cable curves and flexes between the clips anyway. You can get the top tube clips from eBay btw if a cable tie is too low rent for new posh bike


It only came with 2 clips, still it's better than the display one they've got, that's just got 3 cable ties on it, (no clips at all).

I'll whack a cable tie round the middle bit tomorrow, I'm not a snob


----------



## smokeysmoo (24 Aug 2012)

djb1971 said:


> Nice avatar


Hmmm, yours isn't bad either 

They do say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery


----------



## djb1971 (24 Aug 2012)

I've stuck an extra clip on mine that was off my flyer and the cable still bends slightly between the clips. I'm not OCD but the wonky cable gets on my t!ts a bit. It's the clanking noise that'll do your head in first

Pity the weathers crap, just got my kit out and it's absolutely pouring down here. You must be miffed not being able to ride


----------



## smokeysmoo (24 Aug 2012)

djb1971 said:


> You must be miffed not being able to ride


Yep 

I know what you mean about the cable, I am a bit OCD TBH and it's getting on my t!ts just looking at that picture. The other issue I had was the rear brake cable. I had to get two near inner cables and one new outer due to fitting the new brake levers, (positioned further forward than the stock bar top levers). Turns out the Decathlon outers are marginally narrower than the stock Jagwire outer that came as standard. So initially when I re-fitted the clips the cable was like a d!ck in a shirt sleeve!

I ended up trimming an old piece of bar tape down to pack in side the groove of the clips and 'take up the slack' so to speak. Seems to have worked OK. I also fitted some 'black out' vinyl tape I have around the top tube before I re-fitted the clips, (told you I was OCD) 

[EDIT] Carrying on the OCD element. If you notice the position of the cable clips, they are equidistant from the head tube and the seat tube respectively


----------



## djb1971 (24 Aug 2012)

You've done almost an identical thing to me. I too changed the levers on my Sputnik, the outer I changed to was thinner but I swapped again to some cheap lifeline cable and it's the thicker stuff and comes with ferrules

And yes too to the electrical tape

Maybe it's not just the avatars that are similar


----------



## smokeysmoo (25 Aug 2012)

OK, first quick ride done, rode to Parkrun, did my marshalling duties, (back to running next week ), went to see a mate of mine then back home. Probably only 10 miles TBH, and I'm still sat here in all my gear typing this.

First impressions? The bike rides really nicely, the gearing should be OK for where I'll be riding, and if I do start to suffer I'l whack a 17 or 18 cog on it I suppose.

It feels very stable, I can't feel any noticeable flex from the frame or the wheels, (I did have concerns about them as I'm not a lightweight!). Only time will tell with the wheels, and I do plan to swap them out for Halo Aero Track wheels over time anytime.

So all in all extremely pleased with the Fuji Feather. It feels a different bike now with my own bars and proper drop levers on it, and IMO it looks far better too.

So to all the Langster fanboys out there, you need to trade up to a Fuji guys


----------



## djb1971 (25 Aug 2012)

Even the lower end steel frames like ours ride nicely. I much prefer them to aluminium. 

Glad you enjoyed it

Ive changed from 46/16 to a surly 44/16 and it feels better. I think I'm going to struggle on some of the climbs in Wales with it though carrying a rear rack and tent etc. It starts to become expensive experimenting with different cogs and chainrings though so I may just whack something near to 68/69 GI on it when touring.


----------



## smokeysmoo (28 Aug 2012)

After my first ride I decided the stem was a tad too short. Now after swapping it and going out tonight it's too long 

Going to swap it for a 110 tomorrow and all should be well.

I fitted the 2nd stem 'flipped up' in error, but decided to leave it for the shakedown ride, God it felt awful! I felt really high up and the whole front end felt heavy and slow to steering inputs.

Note to self, fit 110 stem right way round


----------



## smokeysmoo (30 Aug 2012)

djb1971 said:


> Like the stealth look, just need a red strobe light across the front now Michael.


Couldn't resist, only staged for the vid though, definitely not left on the bike I can assure you 


View: http://youtu.be/DP58X5TWYzY


----------



## djb1971 (30 Aug 2012)

Thats a big thumbs up from myself and Michael 







Youve just got to go the full Monty now, riding down the street pretending to do The voice of Kitt 

You need a turbo button too!

Theme tune ahoy!
Doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo doo, doo doodoo doo doo doooooo


----------



## NotthatJasonKenny (30 Aug 2012)

smokeysmoo said:


> Couldn't resist, only staged for the vid though, definitely not left on the bike I can assure you
> 
> 
> View: http://youtu.be/DP58X5TWYzY




You should play the theme tune over that! It's on iTunes as a sample!


----------



## smokeysmoo (31 Aug 2012)

NotthatJasonKenny said:


> You should play the theme tune over that! It's on iTunes as a sample!


Too complicated for me that  This is the first video I've ever uploaded


----------



## Phixion (23 Jun 2013)

smokeysmoo said:


> Too complicated for me that  This is the first video I've ever uploaded


 
Hey smokeysmoo, I actually emailed you regarding this bike on Gumtree, how come you're selling it?

Sadly, I thought it may be too big and I was right, I'd need a 54cm at most 

Nice bike though!


----------



## smokeysmoo (23 Jun 2013)

Phixion said:


> Hey smokeysmoo, I actually emailed you regarding this bike on Gumtree


 
I don't recall ever advertising anything on Gumtree TBH, but if I did then I apologise as I wasn't aware of any contact TBH.



Phixion said:


> How come you're selling it?


 
I just wasn't using it enough and the novelty had worn off. I'll get another one day no doubt.


----------



## Phixion (23 Jun 2013)

smokeysmoo said:


> I don't recall ever advertising anything on Gumtree TBH, but if I did then I apologise as I wasn't aware of any contact TBH


 
http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/lovely-fuji-feather-single-speed-road-bike/1019962991

Who said anything about a contract? :P

I'm simply saying I messaged you on gumtree regarding this, enquiring on some stuff... you didn't reply.

I searched these forums for thoughts on the Fuji Feather, found this thread and your photo is exactly the same as the one listed on gumtree.


----------



## smokeysmoo (23 Jun 2013)

Phixion said:


> Who said anything about a contract?


 
Contact Phixion, not cont*R*act 

That wasn't me on Gumtree as I certainly don't, and never will live in London, but it is my picture of my bike I had.

Cheeky fackin' Adam the cockney must have nicked my image, but the buyer would be disappointed I suspect because I'd quite heavily modded the front end with new bars, stems, brake levers etc for commuting duties, and I very much doubt that Adam from London would have done the same.

No probs, simple misunderstanding, no harm done


----------



## Phixion (23 Jun 2013)

LOL I'm sorry I totally misread that!

I thought, damn this guy is a right a-hole! 

Did he buy it from you or has he just stolen your photo?


----------



## potsy (23 Jun 2013)

Adam also seems to be selling 3 other bikes, only he's called Alan or Terry on 2 of the other listings, all the same phone number though, dodgy?


----------



## smokeysmoo (23 Jun 2013)

Phixion said:


> Did he buy it from you or has he just stolen your photo?


Just nicked the photo.


potsy said:


> Adam also seems to be selling 3 other bikes, only he's called Alan or Terry on 2 of the other listings, all the same phone number though, dodgy?


 
I reckon that would be a safe bet potsy!


----------



## confusedcyclist (5 Aug 2016)

@smokeysmoo, how did you get on with the Fuji Feather? I'm toying with picking on up right now!


----------



## smokeysmoo (6 Aug 2016)

confusedcyclist said:


> @smokeysmoo, how did you get on with the Fuji Feather? I'm toying with picking on up right now!



Wow that's a blast from the past 

The Feather was a great bike that I enjoyed both on the road and on the Manchester velodrome


----------



## confusedcyclist (8 Aug 2016)

Good to hear! 

Thanks.


----------

