Bike Profile: Fuji Team Pro

I guess I could start off this review like every other review of high end carbon bikes: this bike is laterally stiff but vertically compliant.  It climbs like a [insert analogous object known for climbing abilities], descends like a [insert analogous object known for descending], has quick handling like a [mongoose?], but is stable through corners like a [not a mongoose].  But Bikesnob already beat me to that joke.

So I guess I'll start off by saying that this bike fits me like a glove.  And because of that, it is, by far, the most comfortable, fastest, best climbing, best handling road bike I've ever ridden.

It's specced out with an Ultegra 10-speed gruppo and  Cosmic Carbone SL wheels, and Continental GP4000 tires (amazing by the way).  Eventually, I might go to ceramic bearings, just so I can have the ability to smugly declare I run ceramic bearings.  Last time I weighed it, with cages and empty water bottles it came to 17 pounds.

The truth is, this bike's abilities far exceed my own.  I'm 6'2" 220 pounds, so I'm not a small guy, but when I stomp on the pedals, this bike doesn't even flinch.  But it doesn't really launch like it's fired out of a gun either, it's just a smooth surge of power with each pedal stroke.  I wouldn't call it a pure sprinter's bike, it's too long and the headtube is a little too tall.  It's not a pure climber either, it's too beefy.  It's basically a perfect bike for someone who likes to log long fast rides year round.

Fuji made a lot of decisions that cater to the enthusiast rider with this bike.  External cable routing is less sexy than internal, but makes changing cables a breeze, machined aluminum dropouts mean you're not worried about over tightening when transporting the bike or swapping wheels, 27.2 seatpost combined with a full carbon fork and slightly taller headtube means hour six still feels bearable.  And I have to admit, I'm a sucker for the classic horizontal top tube.

Complaints?  There's a few but they're small.  For one, the frame doesn't drain.  At all.  Seriously Fuji?  A couple of drain holes in the bottom bracket is too much to ask?  Also, one of the water bottle cage bolts snapped inside the frame, so I've had to resort to using a zip tie.  It works fine but speccing some bolts made out of something other than paper would be nice.

So far, I've logged about 2000 miles on the bike since purchasing it last May, and it's been flawless.  Can't wait to rack up some more miles this summer.

- E