# Swap out my Fuji SL frame for a Fuji 2.3?



## JerryLook (Dec 3, 2017)

Hi
I am currently riding a 2005 Fuji SL 58cm frame. There is a chance to buy a NOS Fuji 2.3 Transonic frame, fork, seatpost, and brakes for around 500$. Does anyone have any experince with the 2.3?

This would be used as my main bike. I currently ride 4 days a week. 

I am a weight weenie, and even though the 2.3 is carbon, and my SL is aluminum frame/carbon fork, I don't think I would lose that much weight going to the 2.3. 

The plan would be to transfer over my current parts to the new frame. 

Any input?


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## terbennett (Apr 1, 2006)

Sorry for responding so late. I'm not sure if you'll lose any weight. You should lose quite a bit, but Fuji has always been stingy about posting frame weights. The Team SL was a very light bike even by today's standards.... we're talking aluminum bike in the mid to upper 15 lb range, with 9 speed Ultegra components and OEM AC Sprint 350 wheels. That's current Dura Ace 11 speed level aluminum bike weight on an aluminum bike with Ultegra from 12 years ago. It also means that the frame was sub 1300 grams...which is still light for an aluminum frame even by today's standards. I'm guessing the carbon is sub 1200 grams and possibly sub 1,000 grams, but I can't guarantee that. My take is if you want to upgrade, then do it. It's hard to fault what you have already. Easily, one of the most underrated bikes ever made. I used to own the 58cm 2005 Team SL and sold it to buy a Specialized S Works SL3. I still regret selling that bike.


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## JerryLook (Dec 3, 2017)

My Fuji just isn't that light. I have read all the comments about it being a 15 or 16 lbs bike. Mine weighed 20.5 lbs when I first got it, and is 17.5 lbs right now. And I’m running out of parts to change. Lol. 
I think I can get it to around 16-16.5 lbs without getting too fancy. 

Mine came with replacement wheels, which are heavy. I’m curious how much the AC 350 wheels weigh, because the wheels I just put on the bike are 1430 grams for the pair. Are the AC wheels less than that?


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## JerryLook (Dec 3, 2017)

Hey, and thanks for the input. Since I posted this thread, I have been thinking about just buying a second bike instead of getting rid of the Fuji


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## terbennett (Apr 1, 2006)

Good choice: N+1!!! However, I used to have a 2005 Fuji Team SL in a 58 cm frame. Mine was 16.1 lbs with pedals, Flight Deck computer and water bottle cages. Did you purchase it new? If not, previous owner might have switched out Ultegra group, Ritchey cockpit, or FSA SLK carnon cranks. Yours couldn't possibly be that much in weight. Even the standard Team models were in the 17 lb. range back then. The later Team SL models were carbon and weighed around 19 lbs. I once posted on here about that. AC350 Sprint wheels are light, and they are a major factor in this bike being so light.


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## JerryLook (Dec 3, 2017)

terbennett said:


> Good choice: N+1!!! However, I used to have a 2005 Fuji Team SL in a 58 cm frame. Mine was 16.1 lbs with pedals, Flight Deck computer and water bottle cages. Did you purchase it new? If not, previous owner might have switched out Ultegra group, Ritchey cockpit, or FSA SLK carnon cranks. Yours couldn't possibly be that much in weight. Even the standard Team models were in the 17 lb. range back then. The later Team SL models were carbon and weighed around 19 lbs. I once posted on here about that. AC350 Sprint wheels are light, and they are a major factor in this bike being so light.


I just looked at some pics of 2005 Fuji Team SL, and maybe mine is just a Team, and not a Team SL? I was just going by what the previous owner told me. 

Mine has an aluminum frame, with a carbon fork and carbon seat stays. 

When I got my bike, someone had installed a Ultegra 6600 groupset, and Truvativ crankset. Also the AC350 wheels were replaced with something heavier. 

I have since replaced the crankset with an Ultegra 6800, and the wheels with some 1400 gram Neugent wheels. 

As the bike sits now, it is 17.5 lbs. I know I can lose some weight by getting a lighter seatpost/seat, brakeset, and pedals. Also probably a lighter stem.


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## terbennett (Apr 1, 2006)

The AC350 Sprints were in the 1300 gram range for the wheelset. I don't remember what tubes and tires they had, but that also makes a difference in the weight of a bike. Carbon crank was another difference. 

17lb range is about what the regular Team model weighed, but that doesn't mean you don't have the Team SL. You do have a different wheelset, and be thankful. The AC350s had a rider weight limit of 175 lbs. The original Team SL also has Ultegra 6500; not the newer 6600, like your bike. I also recall Bikeisland.com used to sell just the Team SL framesets back in 2006-2007 for around $199. So, maybe the previous owner bought a frameset and built it to their own specs? 

Ultegra crankset is a little heavy, but it's super durable and switching to the a lighter cockpit (stem/bar/ seatpost) will make a difference. Your wheels are plenty light, and with wheel technology being even better now, Those Neugents are close enough in weight to the AC350s, while being amuch more robust wheelset. 

If you're looking for lighter components, Ritchey WCS is what the Team SLs used to run back in the day. You can go even lighter with Cannondale's OEM C1 components; If you don't mind having Cannondale stuff on your bike. You can find that stuff online for pretty cheap as new take off parts.

By the way, the Team and Team SL used the same frame; the components made the SL lighter.


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## JerryLook (Dec 3, 2017)

I just switched the groupset over to a different frame, and had a chance to weigh the Fuji frame and fork. 

The headset and BB were still installed when I weighed the frame, so figure subtract about 200 grams from the total weight. 

The Fuji Team frame weighed right at 2200 grams with the fork. In contrast the frame I switched over to (Orbea Opal) weighed under 1500 grams. 

It went from weighing just over 17 lbs with the Fuji, to under 16 lbs with the Orbea (15.85 lbs to be exact), with the same parts. 

There has to be some difference between my Fuji frame and a Team SL for there to be that big of a weight difference.


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## terbennett (Apr 1, 2006)

Congrats on the new ride. The Opal is a nice bike. The AC Sprint 350 wheels weighed in the 1300 range, so not that much less than what you have now- which is impressively light. Still tubes and tires shouldn't be discredited. They make a noticeable difference in the weight of your bike as well. From the weight you stated on your Fuji, it sounds like you had the Team; not the Team SL. I can't really say because yours wasn't a OEM build so componentry was likely not spot on. Also, I don't think you would've noticed much of a weight difference going with the 2.3 frame. However, I think that the Opal frame is what made the difference here. Regardless, your new bike should make you happy for years to come. I bet the ride is really nice too.


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