Not only has the entry-level Fuji Touring had a big revamp, but a new premium disc brake model enters the range. While the base model is designed to offer that bargain price point, the 2018 Fuji Touring Disc is ready to compete with the more renowned touring bike models.

Fuji have stuck with a steel frame and fork for their top model, most notably modifying the frame to accommodate disc brakes. But the 2018 Fuji Touring Disc is not just about adding disc brakes, it has some nice high-end touring parts throughout.

Let’s take a closer look.

The 2018 Fuji Touring Disc

With a US $1299 sticker price, the 2018 Fuji Touring Disc is pitched against some of the best touring bikes in the game, namely the Marin Four Corners (US $1039), Specialized AWOL (US $1200), Trek 520 (US $1359), Surly Disc Trucker (US $1449) and Kona Sutra (US $1499).

The all-new steel frameset is available in seven sizes and should accommodate most. It has a revised geometry which incorporates a long wheelbase, slack head angle, and big fork rake, making the bike great for those long days in the saddle. The frame has three bidon mounts in and around the front triangle, and the fork can fit cargo cages or a front pannier rack. The bike is, of course, ready for you to fit up some decent fenders too.

The 2018 Fuji Touring Disc is using a Shimano 10-speed drivetrain which is matched to a set of barend shifters. The Shimano Deore touring crankset has both big rings for the flat as well as a small 26t ring for the hills. Up the back is a Shimano XT touring-specific derailleur (T-8000) and a big 11-36t rear cassette. This brings the lowest gear on the bike to a shade under 20 gear inches, resulting in the Fuji Touring Disc having one of the smallest climbing gears on any touring bike.

The tyres are a model called the Vittoria Randonneur. These are some of the most puncture-resistant tyres available but have also been tested to be one of the slowest rolling. If you wanted a bit of free speed, take a look at switching them out to the Schwalbe Almotions. Not only will you go faster with the same energy, but you’ll be able to go wider too.

The brakes can’t get any better for touring. They’re cable-operated disc brakes by TRP which are super easy to maintain, allowing you to lubricate and swap out the brake cables with ease. The TRP Spyre calipers offer tonnes of power too – while almost all cable disc brakes stop using one piston, the Spyres pull both pistons in to give that hydraulic brake feel. Fuji have opted for the new flat-mount caliper standard, which future-proofs the bike more than others and looks pretty neat.

As the disc brakes come with a bit of a weight penalty, the 2018 Fuji Touring Disc weighs 13.46kg (29.6lbs) according to the spec sheet, adding just 380g (0.8lbs) over the base model. This is a worthwhile exercise as disc brakes are unrivaled when it comes to cycling in the hills. That said, the biggest advantage to disc brake is in wet conditions when they can slow the bike down as if it’s dry.

Want To Compare This Touring Bike With Dozens of Others?

Check out The Touring Bicycle Buyer’s Guide which compares touring bike steering, sizing, gear ratios, specification, pricing and more. The Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide does the same thing, however, with a focus on lighter bikes and models with more off-road capability. Both of these guides are updated annually with the latest models at no extra cost!

Helpful Resources

All About Touring Bike Brakes
Frame Materials for Bicycle Touring
How to Select Touring Bike Gearing
Understand Bicycle Frame Geometry
What’s the Difference between Cyclocross and Touring Bikes?

Touring & Bikepacking Bike Overview

2016 Advocate Lorax
2018 All City Gorilla Monsoon
2016 Basso Ulisse
2016 Bianchi Volpe and Lupo 2016
2016 Bombtrack Beyond
2017 Bombtrack Beyond
2018 Bombtrack Beyond
2018 Bombtrack Arise Tour
2019 Bombtrack Beyond
2016 Brodie Elan Vital
2016 Cannondale Touring
2019 Cannondale Topstone
2020 Cannondale Topstone
2016 Cinelli Hobootleg Geo
2018 Co-Op ADV 4.2
2017 Curve Grovel V2
2017 Diamondback Haanjo EXP Carbon
2016 Fuji Touring
2017 Fuji Touring
2018 Fuji Touring
2018 Fuji Touring Disc
2016 Genesis Tour de Fer
2016 Giant ToughRoad
2017 Giant ToughRoad
2018 Giant ToughRoad and ToughRoad GX
2016 Jamis Aurora and Aurora Elite
2019 Jones Plus SWB
2020 KOGA WorldTraveller-S
2016 Kona Big Rove
2016 Kona Roadhouse and Sutra LTD
2016 Kona Sutra
2017 Kona Sutra
2018 Kona Sutra
2018 Kona Sutra LTD
2019 Kona Sutra and Sutra LTD
2020 Kona Sutra and Sutra LTD
2020 Kona Unit X
2016 Marin Four Corners
2017 Marin Four Corners
2018 Marin Four Corners
2016 Masi Giramondo
2018 Masi Giramondo
2016 Niner RLT9
2016 Rawland Ulv and Ravn
2016 Salsa Deadwood
2017 Salsa Fargo
2018 Salsa Fargo Ti Frameset
2018 Salsa Journeyman
2016 Salsa Marrakesh
2017 Salsa Marrakesh
2018 Salsa Marrakesh
2020 Salsa Marrakesh
2017 Salsa Vaya
2019 Salsa Warbird
2016 Specialized AWOL
2017 Specialized AWOL
2017 Specialized Diverge
2018 Specialized Diverge
2019 Specialized Diverge
2017 Specialized Sequoia
2018 Specialized Sequoia
2019 Specialized Sequoia
2018 Surly Bridge Club
2017 Surly Troll
2016 Traitor Wander
2019 Trek 520
2016 Trek 920, 720, 520 & CrossRip
2017 Trek CrossRip
2018 Trek 920
2018 Trek 1120

Fuji really picked up their bicycle touring game about six years ago, offering a steel Fuji Touring with barend shifters, a wide-range crankset, a threadless headset, mini-v brakes and a solid rear rack. With its well thought out specification, the 2018 Fuji Touring is on my list of 8 favourite touring bikes.

We’ve been watching the retail price of the Fuji Touring drop over the last few years, all the way down to US $749 last year. This made it, without question, the best value touring bike available. Unfortunately, the too-good-to-be-true price looks to be over. The 2018 Fuji Touring is now US $999, a 33% increase in price – which for the exact same specification seems like a disproportionate increase.

But is there anything new that justifies the additional cost?

The 2018 Fuji Touring Bike

The frameset has been updated! The 2018 Fuji Touring is now available in seven sizes (adding in 52cm and 61cm frames), it has some new braze-ons mounts and an all-new steel fork. The spec sheet notes a 300g drop in weight which can only be attributed to this frameset update.

Let’s start with the fork. The crown and dropouts are now lugged. While not necessarily a performance enhancement, the fork offers a neat classic styling. On the fork legs are two braze-ons which can be used for a front lowrider rack, randonneur rack, fender mount or to install bikepacking cargo cages.

The frame itself is using a higher quality head tube which should shave a little weight (head tubes are heavy!). There are some small frame details elsewhere such as a pump peg up the front and a chain hanger near the rear dropout. Under the downtube is a third bidon cage mount for a fuel/water bottle or cargo cage.

In terms of specification, the only change has been a switch from Tektro to Shimano v-brakes. This change will go unnoticed by most but the Shimano brakes may have the edge in terms of braking performance. While v-brakes aren’t my first choice on a touring bike, they are the best brake option on a bike under US $1000.

Fuji is on the money with their drivetrain. Using 9-speed parts, they’ve managed to piece together a 21-119 gear inch range. This kind of range is suitable for a bike destined for both the mountains and the flat.

The 2018 Fuji Touring is available in two different colours: dark blue and black. This will be ideal for couples or friends because if you both arrive at the decision to get a Fuji, having identical bikes is optional! A different paint-job and bartape colour will do more than enough to differentiate bikes.

The 2018 Fuji Touring rolls on Vittoria Randonneur tyres. These highly puncture resistant tyres get amazing mileage, however, it’s worth noting they are notoriously slow rolling (ie. high resistance). If you’d like to greatly improve the performance of your touring bike, check out the specially-formulated Schwalbe Almotion touring tyres – they will make an unbelievable difference to your travelling speed. See the lab testing for both of these tyres HERE.

Want To Compare This Touring Bike With Dozens of Others?

Check out The Touring Bicycle Buyer’s Guide which compares touring bike steering, sizing, gear ratios, specification, pricing and more. This guide is updated annually with the latest models at no extra cost!

Helpful Resources

All About Touring Bike Brakes
Frame Materials for Bicycle Touring
How to Select Touring Bike Gearing
Understand Bicycle Frame Geometry
What’s the Difference between Cyclocross and Touring Bikes?

Touring Bikes Overview

2016 Advocate Lorax
2016 Basso Ulisse
2016 Bianchi Volpe and Lupo 2016
2016 Bombtrack Beyond
2017 Bombtrack Beyond
2016 Brodie Elan Vital
2016 Cannondale Touring
2016 Cinelli Hobootleg Geo
2017 Curve Grovel V2
2017 Diamondback Haanjo EXP Carbon
2016 Fuji Touring
2017 Fuji Touring
2016 Genesis Tour de Fer
2016 Giant ToughRoad
2017 Giant ToughRoad
2018 Giant ToughRoad and ToughRoad GX
2016 Jamis Aurora and Aurora Elite
2016 Kona Big Rove
2016 Kona Roadhouse and Sutra LTD
2016 Kona Sutra
2017 Kona Sutra
2018 Kona Sutra
2018 Kona Sutra LTD
2016 Marin Four Corners
2017 Marin Four Corners
2016 Masi Giramondo
2016 Niner RLT9
2016 Rawland Ulv and Ravn
2016 Salsa Deadwood
2017 Salsa Fargo
2018 Salsa Fargo Ti Frameset
2016 Salsa Marrakesh
2017 Salsa Marrakesh
2017 Salsa Vaya
2016 Specialized AWOL
2017 Specialized AWOL
2017 Specialized Diverge
2018 Specialized Diverge
2017 Specialized Sequoia
2017 Surly Troll
2016 Traitor Wander
2016 Trek 920, 720, 520 & CrossRip
2017 Trek CrossRip
2018 Trek 920
2018 Trek 1120

The best value touring bike in the world just got even cheaper. The 2017 Fuji Touring is one of my 8 favourite touring bikes because it offers low touring gear ratios, simple parts and strong wheels – all for US $749. The beauty of this bike is that it essentially provides the most touring features for the lowest cost!

Fuji Bicycles started out in 1899, and have included touring bikes in their range since the 1980s. Fuji really picked up their game about five years ago, offering a steel touring bike with barend shifters, a wide-range crankset, a threadless headset, mini-v brakes and a solid rear rack for a low cost.

The geometry of the Fuji isn’t perfect – it has slightly shorter chainstays, as well as quicker steering than comparable long-distance touring bikes. But despite these small quirks, you’ll find it will comfortably handle a heavy front and rear load.

In terms of part changes from last year, the big news is a switch to Vittoria Randonneur tyres – a very well proven touring option in terms of longevity and puncture resistance.

The 2017 Fuji Touring Bike

The 2017 Fuji Touring is spec’d with lots of solid components including a Shimano MTB crankset and 9-speed Shimano MTB derailleurs. The resulting gear ratios (21-119 gear inchs) are suitable for most road gradients with your panniers filled to the brim.

While mini v-brakes aren’t my first choice on a touring bike, they are the best brake option on a bike at this price point. The only other limitation is the maximum tyre width of 38mm. Many other touring bikes are capable of 45mm+ for additional comfort and grip on dirt roads.

You can get the 2017 Fuji Touring for just US $749.

Want To Compare This Touring Bike With Dozens of Others?

Check out The Touring Bicycle Buyer’s Guide which compares touring bike steering, sizing, gear ratios, specification, pricing and more. The Bikepacking Bike Buyer’s Guide does the same thing, however, with a focus on lighter bikes and models with more off-road capability. Both of these guides are updated annually with the latest models at no extra cost!

Helpful Resources

All About Touring Bike Brakes
Frame Materials for Bicycle Touring
How to Select Touring Bike Gearing
Understand Bicycle Frame Geometry
What’s the Difference between Cyclocross and Touring Bikes?

Touring & Bikepacking Bike Overview

2016 Advocate Lorax
2018 All City Gorilla Monsoon
2016 Basso Ulisse
2016 Bianchi Volpe and Lupo 2016
2016 Bombtrack Beyond
2017 Bombtrack Beyond
2018 Bombtrack Beyond
2018 Bombtrack Arise Tour
2019 Bombtrack Beyond
2016 Brodie Elan Vital
2016 Cannondale Touring
2019 Cannondale Topstone
2020 Cannondale Topstone
2016 Cinelli Hobootleg Geo
2018 Co-Op ADV 4.2
2017 Curve Grovel V2
2017 Diamondback Haanjo EXP Carbon
2016 Fuji Touring
2017 Fuji Touring
2018 Fuji Touring
2018 Fuji Touring Disc
2016 Genesis Tour de Fer
2016 Giant ToughRoad
2017 Giant ToughRoad
2018 Giant ToughRoad and ToughRoad GX
2016 Jamis Aurora and Aurora Elite
2019 Jones Plus SWB
2020 KOGA WorldTraveller-S
2016 Kona Big Rove
2016 Kona Roadhouse and Sutra LTD
2016 Kona Sutra
2017 Kona Sutra
2018 Kona Sutra
2018 Kona Sutra LTD
2019 Kona Sutra and Sutra LTD
2020 Kona Sutra and Sutra LTD
2020 Kona Unit X
2016 Marin Four Corners
2017 Marin Four Corners
2018 Marin Four Corners
2016 Masi Giramondo
2018 Masi Giramondo
2016 Niner RLT9
2016 Rawland Ulv and Ravn
2016 Salsa Deadwood
2017 Salsa Fargo
2018 Salsa Fargo Ti Frameset
2018 Salsa Journeyman
2016 Salsa Marrakesh
2017 Salsa Marrakesh
2018 Salsa Marrakesh
2020 Salsa Marrakesh
2017 Salsa Vaya
2019 Salsa Warbird
2016 Specialized AWOL
2017 Specialized AWOL
2017 Specialized Diverge
2018 Specialized Diverge
2019 Specialized Diverge
2017 Specialized Sequoia
2018 Specialized Sequoia
2019 Specialized Sequoia
2018 Surly Bridge Club
2017 Surly Troll
2016 Traitor Wander
2019 Trek 520
2016 Trek 920, 720, 520 & CrossRip
2017 Trek CrossRip
2018 Trek 920
2018 Trek 1120