1987 Team Fuji Funny Bike

Quick Answer

What is the 1987 Team Fuji Funny Bike? The 1987 Team Fuji Funny Bike is a hand-built, lugless Japanese steel racing bicycle constructed from Ishiwata 019E chromoly tubing, distinguished by a curved top tube and dual wheel sizes — a small-diameter front wheel paired with a standard 700c rear wheel. It was the only “funny bike” Fuji ever produced, built during a two-year window before the UCI banned dual-wheel-size bicycles from official record-keeping in 1989.

A Two-Year Window in Cycling History

In 1987, Fuji occupied a narrow but significant moment in competitive cycling. The “funny bike” configuration — pairing a smaller front wheel with a full-size 700c rear wheel — was legally sanctioned for time trials and hour records, and manufacturers were racing to capitalize on the aerodynamic advantages the format offered. Fuji built exactly one model: the 1987 Team Fuji Funny Bike. By 1989, the UCI had eliminated dual-wheel-size configurations from official record eligibility, closing that window permanently.

The bicycle documented at Dahlquist Cycleworks represents a surviving example of this rare model in its original crackle finish, acquired and preserved without alteration from its previous owner’s component configuration.

The Funny Bike Concept: What It Was and Why It Mattered

A “funny bike” is defined by its mixed wheel diameters. The front wheel is typically a 24-inch tubular or 650c rim, while the rear uses a standard 700c wheel. This asymmetric configuration lowered the front end of the bicycle, reducing the frontal area presented to the wind and allowing a more aggressive, aerodynamically efficient rider position — similar in effect to what a cowhorn-style handlebar achieved when paired with aero bars.

The rear wheel remained at 700c for practical reasons. A smaller rear wheel would require impractically large chainring tooth counts to maintain competitive gear ratios, and the larger diameter also contributes to lower rolling resistance over distance.

By the late 1980s, funny bikes were in active use across time trials, velodrome pursuits, and team time trial events. The small front wheel was especially valued in team time trial applications, where riders could draft in much closer proximity off the wheel directly ahead. Fuji, Nishiki, Shogun, and other Japanese manufacturers each offered variants, though most were configured differently. The 1987 Team Fuji is notable for its curved top tube — a departure from the conventional straight-tube geometry that Fuji returned to with its 1988 Team Fuji time trial model.

Frame Construction: Ishiwata 019E Tubing

The 1987 Team Fuji is hand-built using Ishiwata 019E chromoly steel tubing, a specification that places it firmly in the upper tier of Japanese steel construction from the era.

Ishiwata 019 tubing — the base designation — is a seamless, double-butted chromoly set drawn to 0.8mm/0.5mm/0.8mm wall thicknesses. The name “019” directly references the tube set weight: 1.9 kilograms for the complete main triangle set, equivalent in mass and material composition to Columbus SL tubing. The “E” suffix indicates a seamed variant, as Ishiwata produced both seamless and seamed iterations of its numbered grades. Despite the seamed construction, the material properties and ride characteristics were functionally equivalent; Ishiwata’s finish quality was frequently cited as superior to comparable European tubes of the period.

Ishiwata supplied tubing to a broad range of frame builders worldwide — Bianchi, Trek, Bridgestone, Peugeot, Schwinn, and Raleigh among them — but it was particularly embedded in Japanese competitive cycling, where it was specified for Keirin-certified frames and top-tier production racing bikes. The company ceased operations in 1993, with much of its expertise transferring to Kaisei, which continues producing butted steel tubing today.

The 1987 Team Fuji frame is lugless, meaning the main triangle joints are constructed without the bronze or steel lugs used in traditional frame assembly. By 1987, as noted in Japanese Steel: Classic Bicycle Design from Japan (Bevington and Ryder, 2018), lugless construction had become part of Fuji’s technical vocabulary for its high-performance offerings — a reflection of the broader industry shift toward fillet-brazed and TIG-welded construction that offered greater geometric flexibility.

Component Specification

The example preserved at Dahlquist Cycleworks retains components selected by its previous owner. The original groupset may have been Shimano Santé, a compact mini-groupset Fuji offered on the 1987 Team models, though this cannot be confirmed with certainty for this specific bicycle. The crackle finish paint — period-correct for the model — remains intact.

The 1987 version is distinguishable from the 1988 Team Fuji (also documented at Dahlquist Cycleworks) by its curved top tube. The following year’s model reverted to a straight top tube, representing a different design philosophy while sharing the time trial intent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did the UCI ban dual-wheel-size bicycles? The UCI eliminated dual-wheel-size configurations from official record eligibility in 1989 as part of a broader effort to standardize bicycle specifications in sanctioned competition. Funny bikes were never legal for mass-start road or track racing; their use was limited to individual time trials, pursuit events, and hour records. As aerobars and other equipment gained traction in the early 1990s, the UCI progressively tightened equipment rules, culminating in a comprehensive ban on non-standard configurations in the late 1990s.

What makes the 1987 Team Fuji unique among Fuji’s lineup? It is the only funny bike Fuji ever produced. The curved top tube on the 1987 model further distinguishes it from any other Fuji time trial bicycle. Fuji’s 1988 Team model — a straight-tube time trial bike — and the 1985 Opus III represent adjacent high-performance models in the company’s catalog, but neither shares the funny bike configuration or the curved top tube geometry.

Is Ishiwata 019E tubing comparable to Columbus SL or Reynolds 531? Yes. Ishiwata 019 tubing is drawn to the same wall thickness specification as Columbus SL (0.8/0.5/0.8mm) and weighs 1.9 kilograms per set — identical to Columbus SL’s claimed weight. Material composition is chromoly steel, equivalent in tensile strength and post-brazing characteristics to both Columbus and Reynolds 531 of the period. The “E” suffix denotes seamed construction, which does not compromise structural integrity in bicycle frame applications.

The 1987 Team Fuji Funny Bike is part of the Japanese bicycle collection at Dahlquist Cycleworks. Related models in the collection include the 1988 Team Fuji Time Trial and the 1985 Fuji Opus III.

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Quick Answer: What is the SimWorks Doppo Ronin?

The Doppo Ronin is a TIG-welded Tange Chromoly steel frame and fork, hand-built in Japan by Shin Hattori Works. It is a third-generation all-terrain bicycle designed for 700c/650b convertibility, flat-mount disc brakes, and tire clearances up to 700x43c or 650x55b. The first production batch was limited to 16 framesets worldwide.

Sixteen framesets. That is the total first-run production count for the Doppo Ronin from SimWorks. Not a typo — not a limited colorway — the entire opening batch of this Japanese all-terrain frame exists in a number smaller than most bicycle shops carry in a single model. When a manufacturer restricts output this aggressively, the frame itself has to justify the scarcity. The Ronin does.

Doppo Ronin Specifications at a Glance

The Ronin’s geometry has remained largely stable across three generations of the Doppo line, and SimWorks made that a deliberate choice. The frame ships in five sizes — S through XXL — each built around a 71.5° head tube angle (all sizes except XS), 440mm chainstays, and a 70mm bottom bracket drop. These numbers produce a handling character that sits comfortably between a dedicated road bike and a loaded tourer: neutral, stable under weight, and responsive enough for technical gravel.

Where This Frame Belongs on the Road

The Ronin is not a road bike wearing gravel tires, and it is not a touring frame with an identity crisis. The geometry and tire clearance numbers tell you exactly what it is: a machine engineered to spend the majority of its working life on mixed surfaces. The 440mm chainstay length keeps the rear triangle compact and responsive on dirt, while the 70mm bottom bracket drop and 71.5° head angle give it enough trail to carry speed on packed gravel without becoming skittish.

Practical use cases stack up quickly. Commuting on a mix of bike paths and unpaved shoulders. All-day gravel rides on fire roads and forest service tracks. Multi-day touring with panniers or frame bags — the cargo mount points on the fork legs, down tube, and seat stays give you room to carry meaningful weight without routing issues. The 650b conversion option opens the door to fatter tires for softer ground, which makes this frame relevant in regions with clay-heavy or sandy soil conditions where 700c clearance falls short.

The Doppo Original Chromoly Fork — Rebuilt from the Ground Up

The fork included with the Ronin is not an afterthought bolted onto a frame. It is a purpose-built Chromoly uni-crown design manufactured by Tange and co-developed with SimWorks to mirror the rear triangle’s geometry and clearance envelope. The 49mm rake and 395mm axle-to-crown length were selected to match the frame’s head angle across all sizes, producing consistent trail and steering feel whether you run 700c or 650b wheels.

Flat-mount disc brake mounts sit front and rear, and the fork legs carry dual 3-pack cage mounts on each blade. Fender and rack eyelets are present — and positioned deliberately. The crown-mounted fender boss sits recessed, which allows a standard full-length fender to clear a 700x43c tire without custom cutting. The 12 x 100mm thru-axle front end adds lateral stiffness that matters under braking load, particularly when the fork is carrying weight.

Tange Steel Construction and the NIC Prismatic Finish

Tange tubing is the backbone of the Doppo line, and the Ronin uses tubes graded No. 1 through No. 3 from their Chromoly range. These are not budget-tier CrMo tubes pressed into service for cost reasons. Tange is among the oldest and most respected tube manufacturers in the cycling industry, and their steel sets have been the foundation for Japanese framebuilders for decades. The TIG welding is handled by Shin Hattori Works in Aichi, Japan — a small shop with a reputation for clean, precise work on production frames.

The paint finish on the Ronin is NIC Prismatic Powder Coat, applied by NIC Industries in Oregon. Powder coat is inherently more durable than traditional liquid paint — it resists chips, scratches, and UV fade better than most alternatives. The deep burgundy color chosen for this production run has a glossy depth that catches light without being flashy. It pairs cleanly with silver or black component groups, and it holds up to the kind of regular use that an all-terrain tool is supposed to endure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who builds the Doppo Ronin frame?

The Doppo Ronin is hand-built by Shin Hattori Works in Aichi, Japan. The frame is TIG-welded using Tange Chromoly steel tubes and features SimWorks original rear dropouts developed in collaboration between Shin Hattori and SimWorks’ own welding team.

Can the Doppo Ronin run both 700c and 650b wheels?

Yes. The flat-mount disc brake system and dropout geometry allow full conversion between 700c and 650b without any modification. In 700c the frame clears tires up to 43mm. In 650b, clearance extends to 55mm, which opens the door to tires with meaningful tread for off-road use.

How many Doppo Ronin frames were made in the first batch?

The initial production run was limited to 16 framesets worldwide. SimWorks has not confirmed future restocking dates, making each first-batch Ronin a low-production frame by design.

What type of paint is used on the Ronin?

The Ronin uses NIC Prismatic Powder Coat from NIC Industries in Oregon, USA. The finish is a deep burgundy with a glossy texture. Powder coat offers stronger scratch and wear resistance than standard liquid paint, making it well-suited to a frame intended for daily and mixed-terrain use.

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