Have a vintage Fuji bike?
In order to find out the age of your vehicle, you have to be familiar with its serial number and what it means.
Simply identify the format, decode your Fuji bikes serial number, and you’ll get some basic information about your ride, especially the month and year the bicycle is manufactured.
The model of your bike can say a lot about the type of rider you are. So, let’s find out what year is my Fuji bike!
Table of Contents
Fuji Bike Manufacturing Year
Bicycle years can be a bit tricky to figure out, especially for vintage models with catalogs that are nearly impossible to find anywhere in the market.
Most bicycles have a serial number stamped onto their metal parts. And just like other brands, the Fuji bicycle serial numbers follow a unique format that changed and evolved over the years.
These codes follow various sequences and may differ depending on the years 1971, 1976, 1980, and 1984.
Even now, cycling enthusiasts are still looking for more data on vintage Fuji bike catalog to include in their database, since models of this type are rare to come by.
To help you run a Fuji bike serial number check, here are the sequences the brand uses.
| Year | Serial Code Format | Bike Serial Number Identification |
| 1971-1974 | ABCNNNN /
ABCNNNNN |
A = Can either be F, K, M, etc.
Assumed to be the manufacturing facility Example: F means Fuji |
B = Year designation according to Japanese Imperial Calendar
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C = Indicates the calendar month
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| N = 4-5 digits and may identify the bike frame’s manufacturing order (e.g., 10000 means the 10,000th frame) | ||
| 1976 – 1978 |
AABNNNNN |
AA = Year of production
Example: 76BNNNN means it was manufactured in the year 1976 |
B = Indicates the calendar month
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| N = 5 digits and may identify the bike frame | ||
| 1980 – 1987 | ABCNNNNN | A = Can either be F, I, J, K, S, etc.
Assumed to be the manufacturing facility or contractor |
B = Indicates the calendar month
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C = Year of production based on last digit
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| N = 5 digits and may identify the bike frame | ||
| 1984 – 1985 | ABNNN | A = Indicates the calendar month
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B = Year of production based on last digit
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| N = 3 digits and may identify the bike frame |
History of Fuji Bike
The history of Fuji bicycles is one of the most fascinating in the industry. The company has always been considered a leader in innovation and design.
However, Fuji didn’t start as a bicycle-oriented business. In fact, Okazaki Kyūjirō established the corporation as a Japanese-American Trading business in 1899 before it produced quality bikes.
The brand’s original name, Nichibei Shōkai, came from Mount Fuji, a stratovolcano located in central Japan that symbolizes strength and endurance – a trait that Fuji bicycles show.
Since its founding, Fuji has become a beloved manufacturer, although the company experienced some difficulties in the 1990s.
Fuji Bike Serial Number Location
To identify bike by serial number, you must first know where to locate the code.
Unlike Schwinn serial numbers Japan models, which are located on the head tube, you’ll find Fuji bike’s serial numbers located under the bottom bracket of the bike frame, which is near the crank.
It will either be stamped into the frame or etched into it. In either case, you can’t miss it because it’s quite noticeable.
How to Read It?
As mentioned, vintage Fuji bike models have used different serial number patterns since the 1980s.
If the format is anything like the ones mentioned in the table above, identifying the year will be easy peasy.
First, see how many letters and digits the code has. With this information, you can determine whether your bike was made in 1984/1985 or not. If the code looks more similar to patterns for the other years, see if the production year or manufacturing location comes first and proceed from there.
How to Decode Cannondale Serial Number?
Here are some formats for Cannondale bikes, with a focus on their manufacturing dates.
| Year | Serial Code Format | Bike Serial Number Identification |
| 1983 – 1985 | LL1234 | LL = Can be “AA”, “BB”, or “CC”
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| 1986 – 1992 | AB MMDDYY CDE
or A BC MMYY DEFG |
AB = frame size
MM = month DD = date YY = year CDE = sequence numbers or A = rear dropout space BC = frame size MM = month YY = year DEFG = sequence numbers |
| 1993 – 1999 | Year and month code near 6-digit shop order number
e.g. KD 408928 |
Year – E to K, with E = 1993 and K = 1999
Month – A to L, with A = January and L = December |
| 2000 – 2001 | Look for two letters on the bottom right of the serial display | Years – L or M (2000 or 2001)
Month – A to L e.g. LE = May 2000 |
| 2002 onwards | N123456 | First letter = Year (N to S, with N = 2002 and S = 2007)
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How Long is the Fuji Bike Warranty?
As long as your Fuji bicycle was bought from a legitimate dealer, its warranty in the U.S. will last a minimum of 1 year upon purchase and extends to a limited lifetime coverage.
The warranty covers all of the original parts of the Fuji bicycle such as the frame and non-suspension fork. But keep in mind that parts such as paint and chains are not included in the warranty.
Conclusion
When you know what year your Fuji bike was built in, it makes it much easier to identify the right parts, accessories, and upgrades. It also lets you show off your classic bike with some real pride of ownership.
Hopefully, this guide helped you in the process of decoding and identifying your bike’s age.
Now, you can confidently showcase your vintage Fuji bicycle and say “I know what year is my Fuji bike!”
“I ride my bike to work for years, but is that enough? Our carelessness towards our surroundings has taken a toll on the environment. And now, everyone is responsible for changes; even the most minor contribution is counted. With this hope and spirit, I started with my partner to establish Biketoworkday to help more individuals commute to their work sites on their bikes.”