Author Topic: How long (and who,how,when, and why)have you ridden Pro-Flex/K2? (Read 86992 times)

jinder · « **Reply #45 on:** April 22, 2005, 10:45:52 am »

Quote

okey dokey,
me - since 98 from memory. i too remember seeing an 856 in an mba and just thinking 'that's it - that's THE bike i want to own'.
admittidely that was 2 years previous, but i just didn't have the cash.
anyway - decided to bite the bullet in 98 and am so pleased i did.
i've since purchased a carbon and i LOVE it. still have my 957, and i think i might do something with it one of these days...
it's been a while since i've been around on these forums, life has been hectic in other areas, but it's good to be back

Great to have you back!!! Any photos of your 957?

jazclrint · « **Reply #46 on:** April 24, 2005, 02:18:33 pm »

I had the first Copper and black PROFLEX 2000 sold in Maine in January '98. After that was stollen I found a 5500c Framset in Cali and built it. So that's 2. But the "local" bike shop was one of the first proflex dealers here in Maine. And the guys there raced them. So that would be 1993ish that I first heard about them. They are a New England bred bike (the ones that didn't say K2 and were actually desinged in New England) and work perfect up here. They're not some fire road/down hill bomber like everyone else were making until they finally paid attention to what Proflex had been designing for years, and K2 ruined! They are a hard core CC New England, mud, granite, and root swallowing badass and K2 ruined them. Opps, i'm opinonated.

Ionit · « **Reply #47 on:** April 25, 2005, 09:26:40 am »

Congradulations on achieving over 1000 views. Good subject Jinder. I think all in the forum have contributed.
Well... I'm off see you in two weeks.

ianc · « **Reply #48 on:** April 26, 2005, 01:46:37 am »

Cool post! I got my first MTB, a rockhopper comp, in 92, and soon decided I wanted to try suspension. I nearly got a flexstem then, but after a bit of research decided I didn't like the loose feeling. First I got a roackshox quadra for the SPZ, which was terrible. Then I got a Manitou 3 on sale, which was a lot better. After I while I decided I'd like to try a full suss. The 954 had just got the best review for a full suss XC bike ever, by a really well respected journo Steve Worland (I met him later and thanked him for turning me on to proflex!). By the time I'd saved and decided on getting just the 954 frame and swapping the rest off the SPZ, the UK importers had sold out on the back of the great review. But that meant I got one of the first 955 frames in the country, which got an even better review and still rides superbly, so I was happy!

2 years later I was debating between upgrading the shock to a coil or air model, and getting a 957 frame and selling the 955. I thought the cost would be similar, so went for the 957 as it had the carbon swingarm too. Unfortunately with the coil models release, the elastomer models values plummeted, and I never sold the frame. However, that's meant that I still have it, and ride it regularly! The 957 started as a lightweight XC machine, and slowly changed to something to get me down World cup DH courses in the French Alps. Then the 955 was turned back into a race machine. Both have swapped style many times since then - currently the 955 is a fun singlespeed with my first Z1 bombers in bright orange, disc brakes fat tyres and big risers; the 957 a tricked out enduro bike with fox forks, disc brakes, bar ends and lots of ti/carbon. I've also got a 97 animal that is going to the paint shop next week and being reincarnated as a play bike with triple clamps and the RDS 6" back end.

Finally, I've just seen the pics of the 252 cross bike on here - never knew it existed, but I desperately want to get one - anyone know of one in L (19"ish MTB size, 58cmish road size) in good condition? Not bothered about paint so long as it is in working order...

Ian

jinder · « **Reply #49 on:** April 28, 2005, 06:09:55 pm »

Quote

Congradulations on achieving over 1000 views. Good subject Jinder. I think all in the forum have contributed.
Well... I'm off see you in two weeks.

Thanks brother! It is a great post, I am glad to read all the stories... this is a wonderful group we got here!

I will see you in 2 weeks Alex!!!!!!!

BadAndy · « **Reply #50 on:** May 26, 2005, 08:49:45 am »

Great thread! I had to register just to tell my story, but I've been reading this forum for years.

Living in New England since the late 80's, and being a mountain biker, I was aware of Girvin / Offroad / Pro-Flex because they were local. I even test rode one back in the day (early 90's?) when they were still Offroad with Girvin flex stems and elastomers. No way I was buying anything back then due to lack of money, but I liked it!

A couple years later, my best friend who was living in Rhode Island at the time, got married and I was in his wedding party. I was paired up with a girl who's husband worked at Pro-Flex, and we talked bikes the whole time. Again, I couldn't afford a new bike even though he offered to let me know when a blemished bike might be available from the factory.

Fast forward to '98 when K2 bought them and they moved from Rhode Island to Washington. My friend calls me and says he has a bike in his apartment that he is trying to sell for his buddy (the same guy I met at the wedding). He says his sister wants to buy it, but she's not a mountain biker and he doesn't want it to go to waste! 2 days before Christmas I drive 1 1/2 hours each way to his apartment and buy the bike. I didn't even test ride it, I just knew I wanted it. Merry Christmas to me!

It was an 857 that had been customized at the factory, and the guy who owned it was selling it to help finance his move to Washington with the company. He knew he would be getting a new K2 out there. It was definately not a stock bike, but had upgraded components, carbon fiber forks, swingarm, handlebars, and custom paint. It was light and rode like a dream.

I still have that bike, and funny thing is I ride it more than my newer Giant VP full suspension. I made it a single speed with a Paul's Components tensioner, and it's light and fast. I can't believe how much fun it is. I still get a ton of comments about the forks and the bike when I ride.

jinder · « **Reply #51 on:** May 27, 2005, 01:02:53 am »

Cool, right on!

Gregman · « **Reply #52 on:** June 08, 2005, 05:17:33 pm »

first discovered Pro-Flex back in 1994 at the Chicago Bike Show. I decided right there and then that I wanted one of these bikes as I was so sick and tired of chain suck on my '92 Trek 7000. I raced the trek for a few years and noticed that one of the race series sponsor shops was also a Pro-flex dealer. Gave them a call and discovered that the local Pro-flex rep had a demo '95 Animal that he wanted to unload - so I snagged it up for $1600 - the yellow & blue version with the yellow Magura's, full XTR & 217 sup's. Raced & rode this bike hard and it always performed to its best. I sold it off to a buddy of mine for $500 in 2000 when I picked up an OzM frameset with smarts from EDiscountbike.com for $400 w/shipping. I built up the OzM immediately with full XTR, 517's, kore bar, stem and post & Avid bridge V's.

5 don't ride the OZM anymore as it hangs from my ceiling in prestine condition - - I have found a new passion - - the road. January of 2004 I purchased a MOD 5.0 2003 framset and built it up with all Dura-Ace, FSA carbon bars, Koobi PRS saddle, 3TTT stem (OEM), Sette carbon post, Ksyrium Elite wheels, Conti GP3000 rubber, Time Impact pedals - this bad boy weighed very little. I rode this bike very hard in 2004 and had 2 bad crashes one of which was getting hit by a Jeep Cherokee. In January of this year I was down in Florida riding when I went out for dinner, when I returned home I forgot the bike was on the roof of my truck and drove right under the car port overhang. The right leg of Columbus carbon for snapped off as well and the Yakima control towers from the roof, the seat post snapped, the Koobi PRS was blown up, my rear wheel was taco'd, 3TTT OEM stem bolts ripped out & a large dinger/dent in the top tube. Yeah the Explorer suffered lots of scratches as well - but my pride and joy was basically totaled. I threw the pile of junk in the back of the truck and drove back to Chicago in the morning all pissed off.

I stripped the frame and inspected everything very carefully to discover that there was plenty that would be recoverable and re-useable. Immediately found a 2004 Columbus Carbon fork on EBAY which I grabbed to replace the snapped off one. I listed the dented 2003 frame with the new(er) 2004 fork on EBAY in hopes of just getting rid of it - I wound up getting $150 for it which was just fine with me - I clearly listed the dent and showed pics and it was snagged up with a "buy it now". So I now have a pile of components sitting in a box - I went thru Koobi's crash repair service for a new seat, got a new FSA stem, new rear Ksyrium wheel - but no frame for put it all on. I had a lead on a Cannondale SIX13 framset for very cheap as a buddy of mine is an Exec at C'dal in Cali - but my heart was with K2. Oh forgot to add - I contacted K2 immediately about their crash replacemet program and it sucked - I was told that all they had in my frame size (small) was a Mach 3.0 and that was it - and they wanted $700 for it. I had such a bad taste in my mouth for K2 at that moment - I was very seriously considering getting the Six13 frameset as it was only $1200.

A week later I found a 2004 MOD 5.0 Framset on EBAY in my size and there was no bids on it - I was able to win the auction for only $210. Its all built up now and it is one sweet looking ride.

Matno · « **Reply #53 on:** June 09, 2005, 12:36:51 am »

Greg, I want to see pictures of your Mod!

Swede353 · « **Reply #54 on:** August 31, 2005, 09:09:33 pm »

Yesterday my Elastomer went flat

so now I'm looking for a new one and thats how I found you guys.

OK, noting strange about that, the bike is a 353 I got in 1993 and I remember that I got a shock when I heard the price, $1500 something, but it was so ahead of everything else with it's rear shock and aluminium frame so I could not resist it.

I have had it stored away for the last 4 years but now I needed something to ride to work with so I cleaned it up and put some fenders on and now I got the coolest ride on the block

/Jonas

Parafly9 · « **Reply #55 on:** September 06, 2005, 11:25:59 pm »

I bought my blue 855 brand-spanking new back in 1995. Jeez, I can't believe it's been a DECADE already! I bought it when I was 15 (i am now. derr... 25). Just pulled it out of the closet after being sadly neglected for almost 2 years. It still looks great and modern, although I guess I am kinda riding an ancient beast now. haha! [smiley=nod.gif]

Len · « **Reply #56 on:** September 07, 2005, 11:15:07 pm »

I first took up biking in '94 in the park systems in Connecticut. I was riding a crappy Nishiki I had bought for like $200 from a big sporting goods chain. My first foray into suspension was adding a flexstem. That seemed to help a bit, but I boy was that bike bad!

Then, while reading Mountain Bike Action, I spotted a Pro-Flex. Wow! A thing of beauty! One trip to the local bike store and I had myself a brand new 756 for $1,200.

I absolutely love it and ride it every weekend. It feels just right - I've tried a few new fancy bikes, but none have the same personality. Just perfect for my style of riding. As someone else wrote on this board, I feel like any new fancy bike I try out is just "another pretty face" and I run back to the comfort of my 756.

My best upgrade to the 756 is a Risse Genesis on the back - that made the ride so much better! The bike is on it's 2nd Vector fork, and I'm about to put on a new crosslink I got from ediscountbike.

Wanting more, I bought an 856 frame off ebay a few years ago and have built it up with an NR1 on the back and Rocks Shox Duke on the front. This setup is pretty good (especially the Duke!), but it's only a matter of time until I get a new Risse Genesis for the back of this bike.

Meanwhile, the 756 is waiting for me to have a free weekend to take it apart and replace anything that squeaks (let's just say that in the past few years I have not been able to sneak up on anyone on the trail).

My wife grumbles about me having too many bikes while I continue to greedily search ebay for more proflex (maybe k2?) bikes. Might have to let the GT LTS go to make room.

Surprisingly, here in New England, I've only ever seen a handfull of other people riding a Pro-flex. Good thing, I guess. Less competition for my next ebay purchase!

This forum is awesome.

Matno · « **Reply #57 on:** September 08, 2005, 12:44:39 am »

Where in CT are you?

Len · « **Reply #58 on:** September 08, 2005, 10:22:03 am »

New London. You?

Matno · « **Reply #59 on:** September 09, 2005, 06:44:27 am »

Almost Westchester (but technically the Bronx).

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Author Topic: How long (and who,how,when, and why)have you ridden Pro-Flex/K2? (Read 86992 times)