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Rode a ridgid specialized rockhopper from '94-'00. Then I left New Zealand for the great red land of Australia. Stuck in Melbourne with no wheels I spotted a Proflex 955 world cup in the Tradingpost magazine- a bike I had never head of or seen before!!! After bartering with the mad englishman who was selling it got it down to my budget of AU$500, plus it was really shiny so I couldn't resist!!!!
After that I discovered this website downloaded all the specs and info I could & rapidly upgraded to a proflex 4000 that I bought off a ski instructor returning from mammoth mountain in Cali (she's now a good riding buddy!) [smiley=laughing.gif]
Carbon_Angus:
October of 1997.
I was looking for a new bike as my Nana had left me a little pin money. At the time I was riding a Specialized Rockhopper (rigid) with toe-clips. Went into the bike shop and tried some hard tails and then spotted some awesome looking full suspension bikes (Pro~Flex 857's and a few 957's...even a grape colored one!) I tried one red large 857 and the rest is history. Went clipless, bought some riding gear, the whole nine yards. I thought I was sooooo cool.. 8).and I was! [smiley=laughing.gif]
[smiley=beer.gif]
forgot to mention, too, that I knew NOTHING about the bike...Girvin, ...nothing. :o the shop owner said it was a "bike of the year". [smiley=yawn.gif]..after that test ride....even after a few blown shocks, a couple of cracked cranks and a headset that disintigrated like a Mission Impossible story.....I was still in love with that bike....she's more of a gray mare to me now, but she has expereince..and some of the sweetest memories I could have...on and off
[smiley=beer.gif]
jinder:
Wow.... I really enjoyed your stories... looks like we all started more or less in the same way. Proflex is a magical name for me, as it is for all you too.
I am sure there are more personal stories to come...
RIGHT ON! :)
fs_01:
Hello
I am a little old... i am 43 years old so i enjoyed riding very much and about when i was 21 years old i prefered motocycles and cars, i think it's normal... When i was 29 years ols i made some races with go-kart that i apreciate very much, but after some years i discovered that it is very expensive. So it cames the old passion of riding a bike.. now the bikes are very different and apears in Portugal the MTB profile. I bought a rigid Bianchi Boulder, nto expensive but ok to begin.. One day on 1998 one frend of mine tell me if i want to buy one Proflex 856 ...with full suspention... i was dreeming... ok i bought and now it's my wife's bike...but sometimes i ride it... Last year i bought one in very good look too Proflex 857 with styckers of 959.... I am very proud and very happy with these two bikes. nowadays i see the prices of the new bikes and when i'am riding i don't see diference with the others bikes... The important is our passion for the things and make all the things that we love.....
Fernando
Thunderchild:
I saw my first Pro flex in 1988 or 89? They were called Offroads. It had the Girvin flex stem and an elastomer stack on the back. The salesman tried to sell me one, but I just laughed at his vector presentation. Amazingly about 2 years ago I crossed paths with an older biker riding one similar to this model! My first ProFlex. I purchased a used 953 in 1994. First impression: smooth ride and the rear tire stuck so much better on rough and rocky climbs compared to my hard tail. You can see a picture of it in my gallery (The Old Gray Mare).