K2 / Proflex Riders Group

General => Tech Forum => Topic started by: proflexsuisse on December 11, 2012, 02:00:53 pm

Title: Info proflex 4500
Post by: proflexsuisse on December 11, 2012, 02:00:53 pm
Hello, I have a proflex 4500 for 4 years now.

I do not speak good English, I am Swiss and I speak French.

I would like to know if there are breakages of the frame, how many copies there are still running, and know, just for my personal info, how much does today proflex 4500??



I do not intend to sell, I love this bike passion, I find it too good, mine is equipped carbon fork and disc

Tanks
Title: Re: Info proflex 4500
Post by: Spokes on December 11, 2012, 02:44:09 pm
Hello and welcome.
The 4500 is a great frame and is very strong. Frames inserts could wear out with age but I've only ever heard of one frame breaking in use. The main weak point is the seat post insert which can break off level with the carbon.
Show us a photo of your bike with the carbon forks and disc brake. Sounds interesting.

Chris
Title: Re: Info proflex 4500
Post by: proflexsuisse on December 13, 2012, 03:21:42 am
Hello, thank you for your answers

Y is there any other 4500 owners on this forum

Y is there any documents for this bike, it seems to have seen some right here

I attached some pictures of my bike

(http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/2551/59372626.jpg)
Title: Re: Info proflex 4500
Post by: petes97857 on December 13, 2012, 04:42:33 am
Welcome

That's a REAL nice bike I'm big on the black stealth (no decal)look.
The Look fournal forks are real special
 Mmm discs and linked fork.
Title: Re: Info proflex 4500
Post by: proflexsuisse on December 13, 2012, 05:12:58 am
Hello, thank you
I'd give him a renovation and I look for information on eventual reinforcement resins before applying a varnish to avoid the eventual result of having cracks

I'd then put him spinergy carbon

he Fournales cobra carbon fork with titanium screws
shimano disc 160mm
 tires schwalbe sammy slick
Title: Re: Info proflex 4500
Post by: fyrstormer on December 13, 2012, 12:15:29 pm
A bike like that is probably worth US$3000 today. It is rare, it looks in good condition, and it has good parts.

Do you have more pictures? I would like to see the fork and the discs in detail.
Title: Re: Info proflex 4500
Post by: proflexsuisse on December 13, 2012, 01:49:14 pm
(http://nsa31.casimages.com/img/2012/12/13/121213104108769644.jpg)

(http://nsa31.casimages.com/img/2012/12/13/121213104245647634.jpg)

the disc are simple, but effective, it was a quick choice because I had run and I had to put the fork.

It has no cracks, for almost 15 years.
I think soon restore the disassembled for sanding, then I would treat the slight impact (on varnish) of the year, which serront treaty glue epoxy, then sanded to be bi-component varnish varnish and sanded with 1400 grains has water for polishing

I would like to subsequently equip it spinergy carbon, a saddle and a handlebar carbon carbon, according to the means
Title: Re: Info proflex 4500
Post by: Spokes on December 14, 2012, 02:56:01 pm
That's a really nice looking bike you have. I would really love to have Those forks. There are plenty of people on here who have 4500's myself included. One of mine is in Readers rides and the other I am builing now.

Chris
Title: Re: Info proflex 4500
Post by: fyrstormer on December 15, 2012, 01:03:54 am
I would not use carbon wheels. Wheels directly impact the ground, often at oblique angles, and that can cause very sharp and unpredictable stress on the wheels. When a carbon-fiber wheel is overloaded, it will shatter instead of bending, so a carbon-fiber wheel needs to be much stronger to avoid any chance of breaking and causing a crash. A very strong carbon-fiber wheel will weigh the same as an aluminum wheel.
Title: Re: Info proflex 4500
Post by: proflexsuisse on December 15, 2012, 05:57:28 am
thank you.
Can you give me the weight of the frame?

I'd give him a light fitting
I think he put


(http://webventureuol.uol.com.br/multimidia/fotos/2012/20121205_131752_g.jpg)

a saddle carbon and new transmission carbon
Title: Re: Info proflex 4500
Post by: fyrstormer on December 16, 2012, 12:32:10 am
Sorry, I don't know the frame weight.

I wouldn't use carbon-fiber brakes either. Carbon-fiber is good for parts that need to be very stiff, and are not subjected to impact or friction. Impact and friction will damage carbon-fiber very quickly.

Which is more important? To make the bike a few grams lighter, or to keep the bike safe? If those carbon-fiber brakes are damaged, they will shatter, and you will have no brakes left. You know if this happens, it will happen on a steep hill.

If you do use the carbon-fiber brakes, make sure to tighten the brake bolts EXTREMELY carefully. Too tight, and the carbon-fiber will crack.
Title: Re: Info proflex 4500
Post by: proflexsuisse on December 16, 2012, 12:51:55 am
Hello, this is not that the carbon fiber, but silicon carbide, ceramic and carbon fiber

labaratoire is tested in real test

This is a new product which will be released early January 2013

This is done with the characteristics of a disc brake

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?client=tmpg&depth=1&hl=en&langpair=es (http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?client=tmpg&depth=1&hl=en&langpair=es)|fr&rurl=translate.google.com&twu=1&u=http://www.lightbike-magazine.es/index.php%3Foption%3Dcom_k2%26view%3Ditem%26id%3D826:discos-siccc-de-carbono%26Itemid%3D25&usg=ALkJrhgdmlAj3myBshGUgXnb5vpVC5gcsg
Title: Re: Info proflex 4500
Post by: Spokes on December 16, 2012, 11:46:17 am
I have an unbuilt 4500 frame but no scales to weigh it. I'll try and find some scales this week.

Chris
Title: Re: Info proflex 4500
Post by: Spokes on December 16, 2012, 12:42:02 pm
http://idriders.com/proflex/files/carbon_tech_sheet.pdf (http://idriders.com/proflex/files/carbon_tech_sheet.pdf)

Here you go, according to the K2 tech sheet they weigh 2.85lb.

Chris
Title: Re: Info proflex 4500
Post by: Spokes on December 16, 2012, 01:39:52 pm
Formular one and moto GP use 'carbon' discs, are they the same as those?  The only problem they seem to have is that they dont work untill they are hot and they loose there heat quickly. So down hill riding might be good but XC riding maybe not so?

Chris
Title: Re: Info proflex 4500
Post by: proflexsuisse on December 17, 2012, 04:09:22 am
2,85 lb with the swing arm ?

For disc:
Kettle Cycles SiCCC Rotor Session - Reveille Peak Ranch - Flow Track (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enUK6Rao18Y#ws)

Kettle Cycles SiCCC Kettle Session (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwEXBnXJCas#ws)

;)
Title: Re: Info proflex 4500
Post by: Spokes on December 17, 2012, 05:37:04 am
The Tech sheet only pictures a frame so I guess frame only? Ill weigh my frame and arm when I get the use of some scales. My arm tells me they are light!!

Chris
Title: Re: Info proflex 4500
Post by: Colin on December 17, 2012, 10:22:39 am
I have weighed a stripped large carbon frame including the swing arm fully fitted but with no shock at 2550g
an NR-2 shock adds 212g + a 550lb/in steel coil spring @ 286g (Ti = 148g)

Col.
Title: Re: Info proflex 4500
Post by: proflexsuisse on December 17, 2012, 11:51:12 am
thank you, swingarm weighs as much as the part itself

It helps to estimate a possible weight with different equipment (dt swiss carbon shock 160 gr, 60 gr a disc, seat etc.)
Title: Re: Info proflex 4500
Post by: fyrstormer on December 20, 2012, 03:11:23 am
Formular one and moto GP use 'carbon' discs, are they the same as those?  The only problem they seem to have is that they dont work untill they are hot and they loose there heat quickly. So down hill riding might be good but XC riding maybe not so?

Chris
F1 uses carbon-carbon discs. Carbon fiber is used as a base material, but it is soaked in resin and then *burned* until only carbon remains. This process is repeated until the object is solid carbon.

Normal carbon fiber is soaked in resin, but the resin is cured, not burned.

These brake discs are made with special resin that contains silicon carbide, which is very hard and abrasive. That means the discs won't wear-down as fast as normal carbon fiber. However, the weave pattern shown in the pictures is NOT optimized for braking loads. I still wouldn't use them.

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lightbike-magazine.es%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_k2%26view%3Ditem%26id%3D826%3Adiscos-siccc-de-carbono%26Itemid%3D25 (http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lightbike-magazine.es%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_k2%26view%3Ditem%26id%3D826%3Adiscos-siccc-de-carbono%26Itemid%3D25)
Title: Re: Info proflex 4500
Post by: Old Proflexer on December 24, 2012, 10:00:51 am
Rear discs are not difficult to install on your 4500 if you want to go with disc brakes in the front and rear

There have been many threads on this site on buying and installing an adapter or making your own.

OP