How many Oz/55c frames were made?

[Di.R.T.]

I'm just curious, how many oz/5500c frames did K2 produce?

It seems like this board is mostly carbon frame owners...

[GET]

I can't answer the main question, but I'd offer this observation.  Which bike type dominates discussion at any particular time seems to eb and flow.  For awhile, I felt out-of-place since it seemed that only EVOs were talked about.  I've also noticed short stints of the razorback.

On the other hand, we carbon people do seem to be vocal about our rides.  I may be spoiled, but aluminum just seems so "clanky" / "creaky"  when I ride them now.

[Matno]

Um, isn't the Oz frame also an EVO? Everything is the same except for the construction of the main triangle, so when we talk about EVO's you're included! (Okay, some of the frames were actually called "EVO," but the basic frame design has been known as the evo frame since the beginning).

[GET]

Yes, the geometry is very much the same.  And I was exaggerating a little when I said I felt out of place.  Actually, my point was that everyone ought to feel free to join in.  We often have threads about other bike lines which I find informative as well.

[khuon]

I'm just curious, how many oz/5500c frames did K2 produce?

It seems like this board is mostly carbon frame owners...

The figure I got from the local K2 rep to my LBS when I was purchasing my Oz was that only about 500 were ever produced.  Now I'm not sure if he was talking about the then-current batch (1999) or overall.  I believe only two batches (1998 and 1999) were ever made.

[Di.R.T.]

The figure I got from the local K2 rep to my LBS when I was purchasing my Oz was that only about 500 were ever produced.  Now I'm not sure if he was talking about the then-current batch (1999) or overall.  I believe only two batches (1998 and 1999) were ever made.

Actually, that makes sense.  At the price they retailed ($3-4k), I would be surprised if they could've sold 500.  In 2000, when they "dumped" them for $600, they sold out in a day or two.

[Oz-SUB]

I'm also interested in these sad facts.  For instance how many of the variants were made (4500c, 5500c, Oz-M, etc.), and how many were dumped on the market in 2000?

Serial numbers might help.  Perhaps some kind K2 worker could check the records.

I have a feeling that the Proflex / K2 Carbon frame would join a very exclusive list of very collectable MTB's.  Bit like a classic car.

Perhaps MBA will do an article on this.

[Carbon_Angus]

there was a thread about this a year or so ago, some serial numbers were recorded somewhere.  i can't remember if it was the 855Heads site or from this tech forum. i think the frames were made in two separate "runs" the first ones were less glossy than the second run, and some mention of a serial tag on the BB shell for the first runs?

i think more than 500 were made, though but I'm curious, too as to the amount.

The ediscount close-outs were on the site for a little more than month, maybe longer. i remember being on the fence for a few weeks before i bought mine there

also, is that a Brass Monkey on the cover of the new Performance catalog ?

[rapiddescent]

I think 500 seems a bit low.  Certainly, we've sold less than 200 CAHH2K's (I'd need to look it uup to find the real number) but then again the CAHH2K also fits the 4500c, the OZ and OzM so  in total I'd be suprised if there were more than 2000 bikes made in the carbon skeleton frame format.

which is a low number - not enough in my opinion to offset the reasearch and Development costs of the smart shock and the spined frame..  

callum
rdi

[Scott]

No, not enough to offset R&D.  There was a K2 employee who posted that the carbon frames were over 3 times the build cost of standard frames and this was just as the market went away on the $4000  bikes  (lucky for me and other cobbers of eBay bits)

[khuon]

I think 500 seems a bit low.

I wonder if the rep was talking about complete bikes and K2 had a bunch of surplus frames for warranty replacement or future bike builds that were not included in that number.