breath life into my 856

[Markpatat]

Hi there,

I'm new here, but I'm very happy to have find this forum! Haven't ridden my old 856 for the last 5 years. The last ride was, as I remembered it, to the beach. It was a perfect hot summer day, which ended up on riding back on a low-rider! Yellow mush everywhere! Now I have a new bike, and my wife complaint about the old one, which took up too much space... My reply was as usual that I would restore it, some day...

As I have never done any maintance beyond changing flat tyres from time to time, I would never think of restoring it. My dad is a great mechanic, but some how this skipped a generation. Last weekend it occured to me, the 856 had still some great potential! It is and was a great bike, and I'm having some back problems, so I could use the rear suspension! So I stripped it down, with not many problems. It's really therapeutic and am learning fast! I took a lot of pictures and notes, so I can put everything back in the right order.

I'll probally go for the springs from nulifecycles, any thoughts on that? A new supsension system is probally better, but it's USD 500+ vs USD 100. Are there also solutions available in Europe? Anybody from the Netherlands here? Proflex used to be popular here!

[Markpatat]

Here are some pics!

This is how it's current state is.


The rear suspension, or what's left off it...


The front suspension, speaks for itself


And now, everything is off!

[Colin]

Well done on resurrecting a PRO~FLEX! You won't regret it!

I am in the UK, but have owned two "continental" PRO~FLEX's; a large 5500 that I bought in the Netherlands while I was working over there and finally sold in the UK and also a 4000se that I still own that was sold in Belgium to a F1 commentator (their equivalent of Murray Walker) and was top spec'd; allegedly Michael Schumacher has ridden it around the F1 pits to try it out; Cor! to think my arse has been where "Der Regenmeister's" has been!

Anyway, one option open to you is that I have a limited number of the last of the RDS COR Top Hats and Cups to allow conversion of your ODS shocks to Coil springs. You will have to source the springs, but the adaptors are £23 each pair posted to you in the Netherlands.

see : http://www.rapiddescentscotland.co.uk/index.php?module=documents&JAS_DocumentManager_op=downloadFile&JAS_File_id=12 for more info.

PM me if interested and I can also help you out with spring dimensions.

Colin S

[Spokes]

It always amazes me how those original MCU's melt like custard! What a mess. Well done for finally starting to restore your 856, if you have any questions this is the place to ask. Hopefully you'll build it and enjoy it once again. If nothing else the therapy will do you good! 

Chris

[w2zero]

RE: the original mcu's melting like custard..

My originals from the 855 never melted.  They did get hard but very hot water from the tea kettle always revived them.  The replacement mcu's that I scored were altogether softer than the originals.  I sourced them from a K2 inline skate dealer I met through a friend who rents the skates.  I bought extras and he gave me another set besides.  When the new set on the bike got mushy, I went to replace them and the ones in reserve had melted away.  That is when I started searching craigslist for proflex and replaced the shock-like devices with some of the ODS and a GDS then to Noleen.  I won't be switching to air unless I happen upon a very swinging deal on it.

[Spokes]

I wonder if it geography that denotes whether your MCU's go hard or melt? Is it a hot country verses cold country type thing?
I've got a Californian 856 frame and the MCU's were melted on that one.
Chris

[w2zero]

Darned if I know.  Still have a long and a short mcu out there left over and they appear to be good.  Still some squish in the  short and the other is in need of some hot water but does have some give to it.  Even here in Washington state the garage can get to a hundred in summer.

I think they came out of one of the Vectors in the collection.  Might use those in the rear of the small frame for the granddaughter but would prefer coil there.

[kiwi]

i cant see the OP pics
hang on they are slowly coming up,but if i try to view directly via a link it says error???
I might have some MCU around here somewhere,They will now be very old.NZ is a pretty temeperate place.Will have a look and report findings

[fyrstormer]

[insert standard "buy Noleen coilovers" recommendation here]

[Bubba]

I too will be starting a rebuild only 856.  I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts on the shock upgrade.