New to forum: Opinions wanted on K2 Proflex 450

[Happy Valley]

Hello all. New here but been around bikes a long time.

I have an opportunity to barter for a K2 Proflex 450. Seems all original, pretty clean and tight, with all parts functioning.
Can't find a lot of info out there on this bike. I'd sure appreciate any opinions on this model and/or insights about it. Also, what might something like be worth in US$?

Thanks for any help.

[orange]

probably $150 to $250?? I'm British and that would get around £150 max for the complete bike.

[Happy Valley]

Thanks Orange, much obliged.

Any idea of year these were made? Wondering if they were a subset from the usual model sequence.

[Colin]

Generically that's what we usually call an "x57" style strut bike, i.e. it's got the suspension geometry of an 857 or it's variants (757, 957 etc). i.e. a strut from the shock top the swing-arm. Some models had carbon rear swingarms and others had a metal one. Opinion is divided on which is best (weight/flex/bling factor).

It succeeded the x56 style Strut bikes (756, 856, 956, XP-x, etc)

After the x57 design PRO~FLEX/K2 went to non-strut bikes like the 4000/Evo/Oz etc

the x57 style was marketed under a few names during the production run ('97 to '00 ish?) named  "Beast" and "Animal" or model numbers 757, 1000, 2000, 3000.

Looks like it's got a set of "Chubby" forks on it, another thread has got some info on them.

Anyway, a good bike for the right money (£250 wouldn't be unreasonable in the UK), as long as you check that the shocks are working OK and the pivots are not knackered, obviously the rest of the bike is standard components that should also be checked for wear as on any bike.

As it's the relatively unknown 450 model, maybe you can get a bargain........<GRIN>

Col.

[shovelon]

Looking closely, there is an NR4 rear shock. My guess it shares the frame of the 97 Proflex Animal, but is redressed as the 98 K2/Proflex 450. In 99 they went away from the x57 frame, and was only "K2".

I had a 97 Beast and loved it. I was going to quit biking (hardtail) for a while because I was not healing faster than I was crashing. The full suspension Proflex made me a better rider, enough to keep from crashing so much. Raced it a few times as well. I could sweep the field on descents. My large Beast weighed in at about 30 lbs. I am sure I could pull that down to 24 lbs today with wheels, tires, airshock, post, stem, crankset, and bars. By the way, the Titec Hellbent bars are pretty stiff. The ESP carbon derailleur broke on me as well as the Silent clutch rear hub(cause I was such a masher 10 years ago ), but I put a lot of miles on it. I sold the bike to a buddy that put another few years on it.

The 4 inch red chubby fork is a stupid simple air damped fork made for them by RST. RST's version had 5 inches travel and was callled the Hi 5. Noleen went to 5 inch later but abandoned it when  the 5 inch Hi5 and Chubbies reported breaking. Only the 4 inchers were reported sound.

Anyway, I wish think also $250 bucks would be a bargain. The upgrade possibilites are endless.

Terry