Rear Elastometer

[Stuhearne]

Hey Proflex fans. Thought I would share this with you. I have a proflex 550 which I have had since the late 80's. The bike is a little old now and has done well but the rear elastometers have crumbled. You may already know this but if you dont, a relatively OK way of replacing them is to use an inner tube. I have taken off the elastometer, wound round an old inner tube and fastened with cable ties. To be honest it does a pretty good job and cost next to nothing to replace even though it sounds like a bit of an amateur job (which it is!). For info, i'm from England and nobody I know here has ever heard of proflex, even the people that run local bike shops. Dont think I will ever get a bike quite like it again as it was such an eye turner back in the 80's. Glad to see from this forum that there are still loads going strong.

[fyrstormer]

Innovative solution, but I doubt it would work on newer bikes with longer-travel shocks. I could be totally wrong though. In any event, if you decide to go for a cleaner solution, you can buy replacement elastomers online and cut them down a bit if you need to.

Also, be a jolly good bloke and post a picture of your ancient bike.

[Stuhearne]

As requested. As you can see its original apart from XT levers and shifters which were fitted in 1990. Its pretty old now. I think I bought it in 1988 and it was £550. They were quite rare in the UK and still get strange looks from people now. Did a lot of off-roading back then but now just used for trails with my young kids. Wouldnt trust it going fast these days as its showing its age a bit and has probably done 15000 miles! Even the Tri Pro trip computer bought in 1993 is still going well. I enjoy the fact that kids on modern bikes are shocked to hear that my bike is well older than them! I will soon get a spports hybrid for the road and trails but will always keep the Proflex as it seems part of the family after all these years. For info, the UK has had a lot invested in cycling over the last 20 years. Many of the disused railway lines around the UK have been paved and made available for cyclists. There are literally thousands of miles of relatively flat routes all over the UK. If anyone is interested visit http://www.sustrans.org.uk/what-we-do/national-cycle-network.

Just got to the end of this post and realised I dont know how to post an image. Bear with me whilst I find out how

[Stuhearne]

OK I dont know, how do I post an image!

[shovelon]

OK I dont know, how do I post an image!

Easiest way for me is to upload an photo from your files to an image hoster. I use photobucket and Villagephotos.

Anyway, view the photo from you photohoster, copy the email address at the top of the screen, and go to the reply screen here. Then the second icon from the left is the image command. It looks like a painting in a frame.

Click on the image command and you will see the curser inbetween text symbols.

The curser will be directly inbetween them and insert your link. It should look something like this img]www.buttnugget.com/photo/img].

Bingo, you should have posted an image.


Terry

[Stuhearne]

Thanks, here it is then

[racesrc]

http://www.suspensionforkparts.net/eshop/index.php?_a=viewCat&catId=11


i found this place here in the states. dont know if this helps, but.......




              david

[Stuhearne]

Thanks for the info. Yes I had seen that place before but as I wont really be using the bike offroad anymore I thought it quite a lot of money for some rubber (poor moneyless English person that I am!) I have been out with my rather amateur inner tube replacement job today and it actualy seems pretty good. Thanks for the info anyway.

[shovelon]

Same as my bike Stuhearne.

If the innertubes work, good solution. I bougth some urethane tube from McmasterCarr. Not perfect, but good enough. I took the bike out yesterday and did some monster climbs on the Reseda to Sea portion. I bought an Avid microdrive adapter to replace the small chainring to 20 teeth.

Terry

[fyrstormer]

My god, that thing is ancient! I didn't know they'd even invented the wheel back in the 80's!

j/k, I was born in 1982 and when I was three I tried to drive my dad's car, so I know they had wheels back then.

[orange]

For info, i'm from England and nobody I know here has ever heard of proflex, even the people that run local bike shops.

I have (and have done for 20 odd years) I'm in Derby (now).

[02gf74]

^^^^ me too.  there were in your face in the mid nineties but then disappeared totally after the new millennium.  they must have had a bad experience in UK as the K2 bikes never made it over in any number.

[fyrstormer]

I have (and have done for 20 odd years) I'm in Derby (now).

What was so odd about the past 20 years?

[Spokes]

Yes i think it says more about the local bike shops lack of knowledge than the lack of success of Proflex/K2 as a company.