1991 Offroad Proflex 750 - Gravel Retro-mod!!

[jimo746]

I really should avoid browsing ebay on a Sunday A low-ball bid that I was (almost) sure wouldn't be accepted saw this Proflex 750 arrive on my doorstep today... :facepalm:

After a bit of a clean it's not looking too bad, I'm going to build it up and ride it for a few months over winter, if I like it I might get the frame powdercoated next year, if not then it can go back on eBay!

As expected, the rear "suspension" needs replacing, the headset might get away with a regrease and live for a few months yet...

 

[james1985]

Re: Offroad Proflex 750. 1990/91?

Very nice. Never really looked at one of these before, but I can now see quite a few differences from my 752, I always just thought they where pretty similar.
Will be nice to see it built and used.

 

[jimo746]

Re: Offroad Proflex 750. 1990/91?

Yeah the 752 has a 2-piece rear swing arm and a slightly different front triangle, although swing arm pivot is in the same location. What a difference a year or two makes!

I've a Suntour XCE groupset that's destined for this frame I think, not fancy, but functional.

Will update if I get time to work on it over the weekend.

 

[miliu]

Re:

Mine is a RF-1, but it is practically identical to the 750.
I didn't like the behaviour of the flexstem, so I fit a Manitou 1.

I had a combo flexstem Ti XST for it too, but it was too narrow

You can find some bushes for the rear suspension at suspensionforkparts, there are for that model. But I preferred to fix some Cane Creek thunderbust LT elastomers that are very similar to the originals.

 

[miliu]

Re: Offroad Proflex 750. 1990/91?

it is from 1991.

 

[OldRacer]

Re: Offroad Proflex 750. 1990/91?

Likey

 

[jimo746]

Re: Offroad Proflex 750. 1990/91?

it is from 1991.

Thanks

I preferred to fix some Cane Creek thunderbust LT elastomers that are very similar to the originals.

How many elastomers did you use? I think I may actually have one of those elastomers.

 

[miliu]

Re:

two bushes

 

[jimo746]

Re:

Aaaaand so the problems materialise :roll:

Firstly the Flexstem has a crack each side of the pivot point, now I look at the photo I posted above I can actually see the crack, can't believe I didn't spot it sooner! Might have been like that for years and still been ridden, who knows?

In two (well, 3) minds what to do...

1. Ride and keep an eye on the crack. If it fails completely there's at least the bolt through the elastomer lower down to hold things together-ish...

2. Look for another 1"1/4 Flexstem.

3. Get some 1"1/4 - 1"1/8 headset reducers and use 1"1/8 stem/headset/suspension forks that I already have (somewhere)...

 

[miliu]

Re:

check the frame first... if it is OK then go for a 1 1/4 flexstem