1996 PROFLEX 856 20" SILVER

[34henry3w]

I've been looking for one of these for a long time and this one came up on craigslist for a song....still want a red one but this will do for now!

After several parts swaps, the bike is back to 100% correct for a 1996 proflex 856 (minus the chessy temporary pedals and seatpost QR)...right down to NOS tanwall WTB velociraptors, xrays, concor saddle, lx cantis etc.

Just rode it to work...love it!

 

[pavement]

I wanted a red one as well, the nearest I got was a Beast, still a very good bike though

 

[34henry3w]

If I can get a red one ill trade!..

I want to put back on the elastomer ODSs on this one for nostalgia sake...the shocks are fine but the elastomers..not so much.. I will be getting new ones from:

www.suspensionforkparts.com


After trying a few things to clean the yellow "goo off the frame, fork, cables...I found windex works amazingly...

 

[34henry3w]

Now sporting a newly polished 1994 trek 930 system 1 seatpost.. (Extra long for my 6'7'' frame).

This is the exact post I had on my red way big 856 when I was a kid..

 

[orange71]

I need large frames, and I have a Large 855, but the thing that has put me off a Way Big world cup design frame (855, 856) is that although the seat mast is longer, the head tube is the same (to fit the one-size vectors) and so you are actually at no advantage over a Large as far as I can tell.

You must be leaning way forward to reach down to that stem?

The Way Big 857 frame is different as by then the Crosslinks that replaced the Vectors came in different sizes and could cope with longer head tubes, and the head tube on the Way Big 857 is quite long so you don't have to reach down so far!

 

[jimo746]

That is looking very nice indeed the elastomers seem to have gone the same way as most of a similar age though, but at least you can get spares for them.

 

[34henry3w]

Yes the ridding position is, shall i say "nostalgic" (see pic below - me in 1996, same frame, stem, bar and seatpost!..the world cup frames are a bit ridiculous in that almost all sizes have the same height controls.. however from what I understand (correct me if im wrong), the way big does have a longer top tube than the large...

my way big 857 is definitely a better design...but i like the 856 so much more!


14" 16" 18" 20"
Top Tube Length 519.8 554.2 578.8 592.0
Head Tube Angle 71° 71° 71° 71°
Seat Tube Angle 75° 74° 74° 74°
Chainstay length 429 429 429 429
Stand Over height 685 762 762 762
Head Tube Length 100 120 120 120

 

[orange71]

Yes funny you should say that - I had a Way Big 857 and it was just .... boring... I have kept my 855 despite it being the wrong size

Yes I think you are right about top tube length. I'm happy with the shorter top tube due to my proportions.

 

[34henry3w]

out and about..love this bike!

 

[orange71]

glad you're still riding it