Andy's Proflex 856

[andym999]

Thanks for the nice comments...

Fork and ride both really nice - felt exceptionally smooth. Not that it had to deal with anything too harsh, but it did give me a nice floaty feeling. Not loads of travel obviously but enough to smooth everything out. Contrary to earlier feeling, the front shock is set up really nicely - enough movement but not so much as to jerk me around or anything - looking forward to playing with it a bit and adjusting the J-shaped degree of travel to see how much of a difference it makes. Oh, and getting a shock pump to be able to adjust the firmness.

My first full-sus bike too, so little to compare it to...

I know about the brakes - the pictures that @Joe*Pro was kind enough to post show the rear brake set up, but my frame was missing the cable hanger that attached to the centre of the swingarm and nesscesitated the hole in the seat tube - happy with Vs for the time being.

 

[andym999]

Additional post as the last few weeks have seen the final period-correct upgrades to replace the stand in parts…

Wheels are a set of excellent condition LX Parrallax hubs, w double butted spokes and Mavic 221 rimes – these are in truly excellent condition and were a bit of a bargain. Shout out here to https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/pennwood_cycles who has a reasonably new eBay presence, but a good mix of off-and on-road part at decent prices and who was a pleasure to deal with.

I went with the traditional Smoke/Dart combo to get the amber wall look. Will have to see how these perform in the mud over this winter and may look to get a set of Nobby Nics (in tanwall if possible) thanks to this interesting thread https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads/26-tan-amber-wall-tires.452585/ (and others)…

To go along with the flats and SPDs, some red Wellgo double sided options were added to give the option of grabbing it out of the garage whenever the mood or need takes me.

I also shortened the crazy big loop on the rear der – although it looks like it could still lose another inch or two at least…. Perhaps a Rollamajig or similar is called for here?

Hoping to hit some trails / mud over the winter and add some in use pics.




Frame: Proflex 856 (w rear spring)
Fork: Girvin Vector AL (w Fox Float shock)

Headset: M Part Sport threadless
Stem: Proflex
Handlebar: ITM
Grips: Gripshift
Barends: none

Brakes: XT M739 V-brakes
Brake Pads: Shimano cartridge
Brake Cables: Clarks
Cantilever cable hangers: N/A
Brake Levers: Diacompe PC3n

Shifters: Gripshift SRT 800 X-ray
Front Derailleur: Shimano LX M556
Rear Derailleur: Shimano XT M739
Derailleur Cables: Clarks
Cassette: Shimano HG 8 speed
Chain: Shimano HG 8 speed
Cranks: Sugino Impel 500
Crank Bolts: Sugino Impel 500
Chainrings: Sugino Impel 500
Chainring bolts: Sugino Impel 500
Bottom Bracket: Shimano UN71 cartridge
Pedals: Wellgo platform SPDs

Hub Skewers: Shimano
Rims: Mavic 221 UB
Hubs: Shimano LX M 563 / 565 Parallax
Tyres: Panracer Smoke / Dart folding reissues
Tubes: Butyl

Saddle: Selle Italia Flite Titanium
Seatpost: Ritchey 27.2
Seatpost Binder: Modern

 

[mk one]