New ProFlex 857

[mrkawasaki]

An as yet unridden ProFlex 857 has fallen in my path and I feel duty bound to make it fulfill its intended function.

Partly inspired to do so by the 955 coping magnificently in the Peaks on Saturday and partly the warm memories of my old 955, which I had in various formats, notably mk1 orange Z1 Bombers and a rubbish early mechanical Hope disc (bought from Paul Hinton in Wirksworth no less) - it reliably took me round the Plymouth Grundig event that everyone seems to have done in 95, allowing me to negotiate the pipeline without too much consternation (well, except for the mayhem on the first lap - what a stupid place to put a tree!)....

I guess the 857 is the last and most resolved incarnation before the doomed K2 years - the carbon swingarm is a beauty, two Noleen shocks replace the archaic but reasonably effective for the period elastomers and Easton Program tubing makes for a pretty light frame (note to self: must buy some bloody scales...). Can anyone give me an accurate year of build?

Mr K

PS. Been saving some unusual blue 1998 DH World Cup special edition tyres for just such a bike too...

 

[orange71]

Probably 1997 - the last digit of Proflex frames refers to year of build. 752=1992, 855=1995, 857=1997. (First digit is like BMW series - the higher the number the better specced the bike).

I too have an 857 in red (way big size), and have previously owned one in grape (bluey-purple - sold on to MadcowKev).

I have a retro-fitted rear disk adapter on mine (well it came with one on if truth be told by the previous owner!).

If you need any info re 857 PM me.

 

[Pickle]

Dear God thats nice!
That swing arm is a thing of beauty
Looking at your pic, did you win the Grundig?!

 

[therapy]

Love it. Looking forward to see it complete.

 

[speedplay]

Probably 1997 - the last digit of Proflex frames refers to year of build.

Ditto on that.

 

[Wold Ranger]

Class

These and the Coyote XC 1s were IMHO the prettiest full suss xc rigs ever incarnated. I missed a NOS XC 1 in small a couple of weeks ago for £60.52, I put a bid of £60 on it abd lost it as I was out (the seller did have £50 postageon, but would have collected)
9o percent of Proflexes were large sizes and the rest mediums, did they ever bring any smalls in for short arses like me?

 

[orange71]

yes. The small had a an adapted shock and the shock mount was halfway through the top tube :shock:

I'll try and dig out a photo

 

[orange71]

here we are:

 

[tintin40]

Like the carbon swing arm

 

[orange71]

that's the grape colour I had too