What to do with retro Proflex 857

[tony77]

Hello everyone,

I inherited my dad's old mountain bike, a Proflex 857, and I'm not sure what to do with it. Took it to a bike shop and it will cost about 200 bucks to fix up the bikes cassette/chain/derailer/brakes, but frame's good. Is it worth fixing up to have a spare bike around to run xc trails, or is the 200 bucks not worth it for the 20 year old geometry? I hear there's still a market for the bike, but its gotta be a nitch sell. Fix up, sell, or do I just toss it since it's taking up too much room and sell isn't worth the time?


Thank you!

 

[kingoffootball]

How capable/ interested are you in doing work on the bike yourself? Most that cost will be labour and they are all jobs that are fairly simple if you have the time and inclination.

I think it depends how much sentimental attachment you have to it. Will you regret selling it if you do? If not, I would sell it as it is and let the buyer renovate it, as the cost is likely to be more than the value added.

Don't toss it, even if selling it won't get you a huge amount of money it gives someone else a chance to restore a bike that would otherwise go into landfill.

 

[Retro Spud]

That advise from K of F is spot on, it’s not financially viable to get the work done at a bike shop if your looking to sell on for a small profit however if you want something to run around the trails on for modest out lay all the work required to restore it, is possible to do at home using here and the web for sources of information and advise.

Personally I’d spent time rather than money on it and connect with a great bike from 20+ years ago that was a nice ride back in the day. You’ll find no end of help on here from folk who gone down the same route of course it won’t ride like Modern bike with big wheels and slack geometry but why follow the crowd

 

[Minifreak]

Learn to change the parts and maintain her, ride her and enjoy her and keep the old man proud

One bike does not take up much room, you should see the amount of bikes you can get in a small space, lots of folk here are very practiced at that.

 

[Tim F]

What work does it need? there are many great videos on Youtube for doing simple things.