Proflex 855 Junk Drawer Update - AKA Franstein All Mountain Wanna Be

Proflex 855 Junk Drawer Update - AKA Frankenstein All Mountain Wanna Be

Cathy will absolutely not let me buy her a new bike. Even for her birthday which is Sunday.

She still owns the Proflex 855 she had when she finished up the old Michael Epstein California State Championship Series back in 1996, as 4th overall in the Sport Class.

Plagued with wore out parts and a petrified Microcellular suspension, she told me she wanted to start riding her bike again but that I got no budget to do it with. Hmmmm.

So, searching my Garage MTB Junk Drawer(s), I put together this. The only thing I absolutely had to buy was a new Shimano Brake and Shifting Cable Set and a a pair of 3" Riser Bars so she could feel more All Mountain-ish on it. We took it out for the trial spin today, and I got the double thumbs up. (Boy, if she only realized what she is missing out on with today's bikes!):

1995 Proflex 855

• 1997 Girvin Elite Fork (off my cannibalized 857) allows for a non proprietary Steering Stem and a 3 inch riser bar to give an All Mountain Bike feel.
• Kooka Aluminum Billet Chain Rings
• Shimano XTR:
  • Hubs
  • Front Derailluer
  • Rear Cogset
  • Front and Rear Skewer's
  • V - Brakes
• SRAM 9.0 Composite Rear Derailluer

• Chris King Ahead Set
• Swapped out the horrendously bad designed Noleen Metal Sprung Shock which weighed a ton, for a Risse Racing Air Sprung/Oil Dampened shock.
  • I have several left over from when I was sponsored by Risse Racing

• 135mm with a 10 degree rise Kore Steering Stem
• Had to extend forward to compensate so much rise from the 3" bars.

• Dumped the Proflex Polyurethane Microcellular Shock system (worked great back in the day, uh, back in the day). Risse Racing is the ONLY company that still makes a shock for a Proflex front and rear.

• TNT Titanium spindled Bottom Bracket (out of business)

• Kooka Billet Aluminum Crank Arms (out of business)

• SpeedPlay Frog Pedals (thankfully still in business)

• Sun Rims (now Sun/Ringle)

• Note the internal routed rear shift cable (funny how some companies make a big deal out of that today).

• ODI Grips - Love these! No more Aqua Net Hairspray! No more destroyed Grips when you have to change out shifters or levers! No more surprise grip releases when riding in the rain or serious water puddles!

• Grip Shift - with after market ATI grips. This is back when Sram still catered to Shimano Rear Derailleurs, even when they had their new 9.0 RD's available.

• Kooka Billet Aluminum Brake Levers - designed for "V" Brakes. They are still ridiculously light!

• Shimano XTR "V" Brakes. I have some aftermarket AlTech Billet Aluminum "V" Brakes, and some 1st year Magura Hydraulic Pinch Brakes (Neon Yellow???) I could have put on. But Shimano's reputation for reliability beat out the Altech's, and the Magura's weigh a ton. Since Cathy wouldn't really know the difference, I went for reliability and weight loss.

So all in all, she's a happy camper. I spent no more than 50 bucks for cables and a set of handlebars, and we both get to ride together again.

Have a very happy, and non-crash 4th of July weekend everybody!!!

~Mikie

 

Better go get some wine and candles Dude because she's coming strait for ya! unless your going night riding. Good on her for not needing all the latest bling too. I dig cool stuff, this qualifies. Have a great fourth you two.

 

My first FS bike was a 756 with the polyurethane springs, then traded up for an 857. getting misty eyed thinking about it. thanks for the memories Mikie.

 

I don't think she's missing much after the way you fixed it up. Plus, I have fond memories of that fork. Give her dirt cred for not needing the latest and "greatest".

 

I like it.

 

Man i love the old proflex bikes, so cool looking. Im also drooling over those kooka cranks

 

Good job Mikie. If you're ever in Canyon Country stop by the McDonald's on Soledad. There's a brand new Proflex (856 I believe) on display. It's been there at least 15 years.

 

Ahhhh....makes the 'retro grouch' in me all warn and fuzzy.

 

Nice! I dig on seeing old bikes on the trail more than the new.

 

Nice Mikie! (I'm sure Dino Brown (no relation) will be looking to trade you his ibis Frat Boy HD650b for the old school feel he misses so much) it's cool to see some of the "old" new technology rolling down the trails. A friend of mine has one of Mert's first bikes...as in its one that Mert built himself...cool stuff!

 

Niiice!

 

I love seeing the retro builds, reminds me of being in jr. high reading every page of my dads MBA magazines and dreaming of a bike like that. My first real mountain bike back in '95(a very used elevated chainstay Haro extreme comp) had Kooka cranks on it as well. Good memories!

 

WOW! thats bitchen! i used one waaaayyyyy back then as my d/h race bike. hahahaha .... NICE