New Member - first post

Discussion in 'Say Hello!' started by John Grey, Sep 13, 2020.


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  1. John Grey

    John Grey Newbie with Hope!

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    Name:
    John Grey
    Current Bike:
    1997 Proflex 857 + upgrades
    Great site, since I still ride my retro bike. Have been riding for 25+ years since the mid 90s and sparingly the last 10+ years after having 3 kids. Used to ride everything and anything from night rides, ski resorts in the summer, single/fire/gravel trails all around the SF Bay Area.

    I started getting back into mountain biking since my teen son started picking it up.

    I ride a 1997 Proflex 857 with upgrades NR4 Noleen shock on the rear plus the standard NR2 on the front. Have had the bike 20+ years and have upgraded and serviced her over the years. Everything from riser bars, shorter stem, newer BB, pedals, cranks, mtb pedal/clip, rebuilt/serviced NR4 & NR2 shocks, lizard skins on both shocks, fsa aheadset with lizard skin bottom cover, tires, bontrager mustang 542 rims, etc

    bike - 2.jpeg
     
    NinjaDon, Redman, Robbie and 20 others like this.
  2. bvader

    bvader iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    HB
    Name:
    Mr. Brown
    Welcome @John Grey!

    Proflex in DA House!!!

    John Grey... Great Name

    Spy, Starship Captain, Corporate Titan... All of the above... Yeah I have read too much fiction.

    Welcome ... See ya on the trails
     
  3. Ocpop

    Ocpop Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Mission Viejo
    Name:
    Paul K
    Current Bike:
    Pivot trail
    Welcome, John. You are not the only one Proflexing around here. @Lost Kiwi insists on carrying that Proflex torch into tomorrow and beyond. You guys should get together for a ride!
     
  4. John Grey

    John Grey Newbie with Hope!

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    Name:
    John Grey
    Current Bike:
    1997 Proflex 857 + upgrades
    I'm just blown away by all the new technology within the last 10+ years- 27.5 (650b & 650b+), 29ers, e-bikes (will be my next upgrade if in a few years as they get lighter, still an XC weight weenie by heart), boost hubs, dropper posts, less gears (1x12), wider handlebar lengths sssooo many things to re-learn.

    I am forcing my son to ride a hard tail since it's the best way for him to learn body control. I remember starting out on an unsuspended bike, the body control skills translate even to new bikes today :)
     
    Danmtchl, Ocpop, Cyclotourist and 4 others like this.
  5. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower
    We don't take too kindly to them folks around here.
     
  6. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Welcome @John Grey! This appears to be the home for the last known ProFlex riders, due to @Mikie's stint as a ProFlex sponsored pro back in the day.

    Glad to hear you want to get back into the sport. Don't try a modern mt. bike if you don't plan to buy one. Although the ProFlex was great in its day, it's a wee bit outdated no matter the upgrades. Still, @Lost Kiwi continues to ride his, and he's a solid rider.

    I don't think we have too many IMTBers up in the Bay Area - closest would be a few of us who make trips to Tahoe/Truckee. I hope you and your loved ones are safe in this apocalyptic firestorm.
     
    Ocpop, Mikie, Cyclotourist and 4 others like this.
  7. John Grey

    John Grey Newbie with Hope!

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    Name:
    John Grey
    Current Bike:
    1997 Proflex 857 + upgrades
    Thanks Herzalot!

    I've ridden my friends 27.5 and 29ers and just can't get over the fact that all of them are 30+ lbs and heavier. No idea why this craze with more weight and extra travel took over when we all still have to climb that tall mountain for an hour +.

    Funniest story I had was in North Star about a decade back and DH specific bikes were really big. Well we got a chair lift up but there were sections that you had to climb before going downhill. I kept riding on my bike passing all these DH specific riders pushing theirs; it was pretty surprising. Downhill was not that much of a big deal since you can keep up or go just as fast with body control and technique; thank god for body armor though.
     
    Danmtchl, Ocpop, herzalot and 2 others like this.
  8. Danimal

    Danimal iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Mission Viejo
    Name:
    Dan
    Current Bike:
    Epic Evo
    Welcome! you did find the right place for a ProFlex rider like yourself.
     
    Danmtchl, Ocpop and Cyclotourist like this.
  9. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Oh here we go!!!

    There is an ever-present debate between those who love to climb (hint - not me) and those who love to descend. The new bikes do both well, but the more you prefer the fun side of gravity's pull, the more durable and forgiving your bike needs to be. Bigger/stronger tires and wheels, stronger brakes and more robust suspension add weight. Dropper posts add weight. Stronger frames are heavier. If you are like many on this site who enjoy the downs on equipment not really built for it, that's awesome. You will get along great with the likes of @mtnbikej, @rossage and a half dozen others who prefer hardtails and can rip downhill on them. I do think their hardtails probably weigh in closer to 30 than to 20 though.

    I LOOOOVE the DH capability of the enduro/all mountain bikes on the market right now, and it doesn't matter whether my bike weighs 24 lbs or 32, I will never enjoy nor be fast climbing. I'll do it, and I will be glad I did it, and I will enjoy the physical benefits - but it's not why I ride.
     
    Ocpop, mtnbikej, Voodoo Tom and 2 others like this.
  10. Cyclotourist

    Cyclotourist iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Redlands
    Name:
    David
    Current Bike:
    Don't fence me in!
    I think there are plenty of lightweight bikes... It amazes me that a non-boutique, mass-produced bike like a Highball S can weigh around 23lbs! But yeah, like @herzalot said, once you add a dropper, longer travel, bigger tires, entire rear suspension, and make all the parts sturdy enough to handle all those extra forces, the weight jumps up pretty quickly. But even then, my beloved 1994 MB-2 weighted nearly 28lbs. Cool bike, but I'd rather have the much more capable Highball.

    tl;dr You can definitely find a lightweight modern bike, and it will be pretty rad.
     
    John Grey, UPSed, mtnbikej and 2 others like this.
  11. jimbowho

    jimbowho Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Podunk KS
    Name:
    james jim jimmy
    Current Bike:
    GT sensor
    JG. Nice. I still have my 91 Stumpy. And its converted to FS. Which means if I'm sitting, the Rokshok suspension
    Seat post, paired with the Ti bar-stem combo, bumper suspension with full 1" travel. Is something to behold.
    I even have the first Troy-Lee helmet w-visor. I wear it on my dates. Old stuff stays cool. Welcome
     
  12. Lost Kiwi

    Lost Kiwi Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Portola Hills
    Name:
    Simon
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    Welcome to the madhouse fellow proflexer! Got a 657 in my collection of oddities, I think the only original bits left on mine are the frame forks, bb and cranks. Its a fun ride, you have to find the flow otherwise you're just going to get battered.
    I don't think I'll ever get rid of mine but it will have a modern stablemate sometime in the near future.
    Luge1.jpg
     
  13. Robbie

    Robbie Guest

    My first full suspension was a used 97 Proflex, noleen hardware replaced with a Manitou fork and Risse damper. Lots of good rides on that bike. The 29rs I ride are about 31 lbs, for me the reduction in rolling resistance outweighs the slight weight gain, I found climbing is easier...my old 2008 stumpy seems absolutely squirrely on the few occasions I've ridden since going to the big wheels.
     
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As a former Amazon Associate I continue to get screwed trying to stay qualified as an Amazon Affiliate. So I quit!


Want to donate to imtbtrails?