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Pictures of old and obscure suspension bikes

DJF

Chimp
Mar 16, 2018
8
4
Stickers are sunburnt on and through the original pain, I already tried and to take one off means to take it off to the metal.

BB # MT90400500

Kinda an odd one
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Just something about those proflex bikes. Their marketing ad must have been something like "the last bike you'll ever buy" and people took it in earnest. Everyone sees old bikes around but that's definitely the one I still see the most of.
 

Sandro

Terrified of Cucumbers
Nov 12, 2006
3,224
2,537
The old world
To be fair, they were far less horrible than other full suspension bikes during that time. My 94 Pro Flex had its main pivot in a sensible spot, an uninterrupted seattube and fortunately came without the Girvin fork. I think @Toshi had the same bike.

Terrible elastomers, geometry and my dad's firm belief that a 21" seattube was just right for 13 year old me aside... it could have been a bit worse. Actually, now that i think about it i hated that bike with a passion as soon as i started racing downhill and was quite happy when i managed to huck a crack into the swingarm. Unfortunately my dad knew a guy with a welding machine.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,032
7,552
Yeah, I had a Proflex 550. Cromo, straight seat tube, original elastomers that I cracked (!) and replaced with a cut-down microcellular elastomer (aka "foam") stack. Non-suspension cromo fork as well with a Girvin Flexstem, replaced with a swanky Salsa stem (ah, those welds) and a Rock Shox Quadra 10 when I bent the fork on a G out…
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
I so badly wanted to buy a proflex for an adventure race I did, but the headtube was cracked. I saw it as soon as the guy took it out of his truck. I rode it anyways then handed it back to him.
 

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,580
2,005
Seattle
Just something about those proflex bikes. Their marketing ad must have been something like "the last bike you'll ever buy" and people took it in earnest. Everyone sees old bikes around but that's definitely the one I still see the most of.
I saw a fuckin' Maverick today. :rofl:

Not as old as ProFlex I guess, but I was still amused.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,853
9,557
AK
I saw a fuckin' Maverick today. :rofl:

Not as old as ProFlex I guess, but I was still amused.
Saw a Klein Mantra on top of a car going the other way yesterday. Was thinking "MOTHER OF GOD"
 

Jk Purvis

Chimp
May 24, 2020
6
2
Here's pics of my first two race bikes. Kinda embarassing but what the heck...
Hey there it's not embarrassing having an advanti moto... I still have and use one of these lol... Actually it's the exact same one colour and all.... Except I modified my frame to strengthen it slightly more.
 
Feb 21, 2020
817
1,139
SoCo Western Slope
I spent many an hour beating these hydro formed pieces into butter smooth submission when they were down in SLO in the 90's (before Kinesis and the abomination they are now).
Shaums March and Richard Lancaster were doing their best to break them. The factory was a old paint store with a tin roof and swamp cooler. It got nasty in the summer.

No DH bikes in '92 my ass, these were around in '89 with full hydraulic brakes and an inverted fork biatch!
Moto from the get go.

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road_bike_wheels_dt_350_hed_zipp_404_tt_disc_ambrosio_23149__19492.1546301084.1280.1280.JPG
 

Jk Purvis

Chimp
May 24, 2020
6
2
It's toodles.


So yes, he should be embarassed. You should see what he rides now. And what he buckles around his waist.
Hahahahahaha bum bags are just so handy tho... It's amazing what ya can fit in em... Here a quick pic of my avanti moto it was taken last Friday. Most of it is still all original all the suspension I'm sure is still factory lmao.
 

Attachments

iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,648
3,089
I spent many an hour beating these hydro formed pieces into butter smooth submission when they were down in SLO in the 90's (before Kinesis and the abomination they are now).
Shaums March and Richard Lancaster were doing their best to break them. The factory was a old paint store with a tin roof and swamp cooler. It got nasty in the summer.

No DH bikes in '92 my ass, these were around in '89 with full hydraulic brakes and an inverted fork biatch!
Moto from the get go.

View attachment 145639 View attachment 145640
I have one of those frames up as wall art. Still one of the best looking frames ever.