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- Thursday, March 28, 2024

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 Pro Flex Suspension
Are there any aftermarket replacements to the elastomere suspension pieces. I need a rear shock for my 656. I know I should get a new bike, but it is hard to part with. Please post any suggestions.
Posted by Timmy O'Malley a 23 year old Weekend Warrior riding a '96 Pro Flex 656 from Lafayette, IN on 01/07/02

Responses: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12) (13) (14) (15) (16) (17) Post Reply

  •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension
    Hello,

    I am the owner of a Pro-flex bike model 656 full suspension. I live in Barcelona, and recently I had to replace the rear elastomers of my bike. I was looking for the hardest ones as I am very heavy, but I could only find the softest and medium ones (yellow color). I you are interested I can buy them for you or giving the address of the bike shop I bought them. Important, they are not cheap at all as I payed for them 48,09 €.

    Regards.
    Posted by Patrick Junquera a 38 year old Cross-Country riding a Pro-flex 656 (red) and Grizzly Pro-Comp from Barcelona on 10/31/02


    Responses: (0) (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) Reply (to this)(main)

    •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension
      Hello Patrick,
      I also have a Pro Flex 656 and I wanted to know if I
      could get that address. I have been looking everywhere
      to get my yellow suspencion pads replaced with some
      heavy duty pads or springs if they come on this make of
      bike. thank you so much for any help. . .
      Posted by Matthew Walker a 28 year old Weekend Warrior riding a Pro Flex 656 from Richmond CA on 11/24/02

      Responses: (0) Reply (to this)(main)

    •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension (Elastomers).
      The elastomers currently on my 656 are 'rock solid'. Im trying to locate a complete set of medium hardness ones to replace with.

      Any help or the address of your supplier ?

      Many thanks.
      Posted by S. Sumner a 21 year old Cross-Country riding a Pro-flex 656 from UK on 12/18/02


      Responses: (0) (1) Reply (to this)(main)

      •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension (Elastomers).
        Contact K2 bikes they have replacements available to the consumer.
        Posted by Rem.788 on 12/28/02

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    •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension
      Bonjour
      L'anglais est un peu hermétique pour moi mais je peux à la rigueur m'exprimer en espagnol.
      Je suis aussi a la recherche de suspension jaune pour mon proflex, mais je n'ai bien compris à qui il faut acheter la marchandise ; est ce qu'elqu'un à l'adresse E MAIL de Patrick Junquera ?
      Merci de m'aider dans ma recherche ?
      Busco la direcion electonica de Patrick Junquera para hablar con el sobre mi Proflex. Gracias ayudarme.
      Posted by Gerard Zollet a 47 year old Cross-Country riding a Proflex from Thoiry FRANCE on 12/27/02

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      •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension
        ENGLISH! IN ENGLISH! HAVE SOME RESPECT THIS IS A MESSAGE BOARD IN AMERICA!!
        Posted by S.O.D on 12/28/02

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    •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension
      Hi,

      I'm really interested by your answer about the yellow elastomers that you bought in Barcelona for your Proflex.

      Could you please give the address of this shop ? Have they a website ?

      Thanks,
      Nicolas
      Posted by Nicolas on 03/19/03


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  •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension
    I just ordered a set through my local REI, which (for those that haven't been there) is a mammoth outdoor adventure gear store. They're also a K2 dealer. It was a slow day at customer service, so the guy at the counter got on the phone to K2 and figured out what parts I needed:

    For the front: One 13943-2 unit and one 13943-8 unit (they're different sizes)
    For the rear: Two 13943-2H units

    These are the foam-like elastomers that go rock hard after a few years. They were around $16.50 apiece, and you need four pieces. You don't get to pick the hardness, these are the only parts they're carrying. Still better than nothing.
    Posted by Jester on 01/28/03


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  •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension
    You dont need any new Pieces, my elastomers were so hard like rocks, i heated (make it hot)them with a hairdryer and they get soft again, after them i put some fet on it for thermal isolation.You should try this folks!
    Posted by Augurio a 27 year old Weekend Warrior riding a Corratec 2001, Proflex 656 from Germany on 03/20/03

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    •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension
      I am willing to give this a try; however, I do not know what you mean by "I put some fet on it". Please explain.

      Thanks for the tip!
      Posted by OutbackPro a 39 year old Weekend Warrior riding a Pro Flex 654 from Cape Cod, Mass. USA on 03/21/03


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  •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension
    I found the yellow elastamers for the rear of my 953 at Ski Country Sports in Asheville N.C. USA. They were $30 for the pair it took for the rear. I have been in touch with Fox Suspension and they said to contact them with dimensions and they may be able to match something up with a coil/shock. The Girvin forks now have a coil spring with 4" of travel that might even work on the rear. This I am not sure of but it could be worth a try. Though I just replaced the Girvin with a 100mm Rock Shock Judy C, I'd still like to know if there is a coil shock on the market for the Pro-Flex. Good luck to all, it would be a shame to scrap such a decent bike.
    Posted by Tim Beeching a 34 year old Cross-Country riding a Pro-Flex 953, Klein Mantra Race from Hendersonville NC USA on 05/23/03

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  •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension
    Hi I to have that problem, my elastomers are so hard I might as well not have a full suspension bike. I was wondering if some one could point me in the right direction for coil replacements?

    That heating thing Did that really work!
    Posted by Robb a 26 year old riding a ProFlex animal from JHB on 07/09/03


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    •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension

      I have the opposite problem from those noted on this thread. My rear elastomer is mush!! Have heard that you can replace these with a steel spring unit made by Speed Spring?? Any info on this replacement unit would be appreciated.

      thanks

      jaime
      Posted by Jaibub a 36 year old Weekend Warrior riding a Pro Flex 962 from Toronto, Ontario Canada on 07/20/03


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      •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension
        I have a 756 with Noleen NR-1 coil shocks front and rear. They are a huge improvement over the elastomers but are expensive. If you can't find Noleen's try risse at: http://www.risseracing.com/applications/proflex.htm This site provides rear shocks for Pro Flex frames and front shocks for Girvin forks (scroll to bottom of page)
        Posted by Stefan Henckel a 35 year old Weekend Warrior riding a 756 from Queens, NY USA on 08/07/03

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  •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension
    I have one of those Pro Flex bikes with the yellow elastomer shock absorbers, I think mine is also the 656. I love how light weight it is compared to newer full suspension mountain bikes even remotely near the original price of this bike.

    Heating really does work for softening up frozen shock absorber yellow things, but it varies for how long. Best treatments is to remove the l things from your bike, and drop in to boiling water for 10 seconds. I was told this by a guy at REI, and it worked! I forget how long they kept working the first time I did that, but I think it was for like a year.

    It is a bit of work to remove and replace the yellow things, so I wrapped a small rag around them and slowly poured a kettle of boiling water on them. this method takes longer than 10 seconds, try for a minute. However, the treatment did not seem to last as long when done this way. Maybe the elastomers do not get uniformly heated.

    The last time I did it I was determined to give them a serious treatment without taking them off the bike again. I poured 2 kettle of hot water slowly on them. They turned to mush - stayed completely comrpessed with even a bit of weight on them. But by 3 weeks later they froze up totally again. This time they are frozen in mushed up position.

    I am now thinking the heat treatment only works a certain number of times.

    So, here I am, searching the web for replacement parts.
    Posted by Kfhoz a 48 year old Cross-Country Rider riding a Pro Flex 656 from Seattle on 09/30/07


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    •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension
      hmmm time for a new bike
      Posted by Mongoose a 67 year old riding a Bullit from Hwy 2 on 10/21/07

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  •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension - found solution!
    I just ordered newly made elastomers from an outfit in Scotland. A guy in Oregon says that K2 told him to go look here, and that they worked great for him
    Check out their forums disucssing this, and especially read about some 656's having Girvin Vector II forks but with the Vector I elastomer set up. That is how my bike is. Full set of elastomers, front and back, with shipping included in the price were about $85 US.

    http://www.rapiddescentscotland.co.uk/

    I did actually give up for a while start shopping for a new bike thinking there was no solution for my old one. But the price of bikes that felt anywhere near as good was really high, so I had one more go at big-wave internet surfing and it paid off.

    Posted by Kfhoz a 48 year old Cross-Country Rider riding a Pro Flex 656 from Seattle on 10/24/07


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  •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension
    yep...the thing is that you can get a 1/2 decent bike for under $1000 now, like a Spec FSR, Fisher, Mongoose, Trek, GT, Iron Horse....etc and forget about some elastomer suspension. Most all 4" and 5" trailbikes use Fox, manitou, rockshox rear shocks that can be easily rebuilt or replaced, and the front forks are...well plentiful
    Posted by Mongoose a 67 year old riding a Bullit from Hwy 2 on 04/03/08

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  •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension
    My Girvin elastomers just melted yesterday and am now looking for replacement ones. They're on my '97 Cannondale M900 and I'm running into the issue on 1) finding new elastomers or 2) finding an alternate suspension fork for 1" steering tube.
    Any ideas?


    Posted by Jollymon40 a 32 year old Weekend Warrior riding a '97 Cannondale M900 from Alexandria, VA on 06/12/08


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  •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension
    hello, i just bought a 1994 proflex 854 and found a sight in the UK, that sell replacement elostomers, that way better than the yellow ones, plus they make sets for the heavier riders as well as the light riders
    i also want to upgrade my bike ie brakes, crank, headset,handlebar ect any suggestions
    Posted by Zim2008 a 47 year old Cross-Country Rider riding a 1994 proflex 854 from vista,ca on 12/27/08

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  •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension
    go to Rapid Descent web page for better suspension for your proflex
    Posted by Zim2008 a 47 year old Cross-Country Rider riding a 1994 proflex 854 from vista,ca on 12/27/08

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    •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension
      That is just what we'll do...thanks for the tip.
      Posted by GhostRider a 31 year old Downhiller on 12/29/08

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  •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension
    I went to the rapiddescent web site and apparently they are not doing the after market elastomers for a proflex 656 or anything for that matter. Any suggetions on where I could get new elastomers front and rear would be great. thanks easyryder
    Posted by Easyryder a 48 year old Weekend Warrior from N.Y. on 08/27/10

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    •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension
      Did you have any luck finding the elastomer bumpers?
      I am also looking for these.
      If you have found a place that sells them could you please post a link?
      Thank you
      Posted by FatTire a 36 year old Weekend Warrior riding a Proflex Beast from NY on 08/30/10

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      •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension
        There are a couple of places currently selling replacement elastomers on e-bay for around $40. Risse Racing and Noleen J6 are still making replacement OCD shocks to upgrade your suspension to modern standards. Shocks cost between $200-400 depending on quality. Check out their websites.
        Posted by Pedalmasher a 45 year old Weekend Warrior riding a Proflex856 Cannondale Caad8 on 04/06/11

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  •  Re: Pro Flex Suspension
    has anyone thought of using skateboard or rollerboot wheels. available in different hardnesses(look out for kryptonics) , colours and sizes. way cheaper than k2 versions. trying this out soon. will let you know. happy riding.
    Posted by LeonB a 40 year old Die-hard Enthusiast riding a proflex from uk on 04/18/13

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