PInarello elastomeric suspension

[Richard A Thackeray]

The Proflex was a great bike in its day, and got some excellent reviews. Probably wouldn't compare very well these days, but 20 years ago, it was the absolute nuts.

I remember those, & a friend having one (the 853??)

If we're digressing onto 'old school MTBs', I had a Pace Research RC100 (with solid forks)

 

[young Ed]

Well, obviously. Modern riders, used to riding modern FS bikes suddenly jump on a 25 year-old FS (which was probably being ridden before they were born) and discover it's nothing like as good as the modern stuff. Hold the front page.

At the time of its launch (ie early 90s) the bikes got excellent reviews - not terrible ones - you only have to look it up on the internet to see for yourself. You'd probably be appalled if you drove a 1991 Renault Clio today - but it was still car of the year back then. That's the point I'm making.

standards change and people expect more and more as they get used to it.

i wouldn't think all that much of the peddling energy will be lost through the spring as with it being a top end carbon road bike meant for going fast the spring will be very stiff, just there and just soft enough to give a slight damper on the cobbles but speed and efficiency will still be priorities i expect
Cheers Ed

 

[Drago]

MBR were comparing like for like, and concluded not only.was it awful full.stop, it was.simply awful in relation to its contemporaries.

No damping, an awful flexi frame, and nothing rear of the BB felt like it was actually connected to the bike.

There was some dissent among testers when it's a New and I recall not everyone was positive. I think many simply got caught up in the glamour of a relatively affordable (compared to the exotica of the time) full squidger that wasn't a Raleigh Craptivator.

I'm holding judgement on this current effort. I can see the reasoning behind it, but I can also appreciate the other factors involved. Plenty of highly respected engineers in the field have been wrong and died in their submarines or crashed their space probes in to Mars so I'm not going to use its designer as an indication of its effectiveness.

I'm sitting on the fence, which is a highly uncomfortable place to be, bit it'll be very interesting if it does indeed work, or doesn't provided a benefit but points to further avenues of development. I'm interested rather than excited at this point.

 

[Citius]

I remember those, & a friend having one (the 853??)

If we're digressing onto 'old school MTBs', I had a Pace Research RC100 (with solid forks)

That was my 'ultimate' MTB back then. Or maybe a Serotta or Chas Roberts' frame.

 

[Citius]

MBR were comparing like for like, and concluded not only.was it awful full.stop, it was.simply awful in relation to its contemporaries.

No damping, an awful flexi frame, and nothing rear of the BB felt like it was actually connected to the bike.

There was some dissent among testers when it's a New and I recall not everyone was positive. I think many simply got caught up in the glamour of a relatively affordable (compared to the exotica of the time) full squidger that wasn't a Raleigh Craptivator.

Retrospective reviews are pretty meaningless, TBH. A bit like comparing a Spitfire to an F-16. I don't recall any negative reviews of the Proflex when it was new - and one of the mags named the 96 model as 'suspension bike of the year', so I'm wondering where you are finding all these negative reviews from back then?

As for the 'no damping' - its an elastomer. Of course it has no damping. The early suspension forks from the likes of Manitou, USE, Pace and others all had an elastomer spring - they all got good reviews too.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

That was my 'ultimate' MTB back then. Or maybe a Serotta or Chas Roberts' frame.

Complete with odd bar-ends, before I settled on a set

All images 1990-1992


Temple Newsam (Leeds), riding Cyclo-Cross on it


Tong (aka 'Parkwood), in the mud & the dust



NEMBA round(??), at the St Ives estate, in Bingley, with the other Richard Thackray (who I still see at fell-races, & count as a friend)