Road Cycling - Starting the official Klein Klub

...get it?

You guys....

I heart my Klein.

Actually, that's a pretty good club - destined to become classics, storied in myth and lore.

Is Klein still in business? I thought they shut down, but I checked the website(http://www.kleinbikes.com/), which is still up, and it looks like they are, or were, moving into CF.

Klein, CF?, WTF?

Still the paintjobs are primo - how is it Trek can't market bikes with paint like that?

From what I've been able to gather, the brand is popular in Japan, so Trek has retained it primarily for that market. The website only shows a handful of U.S. dealers...probably because Trek requires a minimum purchase (http://www.chainreactionbicycles.com/klein.htm) of $80K's worth of bikes in the US market.

I was worshipping at the church of Klein just this morning. +1 on the paint jobs....

I'm in. Mine's a 1999 or 2000 Quantum Race - Chehalis, Washington bike - so it's one of the last of the real Kleins.

Klein Q Pro XX
Mines Built up a little different though.
http://archive.kleinbikes.com/assets/asset_upload_file79_1855.jpg

I just flipped through the online catalogue. They get cool points for a rigid mountain bike, but minus the same cool points for a road bike line with suspension.

My Klein MTB is my commuter, first year Trek bought them so it came with some bontrager crap that I replaced. I kept the bonty seatpost because, you know , it's just a seatpost. Great paint job.

I just flipped through the online catalogue. They get cool points for a rigid mountain bike, but minus the same cool points for a road bike line with suspension.

Why?

I disagree...great feature for me comfort wise...

i got my hopes up, i thought this was a kevin klein fan club. damn.

Wow, I thought Klien was dead! We were just talking about this at work yesterday.

I just flipped through the online catalogue. They get cool points for a rigid mountain bike, but minus the same cool points for a road bike line with suspension.

I believe George Hincapie was riding a Trek outfitted with the exact same "spa" suspension in Paris Roubaix when this steerer tube snapped, robbing him once again of a shot at victory.

If spa is good enough for George, it's good enough for any of us.

I think Moots has some sort of rear suspension option too. Roads around me aren't too bad, but if I was somewhere with really crummy roads, there's no reason why I woudn't consider these as options.

I have a 2004 Klein Aura X which I absolutely love. Unfortunately it had those Bontrager Race wheels which began showing signs of cracks like everyone elses. Aside from that it is a fantastic machine. I've had it for five months an only managed to put 1,200 miles on it but every mile was a real treat.

I believe George Hincapie was riding a Trek outfitted with the exact same "spa" suspension in Paris Roubaix when this steerer tube snapped, robbing him once again of a shot at victory.

If spa is good enough for George, it's good enough for any of us.

I think Moots has some sort of rear suspension option too. Roads around me aren't too bad, but if I was somewhere with really crummy roads, there's no reason why I woudn't consider these as options.

Of course they could also just dump the gadget and just provide clearance for 29mm tires. Is that any more fredly than rear suspension?

Of course they could also just dump the gadget and just provide clearance for 29mm tires. Is that any more fredly than rear suspension?

Looks like they did that too, at least on the front.

"The original SPA protos from 2004 used seat stays from the Klein Rêve, but they splayed the rear end out a bit much and didn't provide the needed wheel clearance, so the second round of SPA protos use OCLV Carbon stays from the Trek 2300. To further prepare the Trek SPA proto for the pavé, the Bontrager Carbon Race fork was extended to provide an additional 10mm of wheel clearance for wider 28mm tires."

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2005/apr05/roubaix05/tech/?id=/tech/2005/features/hincapie_bike

Hincapie is such a total fred.

P.S. - this was 2005, when GH came in second.

I had a hard drive crash earlier this year and lost all of the pics of my pimped out Quantum Race. I rode this bike from 1999 until this past August when I got my Fuji..... good times. This is a pic from a day or two after I got her home.

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee312/king-tony/quantum.jpg

I have a 2004 Klein Aura X which I absolutely love. Unfortunately it had those Bontrager Race wheels which began showing signs of cracks like everyone elses. Aside from that it is a fantastic machine. I've had it for five months an only managed to put 1,200 miles on it but every mile was a real treat.

I've got a Klein Aura V myself...bought it in 2004 (the only year that model was offered). I haven't had any problems with the Bontrager wheels but they are slated for replacement some day. (But since I also bought a Merckx Team SC last year I might not be in a huge rush on that.)

Nice bikes....

2003 Klein Q Pro Carbon Team....it's been unused since major back surgery and major recuperation weight gain....got new wheels to bear the weight and am awaiting delivery today of a Brooks 17N saddle so I can use it again......;-) now if only these winds would get below 20 mph!

Don't know the owner of this bike but have always admired it...

http://www.patvoss.de/cycling/bikes/klein5.jpg

from the web site:

"And when a Klein meets its rider for the first time, the first pedal stroke, the first mile, what results is not quite art. Nor craft. But some powerful union of the two that continues, even after the journey is done."



Yeah, it's called a saddle sore and you get them from riding *****-ass hard aluminum bikes

from the web site:

"And when a Klein meets its rider for the first time, the first pedal stroke, the first mile, what results is not quite art. Nor craft. But some powerful union of the two that continues, even after the journey is done."



Yeah, it's called a saddle sore and you get them from riding *****-ass hard aluminum bikes

First I ever heard of this as a cause for saddle sores. Maybe it's time for a new bike for me, since I AM afterall prone to sores from time to time. I never thought it might be my Klein! Huh.

First I ever heard of this as a cause for saddle sores. Maybe it's time for a new bike for me, since I AM afterall prone to sores from time to time. I never thought it might be my Klein! Huh.


Ummm, saddle sores are generally the result of chafing....they don't have much to do with your frame.

My Klein is not exactly a plush ride, but then, some of us don't care so much about that.

Never had a saddle sore, all my bikes are full alum (except forks). 6k+ miles a year average.

Never had a saddle sore, all my bikes are full alum (except forks). 6k+ miles a year average.

BINGO...we have a winner.

Sign me up.

http://www.globalgraphica.com/main/archives/september_2005_calvin.jpg

First I ever heard of this as a cause for saddle sores. Maybe it's time for a new bike for me, since I AM afterall prone to sores from time to time. I never thought it might be my Klein! Huh.

I am just joking.


cure for saddle sores is apply neosporin grease to the nether regions pre-ride,
and always remove shorts immediately after a ride. don't even sit around
for 30 minutes and have a sandwich. just get the clothes off and have a
hot shower and scrub.