FitzM

My current bike is aluminium (a 2001 Klein Quantum) and I知 looking to get a new bike. Love the Klein Quantum, loved it when I bought it and still do. However, during that period it did go almost 4yrs unused (sorry, I got married) but I got it back out this summer.

Took it to my local bike shop for a service and the technician suggested it "was!!" a good bike.

If I was to replace my Klein (Shimano 105, Rolf Vector). The local bike shop says go carbon, a couple of cyclist I know say go carbon. They say aluminium is harsh, yet I have never thought my Klein as harsh, before people mentioned it the thought never crossed my mind. And some say wait until you致e tried carbon and you値l see the difference.

I知 prepared to spend a couple of grand to find a bike as good as my Klein was when I bought it 8yrs ago. If that brings me a lighter, faster more comfortable bike I値l smile even broader when crunching the miles.

Weather permitting I do 50-100 a week and might try one or two triathlons next year. I'm short (51cm frame) and weigh in at 140lbs.

Is the Cervelo S1 the bike to get or do I upgrade the componets on the Klein

cs1

Why upgrade if it works? I can't imagine a new AL bike weighing a lot less than your Klein.

stapfam

Works OK and not a harsh ride. Why change it?

In the last 8 years a great number of inovations have come in with regard to frame material and group sets. The latest 105 groupset is far better than the existing set you have. It will also have a bit of wear in it aswell so making it less efficient than it should be. On the frames- Don't think that C.F. is a wonder material.

Couple of years ago I got a lightweight Aluminium frame and built up it into a respectable bike. Mix of 105/Ultegra- Ultegra wheelset and weighed in at just over 15lbs. It rides beautifull. Then I decided on N+1 and got a Giant TCR-C frame thinking it might be a better bike for distance riding. Following on from the Al frame- 105/Ultegra and Mavic Aksiums wheels. That frame took a long time to sort out.

Don't care what anyone says- C.F. is not a Flexible material. It is light (Though not as light as my Al frame) it is strong (Barring giving it hard Knocks) and it is stiff. The Al frame flexes- the C.F. doesn't. The Al frame hugs the road and the C.F. was a bit skittish on rough roads till I got it sorted.

MY suggestion is to keep the Klein and just keep it maintained. But to also think of another bike (N+1) You could spend $2k on the Klein and it would still be an old bike.

So out to the shops and test ride. It's the only way to see how things have changed and try all the materials.

And I ride a 51cm and weigh in at 150lbs So your ride experience of the materials may be the same as mine. I like both materials but that TCR-C has a quality that becomes apparant in my hilly area. It sails up hills. I mean it. something about that frame make it effortless for hill climbing. But when it comes to distance riding or Downhills- The Boreas Ignis comes into it's own.

grimace308

id suggest maybe upgrading the group and keeping the frame. if you **** the frame and have had no problems in the past, why fix something that wont be a radical improvement?

imo, which involves more than just a grain of salt, get an 09 sram rival group and some pimp wheels and slap together a sweeeeeeeet klein roadbike, that will bow to no one, save some pro tour riders, or kristen bell.

mr geeker

there's an old saying: if it aint broke, dont fix it. i believe that can be aplied here.

Bekologist

It's time for everyone to stop upgrading their Kleins, sell them on ebay to the europeans, and get new bikes.

bumperm

Well, you did say you don't care what anyone says . . . but I disagree with you. Carbon, like most any frame building material I can think of, is inherently flexible. If you take a strip of carbon composite and apply a bending load, it'll bend like a spring- - in fact, they do make springs out of carbon for some applications. It's also, light and for its weight, stronger than steel. Not my area of expertise, but logic suggests the rigidity or flex of a carbon frame is going to be determined by the shape of the tubes as well as by the type of carbon, lay-up etc. Bicycle frames are intentionally designed to be rigid in some areas and somewhat less so in others.

BTW, if you think carbon is not flexible, you should see how the wings bend up almost like a "U" on my 18 meter glider when I pull a few G's- - and the wing skins, including the spars, are all carbon.

BlazingPedals

The others are all giving you BAD advice. You NEED a new bike! After you have your greedy hands on the bars of the new one, then you can upgrade the Klein. There are two reasons to go down this road:
1. n+1 must be satisfied
2. You won't lose any riding time while you're upgrading your Klein -whatever it is that needs upgrading.

Plastic is fantastic!

Retro Grouch 

2001. Is that a Chehalis WA. bike (look for a sticker on the seat tube) or was it made in Wisconsin?

If it was made in Wisconsin, I can see how you might have a decision to make. Personally, it makes no sense to me at all to even listen to somebody else telling you that your bike rides "harsh". Shouldn't you be the judge of that? I'd definitely update the components, but then that's what I do.

If it's a Chehalis made Klein, you should definitely keep and update the frame because there will never be any more made. Your bike mechanic should be dis-barred for even suggesting it. Replacing it with some mid priced cookie cutter carbon bike would be like exchanging the Mona Lisa for a photograph of a handsome woman.

LarDasse74

If you like it then keep it.

There is little you can do to a good quality bike that will make it much faster, and if you already find it comfortable then you have nothing to worry about.

In the posts above someone said 105 components have been drastically changed and that 4 years of use will affect efficience. The person who wrote that has no idea what he is talking about.

stapfam

C.F. is flexible but it depends on the construction of the whole frame. People keep on about How Flexible a C.F.Frame is but try riding a bike where the Bottom Bracket is not held rigid- Try a bike that has lateral flexibility- or the chainstays act like suspension.

One of the reasons Al became popular was because it does not flex in comparison to steel. No pedalling power lost.

So I will agree that C.F. is flexible- but once made into tubes and into a Double Diamond frame- It does not budge.

And in case you have not read Retro's posting----There are Klein frames that ride a dream. Check out to see if you have one.

FitzM

[QUOTE=Retro Grouch;9974881]2001. Is that a Chehalis WA. bike (look for a sticker on the seat tube) or was it made in Wisconsin?

Yep it is the Chehalis model and it is indeed beautiful with an awesome Purple Green Haze paint job

My decision is made. I'm gonna keep the Klein as is, like the day is was built (I still have original tyres in the shed).

And I'm gonna buy a new bike, most likely the Cervelo S1 unless I find (are informed) about any better bike.

BlazingPedals

[QUOTE=FitzM;9975950]
Woo Hoo!

JanMM

[QUOTE=FitzM;9975950]n+1 Rules!

Retro Grouch 

[QUOTE=FitzM;9975950Yep it is the Chehalis model and it is indeed beautiful with an awesome Purple Green Haze paint job

My decision is made. I'm gonna keep the Klein as is, like the day is was built (I still have original tyres in the shed).[/QUOTE]

Woo Hoo!