Klein
05-02-19, 12:40 PM
#26
It's MY mountain
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Just in case any Klein fans haven't seen this:
MyHistoryOfKleinRoadBikes
Performance model was offered with at various times with Victory, Ultegra, or Chorus or DuraAce.
My Quantum Pro is still my best bike and main ride at 21 years old and I have hardly any motivation to get something newer.
Built it up from a bare, unused frame: 1998 model in 2003, picked every single component... replaced almost all of them since then too.
MyHistoryOfKleinRoadBikes
Performance model was offered with at various times with Victory, Ultegra, or Chorus or DuraAce.
My Quantum Pro is still my best bike and main ride at 21 years old and I have hardly any motivation to get something newer.
Built it up from a bare, unused frame: 1998 model in 2003, picked every single component... replaced almost all of them since then too.
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05-02-19, 02:33 PM
#27
Senior Member
You guys know that's the bike as-bought, right? All the 'touch points' like the seat, bars, tape, are whatever the previous owner wanted. I'd probably change a lot of that,too.
For that bike, for less than $200, complete? I can live with it not being 'perfect' (at least until i can change it)
For that bike, for less than $200, complete? I can live with it not being 'perfect' (at least until i can change it)
Now, it is more than awesome. What's better than awesome? Awesomest?
05-04-19, 08:32 AM
#28
Banned.
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Performance model was offered with at various times with Victory, Ultegra, or Chorus or DuraAce.
Which made it difficult to think about. Why Superbe Pro, and double, on a "touring" setup? Very little range in that. Just two more challenges in building this bike, which was, without a doubt, THE most challenging build I've done.
1-Shifter mounts. I'm no machinist, but that would have helped.
2-Shift cable routing. All I can say is WTF?
3-BB (luckily, it was like new) Left it alone.
4-Finding a triple crankset for a symmetrical BB. I'd been lucky to remember a previous build with RSX 7-sp.
5-Finding and shimming a compact triple FD to fit the odd ST diameter (I used brass), FD is a 7730.
6-27.4 seat post (again, thanks to @nesteel)
7-still working on fenders. 28's won't fit with fenders.
It was worth every bad word I said while I built it.
Just in case any Klein fans haven't seen this:
MyHistoryOfKleinRoadBikes
My Quantum Pro is still my best bike and main ride at 21 years old and I have hardly any motivation to get something newer.
Built it up from a bare, unused frame: 1998 model in 2003, picked every single component... replaced almost all of them since then too.
MyHistoryOfKleinRoadBikes
My Quantum Pro is still my best bike and main ride at 21 years old and I have hardly any motivation to get something newer.
Built it up from a bare, unused frame: 1998 model in 2003, picked every single component... replaced almost all of them since then too.
Last edited by RobbieTunes; 05-04-19 at 08:35 AM.
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05-04-19, 09:42 AM
#29
Banned
Gary's dumping of waste & toxic paint near his shop earned him a Super Fund site demerit ..
05-04-19, 09:52 AM
#30
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I can easily understand why Klein owners keep them and update the components as needed. I ride Thunder Ridge each year, and a guy on a "chameleon" orange Klein has been there 6 years in a row, and went from 7700 to 7800 and now is at 9000 in components. He climbs right up that mountain. That's one of those bikes where people riding by ask "is that carbon?"
05-04-19, 01:57 PM
#32
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Right. 92 maybe 93. I've got some barend shifters coming.
I'm retiring my touring bike to someone moving to South Dakota so it's down to the Dale and the Klein, two bikes i could never touch when I was their age. I must say they held up better than I have..😆
05-04-19, 02:06 PM
#33
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That frame is awesome!
How long are the crank arms on that bike? In the first photo, they appear to be so long as to not afford any reasonable lean angle while pedaling.
I do not care for the seat post, the seat, the stem, the bars, the white tape, the grey cables, the pump and its location. The rear rack using P-clamps around that beautiful paint when there appears to be two lugs meant for rack attachment is bugging me.
The frame is worthy of better.
How long are the crank arms on that bike? In the first photo, they appear to be so long as to not afford any reasonable lean angle while pedaling.
I do not care for the seat post, the seat, the stem, the bars, the white tape, the grey cables, the pump and its location. The rear rack using P-clamps around that beautiful paint when there appears to be two lugs meant for rack attachment is bugging me.
The frame is worthy of better.
05-04-19, 02:11 PM
#34
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I just thought I'd offer a critique, something the OP could think about. Sometimes we don't see things the same way others see them.
No matter, I still like the frame.
The crank arm in that first pic looks like it would barely clear the ground when fully upright. Are they really THAT long? How long are they?
No matter, I still like the frame.
The crank arm in that first pic looks like it would barely clear the ground when fully upright. Are they really THAT long? How long are they?
05-04-19, 02:13 PM
#35
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What's your old touring bike? Possibly, two touring bikes aren't too much, besides a Klein Performance is something that's different from a pure touring bike and totally worth having on its own. I worked at a shop that sold Klein all through their existence, ca. 1982-2005, and the Performance was my favorite aluminum bike ever. You totally scored!
Last edited by Cycle Tourist; 05-04-19 at 02:25 PM. Reason: Added info
05-04-19, 03:32 PM
#36
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Enjoy that lovely Klein for many years and tours!
I rode and loved, mostly, a ‘92 Klein Performance ordered from Chehalis as a frame set. More than 35,000 miles over eleven years with so many club rides, lots of centuries+ including meeting my now-wife on the STP, two 3-week credit-card tours in Europe (one was our honeymoon) and more around the PNW. It is a phenomenal touring bike - extremely stable with a substantial load, and it never felt out of place in fast rides, either.
It’s my adult son’s bike now and better fit for him, and the deep candy red paint still gets compliments. The “mostly” part was the too-small size (should have gone for 62cm), limited tire clearance and slightly harsh ride. Thankfully they’d gone to 130mm rear spacing and conventional lever mounts so upgrades over the years were pretty easy.
Here’s when younger and more flexible me first assembled it with 7-speed Suntour friction, but always with those Ritchey triple cranks (Chehalis supplied the correct BB length for them). It soon got my still-favorite Sachs Ergo 8-speed brifters as in this (sorry, non-drive side) shot in Italy.
I rode and loved, mostly, a ‘92 Klein Performance ordered from Chehalis as a frame set. More than 35,000 miles over eleven years with so many club rides, lots of centuries+ including meeting my now-wife on the STP, two 3-week credit-card tours in Europe (one was our honeymoon) and more around the PNW. It is a phenomenal touring bike - extremely stable with a substantial load, and it never felt out of place in fast rides, either.
It’s my adult son’s bike now and better fit for him, and the deep candy red paint still gets compliments. The “mostly” part was the too-small size (should have gone for 62cm), limited tire clearance and slightly harsh ride. Thankfully they’d gone to 130mm rear spacing and conventional lever mounts so upgrades over the years were pretty easy.
Here’s when younger and more flexible me first assembled it with 7-speed Suntour friction, but always with those Ritchey triple cranks (Chehalis supplied the correct BB length for them). It soon got my still-favorite Sachs Ergo 8-speed brifters as in this (sorry, non-drive side) shot in Italy.
05-10-19, 05:00 PM
#37
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Thanks guys. It's great to join the Klein Klub. The rivnut got recrimped, the clamps put in the parts bin, the saddle got replaced with a Brooks team pro and the DT got swapped to Suntour barends. I'm still deciding about the suspension seat post and I'm in no rush to change the tape. It does look a little like something I dug outta my first aid kit😂 but I can live with it for awhile. Oh, the FD was pretty rusted so it sports a unknown brand new one.(sunrace?) I know it's not a typical touring bike but I think it would be just fine with a smaller granny when or if I take off for an extended tour.
08-15-19, 09:41 PM
#38
HarborBandS
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I know many of the Pre-2000 Kleins have funky steerer tube dims and/or headsets and stems. But I’ve also read that some Kleins have bottom brackets that are wider than 68 mm or press fit.
Anything else? Funky seat post dimensions? Are most 90’s road bike Kleins 130 mm rear dropout spacing?
What pitfalls await someone wanting to build up a vintage Klein frameset?
Anything else? Funky seat post dimensions? Are most 90’s road bike Kleins 130 mm rear dropout spacing?
What pitfalls await someone wanting to build up a vintage Klein frameset?
