1999 Klein Mantra Race, mountain bike, front & rear suspension, Mountain Mix components, Answer Manitou SX, 3.15" travel fork
The Mantra is engineered for extremely technical off road riding, where large obstacles and steep descents are likely to be encountered. The Mantra shares the same frame platform as the Mantra Comp, and is equipped with components and wheels that allow for smooth-shifting, fast-climbing and trail-handling performance.
Submitted by
Paul Demeule
a Cross Country Rider
from Delta, BC, Canada
Date Reviewed: December 28, 2006
Strengths: Light weight, Climbing, Stiff, I actually like the URT design
Weaknesses: Not the best on downhills, but corrected by adding a riser bar, 100mm front fork and offset seat post.
Bottom Line:
Great cross country ride, very plush suspension without excessive bob. I saw this frame for sale and decided to do a custom build and I am very pleased with the result. Climbs like a goat and soaks up bumps very nicely. Used a brake therapy mount on the the rear to get disks on, works great. Build quality on the frame is great, too bad Klein is not really in the game anymore.
Bike Setup: 99 Mantra Race, all new components. Sram XO derailleur and shifters, Hope mono M4 discs with Goodridge hose kits, Race Face next carbon bars and seat post, FSA pro team carbon cranks, Cane Creek Cloud 9, Manitou F7 platinum (100), race face dues stem.
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Submitted by
YaMon
a Weekend Warrior
from Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Date Reviewed: May 5, 2002
Strengths: Great for XC riding, and all around with a few important modifications.
Weaknesses: Head angle, will send you over the handlebars if you do not set up properly.
Bottom Line:
Great bike, I have mine set-up for the type of riding that I like to do. Mine currently weights in at 23 pounds, took lots of money and experimenting to get there. Important changes were, the sid 100, hi-rise handlebars AND changing the ALPS 5 rear shock to a 6.5" Fox Float RC. Note I said 6.5, the stock length is 6 7/8", by reducing the length of the shock , it increased the wheelbase and slackened the fork angle. Now I do not go over the handlebars anymore. I also have a Ultralight 2000 Ellsworth Dare (27 pounds) and the headtube is still slacker than the Mantra race. I love both bikes, but tend to ride the Dare more because I am beginning to prefer radical trails and drop-offs to XC riding. I am always amazed at how light the Mantra is and now mostly take it out when a fast ride / group is going out.
Bike Setup: Sid 100, Tune cranks, Chris King hubs w/ti spokes and 517's. XTR v's, 9.0SL Set-up, SLR seat, WCS stem, Thomson seatpost, Ti cassette, Bebops, Stans System, Carbon Monkey Lite.
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Submitted by
Drewdog Champion
a Cross Country Rider
from San Francisco, CA
Date Reviewed: August 31, 2001
Strengths: Stiff, light, incredibly well made, style points
Weaknesses: High center of gravity takes a little getting used to, but when dialed in, this bike rides by telepathy.
Bottom Line:
Three years ago, it was time to replace my previous ride (hardtail). I rode every XC dualie I could get my hands on to find the one that offered the best climbing ability and the best singletrack agility - this was it! The bike is an XL, and rides a little higher than most, but with a little accommodation in riding style, quickly became an extension of my body and has been the most point and shoot thing I've ever been on. It is not a big hit monster, but it is not supposed to be. What it is - fast and agile. I keep the rear shock at just a little more than body weight (about 195 lbs). Also, I keep the seat just a little lower than I would if I only wanted optimal hill climbing/long roadie stretch. This makes getting weight back a little easier on the otherwise tall bike. To paraphrase Mother Love Bone, this bike, it's good for you, it's like soup, it's like nothing bad. Like the Stardog Champion, it ain't gonna let you down. I support any Klein product. Maybe if I were in the market today I would look at the new Klein Adept as a replacement for an all around kick in the pants bike, but with this bike I have no need to look elsewhere.
Similar Products Used: Cannondale Raven, Gary Fisher Sugar, K2/Pro-Flex, Specialized FSR
Bike Setup: Stock, but for Time Carbon pedals, and SRAM 9.0 cassette and chain. Nothing else needed. When you add up all the little bits you otherwise may change on a new bike, the value was great.
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Submitted by
stungeon
a Cross Country Rider
from Cary, NC, USA
Date Reviewed: August 8, 2001
Strengths: quality components, weight, single pivot, carbon boom
Weaknesses: the steering tube is an odd size which makes stem shopping dificult; the Fox Vanilla Float bushings were squeaking but I corrected it
Bottom Line:
I have been riding this bike for over 3 years now and I still love it. It is an awsome climber. It is an incredible bike and I plan to keep for a long time.
Submitted by
Christopher Smith
a Weekend Warrior
from Overland Park KS
Date Reviewed: July 27, 2001
Strengths: Incredible rear suspension, great components, fork is really nice with lockout, stiff frame, looks great, nice rear shock (Float R), handling second to none
Weaknesses: Geometry, I'm not a URT rider.
Bottom Line:
Great bike, everything everyone below says is true. The only thing I really didn't like was that I was way too far over the front wheel. I'm 6' and had a large, but couldn't get my center of gravity far back enough, or at least where I felt comfortable having it. I got rid of the bike, and am replacing it with an 00 Specialized Enduro Expert. We'll see.
Bike Setup: Stock, plus XTR brakes, selle italia flite ti, rear brake arch
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Submitted by
Wayne
a Cross Country Rider
from Boise
Date Reviewed: July 25, 2001
Strengths: Great climber, well suited for riders who stay in the saddle most of the time. Great looking bike, low maintenance rear suspension (just one big pivot, baby!) Light, even with the XL frame (less than 27 lbs). On the flat and level, this bike rolls over everything with ease even sitting down. Suspension works well enough that even a hog like me (240 lbs +) hasn't bent or dinged the stock light-weight wheels in two years of riding!
Weaknesses: If not set up properly, this bike is an ejector seat waiting to launch you on downhills or technical trails. Rear brakes cause MAJOR rear triangle flex on the XL frame. Lots of headset clatter, or maybe it's just that big carbon-fiber boom that amplifies the noise.
Bottom Line:
When I got this bike in the fall of '99, I immediately fell in love with it. Subsequently, I learned to distrust, hate, then fall in love with the bike all over again.
Mechanical:
I did run into some problems early on, including a squeaky pivot, loose headset, bottom bracket squeak, and serious rear triangle flex under braking. The shop tightened the heck out of the headset, and most of the clatter went away. Adding teflon tape to the bottom bracket still didn't get rid of all the squeak, however, which I live with still.
The squeaky pivot problem happened because the pivot bolt was too tight. I ended up adding some washers and a lock nut as well to keep the nut from easing out. FYI, DO NOT attempt to lube the pivot because it can actually break down the bushings.
The rear brake flex was easily fixed with an after-market brake arch stiffener, though with the reputation Klein has for building bullet-proof bikes, I was disappointed that I had to do this. Cheap fix, however.
The Ride:
I immediately fell in love with the Fox Vanilla shock in the back. With the recommended weight + 10% PSI, it would soak up the bumps big and small, and even on moderate sized whoops I could leave my butt in the saddle. Climbing was awesome; the rear tire stayed glued to the trail, or at least until I stood up.
However, I quickly learned that slow-speed manuevering through the technical stuff, especially downhill, revealed the bike's nasty tendency to "stink bug." The first time down my favorite technical trail launched me over the bars twice. With the rear suspension topped out going down hill, even getting on the bike could be scary. I became overly tentative on trails that I could bomb through with ease on my old GT hardtail, causing even more crashes.
The Fix:
Like most everyone says, setup is the key to getting the Mantra to perform up to snuff. With the high-pivot URT, in my opinion the best thing to do is to drop the shock pressure, and get the bike to sit further down into the travel. Klein claims something ridiculous like 6 or 7" of travel, so why only use the top 2 - 3" of it? I currently ride with the shock pressure at my weight (240 lbs), and am experimenting with less pressure. Also, I moved the seat back a little to compensate for the relative position of the bottom bracket.
The other component of the shock setup is the dampening. I cranked it up until it virtually locked out the shock, then backed it off one click. By doing this, I sacrificed some of the small bump absorption, but it was well worth it to get rid of the "ejector seat" sensation.
Other fixes that I am contemplating are adding a riser bar, and putting a stiffening kit in the fork.
The Ratings:
Overall, I give the bike 4 chilis, though it took some experimentation to get it right. 3 chilis for value, because I probably would have been just as happy on an FSR XC (for $800 less). Given the new suspension designs today, however, I'd probably put my $$$ into an Adept or a Sugar.
BTW, if anyone has setup tips they'd like to share, send me an e-mail... I'd love to hear them.
Weaknesses: * Stinkbugging * High Center of Gravity * Price
Bottom Line:
Good as a fast XC bike. To confirm comments from other reviewers, this is NOT a downhill bike. However, the rear suspension setup allows for fast climbs with great responsiveness and comfort.
I give it five chilis for value since I bought it for $1000 off retail. Four chilis for overall rating because of the stinkbugging, high center of gravity, and Klein putting on some XT Deore components on the bike.
Submitted by
Nick
a Cross Country Rider
from The Hill
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2001
Strengths: The carbon Frame is beefy, pretty lite, sweet looking. Nice component selection from Klein
Weaknesses: Everyone wants to ride it :) I haven't encountered anything yet. The XT brake setup makes some noise against the Bontrager race rims, annoying if anything. Had to beef up the Manitou shock with heavier springs, cost $25 to do it. Should come stock with riser bar. What a difference!
Bottom Line:
I got a super deal on the bike, it was virtually unridden when I got it. I have put it through its paces at the local trails and am still getting the hang of this beast. I bought Icon clipless pedals, but took them off due to almost drowning in a creek, its funny looking back, but I need that security of not being locked in. If you can find one of these babies at a good price pick it up. It is fun to ride and I would recommend the bike. I have heard bad things about Kleins service, I hope I never have to call them. If your thinking about this bike, JUST DO IT! I will give it 4 chillis on both ends.
Similar Products Used: Trek Y-11 - Cannondale CAAD3
Bike Setup: Stock with all XT except XTR rear der. Bontrager Race rims. Fox rear. Changed Bontrager grips for Yeti's, big difference.
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Submitted by
Tyler
a Cross Country Rider
from New Jersey
Date Reviewed: March 22, 2001
Strengths: Light. Good Looking. Strong. Stiff. Rebound adjustment on Fox Vanilla Rc is a definite plus. Sweet ride on descents. Clibs very well.
Weaknesses: Stem is too loong, makes quick turns muddy and stiff. Cables and housings add to turn stiffness. High Center of gravity, makes turns fell a bit ueasy.
Bottom Line:
I have had this bike for Approxamately a month. I really like it. It could be lighter especially for the stuff I have on it, but lighter equipment costs $, which I dont have since I purchased this monster. (Weighs 26 1/4 Lbs). My goal is 24Lbs. Anyway... I wanted to review this bicycle in the begining when I first got it and was able to take it for a few rides. All around good ride, the rear travel is sweet, landing those jumps on a fast down hill is a pleasure, its the best part of the ride, take it all in the saddle. I get just about full compression with the shock loaded at 10% over my body weight. (190Lbs*10 = 209LBS). I will Write another review mid season.
Similar Products Used: Have tried Santa Cruz Superlight, smaller cockpit, I felt cramped, but maybe thats what will make my turning problem go away.
Bike Setup: Carbon Fiber Boom, Aluminum Rear Triangle, Fox Vanilla RC, Manitou SX w/Lockout, Bontrager Race Light Wheelset,Panracer FireXC Tires, XTR Rear Der., XT Rear Cassette, Xt Front Der., XT Chain Ring, XT Hollowtech Cranks, Shimano ?? BB, Chain ??, Time Carbon Pedals, Deore Brake Levers, XT Shifters, XT V-Brakes Front and Rear, Cateye3 Computer, Monkeylite Riser Bar, Mc3 Stem, Thompson Seatpost, SDG Saddle, Aheadset, Oury Grips and Lizardskin chain/fram guard.
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Submitted by
Steven
a Cross Country Rider
from Oregon
Date Reviewed: January 8, 2001
Strengths: Climbs up anything Lots of travel Sharp handling
Weaknesses: Suspension is not very active Twichy at high speeds
Bottom Line:
The great thing about the Mantra is that it will get up the rootiest, slimy climbs that you can pedal, without spinning out. But it is at a disadvantage to other suspension designs for technical downhills. Because you must load the seat to make the suspension work, it can make for some hairy decents. Overall though, the Klien is a well made bike and is worth the lack of dowhill ability if you ride on trails with lots of roots, ledges, and mud
Strengths: It has only been one racing season but the pivot is holding up really well. Feels like it is a pretty tough design and do not expect problems with it there.
Lateral stiffness - great! Climbing - very good, surprising when you first get it. As set up, an "honest" 26 lb or so.
Weaknesses: Spooky geometry, suspension action going downhill until you get it set up right. Took me a while to get it right. After I did, the ride was great.
Changes in wheel base can be a problem in hard, high speed turns until you get used to it.
Keeps breaking. Little pain in the butt stuff.
Bottom Line:
The bike has been a pain in the ass. I must have gotten a lemon of something. Frame was not painted entirely. When she's running, it is a sweet ride. Had problems with the "airheadset". Got chucked too many times before I finally got the suspension dialed in.
When it is good, it's great. Six inches of travel that is no pedal sloppy can be really appreciated at times.
It is a pretty good all around do just about anything bike. Serious down hills are a little spooky at times until you are really comfortable on the bike and with what it can do. After that you can just fly. Let it go wide open. Awesome bike for the single track. Can do the rocky/rooty/fast stuff. Three foot drop offs, no problem (this is where you appreciate the 6 inch travel).
As long as you can get back far enough, it is a great bike. Note that I say this inspite of the fact that I said the bike is a pain in the ass (it has to be me). The ride is great.
Value: Don't know what to say. "Value" is not why you buy it. It is unique. It does certain things (like climb) very well. You may have to spend some money before getting it how you like it all around. Unique enough that others claim to hate it. Some like the gaudy colors (this one is black, white and red lettering - looks good not gaudy). so I give it a three.
I honestly think that anyone who knocks this bike never had one that was set up right.
Over all: 4, great bike but mine was such a pain in the ass. I'm not giving a 5 to a bike that often frustrates the hell out of me. Perhaps if I had someone else's, without all of these little problems, 5. But, since I can only judge my experience, 4.
Bike Setup: 100 or 110 mm stem (I forget) Bonty crowbars. All XT drivetrain/brakes (ripped the XTR rear der off).
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Submitted by
Jim Winger
a Cross Country Rider
from Boulder, CO USA
Date Reviewed: August 25, 2000
Strengths: No pogo/biopace, pedals well even when mashing easy transition from hardtail climbs very very well
Weaknesses: made for shorter riders (even the large which isn't that different than medium frame). somewhat endo-prone (at least for taller riders)
Bottom Line:
This bike feels very URT because the pivot is up near your knee.
good X/C bike, feels very efficient. not a great downhiller, but not bad
Geometry seems good for stockier guys/gals. Saddle positioning seems a little more forward (over the bottom bracket) than I like (again for stockier folks this is probably fine)
Bike Setup: Magura brakes, middleburn cranks XT group
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Submitted by
Greg Tayon
a Cross Country Rider
from Jupiter, Florida, USA
Date Reviewed: August 8, 2000
Strengths: It's a good all-around bike. It has a funky look with nice components and a good feel to it. Climbs great in the saddle and is fun to ride.
Weaknesses: People say that it doesn't do well on steep descents but I have never "ate it" on a descent so I cannot complain.
Bottom Line:
My first bike was a slightly used 1998 Klein Mantra Race with Manitou SX fork and XT groupo. I liked the ride but had nothing to compare it to. I then bought a Specialized Stumpjumper Pro and found myself riding it more than my Klein because of the weight and quickness of the hardtail. My Klein was stolen and the insurance company paid for my lose. I found a large 1999 Klein Mantra Race that had just been custom painted but not put back together. It had the 100mm Marzocchi fork on it and I ordered new XT parts and used other parts I around. This setup, which is more of a "free-ride" setup, is really sweet. I cannot tell you how much faster I am on the Klein than I am on the hardtail. I love to ride hard and this setup suits my every need. It cruises over roots and rocks like nothing while flying up hills. I have to admit that the bike works better if you stay in the seat. I don't know why and I don't really care either but it flat out smokes in the seat. It has a tight turning radius and light feel under pedal that I can cruise through single track like never before. It is a good bike.
Bike Setup: Custom painted with the cross bar painted pearled yellow while the swingarm and the fork were painted red. The fork is a y2k 100mm Marzocchi, XT (brakes, fd, new hollow tech cranks, shifters/brake levers), XTR- rd, Mavic 222s with XT hubs, Specialized Team Control tires and seat, Thompson elite seatpost, Time ATAC pedals.
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Submitted by
Rob D
a Racer
from Toronto/Halifax/Ft.McMurray, Canada
Date Reviewed: August 5, 2000
Strengths: Super plush rear end when seated, handles awesome when in the saddle and on the gas. Bike rides itself through tight windy singletrack, roots and studder bumps are no longer. Climbs like a goat. I cleaned tech. climbs on my first ride on this machine that i had never before made in the few years of riding the local trails. Light. Love the XT grouppo. Pleasantly surprised with the Manitou SX ('till i bent it in a crash)... i miss the lock-out. This is a full suspension bike worth standing up on to hammer a climb, my last FS ride just sucked the energy away, this bike hammers under power. Shortenning the stock 145mm stem is a must, unless you're strictly racing.. it sharpens the steering up, lightens the front end up putting more weight in the saddle making it even MORE plush.. i've had to adjust but it still climbs awesome with my 80mm stem.. a must for steep decents.
Cornering is like a game on this thing.. it carves so sweet, you can feel the bike open up under the "g-forces". Make me smile everytime i find that sweet spot in fast corners. It's not an intended descender but i find it really fun on fast double track descents, loves to jump..
Weaknesses: Steep technical decents under hard breaking: The bike packs up on itself when you're hard on the front brake and the handling bites, i've heard people refer to the tendance for high pivots to do that as "stink-bugging". well, the mantra stink-bugs.. with that high pivot it's like the bike wants to fold over on itself... I mean the STEEP stuff, with the saddle way down, grabbing all the brake you can just to keep from turning into a runaway, that type of stuff. As it is, that's only about 5 - 10% of my riding.. no bike does it all. Oh yeah, i'm on my third rear triangle in just over a year of riding.. i'm a biscuit over 200lbs. They drilled for the derailleur hanger right through the thinest part of the chainstay, and that's where it cracked both times.. d'oh! BUT, Klein had a warranty frame to me within two week both occasions which had me really impressed. Headset bearings creek, probably not set up right.. sounds bad but feels good so i leave it.
Bottom Line:
If you want a ride that's both fast AND fun AND comfortable this might be it. Sweet, sweet XC roller. With the manitou i never felt the suspension robbing my power (relative to other FS rides). Awesome design, Klein made it plusher and more effecient then any other FS rides. HOWEVER.. if you're getting out of the 'race scene' and leaning towards freeriding, like me.. it's not the bike.. i busted two already, and it doesn't like the super steep stuff. Not a drop-off, or big hit bike. It's any singletrack rider's dream.
Similar Products Used: Last ride was a Proflex.. don't miss it
Bike Setup: Bent the Manitou and replaced it with Marzocchi Z3 Flylight 100, it's SO sweet but i miss the lockout on long non-tech climbs.. it looks tough. 80mm Omeoba Stem. Rhino Light on XT rear wheel, Mavic 517 on R.Logic front, Shimano pedals, RaceFace Lowriser handlebar, Bear bell for the north, Tioga 2.1 DH tires ft & rr.
