Similar Products Used: klein adept pro,trek y bikes
Bike Setup: xt brakes shifters crankset,xtr rapid rise,bontrager racelite
wheels,manitou 80 mm fork
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Value Rating:
Submitted by
tcruz3141
a Weekend Warrior
from California
Date Reviewed: May 31, 2010
Strengths: Looks amazing (green paint with pearl coat), light, very durable. Climbs amazingly well (when seated).Very light weight (Carbon Boom makes it very comfortable to toss over ones shoulder when necessary).
Weaknesses: (seat post (diameter and angle) and headset are a unique size so swapping parts is annoying). It takes getting used to. If you don't know how to ride the 7 inch travel single pivot you'll get ejected your first sharp downhill turn... for this bike you need to know when to be seated, pinch the seat with your thighs and flip off the back and hang over the rear tire; Once you master that on this bike you're set.
[By contrast the bike I rented while doing downhill at Whistler, BC was like a tank that required no tricks... it was just a big heavy downhill tank that you hope you never have to carry or pedal uphill from a stop.]
Headset also is either too loose or too tight (but it has a lifetime guarantee so I deal with it).
Bottom Line:
Beautiful Bike. When its off duty my friends have always refereed to it as my chandelier. When I take it somewhere on the weekends (bay area, santa monica, tahoe) it performs as good as it looks.
Back in '99 I splurged and the stock components were fine, but I wanted a few adjustments so... I had the frame shipped to Colorado to the Colorado Cyclist where they did an amazing job putting my bike together from a mantra pro fuselage with slightly higher end parts than stock, before shipping it back to me in California. Nearing 11 years, the wheels are still near perfect true with their crazy colored spoke combination - I attribute that to the shocks, quality build and perhaps me not taking it out as often as I should.
The mantra pro is a jack of all trades bike (Ace of XC and climbing) and can even keep up on paved paved roads if you use your front and rear suspension lockouts (it doesn't replace a road bike though - which I may get next year)
Similar Products Used: Prior bikes: Cannondale Killer V, Klein Fervor, Trek 930
Bike Setup: Stock Frame (Manitou sx ti front shock and Fox RC Vanilla Float rear).
1999 XTR sprockets, shifters (w/ rapid rise), bottom bracket, derailers, cranks
Chris King front and rear hubs
mavic x517 rims
dt spokes
Specialized body geometry Titanium seat
Michelin Wildgripper Hot S tires
Shimano clip/clipless pedals
easton hyperlite protaper handlebars
mavic steel skewers
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Submitted by
thewitchdr
a Cross Country Rider
from I've ridden this bike from coast to coast!
Date Reviewed: August 7, 2009
Strengths: I'm not sure, but I was told I have a 97 comp, due to several indicators, including Chameleon paint. I would echo everything you read about the strengths of this bike. I will add this: I try to ride as many different bikes, in as many different conditions, as I can; Both old and new, stock and mod, suspension or rigid, beach cruiser to BMX. 12 YEARS LATER (and I am rarely on top of my maintenance) this STOCK Mantra IS STILL BETTER THAN ANYTHING I'VE EVER RIDDEN!!! Furthermore, most of the "weaknesses" are actually strengths, to me, even if only a wash from one situation to another.
Weaknesses: If it has any, I honestly don't know of them (in the context of XC), after riding this thing in every sort of environment I could ride it in. I thought the bars were a little low, so I put a 2" riser on it. I also put a gel seat on it. Beyond that, I try different tires, but everything else is exactly as it rolled out of the show room, some 12 years ago.
Bottom Line:
I can't say enough about this bike. If you are lucky enough to have one or find one, PLEASE contact me, so I can buy it!
And seriously, there are not nearly enough flaming hot chili peppers to rate the KLEIN MANTRA!!!
Similar Products Used: Nothing is similar to the mantra (though they try)
Bike Setup: OH! One other little trick is that I switched the front and back brakes to the other ends. lol. Not sure, why, but they were different components and the back brake just seemed to function better, so I moved it to the front and, incidentally, switched to right hand front braking.
Submitted by
Aleksander
a Cross Country Rider
from Oslo, Norway
Date Reviewed: May 18, 2000
Strengths: Light and efficient. Good climber.
Weaknesses: The 98' SID is leaking air, my Fox Alps rear suspension broke.
Bottom Line:
Very good for cross country-use and technical rides. I changed to a lightweight RaceFace low riser handlebar, which made the riding more stable, specially in high speed downhill.
Similar Products Used: Trek, Gary Fisher and Scott
Bike Setup: Full xtr, Cane creek wheels, SID, Fox Alps 5R, Race Face low riser handlebar.
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Submitted by
hugh McCarthy
a Weekend Warrior
from Mexico City
Date Reviewed: November 3, 1999
Strengths: Self-righting (with speed); all around toughness; simplicity; good climber for full suspension rig.
Weaknesses: Lacks absorption on large bumps while standing, it seems shock is best transmitted through seat post. Geometry is such that seat angle is fully tweaked to not pinch vital nerves. Tendency to fly over handlebars (likely a pilot issue)
Bottom Line:
I love my bike. It has lasted through major abuse atop Mexico's tallest volcanos and mountains. It is a mean bike, and an excellent climber for a double suspension bike. A great jumping bike, too, though I would have liked a slightly longer geometry...
Similar Products Used: Mantra Comp; Santa Cruz heckler
Bike Setup: Mantra with Manitou RST
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Submitted by
Thierry
a Cross-Country Rider
from Ascot, UK
Date Reviewed: August 9, 1999
Strengths: fast and efficient
Weaknesses: the rear lifts up when braking, which may you have a nice taste of good old mother earth
Bottom Line:
This is a very fast and efficient bike in almost every trail, except downhill where the behaviour is very scarry, as it lifts up when touching the front brake first for fast and efficient speed reduction. You are suppose to brake at rear first to have the rear shock abs blocked, but honesly, this bike is not very good at braking. Anyway, as the main concern is being fast, there is no doubt that you will gain precious seconds on this bike when racing, and it is very efficient when climbing, especially on rocky ground, or hell climbs, if you remain seatted at the back. Worth having a try, and sure you'll be seduced, at least looked at, as this bike looks like no other one
Bike Setup: original setup, except Mavis Crossmax wheels instead of Can Creek
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Submitted by
Randy Horton
a Weekend Warrior
from Franklin, LA
Date Reviewed: May 4, 1999
Strengths: light, nimble, fast
Weaknesses: alas, cost
Bottom Line:
After one year of riding this bike over a variety of terrain, I continue to be extremely pleased. Climbing over root strewn trails is effortless. It seems to steer itself through tight singletrack. On pavement, its nearly as fast as my road bike. Note that the '98 Mantra Pro was initially spec'd with a Fox rear shock, but mine came from the factory with the Cane Creek AD-10 which performs very well(it does need to be pumped up every few weeks, though) Also, the SID in the front has performed flawlessly for me. Demo a Mantra Pro if you can...buy one if you can sweet talk your wife into it.
Bike Setup: Klein Mantra Pro with RockShox Sid and Cane Creek AD-10 rear shock
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Submitted by
Mike Osiowy
a cross-country rider
from Regina, Canada
Date Reviewed: November 23, 1998
Bottom Line:
A while ago, I rode a '97 Mantra Race with a White Bros. SC90, Spinergy Rex-X-Roks, SRAM ESP. parts and a whole bunch of Syncros, Bontrager and other nice parts. The bike felt very comfortable (helped by the tall shock and riser bar), but still felt responsive, and to top it all off, it took the bumps like they weren't even there. In short, it made my Trek 6000 seem like a piece of crap. Oh well, for the $3000 price difference, I suppose there's a difference.
Submitted by
mark
a cross-country rider
from austin, texas
Date Reviewed: October 3, 1998
Bottom Line:
I purchased my 98 mantra pro in march..........the first month or so i really enjoyed this bicycle......with the exception of the front fork it had been spec'd with (rock shox sid)Do yourself a large favor, sell your SID and replace with a Marazochi ( i can never spell it correct) Atom Bomb and you will never have a need for any of your hardtails again..... I was a died in wool hardtail owner for years.....but after riding this bike.......it is really incredible....i can't imagine improving upon this.. I have serious concerns in regard to the SID fork......no damping....or compression......it's light...but no adjustablity on the fly...it reminds of the first Mag 20 and Mag 21 i owned.......you could probably be just as light with a similar ride with a rigid fork!!
Submitted by
Chris
a weekend warrior
from Farmington, UT
Date Reviewed: June 3, 1998
Bottom Line:
I had a Santa Cruz Heckler prior to buying my Mantra Pro. There is absolutely no comparison. The Klein is multiple magnitudes better. I enjoyed the Heckler, but it handled like a boat in singletrack. The Mantra Pro eats up singletrack. Technical trails are scoffed at by the bike. I feel incredibly lucky to own one of the last hand-built Pro's from 1997.
I'm not one to gush over a bike; however, this bike rocks! I've been riding hardtails for years. I presently have a Litespeed that weighs nothing with chi chi parts. That said, I say this, Let the hartail get dusty. This bike feels like a hardtail but more comfy. Make sense? It doesn't bob at all with the Fox shock. I love this bike! Anyone want to sell their Mantra let me know. I need a large.Oh, yes, my buddy let me borrow his for a week. I thought it would be like those darn unified bikes--bob, bob, bob. I climbed stuff I could never climb on a hardtail. I may race his bike? If he will let me. However, my Litespeed would still rlue on most tracks due to the weight difference. If you are a convert to FS from HT this is the bike to have. Ride hard!
You owe it to yourselves to take one of THE Klein Mantras' out for a spin. In my opinion the Klein Mantra is the best climbing, best handling singletrack bike out there. I have ridden the other full suspension bikes (Trek, Cannondale, Gt, Specialized, Amp...) and I never cared for the ride until I purchased my Klein. They all seemed more like ofer squishy excuse to market a new product. Sure they feel great going straight down a hill but try to ride that 30+lb GT back up the hill...not so fun. Or watch the suspension change while you change gears on the Cannondale, from Bob to more Bob...Anyway, you owe it to yourself to test ride the Klein Mantra pro (comp or race too for that matter). It's hard to compare the ride to a Klein hardtail but where FULL SUSPENSION goes, Gary Klein surely out duped the competition by far.Once again, the rating is law at only five stars!
Submitted by
Dave G
a cross-country rider
from Anchorage, Alaska
Date Reviewed: December 22, 1997
Bottom Line:
I rode my friends mantra and it is the best suspension design there is. I am currently saving for a pro to replace my Y(also a good bike but not as good as the mantra). If you want to understand how the high pivot mantra works go to kliens website. there is a discussion about the suspension. This bike deserves at least 10 stars
