Submitted by
Ray Kleiner
a Weekend Warrior
from Milano, Italy
Date Reviewed: February 7, 2008
Strengths: Stiffness Paint Finish Welding Geometry Climbs very well Understated Attention to detail Lightweight Ride through trails Sweet all round!
Weaknesses: Frame can damage easily
Bottom Line:
In 1996, I decided to spend some serious money on a top end hardtail. The dealer advised me to go for the Klein Pulse II, which was ordered from the factory and built with trick components. It has been raced, has done huge miles and still looks as good as if it was just a few months old. Such attention to detail is no longer available and at the time was actually the lightest frame Klein made (2.9lbs/1.29kgs)! I have ridden this bike for over 10 years and still love it to bits. How many bikes can you say that about? The ride is very reassuring and the benefits of the stiffness/geometry start to kick in on those very long climbs.Its a real classic bike that will never age. I have a few Kleins and feel differently about each one, but this one still remains something special, its given me so many years of thrilling rides and still begs for more! They go for stupid prices on eBay, GET ONE!
Bottom line: They really don't make frames like this any more. All the pre 1997 frames were amazing. The next best year is 2002, when all the proper top end Klein frames stopped being made. GET ONE IF YOU CAN!!
Similar Products Used: Klein Attitude, Adroit, Adept Pro, Team Marin, Cannondale Scalpel
Bike Setup: XTR set up. Original Judy Forks (air conversion)!, FSA carbon stem and riser, WCS carbon seatpost, Middelburn crankset, Ringle 439 hubs, Mavic X517 rims,
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Greg
a Weekend Warrior
from Oak Park, MI, USA
Date Reviewed: September 6, 2001
Strengths: STIFF, STIFF, STIFF, FAST, AGILE, Great Climber, Excellent Build Quality, Rapier Handling, Beautiful & Elegant Black (I hate that Industrial look that is so popular these days), Mines A REAL Klein....Don't know exactly what year but it had XT Canti's and a Gold Judy XC... Not V-brakes. I weigh 200 lbs... I am amazed at how strong this bike is.
Weaknesses: Stiff, Stiff, Stiff, Cheap Junk Judy XC Fork (replaced it with a Marzocchi... I will use Marzocchi's only until I die, Rock Shox suck), Original component spec was a little week for a $2,000+ bike (I got mine on closeout). A little bit bouncy on high speed rough descents.
Bottom Line:
Buy a Klein.... Shut UP and RIDE!!!. I know that Kleins have a reputation for being this kind-of Yuppie bike because they are a little bit expensive... But you are paying for what is probably the best, highest quality frame on the market. DON'T get fooled by junkie mass produced frames (most of which come from the exact same plant in Taiwan) hung with a couple of parts that say XT on them.
Who Should Buy One Of These: You if you are lucky enough.. Anyone who wants to go fast in the woods. People who are serious and appreciate quality.
Who Should Not Buy One Of These: Lawyers (they should all be dead), people who want a cushy ride, people who want to go slow and walk up a lot of hills, people that are not serious and don't mind riding 2nd class stuff.
I am 43 years old and ride this bike like 2-3 times a week. After a few hours it can be a little rough, BUT that's why it Climbs and accelerates so very well..
There is a particularly knarly climb on one of my favorite trails. A buddy of mine has a Crackondale Killer V that is hung with all kinds of post-modern industrial looking chi-chi componentry. He tried 3 times to climb it (while I was waiting at the top) and couldn't make it... I said "try my Klein man"... He did.. Right up the face, first time, NO PROBLEMO....'nuff said
My GF (love of my life, KILLER RIDER, KILLER CHICK, she'll kick yer butt fer sure) has a really sweet Rocky Mountain Element Race FS, it's real nice, but she says the Klein is WAY faster and handles better.....
If you can find one of the Klein built Kleins... Buy it, Build it to my spec above and enjoy a KILLER ride...
PS: It gets a lot of attention in the parking lots of the trails I ride....that's always good for the ego... and there is NOT ONE piece of purple/blue/green/yellow/red/phosphorescent/flourescent anodized ga-ga crap on it. Just basic black and natural alloy
4 Chilis for Value 'cause of cheap shock... 5 Chilis overall.. Bikes should have come to my spec above from factory.
Similar Products Used: Canondale Killer-V, Old Junky Canondale, Rocky Mountain Element Race (Real Nice Bike, actually), Park Pre, Marin
Bike Setup: Just Rebuilt: Marzocchi Z2 Atom 80, XT Vbrakes, XT Mega 9 speed Shifters/deraileurs, XT Cranks, Race Face Rings, Sachs Chain, 747 Pedals, Nuke Proof Hubs, 517 Rims, DT Spokes, Wildgripper Tires, WTB SST 98 Saddle, Syncros Seat Post, WTB Headset, Profile Carbon Riser Bars, Profile Stiffy Stem........Grateful Dead sticker on Head Tube ("Dead Head", GET IT TROOPS?!?) THIS BIKE IS SOOOOOOOOO SWEEEEEETTTT.. I will put a picture in the gallery soon...
Strengths: Agile in the tight single track, fast and strong climber. Frim feel allows for quick responsivness and reflexes. Quite capable decender (may also be due to solid fork).
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
I went from a hardtial to three full suspension XCs back to a hardtails (96 Klein Pulse 2). Local shop had one small frame left (quite dusty). Built with some old and new parts.
Some say Kleins are too stiff, but that is how some great sports cars feel. Its firmness allows you to acuratly point and guide the Klein where you want it to go. The Klein in turn responds instantly to your input. The edge is usually taken off by the fork and your knees and eblows.
Dont get me wrong there are a number of outstanding bikes out there, hardtail, full suspension, and even soft tails. But when you want a bike that handles with the "cat like" reflexes of a Porcshe through the woods, Kleins are it. Its just up to you to provide the engine with your heart, lungs and legs.
Bike Setup: 2001 Marzocchi X-Fly 80, old SRAM 7.0 8 spd. drivetrane, Bontrager Racelite wheelset-King hubs (used from ebay), old Avid 1.0 brakes, Pual's levers, Thompson stem and seatpost, old flite saddle, Panaracer XC Fire tires, King headset, Race Face Ti Bottom Bracket, old shimano LX cranks, Ritchey WSC flat handlebar. Old girvin bar ends (cut shorter).
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Watson
a Cross Country Rider
from Surrey, England
Date Reviewed: March 27, 2001
Strengths: My bike was purchased January 98, I was really please with the bike until i started ot upgrade it. The frame was faulty. This came to light whne I could not get an even pull on the V Brakes.
Weaknesses: My one was made by TREK
Bottom Line:
A really nice bike....if only I had bought one made by KLEIN and not made under licence by TREK.
Submitted by
Futahaguro
a Cross Country Rider
from Golden Valley, MN, USA
Date Reviewed: April 12, 2000
Strengths: Lightweight Stiff as a rock Climbs like crazy Super fast
Weaknesses: Stiff as a rock so it can be a little rough going downhill
Bottom Line:
This is a 1996 pre-trek model. SWEET! Man!, I just got the bike the other day and took it for a quick few laps and IT ROCKS! With my spd's and a light bike that thing LOVES to bunnyhop! If you put slicks on that baby I swear it would almost be as fast as your road bike. XT components are oh-so-smooth and the power transfer is amazing! If you are in a lower gear and crank like hell, I swear you could flip yourself over! All aspects of this bike rock, the sweet black paint, big tubing where it is needed, the sweetest chainstays I have seen, and the fact that it is a KLEIN! If you have a chance to buy this bike and it is in good shape, DO IT! I got mine used for $500 with all XT! As many flaming chilis as possible.
Similar Products Used: Cannondale M400, Raleigh Technium
Bike Setup: XT all around and some other stuff
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rodzilla
a Cross-Country Rider
from Fairfield CA.
Date Reviewed: December 27, 1999
Strengths: Very light,beautiful paint,Internal cables,Excelent costemer service.
Weaknesses: None, KLEIN RUELS!!!
Bottom Line:
Klein makes the best hard tail frames in the world. Im on my second one,the first one started cracking after almost 10 years and they replaced it free with a brand new Pulse 2 frame for free.Beet that for service. I'll never own a diffrent hard tail frame that a Klein!
Light, strong and great looking bike. The Indy C suspension, should be replaced along with the wheels and hubs. But overall it came with decent components. Plus, you can't beat it for the $600 i paid.
I am/was an avid mountainbiker for the past 12 years or so until I crashed my Turner XCE into a tree last november and suffered a third degree separated shoulder. Had surgery in De Read More »
Hello,
I have 95 Klein Pulse frame that I converted into a single speed bike. I love the way it handles and climbs (love the long top tube). My question is: is the Klein/Trek P Read More »
