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Submitted by
Erikdonaldolsson
a Cross Country Rider
from Bakersfield
Date Reviewed: August 28, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Cow Flat | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1700.00 | | Purchased At: | Action Sports | | Strengths: | Stiff frame design, very light steering, climbs like a Bighorn Sheep, beautiful paint job, Rolf Satlite Wheelset is the stronget lightest XC setup for me, made in the U.S.A.! | | Weaknesses: | Low-end Bontrager components, (slopy crankset and uncomfortabel straight handle bar), rear dlr (LX stock)would constantly cause the chain to jump gears but fixed with a new XTR, Manitou SX fork is heavy and not worth putting on this amazing frame | | Similar Products Used: | First full suspension | | Bike Setup: | Stock eccept for the rear dlr (XTR) | | Bottom Line: | Worth the money if you can afford it. As with most bikes it is always good to strip all stock components and use your own chices. Riser bars are a must for taller riders. I baught this beauty back in 2000 and aside from the previously mentioned snags this bike hase been one of my better investments. Finally KLEIN does not make anything but the highest quality frames with the utmost attention to detail. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jester
a Cross Country Rider
from Salt Lake City, UT
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Wasatch Crest | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$2400.00 | | Purchased At: | Guthrie | | Strengths: | This bike climbs with no bob or energy loss whatsoever. Extremely light. Good geometry, Handles like an F-16 fighter. | | Weaknesses: | Did not come with disc brakes. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Stumpjumper. C-Dale lefty. Klein Mantra. | | Bottom Line: | It's too bad they don't make this bike anymore becasue it is amazing. The money I spent on this bike was well worth it. This bike is great in any environment. I can hop it over rocks just as easily as I can ride agressively downhill. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Josh Turner
a Racer
from New York
Date Reviewed: May 6, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Mt. Van Hoganberg | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$2400.00 | | Purchased At: | Placid Planet | | Strengths: | Unbelievable bike, no complaints at all about it. I ride it everywhere I can. Even when its sitting in my room, just looking at it's two tone paint job makes me want to get on and ride it. | | Weaknesses: | Weakness? | | Similar Products Used: | nothing compares...
possibly the cannondale jekyl, or the trek that they made with the similar rear suspension layout. | | Bike Setup: | bontrager cranks, stem, and seatpost. Xtr re-derailer, Hayes hydrolic disc breaks, Xt front de-railer, Kona dh bars, Rolf dolomite rims, Bontrager tires and a few other things. | | Bottom Line: | this bike is a piece of cross country art work. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gary
a Weekend Warrior
from Oregon
Date Reviewed: October 18, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Mt. Hood | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | Private | | Strengths: | Frame is light, geometry is good. Climbs nicely, handles well. | | Weaknesses: | Internal cable routings, cable slap seems prevalent on this frame. I don't tempt fate with big drops or downhill/FR stuff. After all, it's an XC frame. | | Similar Products Used: | Hardtails, Stumpjumper FS, Cannondale Scalpel | | Bike Setup: | Recently revised, see comments | | Bottom Line: | This is a follow-up report now that I've owned and modified this ride for a couple of years.
This year I added mech disc brakes to my trusty frame, which lost me the light Rolf wheelset. The new generic XT wheels and brake calipers/rotors probably add 2 lbs to my overall bike weight. The results? Well, it isn't quite as nimble as it was at ~25 lbs, but it still feels nice. I have started using larger tires at lower pressure, so that helps too. Finally, I swapped out my failing SX-R fork for a 'Zochi MX Comp, so the handling is back to top notch.
I still think this frame climbs better than most, and in it's niche is an excellent value. Since it's now a dated design, it probably loses some all-around performance to newer boutique frames. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Yak
a Weekend Warrior
from Fairview NC
Date Reviewed: April 5, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Pisgah Tunnel/Anything Dupont | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | Liberty Bikes | | Strengths: | I rode a Specialized FSR for four years, and never thought I would find the Luxury of a Klein at this price. A road biker had placed the Klein on consignment and it was a virgin to singletrack when I got it. Strengths/ unstoppable on the uphills and way to fast on the downhills. The rims have taken a beating and stayed true. | | Weaknesses: | The cable routing has scarred the frame, and the LX components will have to be upgraded as soon as they are wore out. | | Similar Products Used: | I rode a specialized FSR ground control and a schmo-fex.. | | Bike Setup: | stock with plenty of bontrager goodies, stem cranks, hubs seat, eggbeater pedals and xt deraileur | | Bottom Line: | I attribute the Klien's abilities to some unknown anti-gravity alloy in the aluminium, or maybe there is helium in the tires, There must be some secret we don't know about!!!After clipping in a few times, I became an acending machine on some techinical uphills in pisgah and surrounding areas. This bike is the fastest thing I have ever bombed down the rock bald at dupont. If you are looking for a feather that will fly go for a Klein!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gary
a Cross Country Rider
from Oregon, USA
Date Reviewed: February 27, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$775.00 | | Purchased At: | (Used) - Private | | Strengths: | Frame geometry, light weight, lateral stiffness. | | Weaknesses: | Some component wear that is not related to the frame.
THE INTERNAL CABLE ROUTING. | | Similar Products Used: | Test rode several FS before finding this deal. | | Bike Setup: | Fairly stock. SX-R fork, Fox Float shock, mid-high end Shimano drive train, V brakes. Considering moving to disc. | | Bottom Line: | This bike was an upgrade to my Kona Hardtail, which I rode and loved for years. I had my doubts about being comfy on new geometry. The Adept, however, felt like old bedroom slippers immediately. Hardtail-like climbing, great control in tight and technical sections, and enough travel to take the big hits and fear out of most technical descents. I'd call this bike an "all-day X country" bike, and that's what I use it for. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Curt Potocki
a Cross Country Rider
from Detroit, Mi, USA
Date Reviewed: January 14, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Poto | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$2000.00 | | Purchased At: | Mainstreet Bikes | | Strengths: | Amazing handling and feel. Climbs like a mountain goat! Klein paint job is stunning! | | Weaknesses: | No tubeless tires. | | Similar Products Used: | There is nothing similar to a Klein. | | Bike Setup: | XL frame. Avid mechanical disc brakes. Crossroc wheels. Eggbeater pedals. Hutchinson python tubeless tires. | | Bottom Line: | This bike is amazing. Nothing handles like a Klein, this bike climbs amazing and you can really fly through the singletrack. I love my trek 6000, but this bike is a beast!
The first time on this bike I crashed a lot and hard! The bike was undamaged, I could not say the same for myself, I still have the scars. The handling is so responsive, it took a few rides to get used to, but now that I am, all I can say is WOW!
Climbing nasty hills is a piece of cake, the bike just loves it the more techincal the trails are. There is no BOB in the suspension design, most of the time I dont even realize that it is a FS bike, it is just a nice smooth ride.
The frame is a thing of beauty! The paint is stunning, and the welds are so smooth. I find myself just staring at it totaly captivated.
I actually like the Bontrager seat, I even bought one for my other bike. The wheels have stayed true, I have not touched them yet, and I put a lot of miles on this bike. The handlebar seems a bit long and took some getting used to, i.e. hooking small trees and some big ones :)
If you have the cash and can still find one, buy it before they are all gone. It is a lot of bike and well worth the money!
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim Brouse
a Cross Country Rider
from Spring City, Pa, USA
Date Reviewed: November 11, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Red/White trail French Creek | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$2000.00 | | Purchased At: | BikeLine | | Strengths: | Frame,Wheels,Fork. | | Weaknesses: | Price, Seat, seat post binder, brakes. | | Similar Products Used: | Clapped out '96 G.F. Joshua | | Bike Setup: | Stock(medium) | | Bottom Line: | The frame quality on this bike is excellent. I read alot of reveiws for other bikes and though many are good there's always a broken frame in the bunch. Adepts are very strong and there are no horror stories in any of their reveiws so far.
This bike climbs very well. Standing or sitting it squirts forward like a good hardtail. This bike handles very very well if you like the twisty stuff this is your bike. The rear end is active but not to the point where it makes the bike inefficient. The fork bobs a little in the long travel setting but sucks up the bumps. Big guys and gals may want a heavier spring kit, I'm 150lbs and have my fork almost as stiff as it gets. The wheels are stiff and light and still straight after 3months. Though they took a little getting used to I liked the tires, They are very fast, pump them up rock hard and blast the single track. They climd ok too you just have to move your weight around a little and find that sweet spot. Tires this fast will naturally not do well when it's muddy so I will be changing them this winter but putting them back on when things dry out. The Bontrager parts work pretty well but all the "B's" on my bike make me look like a Baltimore Ravens fan. I will change the stem and handlebar after a year just to be safe. The LX and XT parts work good too. I was a little upset with the LX crank but if I just close my eyes my legs can't tell them from an XT crank. One other thing I like about this bike is that it soooo quiet. You may want to buy a trail bell.
There are a (very) few things on this bike that are not up to "race" caliber. Change the seat before you leave the bike shop. The seat collar is plastic and will not hold.(plastic on a 2000 dollar bike?) It's a little heavy for racing. Not that I'm a gram counter but 28lbs (weight here on earth) nowadays is considered heavy. The padels also are not as good as the older 535's they release poorly in any conditions at least my pair does. Brakes also fade out on long descends I have swapped a pair of Arch Rivals off another bike.
If you got 2 grand and need a great trail bike buy it. However if you like buying all those cool looking cnc'd bike parts buy the cheaper Comp model and dress it up. Either way you will have a bike that makes your friends bikes look like they came from Walmart. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rick Bensyl
a Cross Country Rider
from Tucker, GA
Date Reviewed: November 8, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Chicopee Woods | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1600.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Light Weight, excellent design, awesome paint job, rides like a dream | | Weaknesses: | Stock tires are light but only good for hardpack trails. | | Similar Products Used: | I have test ridden most of the 2002 models out there | | Bike Setup: | Manitou Black Elite adjustable80/100 mm Travel fork, Fox Float rear shock, XTR Brakes, Selle Italia saddle, Bontrager Race lite tubeless wheels, stem and seatpost, Kooka cranks. SRAM Derailleurs and shifters. | | Bottom Line: | If you want a great XC Race bike, there are few that can top this. Change out the stock tires and brakes and you have a perfect bike. I was looking at the Santa Cruz Blur and Klein Palomino, but will wait and see how they prove themselves in the future. This is my third Klein , and I have always loved the incredible attention to detail, craftsmanship and beauty associated with their bicycles. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Greg
a Cross Country Rider
from Oklahoma
Date Reviewed: August 26, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | any dirt trail will do | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$2000.00 | | Purchased At: | Budget Bikes | | Strengths: | However i just bought a 2001 model of the race, just because i liked the part selection better, and almost a pound lighter. But Ive been waiting for someone to post about this year model.As far as i can tell everything about this bike is strong.OOOHHH yea the paint job rocks | | Weaknesses: | the only weakness i can see is like shortsleeve said in the above post is the brakes.I will soon change them out after i recover from spending 2grand on this beauty...other than that there is no wakness yet to be found.Ive only had it 2 weeks.So soon as i get more miles on this badboy ill post if there are any weakness other than the brakes | | Similar Products Used: | Rode a friends adept pro didnt need to ride any other than this | | Bike Setup: | stock except for the handle bars. Put on some easton monkeybars,fits like a dream now | | Bottom Line: | Bottom line is if you can afford this bike get it,if not sell your soul.Trust me it is worth every penny.Ive already hammered up hill that wore me smooth out on my old hardtail.This bike will turn some heads at your local trailhead.Ive read in some older post that people are not happy with the bontrager select parts but I personaly have not had any problems with the stock parts as of yet.If I could get more than 5 chilies i would but i cant ...So i will give it the highest rating possible.Oh yea I would like to thank my wife for letting me spend all this dough on this beast....She rocks almost as much as this bike does | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Shortsleeve
a Cross Country Rider
from Essex Vermont, USA
Date Reviewed: August 24, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | circumsision highway/ The Fort | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$1600.00 | | Purchased At: | Earl's Cyclery & Fitness | | Strengths: | -Weight
-Stiff frame
-Wheelset
-Absolutely no pedal bob
-Totally adjustable (Shock pressure, shock compression, Fork travel, fork compression control, fork rebound control, etc.)
-Great standover clearance | | Weaknesses: | -Cheap, entry level Avid SD 3.0 Brakes
-Crappy Tires
-Not very much travel
-Reletively fragile | | Similar Products Used: | GT iDrive (decent bike), Raleigh m800 (terrible bike, Kona Bear (sweet bike) | | Bike Setup: | Stock; except for new Avid Arch rival brakes, time Aluminum pedals, and new tires (the stock ones fill up with mud really fast) | | Bottom Line: | The only reason that I could afford this bike was that I race for my local bike shop, and get a discount there. But if you do have the dough, and you either race or like fast, technical riding you should buy this bike.
Although I have done some light free riding on this bike (though it obviosly is not desinged for it) it has held up pretty well. It shifts well, accelerates super fast, and pedals so well, you can't even tell you're not riding a hardtail untill you go off of a curb. My favorite part about this bike, though, is the Bontrager select hubs on Race Tubeless wheels. They are so fast! Overall, I find this an excellent trail/ race bike.
Yes, the bike is quite expensive, but you are buying the Klein name and with it Klein's quality. The welds on this bike are perfect. They are buffed AND polished. The zirconium-infused Aluminum frame is heat treated 7 times to make it 25% stronger, lighter, and stiffer than traditional aluminum. It has 8 coats of paint to protect the frame (not to mention look cool when it changes color in different light), internal cable routing, and well thought out parts. Gary Klein makes a good bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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