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Submitted by
Betzel
a Weekend Warrior
from Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Date Reviewed: September 1, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Bergschenhoek, NL | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Ride, looks, quality. | | Weaknesses: | Weight more or less. Rear shock adjustments, rear shock weight. | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | Fox F120RLC '09 / XTR group / Bontrager RXL wheels / Schwalbe Rocket Ron / Ritchey Superlogic / WCS parts / Tune parts. | | Bottom Line: | Bought a nos frame last year, this is a 2003 frame though. Build it up as a race bike at the beginning, build it as a trailbike just now.
I think it is a fantastic trailbike with 120mm fork and 100mm rear travel. It can handle lots of terrain and with 11 kilo's that mine weighs it goes uphill very good.
No bobbing while riding, good response of the suspension. I just love how it rides. Rear shock needs way less pressure than is stated for my weight. If i put in the pressure of the booklet i have a hardtail.
Looks are awesome. People turn around to look. Color and finish just superb.
| Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David
a Weekend Warrior
from Wicklow/Dublin - Eire
Date Reviewed: May 16, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Djouce & TreeRock | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1300.00 | | Purchased At: | evanscycles.com | | Strengths: | This '03'frame with rear fox (bought frame only) is light and strong. It's not only able to go on the rough but also climbs like a cat too. Travel adjustment is sweat. | | Weaknesses: | I'd have to agree with this comment from another rider a little further down: "The graphics are sometimes difficult to see. The Great Barrier Reef blue comes off more purple and green than blue." Anyway, this suits me as i like the colour and it creates some mystery about Klein.
| | Similar Products Used: | Tried the '04'which is possibly even lighter but could've put Travel adjustment on the Mavick rear - very soft so it does not climb aswell as the '03' | | Bike Setup: | My Palomino Team '03' is built up with '05' Terralogic (brain)Fox X100's, Hope M4's, FSA Carbon Pro's etc | | Bottom Line: | With the Travel adjustment Fox on the rear and Terralogic Fox on the front i can climb when and what i want and decend thru most terrain at speed too. It's a comftable frame you can confide with and with the price i paid i am very happy to continue adding more good parts. I'd recommend it to anyone doing Crosscountry/Freeride. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Adam Stone
a Weekend Warrior
from Port Credit,ON,Canada
Date Reviewed: December 23, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | e-bay - frame only | | Strengths: | Light,climbs well,smooth ride,excellent paint job | | Weaknesses: | front derailleur design. I have to upgrade all my components to match the frame. | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | xt front/rear derailleur.XT shifters.Avid single digit 7 brakes.Rock Shox Duke SL.Race Face BB/Cranks.Cane Creek HeadSet.Easton 70 Seat Post/Handle Bars/Stem. Crappy Wheels | | Bottom Line: | I bought the frame only after snapping my last one. So the review is just on the frame. Awesome is all I can say. This is such a sweet bike to ride. It is so light. You can hardly tell when you are riding up hill. The riders seating position is perfect. I have close to 1000 KM on this frame so far. I have had to tighten the bolts on the swing arm twice, regular maint. You have to have enough air pressure dialed in on the rear shock or your front derailleur will not shift right. I do not like the way the cable lines up with the front derailleur,a bit too much stress, but I have had no fraying yet so maybe it's just me. Sweetest graphics and paint. Total class.
I would recommend this frame to anyone who cross county/single track or just likes to get out for the weekend. I love to ride more than ever before just because of how nice it is to ride this bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
graham davies
a Cross Country Rider
from shakespeare land uk
Date Reviewed: November 5, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | coed-brynan forest wales | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$3000.00 | | Purchased At: | evans | | Strengths: | rides like the rolls royce of bikes,sexy silent freewheel,amazing talas versatility,looks like the bassetts danglers!!(THAT'S A GOOD THING) | | Weaknesses: | stock parts are dodgy on a 4k bike e.g klein tyres and grips,colourmore purple than sea blue,apart from those v.minor niggles,ther's nothing major | | Similar Products Used: | none, i'm a zasker veteran. | | Bike Setup: | full xtr,fox talas,easton carbon carbon sl handlebar yeti hardcore etc | | Bottom Line: | coming from a hardtail background i was a bit dubious on the whole full sus thing,i need'nt have worried,this bike is a dream,i can't believe how smooth it is over the rough stuff,it oddly gets even better the faster you go,on the flat with the fox locked out it out performs my zasker,it is a seriously good piece of kit,lance says it's not about the bike,well he's wrong,i'm riding up stuff i would'nt have even considered,get one it will make you look and feel like a pro! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim
a Cross Country Rider
from Newton, NC
Date Reviewed: October 13, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | no pavement thank you! | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Typical for Klein, the fit and finish are pure class. The frame has worked well for me and I'm a TRUE CLYDESDALE! The Maverik suspension does what it says it does. And though the bike looks weird, it rides darn near as well as a hard tail without the jolts. | | Weaknesses: | This pain scheme may have been a little over the top. The graphics are sometimes difficult to see. The Great Barrier Reef blue comes off more purple and green than blue. | | Similar Products Used: | Jamis XLT 2.0, Haro Extreme, Fisher Sugar 3 | | Bike Setup: | Bought as frame. Has XT and XTR with an Ultega front derailleur. This was a suggested fix for a front shifting problem that is sometime associated with this bike. IT WORKS!! Mavic 517 w/XTR hubs and XTR v-brakes. Chris King headset, Thomson stem and post, Easton Monkey-lites, Hutchinson Mosquito airlites 2.3. I won't mention the fork because it will be changed as soon as the budget allows. | | Bottom Line: | It has taken me forever to find a full suspension bike that I like. I've spent the past four years riding a Klein
Attitude Comp. After that long on a light, agile and responsive hard tail it is hard to find a double squishy bike that feels right. To add to the problem the Maverick design is downright weird looking. When the frame was offered to me at a nice price, I had to try it. Who knew that a dual could be as sweet as a hardtail and without the sometimes harsh ride. Oh wait, I forgot, this is a Klein! There are hundreds of really great bikes for sale and I wouldn't say a bad thing about most; however, if you ever ride a Klein you will be spoiled for life. It is by far the best non-custom built bike and that is that. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David Scheer
a Cross Country Rider
from Williams Lake BC Canada
Date Reviewed: June 15, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | power smart | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | e bay | | Strengths: | Quality of construction,climbs over steep rocky terrain like a billy goat,beautiful paint. | | Weaknesses: | almost every one I meet wants me to stop so they can look at it. | | Similar Products Used: | rocky mountain element,rocy moubtain hammer race,Gary fisher f1,oryx equipe gold,pipeline,sugar. | | Bike Setup: | Talas fork fsa carbon cranks time composite pedals,sram 9.0sl drive train,xt front der.mavic 517 with python golds.thompson seatpost slr saddle.avid ultimate v brakes. | | Bottom Line: | This is a very well behaved trail bike that can be riden comfortably on all day epics,but really shines when you pick up the pace.every thing about this beast improves with speed.on steep rocky sections it almost seems to keep itself in motion.Ive been able to easily clear steep hills on this bike that have been impossible on the other bikes Ive owned.and it is just as impressive when pointed down hill.The paint job is a real atention getter.every one wants to have a close look.I purchased the frame only on ebay and am glad I did. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Luke
a Weekend Warrior
from St. Paul, MN US
Date Reviewed: April 20, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Indian Heights Rochetser MN | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$2399.00 | | Purchased At: | Local Shop | | Strengths: | Amazing ride! No bob in the rear suspension! It makes a great bike for racing or for taking big drop offs! | | Weaknesses: | one word purple... | | Similar Products Used: | Klien Mantra Race | | Bike Setup: | Full XTR, Thompson seat post, Ritchy Race Light handle bar and stem | | Bottom Line: | Klien makes a killer bike. I would recomend buying this bike to anyone of my friends, but try to get a discout. The bike is worth over 4 grand... BUT don't spend that much. Wait till the 2004 models come out and get a 2003 model. AWSOME BIKE BUY ONE. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
A N
a Weekend Warrior
from C'ville, VA, USA
Date Reviewed: February 23, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Walnut Creek | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$2100.00 | | Purchased At: | The Bike Stop | | Strengths: | Go from any bike you like to this one and you'll feel at home. The frame is solid and gives you good feedback on the trail. The suspension soaks up bumps that would otherwise hurt. Stretch out the 125mm Talas and let the downhill riding being. Reel the Talas into 85 or 100 and climb like you're on a hardtail or run cross country all day in comfort. You can't beat a bike with full XTR, proven geometry and a beautiful paint job. | | Weaknesses: | The aluminum frame on this bike is very "responsive". I think some steel/titanium riders might even call it harsh. My background is BMX and rigid frames so I love what I consider a "reactive" bike that also smooths out the big bumps. If you are looking for a Cadillac bike this will be a weakness for you. The only other point of stress is the front derailleur, it's floating what more can you say... goodbye to bob hello to the tuning stand, it's worth it in my opinion, maybe not in yours. | | Similar Products Used: | Canondale Jekyl, Canondale Scalpel, Trek Fuel 98 (all only for test rides) | | Bike Setup: | Stock (Fox Talas RLC, I noticed some Teams come with different front forks) | | Bottom Line: | To go from a rigid to a full suspension frame and be completely at home but riding way faster on all terrain on the first ride has to be a good thing. I just can't explain how comfortable I am on this bike... it just fits! Smooth, fast, attractive, XTR, Fox... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Boris
a Cross Country Rider
from plainfield
Date Reviewed: October 23, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | This bike climbs very well. It seema to roll over obstacles easier than my hardtail. | | Weaknesses: | 4 sets of bushings in 600 miles. 1 new swing arm (never shaped correctly). And just last week trek put on a 2004 new maverick shock and a new mono-link.It seems I had one of the earlier ones that had lots of defects. | | Bottom Line: | My last set of bushing loosened up (with a brand new swing arm) after 5 miles. About 50 miles later they were shot. My lbs has been great in trying to remedy the problem and push trek a little. They sent it to trek to be evaluated hoping for a 2004 frame replacement, but it was returned with the 2004 maverick shock which is a different ride all together. It uses higher psi than the m-bits shock(which started leaking).I never got an answer to why a new shock and a new mono-link were put on, but I just went out and did ten miles and it's still tight as can be.
This bike is a great ride, it's a goat and it's very plush. Buy the 2004. Klein welded a plate on the bottom of the swing arm for 2004 under the shock body which is supposed to stop it from getting sloppy if it does loosen up.
I'll give a good rating because when I got back on it after borrowing a bike for two weeks I realized what a dream it is to ride. If they tested the bike more before putting on the market I would have given it 5 chilis all the way | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Justin
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver CO
Date Reviewed: September 30, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | 4 Courners, this week | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$4000.00 | | Purchased At: | Turin Bicycles | | Strengths: |
This bike climbs very well and descends pretty well too. Once adapted to the cockpit it handles very predictively and well. When the suspension is properly adjusted it hooks up better than anything out there. There are only 3 designs I would ride right now; the Maverick or Klein (very similar), the Blur or Spyder and the Specialized with the brain. To me this bike balances all the pluses well at a pretty reasonable price compared to the others especially Maverick. I had an I-Drive for years and I loved it. It was a much better descender than this bike but this bike works better all around and climbs in another ball park. | | Weaknesses: | The product works well thanks Maverick, but the quality is not great, thanks trek. The suspension is designed poorly with the axel bolt sleeves spining in the frame and the rear end getting so much slop it hits the stays. You have to lock tight the bolt but even then it is either slop or to tight to really work the way it should. The bike shop is right now trying a remedy supplied by Klein. I will try to post when it is worked out. I hear and read that they are taking care of people with bushings if need be. We will see. There does not seem to be an excepted place to start to tune the suspension so you are guessing. | | Similar Products Used: | I-Drive, Turner, LTS, Moots YBB, Dakar, Epic, FSR, Outland VPP. | | Bike Setup: | I have a Race Fram built up with all XTR, A Fox Talus and the Shimano XTR tubeless wheels in size large. | | Bottom Line: | Once it is dialed in this bike rides like a dream. It was my favorite bike all around so far until the mechanical issue with the suspension. Getting the supension going took allot of trial and error but it is right where is should be now. I have heard people running anywhere from 35-90 in this shock which seems very strange. Aside from that I stilll love the bike. 3 Chillis for value because they are not cheap even if good in comparison. 4 Chillis for Overall though it is splitting hairs depending on the mechanical issues. I shoudl probably be harsher since it pissed me off all weekend tightening the bolts every 5 miles. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan Becraft
a Weekend Warrior
from Seattle, WA, USA
Date Reviewed: July 7, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Devils Gultch | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$4000.00 | | Purchased At: | Gregg's Green Lake Cycle | | Strengths: | What a nice ride! I was flying down a hill on Mt. Si and it handles soo much better than my Klein Mantra Pro did for over 1000 dollars more than this bike. Great handling on technical single track. I rode this bike on the MS 150 charity ride on Mt. Si and it was just enough suspension to hit the big stuff but not to much for the tight technical stuff. | | Weaknesses: | There isn't much to talk about regarding the weaknesses. The only thing that I am getting use to is the 100mm of front fork travel which is more than my old fork at 70mm. But, that is more my weakness than the bikes. | | Similar Products Used: | 1997 Specialized S-Works
2000 Klein Mantra Pro | | Bike Setup: | Full XTR (new XTR), Thompson seat post, Easton bar and Profile bar ends, Time ATAC Carbon Petals, Italia seat (blue), XTR Wheels and Python tires. | | Bottom Line: | You can not help but be noticed on this beautiful blue/green paint job! Funny thing is that if your going to drop 4 grand on a bike, please make it nice to look at. Because, most of the bikes in this price range are generally really good. The sad part is some of them look like crap! When your coming back from a ride in the mountains driving down the freeway and other drivers are checking out the look of your bike, then you know you have a great product that you can be proud to display on the back of your vehicle! I love it! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jerry
a Cross Country Rider
from Ft Walton Beach
Date Reviewed: June 5, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Laurel Mountain, Pisgah NF, NC | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Bob's Cycling & Fitness | | Strengths: | -Paint. 'nuff said
-Fork. The new Fox TALAS RLC is an amazing ride. Adjustability, stiffness and small bump compliance are unbeatable.
-'03 XTR......takes a bit of getting used to and set up.....and I was a bit apprehensive.....but they're sweet!
-Great fit for me. I was looking for this exact bike....a xc race-able bike that had plenty of travel for some hard riding. You can't beat 25.5 lbs for a large.
-The most significat strenght is the ride. Maverick never should have let this cat out of the bag!
-IT COST ME NOTHING! why do you think I bought a bike shop? | | Weaknesses: | Wheels are a bit flexy...comparable to 517's. If you're at or over 200 lbs, you'll notice it. (I'm used to Ryno Lites)
That's it.....no other weakness in my eyes. | | Similar Products Used: | Stumpjumper, Fuel 100, Sugar 2. | | Bike Setup: | Stock, except I switched out the narrow rear tire to the 2.3 to match the front.......might switch to a King headset. Cane Creek needs to re-evaluate their products. | | Bottom Line: | I've always excelled at climbing. I love it. I find trails with as much elevation change as i can find. And this bike could be no more perfect for me. My riding is fluid, smooth and fast......but this bike won't keep me from 2-4 foot drops or any of my normal jumps.
Set-up is the key. The rear end cannot be under-sprung...it will insult the way this bike is supposed to ride.
I can't wait to race this bike. I can't wait till my 6-mile lunch ride. I can't wait till my lights charge for my next night-ride. I can't wait till my girlfriend goes on her first ride. I can't wait till my next ride.......... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
calvin
a Weekend Warrior
from singapore
Date Reviewed: May 28, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | anywhere my wheels bring me... | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$3650.00 | | Purchased At: | frame from LBS A & components from LBS B... ;p | | Strengths: | excellent climber, of course, smashing paintwork (as any1 would expect of a klein) & a really sexy geometry...
love the way the bike handles & responses, it ain't fluffy light but it's easy going on most of the terrains i've been thru' & on the road, it flys... :) | | Weaknesses: | it's a lil pricy, but then again, it's a klein...
paint work? sounds contradictary but it's heartwrenching to see the paint peel off... *sigh*
my right crank arm can't seem to stay clear of the swingarm, they must be in love... ;p | | Similar Products Used: | 1) specialised rockhopper
2) my gf's superlight
3) demoed the mantra & adept pro along the years... | | Bike Setup: | full xtr'03, except for the front D (just couldn't fit in & mine's an L frame!) & shifters ('02)
chris king headset(what else???)
thomson seat post & selle italia filte tt
race face stem (on loan, thomson's coming) & easton's ea70
eggbeaters
avid ti brakes with koolstop pads
mavic 3.1 ust with hutchinson pythons
fox rlc 100 | | Bottom Line: | a dream come true... :) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marty Leamon
a Cross Country Rider
from West Bend , WI USA
Date Reviewed: April 20, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | john muir | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$3700.00 | | Purchased At: | Pedal Moraine | | Strengths: | Build quality,fox suspension,Maverick design, XTR,great paint(hey its a Klein)race x-lite wheels. The other Bontrager stuff is good too. | | Weaknesses: | Came with too short seat post,Klein death grip tires,some trouble getting new XTR shifting set up. | | Similar Products Used: | I had a Fuel 90. Looked at sugar team and Fuel 100. | | Bike Setup: | Stock except for 959 pedals,410 Thompson seat post, and Bontrager super-x tires. | | Bottom Line: | I bought this bike to ride the endurance mountain series here in Wi. I am 6'5" and 220, and thought this bike would hold up better than a fuel or sugar.(my lbs is a trek,fisher,klein,lemond dealer) Since it has been wet I have only been in the woods once so far,but the handling is really there. The fox fork and rear suspension work great together. I am still not dialed in yet but so far the bike seems very promising. Getting rid of the tires is a really big thing. XTR discs should have been an option. The Avid ultimates are very good rim brakes but discs go along with the character of the bike. I am afraid to scratch it the first time because the paint is so cool,but I know it will happen sometime. Overall I am thrilled with the Klein and know it will be around for a long time. Anyone who is a larger rider and who does more than 2 hour races should consider it as both a race bike and a great trail bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kirk R.
a Racer
from Philadelphia, PA USA
Date Reviewed: April 19, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Frech Creek | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$3800.00 | | Purchased At: | A Good Bike Shop | | Strengths: | -High quality throughout
-Proven design (no bob)
-Ride
-Price (have you priced Mavericks/Sevens lately?)
-High-end lightweight components (XTR,Bontrager,Fox)
contrary to what soem people think - Bontrager makes excellent, very light weight components! | | Weaknesses: | -Cabel routing.
-Water bottles? Forget it (it has two mounts top and bottom but there almost useless on a small frame) | | Similar Products Used: | GT RTS-1 (yes - I'm that old!)
Santa Cruz Superlight | | Bike Setup: | -Full new XTR (stock - crank is amazingly stiff)
-Fox TALIS fork (wow! someone got it right)
-Bontrager Race Light tubeless wheels (or you can put a tube in a non-tubless tire)
-Easton Monkeylight riser bars (I swaped these in)
-TME ATAC carbon pedals
| | Bottom Line: | In my 15 years of riding and racing mountain bikes this is one of the best full suspension bikes I have owned. When I got the $$$ together to buy a bike I asked my best bike shop buddy what I should get. I had my heart set on a S.C. Superlight or Blur but he convinced me to get the Klein due to its better design and lighter weight (24lbs).
I am getting a little older now and I have made the move to full suspension and I don’t regret it. Today I just got back from a race where I placed 2nd in the expert Vet class. This race consisted of 4 grueling climbs – the kind that make your brain tell you “get off and walk idiot” – on a 24 mile course - but this bike just climbed beyond my expectations. On the down hills it performed like a champ – the Fox shocks soaked up these huge man made water ruts with no problem. The bike also handles single-track with no problems due to the incredible tracking of the Fox shock and the well balanced weight ratio from front to rear.
Speaking of Fox - they have one hell of an adjustable fork. Everything is on top except for the blow-off valve. It's stiff - it tracks - it leaves me feeling fresh after a ride. 80-125mm travel, lockout, two levels of damping control – did I mention blow-off? Yes, the fork will blow-off when locked out if you hit something big.
If there was anything I would have to pick on it would be the cable routing. On one had Klein takes the time and effort to internal route two of the derailleur cables but leaves the brake cable to be zip tied to little posts (I HATE zip ties). The reason they did this was for a disk brake setup – but I’m sure they could have thought up a cleaner way to do this considering the price.
I would recommend this bike to anyone looking for a well performing design which can take the up hills as well as the down hills. It is FUN to ride and even more fun to race on – especially when you make it to the podium and still have the strength to drive home and deal with the (wife,girfriend,kids,etc.).
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt Gersib
a Racer
from Lincoln, NE - USA
Date Reviewed: March 31, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Yunto? | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Cycle Works in Lincoln, NE. | | Strengths: | -Great handling
-Very stable
-Awesome frame rigidity (torsionally)
-Solid power transfer (more like a hardtail than a fs bike)
-Very good technical climbing manners
-Light for a 4" travel bike (w/a 5" fork)
-Fox TALAS fork
-New XTR is very nice
-Fabulous paint, welds and overall attention to detail | | Weaknesses: | -A little long in the chainstays (a typical Maverick trait)
-Tubes dent easily
-Stock 135mm x 7deg stem is too long/high (on an XL frame)
-XL frame only has a 18" seattube, forcing you to use a 410mm seatpost to get the saddle higher than the handlebars (and at a height that a 6'+ rider would ride), but...
-The bike comes stock with a 367mm Thomson post (I traded it out for a 410mm before I left the shop)
-The ultra-slack seattube angle makes the effective "setup window" for different riders pretty narrow
-Shock damping adjuster works within a very narrow range of adjustment | | Similar Products Used: | Klein Adept Pro, Intense Tracer, Klein Mantra Pro, Klein Adroit, Klein Attitude | | Bike Setup: | 2003 Palomino Team, stock setup except for:
-Stem swap to 120mm x 0 deg.
-Handlebar swap to Titec flattracker (more sweep, wider)
-Seatpost swap to 410mm Thomson
-Saddle swap to WTB (to facilitate more forward seating position)
-Converted stock Deathgrip tires to tubeless using Stan's and the rim strips already installed in the wheels | | Bottom Line: | I can't believe how much I love riding this bike! After hearing some stories about the issues Klein was having bringing this bike into production, I was sort of expecting to be disappointed. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. Aside from a couple of speccing issues (not long enough seatpost, too long stem), the bike is virtually perfect out of the box. It climbs with an authority that even my (much loved) Adept can't match, and it descends like no other bike in my personal stable of bikes. In descending, it compares very favorably to the Intense Tracers I've ridden, which is a high compliment for me to give. The TALAS fork gives you the ability to achieve a balance in travel and geometry that is pretty cool. You can significantly change the ride/handling of the bike just with the ride height of the fork. All-in-all, I feel very lucky to have gotten one of these fine bikes, as I understand that the Team models are somewhat hard to come by. I am very happy with the bike's performance, and have no reason to think that I won't be able to race it very successfully this season. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Mine Hill,New Jersey,USA
Date Reviewed: March 17, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$3300.00 | | Purchased At: | RT.15 Bicycle | | Strengths: | Awsome climber,very comfertable,suspension is stiff untill needed.coolist paint job around!Team Blue | | Weaknesses: | none so far | | Similar Products Used: | Trek Y11(stock) then modified.Trek Fuel 90, Trek Fuel 100 | | Bike Setup: | Psylo SL fork,Cane Creek headset,XT Brakes(ceramic),XT 9 speed drivetrain,Rolf Propel Wheels(ceramic),Easton carbon handlebars,Gortex cables,chile Brake stay,Thompson seatpost,Thompson neck.26.5lbs Avid brake levers. | | Bottom Line: | no complaints very happy hope it continues to please!I am taking it to Moab for big test.I do not think i will have a problem.The suspension works unbelievably well on small hits to big hits.Would suggest this bike to any one who likes to ride.Handles like a dream in the mountains. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Reed
a Cross Country Rider
from New Jersey
Date Reviewed: January 20, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Jacobsburg, PA | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$4500.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike King / Clinton | | Strengths: | Fit, finish, weight, overall design. | | Weaknesses: | The only thing I could suggest is to make the frame available without the brake bosses for rim brakes. The bike would look so much cleaner without them. (Obviously I use disc.) | | Similar Products Used: | Klein Rascal (totally rigid), Klein Pulse Pro, Klein Attitude Comp, Klein Mantra Comp, Klein Adept Pro. | | Bike Setup: | Night Storm Paint, full '03 XTR everything (except for the front derailer which must be XT because the XTR will not fit), Avid Mech Disc, King Disc Hubs with Mavic 3.1X tubeless rims, King Headset, Thompsen stem and seatpost (you will need an adapter as the seat tube has such a steep angle you will not be able to get your seat correctly aligned without one.) Bontrager Revolt Super X tubless tires. No expense was spared. My bike shop really likes me. | | Bottom Line: | This bike is all that and a bag of chips. The suspension design is the holy grail of FS designs. It soaks up hits and really limits feedback and bob. Steering is crisp and responsive. Climbs better than the Adept which is a really great climber. There is no overall comparison to the early Mantra or the Adept(which I still consider two great bikes). The Palomino must be ridden to be appriciated. With proper planning you can get this bike to weigh in at about 25+ or - lbs. Worth every penny! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bram Dally
a Cross Country Rider
from Puyallup
Date Reviewed: January 17, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | ride quality up, down, and across difficult places. | | Weaknesses: | somewhat flexy seat stays cause some reduction in braking power | | Bike Setup: | XTR Fox vanilla RLC | | Bottom Line: |
This is an update to my previous evaluation because my comments regarding the new XTR shifters was wrong (the last part of this review)
But first:
When the Mantras came out in 1996/7 they were the ultimate climbing machine. They would stay hooked up where others failed. This bike is a large leap forward from the standard set by those Mantras. It has longer chain stays and on the first couple of steep climbs you’ll notice that the front wants to stay on the ground. You’d expect this to cause a loss of traction but somehow the Maverick suspension manages to keep the rear wheel hooked up better than the Mantra without having to ride on the edge of front wheel control. It takes several climbs to realize that the rear wheel is simply going to stick and there is no need to bail because others are pushing.
On fast sections with slimy diagonal roots, this bike is closer to point and shoot than I had thought was possible (I have the Fox Vanilla RLC fork-- the Float was not available). The bike absorbs hits magically and the geometry is a spot on blend both for getting through technical spots and for hammering.
The seat stays could be stiffer or perhaps a v-brake booster should be installed because the bike has more stay flex and some accompanying loss of rear braking power (compared to the Mantra).
I had previously been critical of the rapid rise derailleur when combined with the new shifters. I felt that the motion was backward and counterintuitive. After about 25 rides with the 2002 standard derailleur I’ve switched back to the rapid rise and realize that my criticism of this system was wrong. The new shifters are better (ergonomically) and it shows up when you ride new trails and are hit with unexpected obstacles. The motion needed to shift into lower/easier gears while braking hard feels awkward at first with rapid rise but muscle memory soon takes over and it becomes second nature. Disregard my previous suggestion to use a 2002 derailleur with these shifters.
Time will tell is the new XTR crankset/bottom bracket will last but this Shimano group has never disappointed me in the past and I have no reason to expect it to now. I had some similar Bullseye cranks in the early days that were garbage (but lightweight garbage) and the cause for my suspicion.
I’m a little disappointed that Shimano has removed the adjustable power setting inside the brake levers. It now comes with a standard plastic “geek insert” that you remove for more power instead of the knurled adjustment screw of previous XTR editions. They install these to keep Fred’s from going over the bars in the parking lot and it amazes me how many people, including bike shop mechanics, don’t realize that they are there to de-power your brakes. It’s my belief that this hidden “safety” device combined with flexy seat stays and non ceramic rims is the primary reason for the current disc brake fad.
After about 17 years as an avid mountain biker, the Palomino has fanned the flames even higher and taken my riding to a new level. I appreciate the fact that Gary Klein’s ego didn’t keep him from purchasing someone else’s patented suspension system when he saw that it was better than anything he or anyone else had come up with to date. Remember, this is the guy who drug the industry away from chromoly with his creative engineering and metallurgy and remains one of its’ brightest minds.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
c man
a Cross Country Rider
from lake tahoe, ca.usa
Date Reviewed: January 1, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | --- | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1700.00 | | Purchased At: | bike shop in reno nv. | | Strengths: | Monolink design, internal cable routing. | | Weaknesses: | Klein customer service, BB size, Chainline!!! | | Similar Products Used: | -- | | Bike Setup: | Custom built the bike. FSA, Mavic, XTR, Fox, good stuff. | | Bottom Line: | I asked the specific question to the Bike shop and its Klein Rep. "What size bottom bracket will it take". 73X118. When you want ISIS you are very limited if you want light weight. If you move away from shimano you may find yourself in a pickle. Oh, the shop and rep told me 73X113. Since I was on the list for a Maverick for way too long.... I jumped on this bike. It is the same design but a totally different bike. Klein should of carbon copied Maverick's entire bike, not shot from the hip on the rear triangle/bb sizing. I am using the 113mm, with the non-drivetrain side modified, but the chainline is still say tweaked. I could not imagine a 118. I am getting noise from my 113 when in the middle chain ring and my 32t. Bottom line is I like the ride after 500miles, bike weight is 25.5lbs, but I would not own this bike if I knew it was at all different with its geometry, than its Maverick counterpart. Keep riding what your riding and buy the Specialized epic in 2 years. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bram Dally
a Cross Country Rider
from Puyallup, Washington
Date Reviewed: December 25, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | Aurora Cycle | | Strengths: | Great climber, no bob, neutralizes both small and large hits well, no inch worming on steep technical drops. | | Weaknesses: | New XTR shifters work best with non rapid rise. New XTR cranks limit large chain ring size at 44 teeth. Bike can not accomodate old style 48 tooth XTR chain rings. | | Similar Products Used: | Klein Mantra | | Bike Setup: | Mostly new (2003) XTR, Fox Vanilla fork | | Bottom Line: | With the exceptions listed above, this bike is it. The Maverick suspension is the answer. I have the Fox Vanilla fork instead of the 2003 Fox Float since it is not yet avialiable, however, it's hard to believe that any fork will top this one for adjustability and quality of ride through both big and smalls hits (substantially better than the Z1). The damping on Fox rear shock is excellant and I can't duplicate the non-adjustablity problem described below (may be a isolated factory defect). After a variety of rides I've concluded that this bike is excellant on both technical rides and hammer sessions. The 44/11 top end max. will lead to serious ass kickings on logging road decents but if you don't do many of these rides, this is the bike. The new XTR shifters take some getting used too and will not fly with technical riders when combined with rapid rise (standard for 2003). I believe that Shimano will be forced by the market to go back to standard rise with these shifters since riders are nearly always looking for a larger cog (easier gear) when breaking hard and the required hand motion is awkward/backwards with rapid rise. Replacing this rear derailleur with a 2002 XTR is a small price to pay for such a quality ride. I predict that 2002 XTR rear derailleurs with become scarce very soon so get one early. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
tony
a Cross Country Rider
from san diego
Date Reviewed: December 19, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | The Good:
-great climber
-suspension is truly isolated from rider pedaling
-gorgeous paint
-top notch construction
-light @5.5lbs
| | Weaknesses: | The Bad:
-below average descender for a 4" travel bike
-damping dial does next to nothing
-over damped even in its lightest setting
-proprietary shock limits the use of aftermarket shocks
-outrageously slack seat tube
-4" feels more like 3"
-expensive
-bushings vs bearings (Maverick uses bearings, why not Klein?) | | Similar Products Used: | -Ellsworth Truth
-Titus Loco Moto
-Manitou FS | | Bike Setup: | XT/9.0/Magura/XFly100 | | Bottom Line: | I really wanted to like this bike, but I'm completely underwhelmed. With all the hype behind this bike, I was expecting the holy grail of fsxc bikes, but the Palomino turns out to address only one of the main issues w/fs designs. The Palomino handles the problem of pedaling induced bob, but at the expense of its descending ability. Another issue with the bike is the M-Bits Fox shock..........it has next to no damping adjustment. Seems silly to even have a damping knob for the amount of adjustment it gives. To make matters worse, the lightest damping setting is way too high. In comparing the descending abilities w/the last 2 bikes I've owned (Truth & Loco), the Palo is a distant 3rd. I'm sure many people will love this bike, but it just doesn't fit my riding style. I'm a huge Klein fan, but I wish Klein (er, Trek;) would have made something along the lines of a Turner XCE or Ellsworth Truth (maybe even given the Liquid design to Klein?). Whatever the case, my bottom line is:
-great climber
-average descender
-typical Klein quality
-Need to keep looking for that holy grail of fsxc bikes. Blur? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Todd Arvidson
a Racer
from Waukegan, IL
Date Reviewed: November 6, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Blue loop Kettle Morraine | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Purchased At: | Zion Schwinn :) | | Strengths: | Wow! no bob! Klein Paint! Spec'd! | | Weaknesses: | Wow! Weight? Not sure how much my rig will weigh being an XL. | | Similar Products Used: | Adept Pro | | Bike Setup: | Demo'd an xt/xtr rig | | Bottom Line: | After looking on line for months trying to find reviews on the palomino-I finally got to ride one a my lbs(Zion Schwinn). I was strangely and surprisingly amazed at NO PEDAL bob whatsoever! It seemed to respond a lot quicker than my Adept and certainly was more efficient. I will be getting my Palomino in a week or so and will return with a more in-depth review...until then-can't wait to ride! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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