Submitted by
rod
a Weekend Warrior
from victoria, canada Date Reviewed: November 11, 2002
Favorite Trail:
hornby island
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$26666.00
Purchased At:
victoria
Strengths:
My first and only FS, and most likely my last. This is the cadilac of FS bikes. The ride is second to none, climbing is a breeze, technial dh ability is supurb, just hang on and go for a ride, let the bike be your guide, it will pick it's own trail.
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
xt
Bottom Line:
This bike is great for the older rider, plush, yet aggresive,easy on your back.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
bob sakamano
a Weekend Warrior
from clifton Date Reviewed: March 8, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Ringwood-Northern NJ
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$1100.00
Purchased At:
Privately bought.
Strengths:
Flawless, intuitive design. Stocked tp the brim with all tough and light components for the heaviest trail rides. Super looks. The greatest ride you can imagine, but never thought that it could be had on a bicycle.
Weaknesses:
Some people say the price is the biggest factor, I on the other hand always believed " you get what you paid for." In this case, you gain much more in what you pay for it - the thrill of cycling and the dependability it has.
Similar Products Used:
Had a older Trek and Yeti, don't remember the names, but were basically beginners bikes - lx/xt components and heavy to ride around with!
Bike Setup:
Stock 2000 Klein Mantra Race Carbon - all XT Components. I only changed the tires to the new bontrager revolt super-x.( boy, do they stick on wet rock! )
Bottom Line:
Klein is one of the premier great mtn. bike builders; all their products are outstanding. I chose this model just because it stands out so much from the norm, it is fun to have everyone on the trails oggling at the frame and you. I am a full time student and worker, so the only time I get to ride it is on weekends. I feel as if I don't deserve it because I have fun with it once/twice a week, but who would use the bike any other time? Its not a commuting bike or an everyday type, but like a hot rod you take out when you want to let loose. If your a weekend person who likes to cut loose and enjoy the ride - this bike is for you. The Klein is great for the average person who wants good value and needs the edge in great parts that make up this bike. If you forget for the moment the styling, you will be pleasantly surprised to find a beefy and yet just the right comfortable LIGHT WEIGHT riding experience!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Aaron
a Cross Country Rider
from Kings Canyon, CA Date Reviewed: September 26, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Tiger Mountain on this bike
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Purchased At:
Aurora Cycles in Seattle
Strengths:
The construction, paint, and details are immaculate. The Mars fork felt great and feels balanced with the rear shock. The shimano parts worked flawlessly and the Icon cranks shifted as well as XT's. The Bontrager Race wheelset is durable and reasonably light. Handles great on singletrack and gave some of the best traction around.
Weaknesses:
Short wheelbase makes it twitchy at speed. The Bontrager grips hurt my hands, but that is nitpicking. Swingarm comming loose and having a wimpy little bolt.
I used this bike up in Seattle last summer while I was waiting for my new bike to come in. I enjoyed riding this bike on tight, twisty singletrack as it handled quite well. The design is a bit antiquated, but the bike does work well in certain conditions.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Leo Dixon
a Cross Country Rider
from Northwestern, NJ, USA Date Reviewed: June 21, 2001
Favorite Trail:
"Yellowgate", Allamuchy State Forest
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$1299.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Plush. Laterally stiff. Climbs like a scalded cat. Easy transition from hardtail. Great parts selection. Really fine paint/decals, mine's a white/silver pearl linear fade with red graphics & red fork. My nn-cyclist neighbors compliment me!
Weaknesses:
Mars C fork tough to set up but ni-ice when dialed in. Rider compartment is a bit short, seat is a little forward (mostly solved by dremeling the plastic non-structural seat spoiler and sliding the seat back). Tall bike (snags shorts). Suspension doesn't bob when seated but does a little when standing (I climb seated so I love it, YMMV). You can feel the crank pivoting rearwards on some hits, but it rapidly becomes a non-issue.
Similar Products Used:
Jamis Dakar Comp, various and sundry hardtails (Santana Moda, Yeti Kokopelli, others)
Bike Setup:
Stock - XT group w/ XTR rear, Avid brakes, but subbed SPD's for Time's and I'm happy with the switch.
Bottom Line:
FANTASTIC buy from Supergo (they only had a few left), took 10 years off my age when riding, great "point and shoot" handling but as a shorter-wheelbase tall bike it's a *little* sketchy on the downhills, though I'm still getting used to it. Once I dial in the rider position I can see it'll be fine. Would recommend to any non-traditionalist who wants a great value on a great-looking, non-diamond-frame cross-country rig. Downhillers should look elsewhere for a longer wheelbase.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Todd
a Cross Country Rider
from Bossier City, LA Date Reviewed: May 26, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Lincoln Parish Park
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$2700.00
Purchased At:
Bicycles Inc.
Strengths:
A feel like none other. Set this bike up right and you'll have an extension of yourself on the trails. Singletrack and climbing are limited only by your legs and lungs, not the bike. Weight and part specs.
Weaknesses:
MARS C fork. Klein vs. Manitou runaround. Went through hell last summer to resolve what Klein called a "compatibility problem" and what I called a serious design flaw. I'm a 6'0" 185lb rider on a large frame. I noticed after a few rides that the bottom front of my headtube had a scrape on it which I at first attributed to a rock or something on the highway since I carry it up top. What I later noticed after placing tape on the headtube and back of the brake arch that the fork brake arch was actually scraping the front of my headtube with full compression (about 5mm worth). If you measure the distance between the top of the brake arch and the headtube, you come up with about 75mm of room, with an 80mm travel shock (get the picture?). Anyway, I called Klein, they said call Manitou. I called Manitou and they said talk to Klein. Klein's first suggestion was to send me a "bumper kit" to install in the bottom of my fork to limit the travel (that sound silly to anyone else out there besides me??). I told them no way was I going to settle for less travel when someone at Klein couldn't use a ruler. The bike shop in Arlington finally got the OK to replace it with a SID SL, and after all was said and done, I am far more please with the performance of the SID. Klein has also offered to repaint my headtube where the fork arch scraped it. I see that the 2001 Mantra Carbon went back to a Manitou SX with a much smaller and thinner brake arch, so they must have figured out that the very tall and very thick brake arch of the Mars C does not fit with the oversized headtube on the Mantra. Another weakness now would be the fact that the Mantra really doesn't exist anymore, so if something happens with the frame down the road, I'm guessing there would be an Adept frame coming to replace it. The Fox Float R float rear shock did get "stuck down", as I've read on other reviews. Fox said that they had a run of them that weren't deburred propperly on the inside and a sharp piece of metal was slicing the seal on the negative air chamber. Sent it back to Fox and it was fixed in a week. Have had no other problems since. I have never had the headset tighten up on me either, although I have an adapter in there now so I could run the SID.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized FSR XC M4, FSR XC Comp
Bike Setup:
Large frame, Icon maggie bar ends, Sid SL. Rest of the setup is stock, although I'm running Michelin Wildgripper Sprints right now due to an ACL replacement three weeks ago that's keeping me on the road. (24.5lbs)
Bottom Line:
This bike is exactly what Gary Klein designed it to be, a full suspension singletrack and hill-climbing monster. Seven inches of rear wheel travel sounds like so much for a race-worthy cross country design, but Klein makes it work for you. You really don't even notice the movement of the rear, and climbing is actually fun if you can believe it. Since the Mantra series has gone the way of the Pteradactyl, I hope that I don't have any problems with it as I'm not sure how many frames they'll have around to replace it with. I think the 2001 Mantra Carbon is being offered to ease the Mantras out completely, although their offering of a 27.5 lb $1300 setup hardly does the design justice. Definitely take this puppy out for a test ride (not in the parking lot) before you committ. It's an awesome design and setup, but it's not for everyone (give me a bike that is). Outside of the fork issue, this bike has been everything I expected and more when I gave up the Cannondale F400 a year ago. I traded no weight penalty for switching to full suspension, and my lower back is so much happier at the end of the ride. 3 chilis for the lack of foresight into the whole Mars C/ oversized headtube design flaw (especially when the MSRP was $3250 - if you pay this much for a bike, you shouldn't have to figure this stuff out for them!!), but 5 for the overall with the Sid SL and a year of trouble free riding and performance that is limited my me instead of my bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rob
a Cross Country Rider
from Boulder Date Reviewed: October 3, 2000
Favorite Trail:
401
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$2300.00
Purchased At:
a pro deal thru a friend
Strengths:
The ride, man, the ride... get it dialed in and it's off to the races!
Weaknesses:
stock tires - revolt superX - not up to the beatings the trails 'round here dish up.
Bike Setup:
Stock -tho' tires changed to panaracers Shimano BB fox float R Avid SD25 Icon XT & rear XTR SG 9 spd Bontrager RaceModiefied wheel system Time ATAC pedals
Bottom Line:
This is one sweet ride. Climbs like it's got an afterburner. Very light - carbon fiber rules. Very responsive steering - takes a bit of getting used to... felt "twitchy" at first, but that goes away once you've got used to how fast it is. Acceleration is great. The most amazing thing for me is that I don't get as fatigued as fast on this bike as I did on my hardtail.
The only problem I've had was that I broke the rear brake (Avid) on the big descent of 401 (Crested Butte) - made for some sketchy riding. Avid replaced the brake in two days - great service.
Haven't had to deal with the rear shock yet - we'll see how that goes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott Moore
a Cross Country Rider
from Lincolnton Date Reviewed: August 13, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Catawba River Run
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Fast, Climbs great, Light Full Suspension, Carbon, Quiet, Paint Job.
Weaknesses:
If anything I'd say a little twitchy on the downhill runs. Its getting a lot better as I ride it more and get use to it. Hated the Time Atac pedals! I couldn't ever dis-engage when necessary. OUCH! Switched back to faithful Shimano's!
Similar Products Used:
Only road H.T.'s before. I tried out several other bikes at the LBS's. For the cost of 2400.00 nothing could come close to the ride and STYLE!
Bike Setup:
Added Easton light 1" Monkey Riser bars and Avid Arch Supreme brakes, switched out Atac pedals for Shimano 858's.
Bottom Line:
LOVE THIS BIKE!!! This bike has gotten me out of some scarey situations. Fast out of the hole and it eats up switch backs. I do XC riding and this bike has made all of my riding so much more enjoyable. I can go farther, climb better and feel better after every ride.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mountaineer
a Cross Country Rider
from Morgantown, WV Date Reviewed: August 9, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Porcipine Rim, moab
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Climbs better than my old M2 hardtail; no bouncing like other full suspension bikes. Plush suspension. Relatively light
Weaknesses:
Cost. Front dives down when using front brake. Manitou fork leaked and unusable 1 wk after riding. (LBS re-sealed it and no problems since) Rear suspension air suctioned and locked 1 weak into it also.(replaced by LBS and no problems since.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized M4, Sugar 1, Enduro
Bike Setup:
Stock except shorter stem and riser monkey lite bars
Bottom Line:
Great all around full suspension bike but takes a lot of time to set up correctly to minimize the front nose diving. Shorter stem and riser bars did the trick for me. Great suspension on the downhills but the initial problems shouldn't have occured for a $3,000 bike. Climbs better than any other full suspension I tested. Love the bike and would never trade it in but for the cost, would've liked to look a little closer at a few other bikes........
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jared
a Cross Country Rider
from Kent, Ohio Date Reviewed: March 10, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Highland Ranch, Colorado
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
It's a well made bike that feels like silk when you ride it. It amazes me what you can get for $1499.00 today compared to a few years ago.
Strenths include: 1. Well-built chassis 2. Value 3. Climbs like a rocket when seated 4. Well-balanced 5. Corners really well 6. plenty of mud clearance 7. It's a great chassis to upgrade from. The parts are good but nothing to get goosebumps over. 8. Excellent paint/cosmetics 9. comfortable seat 10. An overall off-road dream.
Weaknesses:
1. Didn't come with riser bars 2. Manitou fork is too soft for my body weight. Will be selling it on E-bay soon. 3. pivot came slightky loose after a few rides 4. I'm not sure if I like the E-style front deraillers. The only way to get one that will work with a 45 tooth chainring or larger is to buy the XTR and it costs 115.00 or so, which is a bit pricey for a front derailler. Therefore, since I can only upgrade to an XT from an LX I can never put a chainring larger than 44 tooth on the bike. That kinda blows. Thanks, Shimano. 5. The air-valve on the Fox shock is close to the shock body so my pump doesn't quite fit all the way onto the valve.
Similar Products Used:
Cannondale EST 2000 (1990) Cannandale Super V 2000 Kona Kula hardtail Ted Wojcik hardtail
Bike Setup:
XT/LX/Avid 1.0 brakes/Icon stem, crank, seatpost
Bottom Line:
It's a great bike for the money. It's the kind of bike that you'll probably just ride it until stuff breaks because the stock components on it are fine but as soon as they break you'll be ready to upgrade the components as needed. The Manitou fork is less to be desired by riders who are over 200 pounds. I wish people would quiet stocking Answer forks on bikes that are sized at 19 inches and larger due to taller people being heavier sometimes. The bike rides well. It does bob a little when standing and cranking but I'm on my ass when I climb so it doesn't matter. It climbs like a dream. It corners on a dime and just loves to bunny hop over logs. I say "it" because I swear the bike knows when to jump. It's like that "KITT" Knight Rider car.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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