|
|
|
| |
Submitted by
altern8nrg
a Cross Country Rider
from New Kensington, PA USA
Date Reviewed: October 9, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Roaring Run, Apollo, PA | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Purchased At: | Washington State Cyc | | Strengths: | Frame/simple suspension design, quick handling/ride characteristics- smoothes out technical ST, bombproof stock wheel set, paint finish | | Weaknesses: | Stock Manitou elastomer forks suck, overall weight, heavy stock wheel set | | Similar Products Used: | 2002 Klein Adept Race | | Bike Setup: | Stock 1997 Mantra Comp for nearly 11 years except for 2000 Manitou Mars air/coil (very light 2.9 lbs) fork upgrade completed in 2002. Recent full upgrade early in summer 2008 Bontrager race light stem and carbon riser bar, ODI lock on grips, new avid cheapo brake levers/stock V-brakes and Kool Stop pads, XTR 9sp shifters and front der., XT 760 crankset and rear der., SRAM PL970 chain, new cables, Mavic Crossland UST tubeless with Bontrager Jones dual compound/Stans sealant. Stock Fox Vanilla -oil damped coil, believe it or not... | | Bottom Line: | 11 Full years of cross country riding $1500 original price, Same $ in upgrades- WELL WORTH EVERY PENNIE! Keep in mind I do not race. Although, I have become a very strong intermediate to advanced technical cross country rider who can blaze some serious trails. Great frame never a problem, excellent BB clearance. Keeps up with and performs with the best of all the expensive new bikes and designs and the new 29rs on all the technical singletrack you can throw at it. Quick, responsive, climbs very well, never notice the weight, great lateral stiffness. Upgrades have only enhanced all of the best ride characteristics Quicker, more responsive. Keep it clean, tuned, sit-n-spin, flow-n-go... if you find a decent one, well kept or collecting dust BUY IT if you ride cross country only- not for dirt jumps, mountain parks/north shore, big hit or trials riding style! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bruce Halliburton
a Weekend Warrior
from Alexandria, Va.
Date Reviewed: September 2, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$999.00 | | Purchased At: | College Park Bikes | | Strengths: | LOOKS, Climbing | | Weaknesses: | downhill is kinda scary. | | Similar Products Used: | GT, Trek, Univega, Proflex | | Bike Setup: | XT everything, Mavic, Raceface | | Bottom Line: | Bought new in 98, handles great...downhill is a different story. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joel Devich
a Cross Country Rider
from Wilmington, DE, USA
Date Reviewed: October 10, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Too many to count | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Line Wilmington DE | | Strengths: | Very responsive rear shock, Love the Fox Vanlla, Nice looking bike gets a lot of attention, good fit for tall riders, light weight, strong frame | | Weaknesses: | The stock Manitou Pro C forks suck, little to no travel, some ghost shifting early, but was fixed at 1st tune-up, other than that NOTHING!!! | | Similar Products Used: | Trek Y frame, Cannondale Raven, and a few hardtails | | Bike Setup: | All stock except for an upgraded handle bars Bontrager Crowbar | | Bottom Line: | This is a great bike! I have had it since Aug of 1997. Yeah over 9 years!!! I have never had a problem with this bike. The comp is the low end model and does have some cheaper components, but nothing that is to hard to replace. The stock Manitou Pro C forks SUCK and should be upgraded. Im planning to upgrade them soon. Also since this is a pre-disk brake frame im still running the V-brakes. I have found a kit that will convert any bike to a disk set-up http://www.therapycomponents.com/conversion.htm
Some people have had problems with the bike cracking a breaking at the rear end. I ride this bike hard im 6'1" and 180lbs, I jump off big jumps, off 4'-6' drop offs, do downhill riding (nothing to serious), bunny hop, wheelie, endo, and still have not had a crack or break in 9 years. Anyone who broke this bike must have done something wrong. Im planning to upgrade this bike extensively opposed to buying the newest wallet drain out there, this bike has been there and been great for 9 years and after the upgrades im sure that I will be riding it in another 9 years. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jay Davis
a Cross Country Rider
from The Windy City
Date Reviewed: October 31, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Kettle Moraine - Southern Unit | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1200.00 | | Purchased At: | Local Shop | | Strengths: | It's a Klein! It rocks on uphill climbs. Its plush and you never really know how bumpy the terrain is unlike my fellow hard tailers! | | Weaknesses: | Ghost shifting was a problem until I figured out how to cut a cable. The local shops just didn't get it! | | Similar Products Used: | Fisher Sugar, GT, Trek | | Bike Setup: | Race Face-Carbon Cranks & BB. Cloud 9 Rear Shock, Up Front A Rock Shox - Psylo Race (A must),Chris King Head Set, XT,AVID Brakes, Rolf Uraccooooos!! | | Bottom Line: | I bought this bike brand new in 97 for $1,200. I never thought it would last 6 years but it is a KLEIN! It has been upgraded to the gills and only keeps getting better. It glides over stumps, rocks and fallen hard tailers like "Budder". Being a 210lbs rider this bike gives the confidence other bikes could never match. I abuse this Berryblast wonder on a regular basis and it never lets me down. If your thinking about buying a used one consider a new fork and rear shock! They make all the dirrence over the stock products! You'll have the craziest slepper in the crowd | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Aaron
a Weekend Warrior
from Stillwater Oklahoma
Date Reviewed: October 19, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | SE Race Trail; Lake McMurtry | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$700.00 | | Purchased At: | Ebay | | Strengths: | Bike is awesome, what can I say. The full suspension is the best I have ridden. Bike is a beauty to look at and seems to draw attention from everyone I come across. | | Weaknesses: | The so-called Ghostshift | | Similar Products Used: | Trek Y-11; Giant Cadex (Carbon Fiber Hardtail) | | Bike Setup: | Bontrager Race Rims and Hubs; Manitou SX front shock; Fox Vanilla Float Rear Shock; XTR components. | | Bottom Line: | This bike looks fast sitting still and even faster when flying down the trail. My old carbon fiber couldn't keep up with this thing. The Mantra climbs better than my old hardtail. Upgrading all the components and shocks help greatly from what i understand. I ride singletrack with the Oklahoma State Mountain Biking Team and the bike does great on the trails. The bobbing that I hear people talk about from the f/s can be easily taken care of by adjusting the rear shock. I have also heard people talk about going over the bars from time to time. Well I am 6'4' and the large bike fits me just fine, considering i did put a high rise seat post and a high rise handle bar stem. The bike is great flying down trails and is good for climbing. My dad tried it out one day and liked it so much he is now trying to find one for himself. Now that I have experience the joy of f/s I don't think I would ever go back to a hardtail. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
wei
a
from ny ny
Date Reviewed: January 24, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | stillwell,blue mountain | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | simplicity, quickness, maintence free, graceful look, fun color | | Weaknesses: | stock components (almost everyting needs to go), no disc mount for the rear trangle (would be nice, however nobody did for that year anyway) | | Similar Products Used: | rocky mountain fanatik, RM soul and some other hardtails | | Bike Setup: | small size frame, xtr 8 spd except xt front der, raceface crank, straight bars on 80 mm 0 degree stem, panaracer fire xc pros, cane creek cloud 9 (an upgrade from ad-10, didn't notice much improvement), manitou black elite 80-100, barends, platform spd pedals (the last 3 items adds 1.5 lbs more weight but they are helpful) the bike now is at 27lbs on my bathroom scale but it feels a lot less since it's nicely balanced) | | Bottom Line: | i am not a racer. however i do take riding seriously since it takes a long time to get to a trail from the city. i would say i am about average. during the rides if i didnt clear a section i would at least give it a little study and a second try. i enjoy doing thing well. and i am very happy with my klein.
the stock stx rc rear der snapped in half on me, the shifters got loose later, and then the front stx-rc der hanger went open up, the chain snapped a few times (you have to use sram pc-68, no problem ever since). thus upgrading drive train slowly went on and on in a few little episodes. which explains why i am running 8 speed. a lot of people including lbs techs assured me that 8 spd stuffs are the ones that will last to the end. in fact, i would advise people to swap out the gears in one shot if they are going to ride trails often. my rear xtr der looks pretty bad from hugging too many rocks but it's still tight and very fast and precise.
here are some suggestion to problems other have mentioned, i think most can be fixed:
GHOST SHIFTING: for the first time i noticed the "ghost shifting" problem after a tune up last year. after checking the cable carefully i found out the mid section of housing for r der was too long. after taking out the extra 1/2 inch the problem went away and never came back
BOBBING: one needs time to fine tune the rear shock, once done the bobbing problem would be minimized. i got a cloud 9 for a good deal but i never really used or felt the need to use the semi lock out button. when pedaling off the seat, the little swing gives a little boost hopping the rocks and roots in my little experience.
about DH: someone has mentioned about a riser bar, which i would agree. another option is to get a longer front shock, it works well with me. the stock shock (XC pro in my case) really has to go, i switched to mars carbon and noticed big difference right away. and then Black elite works even better (that shock is not very adjustable and heavy, but it's )
it took some time to gain experience and a perfect setup with this bike, now it climbs quite easily. the saddle squeezing technique others mentioned works great on steep downhills (i actually learned to steer the bike a little with my seat). after upgrading the front shock it jumps even easier. the single beam design provides great clearance and also balance. i was turned on to this bike by hypes and i found out they are true.
i have chance to test a few other fs bikes in the past (fuel, jeryll, epic) and nothing make me feel the desire to switch. i am happy to have something that suits me for the years coming.
happy trails! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
kilian weeterings
a Cross Country Rider
from tilburg
Date Reviewed: October 21, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | drunense ^dunes^ | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | overall handling, still turns heads everywhere you ride. amazing, come to think of it.. | | Weaknesses: | rear frame | | Similar Products Used: | mantra carbon | | Bottom Line: | well, in an earlier I had some serious troubles with frame warranty, because of a cracked frame. finally it turned out just fine. I´m still riding the bike, since ´98, and Nothing even comes Close!! after all these years. I´ve ridden the carbon version (year 2000) but it is not as good. that bike is too agile, with en even higher bottom bracket. When the going gets tough, for example high up in the Alps, I like my ´98er best. (and carbon isn´t really gary´s style, I think, so leave that to the trekkies)
to make up for last time: 5 chillies :-) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
kilian weeterings
a Cross Country Rider
from tilburg
Date Reviewed: October 21, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | drunense ^dunes^ | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | overall handling, still turns heads everywhere you ride. amazing, come to think of it.. | | Weaknesses: | rear frame | | Similar Products Used: | mantra carbon | | Bottom Line: | well, in an earlier I had some serious troubles with frame warranty, because of a cracked frame. finally it turned out just fine. I´m still riding the bike, since ´98, and Nothing even comes Close!! after all these years. I´ve ridden the carbon version (year 2000) but it is not as good. that bike is too agile, with en even higher bottom bracket. When the going gets tough, for example high up in the Alps, I like my ´98er best. (and carbon isn´t really gary´s style, I think, so leave that to the trekkies)
to make up for last time: 5 chillies :-) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from Detroit
Date Reviewed: October 10, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Island Lake!!!! | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | My brother-in-law | | Strengths: | Everything | | Weaknesses: | Nothin' | | Similar Products Used: | Nothin' | | Bike Setup: | Sid Race Carbon, full XTR, CossMax UST, Fox Float RL Monkeylite, 858's, 2.1 Mutano Raptors, EA50 post | | Bottom Line: | This bike is awsesome. I bought it from my brother-in-law and totally rebuilt it for $1200. When it didn't have all the good stuff it was still awesome. Tracks perfectly, flies up and down hills, and its pretty light(I'm not a weight weenie!!). My friend always whines because the wheelbase grows a little when the shock is compressed, but I guess he hasn't felt the love yet, cause it makes up for it in every other aspect. I love it, but it's gettin a little outdated by those new-fangled susension designs, but oh well, I wouldn't give up this beast for anything!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark Converse
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenix, AZ US
Date Reviewed: April 25, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | any trail in Bend, OR | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1300.00 | | Purchased At: | Cycle sport, Medford, OR | | Strengths: | beautiful paint on a bullit proof frame, low maintenance, single tracks awesome, and climbs great | | Weaknesses: | That big beam is open to crash abuse, so it's tough to keep the paint sratch and ding free, rear triangle collects alot of grime so you have to clean a little more often, the cable routing puts the cables in line to collect alot of front tire debris, brake jack when going down hill | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | Stock drivetrain,bontrager riser bar,kore stem,chris king headset,and selle italia trans am seat,marzocchi mxc100ecc | | Bottom Line: | I agree with all positive things said about the bike. I haven't had any problems with frame durability and I weigh 250lbs. I just moved to AZ from OR so i've made a few changes to suit the desert. I dont know if anyone else had the problem of the cockpit being really stretched out. That was fine for Oregon singletrack but I put on a riser bar and shorter stem plus added a four inch travel fork and have been amazed at the difference in the caracter of the bike. I can rip over some narly stuff with the confidence of a semi-freeride bike.Leaves hardtails eating tire poop | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jonathan Udell
a Weekend Warrior
from Riverton, NJ USA
Date Reviewed: December 27, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | right up the back of the person in front of me | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$670.00 | | Purchased At: | used, private sale | | Strengths: | Nimble, grip, looks. | | Weaknesses: | OTBs, width of pivot joint between knees | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | Stone stock except for Klein Death Grip tires. | | Bottom Line: | I'm new to offroad biking, bought the bike used from an MTBR.com seller who got a Mantra Race. The bike is a stunning confidence builder. Very nimble, very plush. Just crank hard and it gets you out of all sorts of trouble. Pretty light for an FSB so it doesn't hurt as much when it lands on top of you. No bike at any price turns more heads. (Ride the boardwalk with a Mantra Comp pulling your kid on a tag-along for real stares.) It is all attitude, but backs it up with a great ride. I will own mine forever. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan Mccrary
a Weekend Warrior
from Valdosta
Date Reviewed: July 13, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Oconee Heritage Park-Right out of Athens, GA | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1499.00 | | Purchased At: | Gator Cycles- Gainesville Florida | | Strengths: | frame geometry, low maintenance, color | | Weaknesses: | front shocks need to be changed, make sure you get the newer model rear triangle bike b/c the old ones crack from what I've heard | | Similar Products Used: | Caloi Pro XC, Trek y-33 | | Bike Setup: | Mars C front suspension, spinergy rev-x roks, raceface turbine lp, syncros cattlehead stem, FSA headset, new bontrager race seat, Avid mag levers, XTR v-brakes, XT front and rear derailleur | | Bottom Line: | This is an awesome bike. After you ride for a while the front shock needs to be upgraded, but besides that I have had no complaints. I can thrash in the trails or air over the dirtjumps with no problem. Afte a few upgrades this is the best bike I've ever owned. If you don't have one now, go out and find one. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John Rivers
a Cross Country Rider
from tulsa ok
Date Reviewed: July 2, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | any and all | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$1100.00 | | Strengths: | Gogeous,light , fast......easy to maintain. | | Weaknesses: | Replace Judy upfront ,needs riser or it's over the bars for you puppy!!! | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized FSR, TREK y-33 ,Klein mantr Race | | Bike Setup: | ALL xt and XTR...Cane creek ad-10, Ahead set with riser bar.. | | Bottom Line: | I had to right a review only because I see some negative press down below from some esoteric bike weenies. Let us face it...who is racing Full sus? down hillers? It is not a down hill bike so if you don't ask it to be something it isn't then in my opinion it is the best cross country bike of the time. There have been some amzing additions to this market niche since this unit came out.....still I would put my KLEIN up against any bike in it's price range even today!!!!! I race and have a nice collection of soft and hard tail bikes.....but when I am going for the weekend hop with the fellas I always grab my comp,not my race,or my Y-33.....but the comp takes what ever i can give it and never givs me any lip. If you buy one you will have to set it up so that you not doing endos every ten minutes,,,,but I put a n Easton Monkey riser on there with a C.KING ahead set and never looked back. Bottom line, if your really trying to do the down hill thing stay away it is not a DH racer. It will handle technical decents as well as any but it would not be my first choice for a race. Other than that it wares all hats and is well suited to be your daily ride.....Zero hassle...low maintainance.....hot looking .....BUY IT!!!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ken
a Cross Country Rider
from SLC, Utah
Date Reviewed: June 13, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | singletrack | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | The frame, the ride, the color. The way it climbs! | | Weaknesses: | Came with an OK, but not great, set of components | | Bike Setup: | Stock, at the moment... | | Bottom Line: | I just have to throw in my 2 cents worth..
Got my Lemon Yellow Mantra Comp in '97 as a reward to myself for finally nailing my BS degree. Took some getting used to after more than 10 years on a Specialized solid frame. I don't race and don't go for the extreme stuff, but I do put in some good hard rides, and the Mantra is amazing. I loved it from day one, and still do. I'm still running the original components, but I'm in the process of doing a full upgrade. When I bought it, it pretty much cleaned out the ol' savings, but the LBS expert pointed out that the frame would always be upgradable. So true. It's too bad Klein quit producing these, but at least I got mine - and I'm hangin' on to it!
Other items of interest: I'm not sure how many hundreds of miles I've put on it, but I have had absolutely no major problems at all. I've had a couple of spectacular wipe-outs, but not because of the bike. It's taken a pretty good beating, too, and always came out of it better than me. Minor problems experienced include: a slight wobble in the rear tire, which a spoke wrench cleared right up. A tight link in the chain on an early ride which introduced the trail to my face rather unexpectedly. Had some minor creaks and squaks in the handlebar area at first, too, but some re-torqueing of all the bolts took care of that. The brakes do tend to squeal when wet, but i'm upgrading that. Other minor tuning has allowed me to keep on riding for the past four years. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Uncle Kevin
a Cross Country Rider
from Sayreville, New Jersey
Date Reviewed: July 4, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Solid bike, low maintainence for a dual suspension, simple design | | Weaknesses: | older rear triangle has a tendancy to crack after a couple of years,(mine did) new rear triangle design is more durable but you can only use a Shimano BB with it | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized FSR | | Bike Setup: | 25lb. bike setup-size large, Thomson seatpost, XT brakes and levers,Bontrager bar, Icon bar ends,Fizzik seat,Kore stem, Chris King headset,Middleburn RS-3 cranks, Ritchey pedals, Gripshift 800 X-rays, Rockshox Judy with Englund air cartridges,XT hubs, Mavic 517 ceramic, and the best weight savers- Hope titanium BB, Cane Creek AD10 rear shock | | Bottom Line: | I'm 6'2" and weigh 190lbs. I ride cross country and race. I do ride hard.After 3 years of riding this bike I still love it. My buddy bought one at the same time as me and he doesn't. He has switched to a hardtail. It's really a matter of taste, you'll either love or hate this bike. I find that I don't have to concentrate on picking a good line because you point this bike and it goes. It floats over rocks and roots. Yeah, it climbs real good but not as good as a hardtail. Once you get to the top of the hill though, it definitely descends better than a hardtail. As you can see by my component choice above you can get this bike down to a respectable cross country weight. All in all, I'm very happy with this bike and don't plan on ditching it any time soon. I'm having fun riding and racing it and that's why I got into this sport in the first place. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
timmy
a Cross Country Rider
from maywood
Date Reviewed: June 19, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | tsali | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Turns heads, SEXY look, great single pivot design, fast, and light. the purple/blue color changing paint is pretty cool looking. | | Weaknesses: | NONE | | Bike Setup: | LX hubs and mustang rims wheels. englund air catridges and fox air/oil shock and stock parts. | | Bottom Line: | a great bike for a cross-country rider. Bontragor revolt tires are the best.the bike is very light, nimble, and fast.very plush suspension. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kilian weeterings
a Cross Country Rider
from Tilburg / Netherlands
Date Reviewed: April 7, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Loonse & drunense duinen | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Looks, Simplicity in design, it rides like nothing else. Almost forgot the Chameleon Blastberry paint. Can´t get used to that. | | Weaknesses: | Cable routing, as you can read in other revieuws, frame cracks, and Service or Warranty Claims (In Europe anyway) | | Similar Products Used: | Cannondale | | Bike Setup: | Stock, exept wheels: Mavic Crosslands and front fork: Sid ´98 (you can not call the judy T2 a suspensionfork, it´s a pogo-stick. | | Bottom Line: | I read in other revieuws, that Gary himself responds sometimes; he likes to get feedback. Well, Gary, this bike ain´t gettin NO chillies if it was up to me. I noticed some serious cracks under the pivot, so I returned the frame for warranty. I have been waiting for 7 weeks now and the end of this whole incident isn´t even in sight. Furthermore I hope the Klein factory will send the new URT design, since the older design (´98) clearly isn´t up the the task it is suppused to do. Perhaps I´ll do another revieuw later, ´cause the bike (without the cracks) is really worth it.
So, if ^service^ turns out to be fine, it might get another five chillies, gettin an average of three, but for now: | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan Smith
a Cross Country Rider
from Lakewood, Ohio
Date Reviewed: February 27, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Vulture's Knob, Wooster Ohio | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Killer Looks, this bike turns heads!
Climbs like nuttin' else
this bike WILL decend quite nicely, if you have it set up properly.
smoooooth
| | Weaknesses: | occational clicky noises | | Similar Products Used: | cannondale y bikes, schwinn homegrown sweetspot, giant
warp ds, etc.
also own Schwinn Mesa, Giant Iguana.
| | Bike Setup: | i have found the PERFECT set up for this bike. a lot of
reviews have complained about the bike's lack of down hilling
ability, so here is a setup that will fix all that
Fork : rock shox judy
Pedals:Time Atac
drivetrain:shimano LX
bar:titec hellbent (VERY IMPORTANT...see below)
all the rest is stock | | Bottom Line: | The bottom line is... i find this bike to be one of the best all-around bikes i have ever ridden! put a riser or DH bar on the front of this bike, clamp the seat between your thighs, and this thing will decend effortlessly. the climbing ability of this bike is unmatched by some
hardtails, this thing is a blast on single track, and
if you are into the urban assult (also known as s&m) this
bike performs suprisingly well for a xc bike. it SCREAMS
down stairs, and holds up under some pretty extreme drop offs | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dominic Libby
a Cross-Country Rider
from Milton,NH
Date Reviewed: December 26, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Belnap Mt. | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Looks,seatpost,tires,rims,good climber(because of the short wheelbase and headtube angle) | | Weaknesses: |
Ghost shifting, Steep head tube angle, Short wheelbase,brakes,Saddle,Hubs,Stock stem way to long 150mm, | | Similar Products Used: |
Iron Horse G-Spot | | Bike Setup: |
Manitou SXR,King headset,ControlTech stem,XT brakes,WTB ti saddle,salsa flip offs,Easton Monkey lite riser bar.The rest was stock parts. | | Bottom Line: | Goes up rough stuff very well.But coming down is a little sketchy.I didn't like the see-saw action when seated pedaling. Single pivot design stinks.I switched to 4bar linkage,big improvement.After many upgrades I got it down from it 29lbs(lrg frame)to 27.5lbs.Still not the lightest bike.Great looks,but poor function.Sold mine after a year(thank god!).Endo's come easy on this bike if your not careful.Technical decends w/ dropoffs are scary!I could decend faster on my hardtails.Stand up climbing is next to impossible the rear loses bites and spins.The good thing, it can climb rough stuff.But after going up you have to come down.I could live w/ the ghost shifting.It usually would happen during seated hammering.This bike might work for you but not me.It was very hard to spin smoothly during pedaling.Needless to say I didn't like this bike. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
SFB
a Cross-Country Rider
from Jax Beach, Florida
Date Reviewed: November 22, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
bad ass looks, plush ride, yet quick handling, accelerates and climbs well. | | Weaknesses: |
grab too much front brake, and you'll do a beaut of a face plant. rider fit is absolutely essential. the cable routing could use a re-design. it seems to drag, but not terribly. | | Similar Products Used: |
Cannondale Super V 700 | | Bike Setup: |
- stock mantra comp frame
- Judy T2 front shock (stock)
- Fox Vanilla rear shock (stock)
- Cook Bro's cranks
- Shimano XTR/XT drivetrain
- XT V brakes front and rear
- Shimano 747 pedals
- Panaracer Kevlar Dart Classic front tire on a Mavic 230 rim, Dia Compe Tsali front hub
- Panaracer Kevlar Smoke Classic rear tire on a Mavic 230 rim with White Industries rear hub
- By christmas, a new cane creek ad10 rear shock. | | Bottom Line: | This is my fifth Klein and my 9th mountain bike since 1987. Everything I've owned and raced up to this point had been a full rigid ride. My last Klein was a full rigid Attitude, and so with this Mantra Comp I went from full rigid to full suspension. What a totally different concept, riding full suspension.
The Mantra Comp absolutely kicks ass. The handling is still vintage Klein, quick and precise. Altho I'm still learning the different handling characteristics of full suspension, I like it better because it allows me to go faster over a longer distance as compared to a 20 lb full rigid bike. The rigid just beats you to hell. What fun is that??
The trails I ride are quick and technical singletrack, lots of roots, big and small stutter bumps, palmetto stumps, tight tolerances around trees, sprint climbs, and a lot of slicing and dicing. You get the idea. On the Mantra Comp I can hammer/spin in a taller gear and float over the stutter bumps. I love feeling the suspension work over off-camber turns that have roots and bumps that can throw you. Those suckers are a piece of cake now, and if I need to make an adjustment in the middle of a turn, it's a matter sliding back in the cockpit, letting the rear hook up, and spinning thru. Sweet...instant carve on the turn. Very stable and quick.
The short sprint hills are fun as well. Just gear down, spin like a mad thing, feel the rear wheel grab the ground and stay planted as you fly to the top. Upshift as you crest the hill, don't even touch the brakes, and hammer on the down side. Pick a line and it goes where it's pointed, and it STILL gets you down in relative comfort.
When I first took it out, I went OTB a couple of times just getting used to it. And since then I've learned to use the front brake more judiciously as well as sliding my ass back in the saddle. It's about balance. I havent felt the back end/seat jack up from too much front brake since then. One other thing. It is very important that the bike fit the rider to a T. This is critical to the handling and suspension characteristic. One thing I did was switch out the stem to a shorter Bontrager unit (get this, 75 MM!!). The bike fits me perfectly, and I'm certain that this is what contributes to its impeccable handling.
And hey..it's Klein. It's not an overly complicated design, and so it's got that aggressive, yet elegant look. The finish is amazing. A few years from now, this bike will still look brand new. Ah but who cares how 'new' it looks? I plan on thrashing on it, knowing it'll be back for more. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bernard Leo
a Cross-Country Rider
from Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
Date Reviewed: October 14, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Any mountain ridges | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
Best combination of beauty and brains! No perceptible loss of effort when climbing. This bike is built to last! | | Weaknesses: |
Only one: Ghost Shifting!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | | Similar Products Used: |
Trek Y11, Cannondale V900, | | Bike Setup: |
'99 XTR shifters.
'99 XTR fd/rd.
'99XT cranks/rings.
Answer Alumlite risers.
Kore stem.
RS Indy SL forks.
Ringle Slamma Jamma head set.
Kore Ti skewers.
Spinergy RevXRoks wheels.
Conti semi-slicks.
Thomson Elite seat post.
WTB SST saddle.
Azonic clipless.
Fox Vanilla shock.
XT 9-speed cassette.
1 Ferrari sticker. | | Bottom Line: | In my humble personal opinion no bike looks better than the Yellow Mantra! Where I live and ride you can find almost all latest full-suss models but the 5 Mantra owners in town get the most attention! My group agrees that the Mantra is the best full-suss climber!
About a year into blissful ownership I discovered my bike was haunted! There is a ghost in the machine and it wants to shift itself everytime I hit a bump. I tried various forms of exorcisms and the best solution seems to be and extra 2 of cable at the rear and a spot on adjustment of the front barrel. This bike deserves 5 chillies but I can only give it 4. Don't blame me, blame the ghost! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
blair
a Cross-Country Rider
from syracuse, ny
Date Reviewed: September 10, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
highland forest | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Strengths: |
great for climbing ok for down hill not much travel thought but not sopposed to be down hill bike great geomontary | | Weaknesses: |
stock front schock not very good front derailer problems | | Bottom Line: | great bike for looks thought upgraded brakes to xt plus shifters wheel set to spinergy spox plus saddle selle italia flite crakes race face head set crane creek stem kore | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a Weekend Warrior
from Farmington, CT
Date Reviewed: August 14, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Tylers' Mill, Wallingford, CT | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
engineering, the look | | Weaknesses: |
stock handlebar too low | | Similar Products Used: |
none | | Bike Setup: |
Thomson Elite Seatpost - koobi saddle - | | Bottom Line: | I reviewed this bike in September of last year and I still love this bike. I'm not a racer or generation X'r with all of the fancy gear..I'm a 225 lb weekend warrior. I ride hard with my friends, sometimes we ride with local shops - this bike has been tested thoroughly. I did replace the stem....instead of getting a downhill bar, I replaced the stock Bontrager stem with one with a higher rise. This has made a world of difference. I mean, I haven't gone over the handlebars since..and that was happening a lot before. I have really gotten used to the semi-slick Bontrager tires. Gary Klein makes such beautiful bikes - I'd be a liar if I didn't admit I love getting compliments on this bike - and I get a LOT of them. The 98 Mantra Comp has an unusual paint scheme (blastberry) that is really eye-catching. So, not only am I very happy with the performance of the bike - I can honestly say when I look at it, I think Man, I really have a beautiful bike...and that is also something that is important to me. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark Stilman
a Cross-Country Rider
from Indianapolis, IN
Date Reviewed: August 14, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
Got it for a lot less than the '99 | | Weaknesses: |
Soft fork springs
LX front derailleur | | Similar Products Used: |
Trek, Klein Pulse Race, Klein Attitude Comp, Specialized, Cannondog | | Bottom Line: | I've used hardtails since I bought my first Rockhopper back when indexed was new. I had a 96 Pulse Race that is just a blast to ride. I do remember trying to avoid roots and shit like that when blasting along the trails. I don't have to do that now! This bike allows me to pick the line I want and go. I took it out on the 3rd day I had it(I did buy a NOS year old model to save about $900) and rode it up some stuff that the ole hardtale would have bucked me to a stop on. I was amazed at how well the bike handled while the FS ate up the bumps. The frame feels great. It climbs really well. I did some DH stuff including transitions to road surface with absolutly no hint of OTB problems. You just gotta apply the physics and work the machine so ya don't bite it! Twisty DH ST over roots and rock is no prob either....the HT would have made me slo way down as not to get my ass bounced into the trees/ravine or whatever.The only 2 things I'd change so far would be the spring setup in the shox....they are way too soft(stock setup with medium springs) for my 195 lb FA & the LX front derailleur is not strong enough to drop the chain when you want to shift later in a climb.Overall....I have to force myself back on my road(Quantum Race...liked it so much had to buy a Klein MTB) bike because I love piloting this machine. I will just have to see how the frame and components hold up. I put about 1500 miles on the Pulse Race this winter/spring with no major problems other than f*****g thorn flats! By the way....the police have a name for a male prostitute...Gump. Just look down when ya stand up and pedal....the URT works just fine.For the price....5 flaming bungholes because of the Gump. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gump
a Cross-Country Rider
from Boulder,CO
Date Reviewed: August 4, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
rough stuff | | Duration Product Used: |
tested or demo'ed only | | Strengths: |
imitates a hardtail for climbing | | Weaknesses: |
the concept doesn't make sense. | | Similar Products Used: |
Trek Y(carbon) | | Bike Setup: |
stock rental | | Bottom Line: | This is unbelievable. I was excited when I rented this bike because of all the rave reviews, but came to realize that someone was missing something here. This bike is made to absorb shock (rear) by weight from the saddle. Standing or any pedalling that will propel you forward relieves the saddle of weight, thereby defeating the shock. WHY NOT BUY A HARDTAIL WITH A SUSPENSION SEATPOST for cryin out loud?!? I challenge anyone to read these reviews and say that they don't sound like such. And that's how the bike works. This bike is for folks who should have a hardtail (because they'd rather spend the day climbing) but are somehow convinced they need a dually, IMHO. The bike was squirrely in the corners, skittish on the fast roughs, and could not handle big bumps that required standing or pedal pressure. Just like a hardtail. I was longing for my Y after just once through the trails with this tom-foolery. A dual supension bike needs to have rear suspension not only when all your weight is on the saddle/soft tissue! Trek's Y (URT also), with its lower pivot, maintains rear suspension even when standing which makes it effective. And there are other duallies that work. If you don't need this, you don't need a dually. My rating is really 0 (zero) because the whole idea doesn't make sense, and the bike is just a fancy/expensive way to get a hardtail with a supsension seatpost. The popularity phenomenon is just due to the many hardtail owners/lovers needing to experience the dually wave. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stan Peterson
a Weekend Warrior
from Tucson Az
Date Reviewed: July 15, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Willow Spring Canyon | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
Climbing and plush ride | | Weaknesses: |
Frame ,fork,derailler hanger | | Bottom Line: | So far I have broken off the derailler hanger and also the URT broke just below the pivot . This happened as I was biking down into the Copper Canyon in Mexico. The rode is a narrow rough jeep trail on steep hillsides. Lucky for me it broke as I was topping a short climb, | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Weekend Warrior
from Three Rivers Ca
Date Reviewed: July 14, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Lost in the wild | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Very powerfull at up hill, top handler.
Good on all trails. | | Weaknesses: |
Down Hill you need to change the bars. Get a good down hill bar, like the hell bent. this makes the bigest diff. on your control for down hill. | | Bottom Line: | I'm still very happy with the bike, If you do a bit of upgrading you will have a great bike! change those bars if you do allot of down hill!!! Your face will thank you !!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott Legal
a Cross-Country Rider
from Thousand Oaks, CA
Date Reviewed: July 1, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Bottom Line: | Hold the phone... I last reviewed this bike April 7, 1998. I notice that the last entry made on the bike was March 1, 1999, so I don't know how many people will read this. Back then, I gave the bike 4 chilis after reading about cracks in some of the frames reviewed. Since then, I've given the frame a good inspection before each ride. Yesterday, I was riding up a moderate hill when BANG, My URT snapped into two pieces. Thank God I wasn't going downhill at the time Or I might have killed myself. At least all of the OTB reviewers probably had a moment or two to prepare for the fall. A snapped URT gives no warning.So I've taken the bike to Supergo to get a replacement frame (The front derailleur cable pulled out of the cable holder under the top tube from the force of the snap, so the top tube is damaged too). The damage also extended to my brand new Goretex derailleur cable, my front derailleur and my chain. I don't expect any trouble getting a replacement from Klein, since the bike frame is warranted for 5 years. My big concern now is product integrity. Is this going to happen again two years from now, or is my bike the one marked card in the deck? At least it was comforting to here the shop manager at Supergo tell me that he had never seen such a thing happen on any bike. Lucky me.The ride was good, climbing was great, downhill was fun, but serious product failure is worth one chili, if that. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kyle
a cross-country rider
from Manassas, VA
Date Reviewed: March 1, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
Well I'm back to re-review my Mantra Comp. Yep, I still love it. I have not had any problems with it yet. I have done a few changes to it though. I put a Judy XC for and bought some XTR brakes. Now it seems to be even more perfect than it was stock. I plan to keep my bike around for as long as it stays together. Alittle tid bit for you other '98 Mantra owners. If you get some play in the pivot point don't sweat it. As long as the bolts are intact you will be fine. Remember the frame is going to stretch some, especially when you hammer on it like I do. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave Schwartz
a cross-country rider
from Cincinnati
Date Reviewed: February 8, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I have a Ti hardtail that comes in at 22 pounds- yet my 26.5 pound Mantra Comp outclimbs it! It is a different riding style, but takes much less energy and leave you less beat up. It's about the simplest full suspension design out there, and has proved durable so far.
Only nits- ghost shifting due to a too-short housing between the top tube and swing arm. 1 1/2 longer housing and its fixed. 5 chiles. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stewart
a weekend warrior
from Los Angeles
Date Reviewed: December 2, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Hello from LALA land! I got my 1997 Mantra Comp a little over a year ago at Supergo for about $850. I ride it approximately every other week in the Santa Monica / Malibu Mountains which are mostly fire roads mixed with some ridge-hugging singletrack. I agree with the reviews that say that its strength is climbing and technical riding, and comparitively so-so for downhill. For the price its been a very good value and I love its looks. Happy trails! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Todd
a cross-country rider
from San Diego
Date Reviewed: November 3, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I got my Mantra Comp from Supergo as a '97 closeout for $947. At that price I felt good about the component pick. I immediately changed out the shifters for Sachs extreme twist shifters. After my own OTB experience that gave me a separated shoulder, complete with permanent high-rise collar bone, I added a riser bar and stiffened up the fork a little and it rides like a dream. No more OTB. All the other statements are true. It climbs like a goat on technical stuff. Nothing touches it in tight, twisty, rocky singletrack. It is not a great descender but better than a hard tail. Many of my friends have low pivot URT bikes that lose traction on the technical climbs or 4-bar linkage bikes that squeak constantly from one pivot or another. I'm sold. If you have the means, I highly recommend it. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Peter Vincent
a cross-country rider
from bk'lyn NY
Date Reviewed: November 1, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I plan to but the Mantra for a couple of reasons. First its not the bike its the motor. If I were worried about grams I'd get some delux grahams. MMMM delux Grahams. I think most of you guys out there should spend some time getting used to the bike and stop complaining because you can't open your mind and accept the fact that you just might suck. I like the way the Mantra hadles because of the shorter top tube than most suspension bikes. Which by the way most suspension bikes are designed for downihilling posers who can't make it up the hill anyway.
Not that I'm against downhillers but ya gotta get to the top of the hill somehow. Back to the shorter top tube I feel that this willl give the bike a lot more responsiveness. I currently ride an old Bridgestone Zip and thats a bike that was designed for crosscountry riding. It climbs well and wherever I turn my head or shoulders the bike followes. The Mantra is the only squishy bike I have ridden that I feel will give me the same degree of control and at the same timme maximum squish. As for the rest of you squishy guys ride your bike and stop talking about it. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Zack
a cross-country rider
from Austin Tx
Date Reviewed: October 25, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I love my bike. The rear suspension design soaks up big hits and square edges extremely well. It also handles smaller bumps well. I wish the shock had some rebound damping becasue it does wallow over some slow speed rocks and waterbars. When climbing this is annoying but tolerable, since the bike climbs like a scared cat, straight up. It has made a better climber out of me, and trust me I suck.
When turning things around and pointing it down, as long as you stay seated and lay off the front brake everything rails. When you stand up, ride it like a hardtail. Go easy on the front brake as, like all URL, the rear will jack up a little. If like riding steep and technical stuff, like I do, drop the seat. If you don't be prepared to otb alot.
Big air capabilities are fair, landings can be a little hairy if you get your weight forward. Landings are always a pleasure on a bike that can take the hit. Just keep your weight balanced. It is a demanding bike to bunny hop, and attempt light trials with, with some body language and muscle it can be coaxed into the air.
Since I replaced my stock fork with a Shaun Palmer Stroker FS TI, the front and rear are nicely balanced in travel. Also if possible upgrade the brakes to XT asap, as the difference between LX and XT can be measured in yards of stopping distance.
This bike is a dream to ride, and it carves turns like nothing anybody can ever produce, it handles the rocks and ruts and limestone ledges of Central Texas really well. It rips over stuff that slows other monkey motion spodes down, and it is absolutely gorgeous to look at. Too bad there aren't more people in Austin with 'em. Nahhh I like being one of the few......
5 chilies. I love my bike and all its quirks. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael J. Ritter
a cross-country rider
from Mountain View, CA
Date Reviewed: October 19, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have a Stumpjumper and bought the '97 Klein Mantra Comp used for my second bike and to see if all the craze about full-suspension bikes was warranted. I found that it did not climb as well as the Stumpjumper because the front end kept rising when I climbed. Yes, body contorsions help but it wasn't necessary on my Stumpjumper. I took off the Judy C and added a $10 rigid fork. The bike climbs a lot better. The only problem is that the bike is kind of punishing on washboard downhills. That's ok with me since I really ride for the uphills. All told, I really like the Mantra. It climbs well and is a solid bike. If you are looking for a really good full-suspension bike, get the '98 model as they were designed for an 80mm travel front fork (as opposed to mine that was supposedly designed for a rigid fork). | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Geoff
a cross-country rider
from Saskatchewan
Date Reviewed: October 9, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Hey, I dunno why some people have complaints about this bike. I used to have a Schwinn Moab 1 w/Indy Xc front end, and a friend had a 97 Fisher XO. I've yet to ride a bike that I feel so confident in riding through ruts and bumps. The rear end is superb. I am a little on the heavier side, but the Fox Vanilla rear is a decent match. The only problem I ever had with it was a small amount of fade and the dampening was just a touch soft, otherwise no complaints. I bent my stock seatpost back on my Mantra, but my dealer gave me a Thompson for twenty bucks! The Manitou is by far a better fork than a similar priced Rock Shox, a way nicer feel without all the bobbing of the Indy I once had.
Overall this thing climbs, handles bumps wioth ease , and is a pleasure to ride.
For the money, I think it is a prety good deal. The only upgrades I ever did was change the ront crank (blew my entire Sugino crank up into about 8 pieces), changed the seatpost, and I would like to change the pedals to Times.
Hats off to Gary Klein! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a weekend warrior
from Connecticut
Date Reviewed: September 23, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Well, maybe it's too early to post here but, the riding season is drawing to an end for me here in New England so, I'll post my initial opinions and if they change..I'll re-post. First of all, I believe I would be deceitful if I didn't state that I have a definite affinity for Klein mountain bikes. I had a Fervor, which I loved, and rode the hell out of it for a couple of years and recently sold it to buy this beautiful bike! I got a great deal on a 98 shop demo ($1,000 out the door - I like to know what people are paying so, I'm posting it). The first ride I took was on a very technical trail that my buddies and I were unfamiliar with. At first, I noticed that on certain descents, the back end was coming up. I've read other posts here that mention that too. It was a little nerve-wracking on this particular trail because of all the stones in the area. Also, I found myslef spinning my wheels on roots...again, other posts mentioned this. I found that letting a little air out of the tires took care of that situation just fine. The front suspension is functional...I had a Judy XC on my old ride and noticed only minimal differences in the actual feel. As the ride progressed...I became more comfortable on it and to finish out this trek, we took a bumpy fire road...and that's where this baby shined! It was like riding on air. I like the feel of the bike, and I especially like the look of it. All of my riding buddies are jealous of this bike (except 2 who are GT fanatics...you'd think they raced for the team with all their stickers and shirts - can't change them). It's fairly light and the components are quite functional. I will replace the seatpost for cosmetic reasons and tires for terrain in the near future but, I think I will keep everything else stock. Also, I've written to Klein and have received (what appears to be) personal responses from Gary Klein himself. The L.B.S. said that he is known to get out there and talk to his customers and likes getting feedback. Of course it's getting five chili's... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve McKelvy
a cross-country rider
from Ely, Nevada
Date Reviewed: September 22, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have had my Mantra Comp for almost a year and the more I ride , the more I enjoy, appreciate, and look foward to the next excursion. I'm at 6500 feet and its uphill from home-endless BML land, fenceless, rugged, scenic, and challenging, both up and down-I'm a kid again and my companions are the eagles, hawks, horned owls, chipmunks. My Mantra makes magic, progressive, self-propulsion. The more I ride the more I know and trust - a Klein price to pay for health, happiness and peace of mind. Great uphill and down- the yin and yang of FS biking. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott
a cross-country rider
from CA
Date Reviewed: September 3, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Wrong riding style in earlier post: I was a Mantra apostle, then I bought a used Ventana as a second bike, I...uh...well,(sob), the used Ventana Marble Peak is a better bike. It is hard to admit to it after defending the Mantra for so long, but I cleaned all the over the top stuff, and then some, on the Ventana without blinking. I hung with the Hard Tails and dusted them on the tight twisties, No OTB, No fear, bummer.So, I have this Mantra in my garage, and I was wondering if... I ride cross country with a prefence for extreme trials like sections and a love for near vertical chutes... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin
a cross-country rider
from USA
Date Reviewed: September 3, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
OK !! Enough complaining already!! Let's get some facts straight. As the owner of a Mantra Comp for two seasons I can say it's an excellent bike. Not perfect, but no bike is!!
Let's address the problems:
1) Going OTB- Solution: A little more air pressure in the rear ( the less the rear shock is compressed from merely sitting on it the less rebound from inertia will be experienced when braking, or shift weight back when braking)
2) Derailleur hanger bending and no support from Klein- Solution: Don't beleive everything you read!! The guy who posted that review below makes and sells those add on hangers!! It's in his best interest to have you believe that!
A bent Klein frame was sent out of my LBS and came back totally repaired,repainted and had all the dents and scratches taken out!!
3) This is not a downhill bike- Solution: Before there were downhill specific bikes they used to use hardtails . Yes it is not a downhill specific bike but I recently was in a race where I was able to gain on all the hardtail riders going down the rocky descents. I also took it to Plattekill ski resort ( They call it Splatter Kill) The nastiest downhilling in the east and I did fine,one crash at 42 mph, no broken bones,no broken bike parts.In that respect it is better than a hardtail.
I ride hard, in all conditions and only have minor complaints ( needs Goretex cables, cable routing sucks) Overall a damn good bike. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jess Tormanen
a cross-country rider
from MN
Date Reviewed: September 2, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This bike rocks. I've had mine for a year now and I love it. I've only had one problem and that was the from derailer, or my cable housing, haven't figured it out yet. but other that that, it lets me kick butt on the trails, especially on the rough ones, real plush. very nice bike, and pretty unique too | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jez Stephenson
a cross-country rider
from Newcastle, England
Date Reviewed: September 1, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Update: Just taken the '98 Mantra Comp on a biking weekend in the English Lake District - serious all-day riding stuff. The bike behaved impeccably.
See previous post for stem issues but I am now on my third - a 130mm, 15 degree rise, and it is perfect. If you are a long-legged rider with the seatpost way up, I seriously recommend you try a few different stems in this ballpark. It will help keep your weight back when seated and makes it easier to drop off over the back wheel on the hairy stuff.
On this bike I positively look forward to technical climbs - it's an amazing feeling as the bike just hooks up and glides over just about everything. I have added Scott Night Stix bar-ends which are great for the odd bit of out-the-saddle climbing and a Lizard-Skin for the rear shock (essential in England!).
Great cross-country bike.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott
a downhiller
from Ca`
Date Reviewed: September 1, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I was a Mantra apostle, then I bought a used Ventana as a second bike, I...uh...well,(sob), the used Ventana Marble Peak is a better bike. It is hard to admit to it after defending the Mantra for so long, but I cleaned all the over the top stuff, and then some, on the Ventana without blinking. I hung with the Hard Tails and dusted them on the tight twisties, No OTB, No fear, bummer.So, I have this Mantra in my garage, and I was wondering if... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a cross-country rider
from Berlin,CT
Date Reviewed: August 29, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Many of the prior reviews have summed up this bike well: Great climber,excellent xc singletrack bike , adequet at best downhills. I consider this bike one of the best but would like to see some improved downhill characteristics in future years. I am not a downhiller (I much prefer to climb).However, I have thought about entering some local races, and worry that the geometry of this bike would limit how fast I could safely go down hills without becoming part of the track. The bike can go quick down hills, but doesn't like to be pushed to the extreme. PS> For u climbers, LP braids short barends are awsome! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kyle The Mantra Man
a cross-country rider
from Manassas, VA
Date Reviewed: August 25, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I can not believe all the crying about going O.T.B. on this bike. If you
Sally's would learn how to ride you would see that this bike is capable of
more than any rider(including Gary himself) can give it. The Mantra Comp
has to be the best bike I have ever ridden in any terrian. I can climb more
things now than I ever could on my hardtail. My Mantra is bone stock with
the exception of a pair of riser bars(only put them on becuase they look
cool)and I have not come across a problem with it yet. I am alittle
concerned about what the dude said about breaking the derailuer hanger.
But other than that this bike is perfect. So all you wussy O.T.B. clubers
out there need to go back to the basics on riding and love your bike. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tall Drink
a weekend warrior
from San Diego
Date Reviewed: August 19, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have a large '98 Mantra (the black one) and I love the thing. Like most tall
(6'4) Mantra riders, I wish that they made a XL but I guess we just have to wait for
the 99's. I was trying long stems, high rise stems, riser bars etc to try to
enlarge the cockpit length to make it feel more like my old Klein HT but nothing
seemed to make it feel comfortable, especially on steep downhills. I finally took
the advise oof some of the reviewers and installed a 110 mm, 17 degree rise stem,
and 2 1/2 riser bars. I have the seat all the way back in the Thompson post and
it does feel a little short but not as much as I would have thought. The good news
is that it has transformed the bike and made it a blast to ride down the steep,
rocky stuff. The short cockpit makes it much easier to slide off the back of the
saddle and the rearward bar position makes it much less likely that you will fly
over them. The next thing I am going to try is an offset seatpost. Unfortunately, all the
offset posts in 31.6 dia are too short (including the Raceface which is only
380 mm vs the 400 they advertise). So I am having a friend in the tube bending
business bend up a 1 1/2 S in some 1 1/4 6061 T4 aluminum tube which I will
age to T6 after bending. It should be fairly easy to adapt the Thompson clamp
mechanism to hold the seat. The lower diameter will have to be reduced from 1.250
to 1.244 (31.6 mm) with a little judicious emery cloth work. I'll let you know
how it works.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dale
a cross-country rider
from Iron Gate, VA
Date Reviewed: August 13, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
You CAN'T TAKE MY KLEIN MANTRA. You CAN'T BUY MY KLEIN MANTRA. (well, maybe for twice what I gave!)
In February I got a blastberry chameleon 98 Comp,(strange name but the most awesome purple/blue/gold mettalic paintjob I have seen) set up with XT throughout except for 11-30 XTR ti cassette , Avid 20 brakes (non- cartridge), and a 97 Judy XC long travel up front. Weight 27 pounds.
This is an awesome bike, eats up any trail, up or down, anywhere you've got the stamina to climb or guts to descend. The only endo problems I have had have been my own fault, but those who report these may need to make adjustments to stem height, length, and angle or seatpost offset. I admit I wanted an offset post when I bought this but have gotten used to it and ride some scary downhills now. The front end can get a bit squirrely on fast descents but my experience on the bike ironed out problems with it and it seems fine now.
ONE MAJOR PROBLEM: You better believe the rear derailler hanger is weak, and WILL NEED FIXING one day. Another local rider tore his out and bent it irreparably with a TINY stick, and Klein gave ZERO HELP. They told him they were not responsible for sticks. (Gee is this a MOUNTAIN bike or a road bike?) Sure they offered to repair it for a large fee and a long wait without a bike.. (A new bike with a poor hanger design? Come on.) So he searched and searched till he found a guy who sells a replacement hanger that is easy to install on the Klein and seems better than the original setup by far. Gary Klein, why do you bother denying the problem exists when you could easily use a setup like this one?
Well, since then I experienced the same problem, again a tiny stick was all it took, though my hanger was still intact but threads stripped totally. I got an insert that bolts in through the back through a drilled out hole, but I am ordering the setup I will refer you to because it is much better and won't be as weak as my quikfix. Go to this address http://members.aol.com/DDDDP/KleinHanger.html
or email ddddp@aol.com and Dave will fix you up for $50. I believe it will happen to most of you sooner or later based on how easy it happened to me. Never had the problem before on other bikes but this one seems to be ripe for it.
Trust me, you need to remember and bookmark this info 'cause a web search doesn't come up with it usually, and Klein seems intent on leaving this problem to us to fix. This is my only complaint with this bike, but as I said, I am not giving it up! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
DavidH
a cross-country rider
from Toronto
Date Reviewed: August 10, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Got the Mantra Comp a few weeks ago. The first time I rode it hard on the trails, I was over the bars 3 times. I've since switched to Syncros riser bars and a RaceFace XY post to enlarge the cockpit (I'm 6'2, 180 lbs). I went back to the same trails this weekend and went over the bars 0 times!As a lot of other posts have mentioned, if you're reasonably tall, be sure to sit your weight back on this frame, otherwise you'll get the ejector seat treatment.Otherwise, the bike is pure pleasure. I can't get enough of it.
Deserves 5 stars, I'll give it 4 because nothing's perfect. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael
a cross-country rider
from Germany
Date Reviewed: August 1, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
It´s fine to own a Klein... That is what I have to say.
The Mantra is one of the coolest bike I know... it looks terrible and it rides wild... 1000 Miles and no probs with the bike (only tires)...
At the bike-festival in Willingen I habe tuned up my rear suspension... Shock-Therapy Titan Coil... (only 100gr) Wow... suspension much better...
The quality looks like Made in Germany
Great bike...
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
E-Fry
a racer
from East
Date Reviewed: July 26, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
It's been a year and the Klein is the best investment I've ever made. For the first time, I don't mind hanging the best gear on my bike.
Ringle RPM Lite Wheels 650 gram front, 900 gram rear
Control Tech Ti skewers non-QR
Rox rim tape 8 grams
Duster Pro 520 gram tires
XTR Ti cassette 11-30I replaced the fork with a FS-TI, it's kinda heavy, but stiff and doesn't wiggle like rockshox.The bike is great, the rear shock squeeks often, but a little lube does the trick. I dumped the high zoot boone ti BB. The torque from the cranks shifted the BB to the right too many times. good ol heavy ass shimano is back. Everything else is rock solid. Climbs great, descends with confidence, and is super comfortable for the long all day rides.I want to buy an old klein hardtail for short 30-60 minute races. Adroit, Rascal, or Attitude. I mean old-school old. I've been riding with expert class riders and I want to race, but not on the Mantra, it's great, but too heavy to race.
Any offers?Email me if you know someone with a used 14-16Klein hardtail frame. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Burt
a cross-country rider
from Philadelphia, PA USA
Date Reviewed: July 22, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I picked up a Manta(97) in March of this year. I had the not so local bike shop switch out the stock front shock for a Girvin ELT(98) and the shifters and rear derailure to ESP 9.0. I loved the ride up-down or quick turning flats. However it felt a little heavy compared to my hardtail Stumpjumper(now sold). As I got in better shape during May and June the bike seemed to get a little lighter. So I then decided to actually make it lighter. I did some homework(mostly on mtbr reviews) and went to it. It specs out as follows.
Frame: Klein Mantra Comp 97
Rear shock: Cane Creek AD10
Front shock: Givin ELT
Headset: Chris King 1 1/8
Stem: Control Tech 1 1/8 x 120 x 0 degree
Bars: Easton 23 x 5 degree
Bar ends: Bontrager shorts
Shifters: ESP 9.0
Brake levers: ESP
Computer: Avocet 35
Heart rate monitor: Polar something?
Seatpost: Thompson Elite
Saddle: WTB SST cro mo
Brakes: XTR
Front Derailure: XTR
Rear Deailure: ESP 9.0
Bottom Bracket: Word Class Ti
Cranks: Race Face 175 Compact
Rings: Race Face 22 32 42
casset: XTR 12 32 Ti
Chain: Shimano 90
Wheels: Cane Creek WAM Ti
Tires: Michelin Wild Grippers
Skewers: Kore
Pedals: Time ATAC CarbonThis thing now weighs 25lbs climbs like a hungry tick on steroids, bombs the descents at sight blurring speeds while soaking up bumps rocks ruts and whatever else is out there like a 4x4 Caddy with a bad attitude, turns quicker than I can think and will stop not only the bike but your heart too if you want to squeese the levers that hard. There is only one ride better and she's all the above and then some. And she can stop the earth's spin with just a glance. This bike and the experience rebuilding and riding it have been a true pleasure.
Gary Klein - Thank You
Count me in if you start building legs or hearts.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a cross-country rider
from Seattle
Date Reviewed: July 20, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've owned my Mantra Comp for over a year now and still love it. It is great for technical trail riding and (yes, I have to say it) fantastic for climbing. I'm always amazed by this bike when clearing logs and waterbars on steep climbs. There seems to be no loss of momentum at all.I have crashed several times but not once OTB. My shop changed out the stem when I bought it (to a 120). Maybe this has been why I have not had problems. Also, during braking the rider's weight is shifted forward unloading the rear suspension and loading the front. I have not noticed any greater problems with this than any other FS bike. Misses - I know the pivots need to be spaced apart to give the frame torsional stiffness, but it results in an occasional bruised knee. As with any full suspension bike, the cable lengths need to be correct. As to the cables getting dirty, QUIT COMPLAINING and buy some Ride-On shifter cables. Here in the wet and muddy northwest nothing else works for long.I have recently replaced my tires with Geax Warp and Hook tires. I will give a review of these tires after I get a month or so on them. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
endo man
a weekend warrior
from
Date Reviewed: July 20, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I rented a Mantra race a few months ago. I did not enjoy this bike at all. I wish I would've taken my Joshua on vacation with me but I figured renting would be cheaper. I know lots of people say it's a good bike, i did like it on the climbs. but I went over the bars too many time to counton the down hills. then I realized the movement of the pedals in relation to the rear assembly. the ratio is almost 2:1 for pedal movement!!! for every 2 inches of rear movement the pedals kick back and up 1 inch. this in turn shifts your weight forward. that's probably why all you riders are going over the bars. on the KLEIN site they call it a feeling of accelerating over bumps. no, it's called being thrown foward!!! be careful out there. A really good bike, but you need to get used to it's quirks. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jez
a cross-country rider
from Newcastle, England
Date Reviewed: July 20, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought the '98 Mantra Comp 3 months ago. I was initially concerned after my first few trips out about the steep head-tube angle - I went OTB a few times rather unexpectedly. In my opinion this was because the stem supplied as standard was too long (140mm I reckon). I have replaced with a 120mm and it has made the world of difference. I no longer feel that my weight is concentrated in front of the front axle! (I am 6'2 on a L frame). Comparing with my experience on a Cannondale SV600, it is not a pure downhill bike. The geometry is too aggressive and the URT is not ideal. However, for cross-country it is excellent. Power delivery is responsive and direct - if you bob on this then your technique is lousy. The URT stiffens but in no way locks-out when out of the saddle. For technical downhills I have found myself gripping the saddle with my thighs to help the URT activate - works well and soon becomes second nature. Climbing is absolutely amazing - point and pedal up anything. The braking thing? - yes it might seem weird, but on a correctly set up bike I reckon the effects are negligible. Forks are T2s, fairly nice and sensitive but a bit lacking in the damping department. Ok for now. Components are mostly STX / Sugino. Work fine but don't feel quite as smooth as my old XTs/LX. I'll wait 'til they wear out. No probs with the pivot. I had to get the Thomson seat post from the Race model to give me a couple of extra cms as I'm a lanky git. ATAC carbons too. Paint job simply gorgeous. Bunny hops like a kangaroo and turns on a sixpence. Feels light.
Conclusion - you can ride all day in comfort, climb anything and shred technical terrain faster than you should. Ski-lifters look elsewhere.
4 Chillies because it's not a downhiller as well as a cross-countryer (I don't think that exists yet). | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
J Ramirez
a cross-country rider
from Lexington, KY
Date Reviewed: July 14, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Well I have about 6 mo. on my Mantra and still think this is the best XC design available. I have noticed the stink bug issue has come up recently, and my take on the issue is two fold. First, after getting such a good deal on the bike (I was looking at the race) I immediatly switched the vanilla coil for a Alps 5 (I did however get 2-3 rides on the vanilla) and this decreased the spring board effect greatly, this high leverage design requires a air shock for optimum performance. Secondly, this IS a XC bike! what makes this bike excell on the climbs (especially in the small ring, WOW!)is a trade off on decents. This is not a barca lounger downhill bike. I get about 2 1/2-3 standing (I weight 180) and almost immesurable seated. The only negative to this is I find myself being seated 80% of the ride and very comfy. I have also found on downhills eiher lowering the seat or getting behind the seat and putting weight with your thighs on the saddle makes decending a blast (helps activate the suspension). I also have done somemore upgrades: after the extensive upgrade posted in my earlier two postings, I have switched to a 98 ESP 9.0 drive train and swapped out my RST MOzo (God I love that fork) to a superlight custom RS Judy SL c/ Englund tital air technology (I wanted air spring front and rear) selle italia flight saddle and IRC Mythos 1.95 tires. I was originaly at 24.65 lbs but I think I have shattered the 24lbs. mark with the new fork and tires. Until I get ahold of a new scale, I am estimating around 23.8 or 23.9 lbs. Still 5 chillies | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark Barton
a cross-country rider
from Three Rivers
Date Reviewed: July 10, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Had the bike about 6 month's now still love it! I finely found a place to hang a pump. on the left side I drilled 2 holes and just mounted the thing is a bit tight but works well,And I was able to keep my water bottel in place. I'm very Pleased with the Bike Climbs great rides smooth although nothing is perfect this bike my be as close as it gets for a full suspension bike. On the downside,the seal on the front headset keeps going out and I have to replace it, the other thing is on downhill you feel like your going to go over the bars,lower the seat before you do any down hill this helps alot! Thinking about replacing the headset to cure the problem? Does anybody have any sugjestions on this?
The brakes could be better, think I will have to upgrade.
Over all I think it is a great bike.. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John Puziss
a cross-country rider
from Wallingford, CT
Date Reviewed: July 6, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Just a few comments on riding steep technical downhills on the Mantra (in response to the review below). I also noticed a tendency to go OTB on the Mantra early on. I don't know about the effects of the pivot, but I attributed my problem to having a fairly long top tube, coupled with a steep head angle.
I changed the stem from stock (120/5deg, I believe) to a 100/17deg. Also,
I slid the saddle all the way back. The effects of these changes are to move
my center of gravity back behind the front wheel. So far, it feels like these
changes give me much better control on steep descents. If I need to, I'll probably go to a riser bar or a shorter, steeper stem (to save weight). The bottom line: Try playing with your riding position before you sell your Mantra.
I stand by my original rating: 5 chilies | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dean Pool
a cross-country rider
from Dallas, TX
Date Reviewed: July 5, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I am printing an apology to Klein for my previous review. I thought I was getting bad service from Klein, when in fact, It was Wheels in Motion that was lying to me about the situation. I called Klein and found out that Wheels in Motion in Richardson, TX held my bike for 30 days before sending it to Klein and
Klein is sending me a new complete frame, not welding it like I was told. Klein
is no longer a part of Wheels in Motion because of such problems and has moved to Richardson Bike Mart where I have heard from several people that they will take care of there customers, unlike Wheels in motion. Sorry again Klein!
I give my Mantra 5 chilis and give Wheels in Motion none. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben Weaver
a cross-country rider
from San Diego, CA
Date Reviewed: July 5, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
WARNING WARNING Watch out for steep technical downhills while riding a Klein Montra Comp. I've been riding and racing mountain bikes since 1983 with few crashes and relatively minor injuries. My Klein has raised the ante in this area. Within the first few months on my new Kline I was over the bars three times at speed on terrain that I would normally navigate. The last put me in the hospital with broken teeth and new scars. All three crashes were unpredictable. I attribute this unpredictable behavior to the Mantra's very steep head angle, odd geometry and high pivot point. Read other reviews about stink bugging, steep head angle etc. They know what they are talking about. My suggestion is try this bike on your most technical downhill before shelling out the cash. The other option is to buy the bike but be certain your medical insurance is up to date before you ride. One 1998 Mantra Comp, Small for sale cheep. Write me.Looks like I must give at least one star to a dangerous machine. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brad
a cross-country rider
from Clearwater, Florida
Date Reviewed: July 5, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've had my Mantra for a year and a half now, and still really love the bike. I've done a good bit of upgrading, but my main problem with the bike is it's weight. My other xc bike is a Dean titanium frame with a S.I.D. and a nice mix of XTR and Race Face parts. My Dean comes in at 20.5 lbps, a good seven pounds less than the Mantra. Still the Klien is a blast to ride, and as far as mass produced bikes go, the attention to detail is really good. One of the things I really love about the bike is the adjustability of the suspension. I've ridden a number of other full suspension bikes, but none seemed to be able to do so many different things so well. Its not worth the money to me to try and drop four lbps and get it to the point were it would really rip. Some of the other testers bragged about spending $3800 on the bike. Why didn't you get the pro frame smart ass? Anyone looking for a good FS bike should give the Mantra a look. I can't wait to see the new Mantra's with the carbon main tube. That and some smart specing will put the Mantra in full race potential.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Poor Mans RV
a weekend warrior
from San Carlos, CA
Date Reviewed: July 2, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I LOVE THIS BIKE. I am an active 5’11 195 lb. 55-year-old who purchased a 97 Mantra Comp Medium on sale for $999. I ride it through a wide range of trails and it is dramatically more comfortable than my old non-suspended bike. I am amazed at how light it is how it climbs steep hills without any bobbing action, and how it goes down them smoothly like riding in a car. In many months of hard riding, I have had no maintenance problems at all. I recently purchased a BOB COZ trailer that quickly connects to my rear hub. Fifty pounds of camping gear are now pulled behind my bike with very little additional pedaling effort and no reduction in suspension comfort. This combination is ideal for quickly and comfortably getting into the backcountry for overnight trips. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dean Pool
a cross-country rider
from Dallas,TX
Date Reviewed: July 1, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have had my 97 Mantra Comp for one year so my review of this bike is very thorough. For starters, I love this bike. I had tested about 30 F.S. bikes and this is the best I have ridden. My only complaint is that recently I found a hairline crack in my rear swingarm and my spot-on pivot has an enormous amount of slop in it. I could grab my back wheel and move it side to side about 1/2 inch. I took my bike to my LBS and they immediatly sent it in for warranty repairs. This has been almost 2 months ago. At first, Klein said they are replacing my rear swingarm and my pivot assy. Now I just heard they are rewelding my swingarm and repainting the arm and are just starting to do so as of today. I can not believe that With all the money I spent on this bike, that they are not replacing my swingarm, but instead they are patching it!!!! Thank god Wheels IN Motion in Richardson TX gave me a demo Raven to rige or I would be Sh*t out of luck! I have heard from several diffrent bike shops that Klein is doing a severe restructuring of management now that Trek owns it and is very unstable at this time. The sad part is that I really love this bike, but when I get it back from Klein, whenever that will be, I will sell it and buy a bike from a company that will treat it's customers with more respect and fix the problems in a more efficient pace. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER KLEIN AGAIN!!!!!!!
If anyone has any questions of my review, E-mail me at pooldt@swbell.net
I would have given this review 5 chilis, but the customer service sucks!!!!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ramon
a cross-country rider
from costa mesa, ca USA
Date Reviewed: July 1, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I rode this bike an I have only one thing to say about it. What's with that top tube hinge? I'm 5'6, 146 lbs. and, although I play, do not have soccer legs. My problem with the Klein is that that HUGE joint in the middle constantly rubs my thighs. Although that may be pleasant to some, it's not for me. I was so bothered by it, I didn't even think about how well it rode otherwise. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Todd
a cross-country rider
from SoCal
Date Reviewed: July 1, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
For those considering buying a Mantra, I suggest you ignore the comments of BOTH downhiller and klein man. I personally give little credence to any review that: 1. doesn't include the author's email address, 2. doesn't give any indication about how the person came to their conclusions (i.e. did they ride the bike once? Take a test ride in the parking lot? Ride their friends bike?), 3. includes inane comments and sweeping generalizations.I own a Mantra, as well as a few other bikes. I like it...but it is not perfect. But I also have not been sent hurtling into oblivion by any horrendous handling characteristics. So I suggest you read the reviews that sound like they actually have a decent amount of experience with the bike and ignore the nonsense. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Geno
a cross-country rider
from Glastonbury CT
Date Reviewed: June 29, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Update from my review earier this year: '97 Mantra Comp
I'm amazed at how little 'lessons learned' info is being passed on from all you mantra comp riders (besides the upgrade stuff). Here's my 6 months worth of learning:- It's not a downhiller bike, duh! (sorry, I couldn't resist)
- Inspect bolts at both top and bottom of rear shock, top bolt has broken on buddy's (180 lbs rider weight) bike.
- A solution for exposed cable routing on the boom tube: After removing my rear brake cable 3 times in 1 month to clean & lube, I said enough of this sh**!. A post-ride brainstorming session (facilitated with several beers) lead to the Klein Blind (TM) which is basically a section of venetian blind (the old wide kind like at your parents house) cut to size, slightly longer than the cable stays, with holes drilled at each end to install ties around the cable housings. It's been 3 months of gonzo/mud riding and cables are good as new. This is the solution to the Mantra cable routing blues!!!!! (Gary, are you out there?)
- For those with a Manitou Pro C fork ('97 Comp), check your bolts that hold the upper fork tube to the crown, this is another area where bolt fractures have occurred with heavier riders.
- Otherwise.... Jam On !!!! I still love this bike for its climbing ability, tight singletrack handling, and after some time in the saddle, the descents (tighter wheelbase than others?) I've climbed stuff that I never cleared with my old Trek hardtail, and it soaks up the technical, 'babyhead' sections with ease. Still holding at 5 chilis
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
klein man
a cross-country rider
from
Date Reviewed: June 26, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
your just jealous mofo cause all you can afored is a F****** huffy you lousy dope
dont try and put pple off this great bike it is the best damn bike out there
get a life downhiller :) also your momma wears army boots mofo :) she is so poor she can't pay attention :) | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
xanyn
a cross-country rider
from mass
Date Reviewed: June 23, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
update, I have made several upgrades and believe them to have greatly enhanced the ride and feel enough to recommend. first I replaced the hi riser bar with a hyperlite, and a control tech +25 degree 120mm stem feels good, not too good ( i got the mango stem, it compliments the spyder r fork nicely).Replaced the jones tires with michelin wild grippers 1.95, this is in my opinion the natural order of things, I can literally feel the bike surge forward, pulling my arms , when I climb. Seatpost is a kore elite II looks cool. titec beserker saddle feels better than the bontrager. I am searching for england air cartridges for the spyder r fork.I don't believe they make them for this fork though. I replaced the steel springs with soft elastomers from an old quadra 21 R, The fork is more supple and wieghs a hell of a lot less. I also took the boots of the fork, looks cool. Avid flak jacket cables these are the cats pajamas, gore tec cables cannot compete with these cables ,I had some they suck. Oury grips, xt brakes, shifters, f deraillor and thats pretty much all at this point. The bike wieghs, drum roll please, 26 .25 lbs. saturday I am replacing the two inner steel chainrings . Future upgrades will be valiant rims, xtr hubs xt freewheel, bottom bracket, headset and a cane creek ad 10, (should I buy the 45mm or the 38mm? ) anyway, I'm expecting a bike that wieghs @ 24 lbs. I have appreciated the advice from all the postings and hope that this will be helpful. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a cross-country rider
from Spokane, WA
Date Reviewed: June 18, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Let me start out by saying that I really do love my mantra. For 32 years I've been watching kids bunny hop, thinking that they had made a pact with someone bad, ya know? Well with my bike and clipless pedals, I spend more time in the air than I do on the ground. That, for me, makes this the (by far) funnest bike I've ever had. HOWEVER, it does not climb like a hard tail, sprint like a hard tail, or do anything like a hard tail. Ol Bessy is in the shop, because the front fork seals failed. Much trouble getting my local bike shop to get it in, but that is another matter. I usually ride about every day ( local single track with much up hill, down hill). I have not been able to ride as I usually do because of the lack of rebound, so after two weeks I used my bud's wife's old million pound non-suspended long wheel based Cromo no name bike. What a shock!!!! This old piece of crap, misshifting bike climbed as well, and in some cases (very steep up hills) better than my mantra. I know, everyone is thinking, this guy don't know how to ride. This is not true. I ride well, and understand the need for smooth pedal rotation, however, there are times (at the end of my rope) when smooth rotation can not be done. I find that on really steep climbs in the saddle the rear shock compress and the front shock decompresses, causing the front wheel to come off the ground. But like I said, I still love the bike, (cept the bright yellow look at me paint, which is mostly busted up now anyway) and would recommend it with reservations to anyone. In fact if the LBS would fix the thing I'd be flying right now...... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric
a weekend warrior
from Baltimore MD
Date Reviewed: June 15, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I recently purchased a '98 Mantra(klein has expanded the Mantra line from 3 bikes to 5). Couldn't get as good of a deal as some of you, but I needed a large frame and I live in a high price trendy area. All the trendies pay top dollar without a second though so they can decorate thier garages with nice CLEAN NEW looking toys. This is tough to compete with at the registar but a breeze on the trail. Called every bike store within a 100 miles and could only knock off a hundred bucks from the retail price. I though about waitin' for a sale but I would have had a hard time finding a large frame in this area(so I was told). Some of you may be thinking about selling me a bridge right now - but I had a hard time finding a large frame as it was. Enough about dollars and my lack of sense on to performance.I rode the following FS bikes in the $1300 price range before buying the klein: FSR Comp, Rocky Mountain something, TREK Y5, Cannondale V-700(I think thats what it was called)and the Gary Fisher. The Mantra felt best with the Rocky coming a close second. The TREK was nice but the Mantra felt better climbing in and out of the saddle. The Cannondale blew, in my humble opinion! The Gary Fisher was ho-hum and feels like a commuter bike. The Klein does not leave much to be desired and I would only trade it for a better Mantra -Race or Pro. Well maybe for that Kestrel Rubyicon BLAH BLAH expensive but real cool looking thing. As you can tell I not much for the techno babble, although I will say that the Sugino cranks do not look cool enough to be on this bike - hope thay break soon! Thinking of one -BUY IT! Add the junbo lizard skin before you take it home. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Daddy
a cross-country rider
from PA
Date Reviewed: June 15, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Okay, I've had a chance to wring this thing out over the past few months, and here's what: Pros - Awesome climber. Quality frame work. Nice ride on level and uphills. Looks good. Nice Bontranger stem. Adequate brakes. STX is heavy but still shifts good since cutting cables proper length. Cons - So So downhiller. Bontranger seat blows. Bars too narrow. Crank is chunk of pig iron. Protruding sweet spot pivot has turned my inner legs permanent black & blue. Pivot/URT setup tends to yank feet rearward on downhills, especially when out of saddle. I know, you eventually get used to this. But now I'm starting to notice pains in my knees from this lateral, rather than up and down motion. It's like running on steep downhills. Hey, remember those glasses in The Jerk?... However, I'm still giving the bike a passing grade. I've never liked climbing so much. Maybe they should advertise it as a specialty climbing bike only. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
East Coast Rider
a cross-country rider
from New York
Date Reviewed: June 15, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This is a great bike -- incredibly for cross country. I am more and more happy each time I am on it. I bought the 97' Comp (Yellow w/ black triangle) for $900 from some mail order company in Minnesota. So far, I have made huge upgrades on this bike : They are,
Spinergy Rev X Roks, Race Face Cranks, Real Rings (48-36), XTR Freewheel (12/32), XTR Rear, XTR Front, Yellow Scott Pedals, Answer Manitou Aheadstem, Gary Fisher Fish Barends, Continental Goliaths Semi-Slick Tires, Marzzochii Z2 Bam (Black), Chris King Headset.I spent close to $3800 so far. I plan to spend more -- ha ha..My bike with this setup is unreal!!! It looks so good! Everyone checks out my bike and looks at me with envy. I tried alot of bikes. I can say that the Mantra is a good all around bike. It's worth it.. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a cross-country rider
from Phila
Date Reviewed: June 14, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Well my girlfriend suprised me for my 30th with a brand new Klein Mantra (Base). And no, you can't have either of them. As for the Mantra, here is my initial review:Positives:
* Really does climb as well as everyone says it does. It is great on technical steep sections.
* The Manitou Spyder R is a great performing fork for cross country riding. Plenty of travel, it has damping, and it is light & simple.
*There is some suspension when you are standing. Not a lot, but it doesn't feel like a ht.
* The rear suspension is very plush when seated. (I'm not going to be beat up after long rides.
* The riser bar is great for technical descents, just have to get used to going steep climbs with it.
* Build quality appears to be excellent.
* You can sprint on it with hardly any bobbing. In fact the bike seems to spring ahead.Negatives:
*Ultralight tubes - Balloons provide more pinch flat protection
*Ghost shifting - Have to get the cabling redone. Would shift whenever I hit a large bump.
* Not a downhill bike, at least not compared to an FSR. But would leave the FSR in the dust on a climb.Still getting used to:
* Definite learning curve going from ht to fs. Some reviews complained that that the bike would pivot, etc... No kidding, there is a pivot and that is how the suspension works. Just have to get use to it.I haven't had it long enough to make a complete review. I will post an update in the fall. My brother recently purchased a ProFlex 757 and a friend bought a FSR, so I will compare & contrast those with the Mantra in the fall. 5's for now, but we'll see how it does with the test of time. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Todd
a cross-country rider
from SoCal
Date Reviewed: June 10, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
An update on the Mantra Comp...it still amazes me. I have made a few upgrades, with one or two more planned...some of these were necessary (imho), while others were mostly personal taste.Upgraded to RaceFace cranks (175-42/32/20) and bottom bracket. These are great cranks. The criticism of the problems shifting from granny to middle chainring are true, but if you overshift a bit (which those of us who grew up on thumbshifters are used to), things are OK. I have found that going from middle to granny is a pain unless I shift under almost no pressure.Upgraded to RaceFace seatpost (400mm model). Absolute necessity, as I needed the layback to get more cockpit space, and the extra length to get proper extension. After a bit of creaking the first few days, the post has settled in nicely.Upgraded to SpeedPlay Frogs. Necessity...I like the float (take some getting used to if you've never used them before), and appreciate the weight loss (about 1/4 lb).VERY IMPORTANT UPGRADE: Bought a set of Englund air cartridges from SpeedGoat (great mail order place btw...excellent service and advice). Installation is not too bad (you need a set of c-clamp pliers), and you rip out the crappy RockShox Indy innards. You essentially have a WhiteBros SC70UL fork when you are done...no springs/elastomers/oil. The T2 drops to around 3lbs, and you get no stiction and a great plush feel. Best $75 you'll ever spend! Note that the '98 model cartridges are much improved over earlier models.Still messing with stem/bar issues. The stock 5 degree 150 stem ends up being a bit low for me (I'm showing a lot of seatpost). I swapped for an Icon 30mm rise bar, which now puts the bars a shade too high for my taste. My fix will be to get a Salsa 11 degree 150 stem...this will split the difference.So I think my bike is down around the target of 26 lbs now...happy me. Guess I could put a Cane Creek shock on the back and shave another 1/2 lb, but I've spent enough $$$ for now.Still a great bike...climbs like a goat...and after all, climbing is half the ride (drop-offs are for losers...the one good thing is that those that use ski lifts and cars to do the climbing will soon quit riding and take up the next cool fad). Have fun... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
guy
a cross-country rider
from hong kong
Date Reviewed: June 10, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
The Klein mantracomp is a totaly sound bike. Climbs well, goes down like you want it to and in my view is total value for money - the bits you do not like come off right? But it is the frame that makes this bike so special. I ride here with alot of guys on DALES (including the raven) and the Mantra has the edge. There is only one problem - I live in the tropics, and heavy rain, and high humidity have after 10 months caused some form of corrosion on the bushings, between the frame and the URT. Probably my fault. BUT IT STILL GOES AS GOOD AS THE DAY I GOT IT. That is quality (even when I should be complaining!)in my book. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
spanky
a cross-country rider
from east coast
Date Reviewed: May 30, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
so my 1998 mantra is still kickin. after long 2-4 hour rides, your body isn't beat up. you do have to
tweak the fork to get maximum travel-measure it-it's the only way to find out if you're using up all of
the travel. this will dramatically change the way the bike handles in relationship to the rear shock. for
1998, all of the mantras (even the race) use identical frames-gradient rear and power tubing boom
tube. beware-rear brake and will get crunchy due to cable routing. keep it clean and lubed-try a
high viscosity chain lube-a few drops every ride to keep the crunch out. try getting a low riding
position too. flip the stem to a -10 degree rise or 0 degree-it might help steering precision in tight
singletrack. Upgrades this week: ti-flight seat, boone ti BB, diamondback team edition ti barends-all
old stuff from my old bike. I ride every day, luckily there is some short but sweet singletrack near
my work, which is near my home. I ride there on my lunch break and get all muddy for the rest of
the day. riding it to work freaks out all of the couriers here in the city. on my days off i try different
trails in the area. this bike has given me a new reason to wake up in the morning. over the past
several months it keeps getting better-and it hasn't even seen warm weather yet! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Greg
a cross-country rider
from
Date Reviewed: May 29, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
The Mntra Comp is a good bike but the T2 forks are a bit springy but a pair of Pace forks has solved that problem. Essentially its a great frame with less than perfect components but you can change them as you go along. On the whole a good bike especially for those converting to the soft option. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gary Sirois
a cross-country rider
from MA
Date Reviewed: May 28, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I never thought I'd be saying this a full-suspension MTB but this is a great bike! I demoed f-s the Y-Trek, Gary Fisher-Joshua and a Schwinn. The Mantra was by far the best choice for me. It climbs great and gobbles up rock gardens with ease. I sold the 30 lb. Trek beast and have gone from mid-pack to two 5th place race finishes. Its elevated my confidence and abilities several notches.BTW, you CAN get this bike for under $1500 ($1496 to be exact). I drove to
New Hampshire and also paid no sales tax. :)PLUSES:
Great climber and a real head-turner!!! As many of them have said, SWEET.MINUSES:
Not a great place for a water bottle holder unless you like crunchies with your
water - use the Camelbac! On several occassions I've knocked my knee on the spot-on pivots joints. I highly recommend getting the Lizard-Skins (Jumbo) to save your chain-stays. The chain does clang a bit when in the small chain-ring. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Todd
a cross-country rider
from socal
Date Reviewed: May 26, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
If you ride a rigid bike and want suspension that doesn't suck, buy this bike.My other ride (for the last 7 years) is a 49cm Salsa AlaCarte with 7spd XT (thumbshifters!), and a (rigid) Logic fork. This is a great bike, and I only was looking at other bikes...well...because it was time for a new toy. Having read the reviews of the Mantra I thought I'd check it out. I also rode a Trek Y-bike. Felt like a Cadillac, but it sucked for climbing and sprinting. The Klein however was a revelation...quick handling, and not much give during standing sprints. After riding the Klein off-road a few times, I'm amazed. It is not perfect, but then again no bike is. Here are my pluses and minuses:PLUS:
It really does have leech-like climbing ability. Just sit and grind and it locks up. Very nice.
It is quick handling. I like a bike that demands some attention...this is a nice balance. Fast response, but not a bit twitchy or unstable.
The Avid brakes work great. So does the rear XT derailleur and STX shifter.
I find the T2 shock OK...but then again I have nothing to compare it to.
This bike can go really fast downhill...I have to stay on the brakes to keep within my comfort zone (which has shrunk after having a son...)
Tracks well...bunnyhops well...does just about everything well.
The paint job is way way way coolMINUSES:
I can't trim the front derailleur. I assume it is the STX shifter (rather than the LX derailleur...remember I'm coming from thumbshifters, which of course work perfectly all the time). I guess I'll have to upgrade to XT...or better yet find an XC-Pro thumbshifter to use.
The Icon pedals are so-so...as are the Sugino cranks. Easy upgrades though (to Frogs and RaceFace).
The cockpit is a bit cramped (I'm 6'1)...I had to switch to the seatpost that comes on the cheaper Mantra (not comp) model, as it has some layback and is 20mm longer. I'm going to fix this with a RaceFace XY seatpost.
It doesn't sprint as well as my Salsa....duh. It IS better than other FS bikes I have ridden though...
It is a bit heavy (just a hair under 28 lbs). A few judicious upgrades (RaceFace cranks, bb, seatpost, Frog pedals and lighter tires) should bring it down to around 26. I did buy the bike without wheels, instead using a set of LX-Mavic221 OEM wheels I got cheap, with an XT cassette.Bottom line? Great bike...especially is you like to climb (you know...*REAL* mountain bike riding). Recommend without reservation (but be ready to spend a bit more money to upgrade a few parts).
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tom
a cross-country rider
from the good ol u s if a
Date Reviewed: May 21, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I think that the mantra is wanna the best full suspension bikes you can buy for the money. O found the comp for $1000 for a 97 model. It is a good bike to race cross country and also you could do downhill if you wanted to either. There was some other bikes like treks ys but they for the same money that I was paying the collity of the treks just sucked! It is good to go up hill on and does make it that much harder if you have the suspesion set right. The front shox ofr ok I think that I am going to u grade to the manutiou fs ti. This is the first full suspension bike I have ever bought and my friends said I was crazy to but it. So I give it five chiles. Oh yeah TREKS SUCK!!!!!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Insane in the Membrane
a racer
from Magic Land
Date Reviewed: May 20, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I just put the Manitou FS TI Stroker on my 98 Klein Mantra Comp. Yes, now the circle is complete young jedi. The longer travel is the Boooooooombbbbb! The old Judy T2 was too wiggly piggly. Too much side to side play. Lack of rebound caused it to pogo hard on the rebound of fast, medium to big hits. Now I have rebound, compression, and preload control. Lighter, more travel-80 mm, and stiffer fork with less independant leg action. The ti hardware is the jonx. Upgrading your Klein with a long travel high performance fork is one of the best upgrades available. I also put a negative rise stem on board to get a lower riding position to better weight the front wheel in tight singletrack. Has anyone used a Cane Creek AD-10 on the rear? I'm very interested in switching over. Tank you so very mucho. Domo Arigoto Mr. Roboto. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike Rogers
a weekend warrior
from Pittsburgh, PA
Date Reviewed: May 20, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This bike Rules. I got a '97 Matra for $500 with a trade. I am in the middle of upgrading components now. The STX Front Der. sucks. I love the climbing ability of this bike. Everyone told me that I was nuts to switch to full suspension (I'm a slow climber as it is), But to my surprise I am much better on this bike than my last. This bike looks cool, rides cool, it is cool!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James
a weekend warrior
from Portland,Oregon
Date Reviewed: May 20, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Does anyone know where I can buy a 98 Mantra Comp for the listed price($1499), or cheaper, I'm being asked $1699 everywhere I call? Can you buy direct from Klien? $200 is a lot when you are a student like me. I've used up my trial runs from all the bike stores in the area. 5 CHILLIES | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rowdy
a weekend warrior
from Canada
Date Reviewed: May 19, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I used to own a Trek Y3, and thought it was a good bike. Was I wrong, my
new Klein blows it away. This thing is awsome, every time I come back from
a ride I like it more. I put on a set of Sids, and up graded most things
to XTR. Its even nicer now, WOW I love this bike.I would give it 6 chillis
if I could. Peace | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bear-Man
a cross-country rider
from Big Bear, CA
Date Reviewed: May 8, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Well, here's an update from my December review...I've had the bike 5 months and enjoy it even more now. The bike has held up despite some very hard crashes, nothing has broken off and Klein sent me a bottle of yellow touch-up paint to cover the nicks and chips I caused. Because of my clydesdale size, Klein also offered some very good advice with regards to adjusting the suspension for my weight, (5'11 originally 247 lbs., now around 220). After I stiffened the suspension, the occasion ghost shifting disappeared, but I also lenghtened the rear deraileur cable a tiny bit and I'm sure that helped. I'm now doing more road work, (verses spinning at a health club), and have
a set of Swami's with Specialized Fatboys for the asphalt. I used to ride road about 12 years ago, (275-325 mi./wk.) on a Raleigh Pro, Fuji and a Peugeot PX10. I ride now about 125-175 mi./wk. on my Mantra and finish my rides considerably less tired and beat up, obviously due to the suspension and the fact the I use a riser stem for a more comfortable ride. It won't ever be a road bike, I know, but for road work and personal training, it can't be beat.
The bike has massive and oversized stays, top tube, etc., and still maintains a decent weight for a full suspension bike, (which at my size, bike weight doesn't really matter). I would recommend this bike to anyone who's body size might be leaning towards the clydesdale side, (or anyone for that matter), as a very sturdy bike made by a very solid company with a courteous and helpful customer support team. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
J. Ramirez
a weekend warrior
from Lexington, KY
Date Reviewed: May 3, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
It ahs been about 2 months know and several rides later, I still love this bike
I realize I basicly only have the framset (I got such a good deal on the yellow pearl comp, that I upgraded everything!! see my feb. posting), but the rear suspension is tremendous! I have recently purchased a set of Sun o degree/nuke proof wheels, and speedplay frogs to shave additional weight and enhance performance. The new 98 colors are cool, but the yellow pearl and complete black component spec (yes everything! wheels use black rims, alloy nips, hubs, and the new marwi black 14/17 spokes)makes this a SUPER trick gladiator ride. So far no durability problems. I will keep everyone posted. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Skerge
a cross-country rider
from Pasadena, California USA
Date Reviewed: May 3, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Today, on a rainy day i took my Kleinn Mantra cop on a ride down the San Gabriel mountains. WOW!! no splipping, loss of traction or control. The brakes are a shortfall: they disolve on a 2 hour ride at an incredibly fast rate. That's Shitano components for you. As the rain was coming down, i was confident on a fast downhill: great suspension!! and also on the technical single track..Must get a rise bar..I feel a lot of weight going forward. Must give this darling FIVE FAT CHILES!!!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
e-fry
a cross-country rider
from east
Date Reviewed: May 1, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
here's a short update.
the T2 fork is still getting on my nerves on the 98 comp.
when you hit a big bump at high speed, you boing up into the air. I've been doing a lot of 2-3 hour rides lately, and my body never feels beat up.I
flopped my stem to get a negative rise and put the spacers on top. it
helps out a lot on technical riding. After every ride, I have to totally
overhaul and lube the rear brake, der., and headset. the wire routing
is really getting on my nerves. I'm looking into getting some better cable
housing-gore tex- to help with the problem. the rear brake in super muddy
conditions gets totally crunchy and sticky. I use a high viscosity lube
on the inside of the housing for this. My FSA Orbit headset is overhauled about
once a week or every other week. It just develops play and also gets
a little crunchy -despite the sealed cartridge bearings. The XT parts still
work, the 747's still work. I upgraded to an old Specialized strong arm
crank-cuz my size small came with 170 arms. the new 175's are 100% better.
-even though i'm 5'6. The rear shock is solid and the pivot ain't got
no problems-despite the mud, rain, rocks, and roots. I plan on doing a 3
day-2 night trip next week. I'm sure everything will hold up. I'm still
using my 3 year old flight ti just cuz i can't find a more comfortable seat.
the bike is awesome. I can ride downhills with more speed and control due tto the subtle suspension action. Uphills are a breeze cuz the bike don't bob.
I still love my 98 mantra comp since i bought it last august. By the way
-i'm destroyed my front tire and am now using an XT/217 up front-no worries. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a weekend warrior
from Detroit
Date Reviewed: April 29, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Just bought a '98 Mantra Comp like 3 weeks ago, and I've only had the chance to put about 100 (off road) miles on it, but so far _IT_ROCKS_. I Paid $1600 for it. (I think the '98 has better components than the '97, I could've gotten a '97 for $1000.)
Here's the scoop:
I weigh 230 lbs, and I'm 6'3. Obviously I bought a 'large'. I wish they made an extra large, or that the seat-post angle was a little further back. Adding a riser bar made the bike more rideable for me. What I liked:
-The rear suspension on this thing is just awesome. I rode a bunch of full suspension bikes before buying this one, and they're all too bouncy in the sprints and climbs. Not the Mantra. This is the 1st full suspension bike I've owned, and it took me a few miles to learn to stay seated and smooth out my pedal strokes in the climbs. (you can't stomp up the hills like on a hard-tail.) After I figured out the technique, I'm convinced that it climbs as well as (or better than) a hard-tail.
-I know, this isn't a performance issue, but the paint job is _awesome_. It's a purple-blue flop color with _huge_ gold-flake. The picture at the top of this page is of a '97. The '98 is _definately_ a head turner. Give me another month or so, and I'm sure that I'll have it completly scratched up. Oh well, for now it's cool.
-The stock components (XT rear, LX front, STX-RC rapidfire, Avid Brakes) seem to be doing pretty well. Keep them adjusted and they work fine. Perhaps I'll upgrade to XTR later for weight....What I didn't like:
-On my 3rd ride, the (*&$#@ radial-laced front wheel with STX hub almost killed me. I was going down a steep (ok it was _very_ steep) hill, and went to feather the front brake: 3 spokes pulled right out of the hub, and the whole front wheel disintegrated. I didn't hit anything, I hope that the hub just had a manufacturing defect in it (bubble in the cast or something...) They're going to warantee it, and a friend is letting me use a wheel until I get my new one... but still, whose idea was it to put a radial laced wheel on a full suspension bike.... My theory is, if it didn't break me, it shouldn't have broken the bike.....
- This stupid Judy T2 front shock @#(*$& SUX!!! This might be an alright front shock for someone weighing under 150 lbs, but for me, at 230 lbs, it's completly lame. I can bottom it out by pressing down on it. When hill climbing, if you get any bounce at all, it's from the front shock, not from the rear. Maybe I should get the Kit to make it a Judy SL, or get speed springs, with no cartridge? do those Cartridges really suck? If anyone has info on what parts I need to make this shock work right, please email me, (davs@umich.edu).
Anyway, as a stock item on a 'large' bike (which you'd assume would be ridden by a 'large' person), this Judy T2 shock is _way_too_whimpy_.In conclusion :)
I'll give this bike 4 chillis, simply because my front hub blew apart, and the front shock is lame, and they need to make an XL size frame. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lyle
a cross-country rider
from pa
Date Reviewed: April 19, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Bought a '97 Comp 2 months ago. At $1150, I seem to have paid too much compared to some of you. Mine's a medium w/120mm stem. The only component change thus far is an Azonic riser bar. On short, steep, nasty hillclimbs, this bike is the next best thing to a YZ. Just slide forward enough to keep the front end down and pedal you waz off. Being a retro-grouch since the mid-80s, this is my first experience with any type of suspension. I'm starting to get used to this thing, and can tell you that it is a blast to ride. That said, let me tell you some of the negatives of this bike: For you riders under 5'9, don't let anybody talk you into a Med frame, even though the Klein catalog says it's good for down to 5'7. I'm 5'9.5 and I'm still feeling a little stretched out.. The length of the rear derailleur cable housings is critical. I had to install a 1cm longer mid-housing to keep the thing from upshifting every time I hit a dip. The orginal housing was to short in that it would stretch on the triangle as the suspension compressed.. Changing rear flats is a challenge due to narrow clearances created by the oversized upper stay tubes and the v-brakes. I've learned to be sure and reinstall the wheel prior to reinflating the tire (a filled tire won't get past the brake unless you remove the shoes). The rear entry ramps also complicate matters when trying to sling the derailleur around the cog during reinstall.. The cable weld-ons show a lack of quality compared to the rest of the frame. As everyone else has noted, the weld-ons under the fuselage are designed for dry, roadie use only. However, I think that I've solved the crud problem by installing some 3/8 thick neoprene weatherstripping (got at Lowe's) were the ferrules enter the weld-ons. I slid a 3 length between the frame and the cables, and then stuck another right over top of that and wrapped duct tape around the whole thing. I did this on each end for both of the triple weld-ons. This setup effectively squeegees the cables during use, keeping out the mud. The side of the bike now reads _lei_ thanks to the duct tape.. The rear v-brake noodle was rubbing a hole in my calf so I had to swap in one of those roller things (I lied about the bars being my only upgrade). The roller was also subject to crunchiness when mud attacked. Out came an old inner tube, some black electrical tape, and some zip-ties....whala, another crud guard is made (patents pending).. I set the preload adjusters on the Pro-C fork to the next to highest setting (I'm 190lbs). The fork works much better, but now the they clunk every time I unweight the front. I'm thinking about installing rubber washers on the rods to stop this (anybody have other solutions?)..Overall, I like my bike. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dean Pool
a cross-country rider
from mesquite,tx
Date Reviewed: April 19, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have had a 96 Mantra for 8 months now and can honestly say that this bike is
the best overall bike i have ever ridden. I havn't found any other new bike I
would even cosider bying. The only problem I have noticed is that my pivot has
developed some serious slop. If anyone has had this problem and/or fix, E-mail
me. I am still going to give this bike 5 chillies for overall performance. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff Clawson
a weekend warrior
from St.Cloud,MN
Date Reviewed: April 15, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I was going to buy a fisher but went to a going out of business sale and
picked up a mantra comp for $850. I love this bike. However the front
derailer does suck and I am planning to upgrade it. As far as down hill,
My brothers gary fisher Z1 would blow the mantra away. But even my brother
says he likes the ride of my mantra better than his fisher on most terrain.
cant wait to take it to moab in agust. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Patrick Burns
a cross-country rider
from Fort Collins Co
Date Reviewed: April 15, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have been riding a '98 comp for three months now, and all I can say is that this bike is the bomb if your trails are steep, rocky, and super technical. The suspension excells on slow speed technical trails, were the rear wheel hooks up and over big rocks and roots. That's not to say that the bike can't handle fast single track or screaming descents. Even with the stock component spec( read somewhat heavy) the bike feels light and lively in rolling terrrain. Loose rocky downhills are a blast once you figure out how the bike handles. The design is excellent, and allows a soft setting on the shock without a loss of pedalling efficiency. Bobbing is almost non-existant, and even then the suspension is still working for you, driving the rear tire into the ground and delivering exceptional traction with every pedal strike. Gripes are few: The bontrager saddle lacks the support for 3-4+ hour rides, replaced it with a Serfas ARC dual density saddle. The T2 fork is definitly nothing special. Beefy construction but only marginal suspension action; am planning on upgrading at the end of 1998. Do yourself a favor and breakdown the fork frequently. When clean and lubed the fork action is just adequate. Cable routing is not on par with the rest of the engineering that went into this bike. They rub badly at the head tube without some protection and get caked with mud after a wet ride. Bontrager Revolt sneakers are nice and light but don't offer the pich flat protection for technical riding. Not much else to complain about. A riser bar greatly added to the bike's comfort and handling characteristics on nasty terrain. That's enough talking. Get out and ride this bike on the kind of trails it is was designed for. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marvin
a cross-country rider
from Boston
Date Reviewed: April 12, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I will confess that I use this bike primarily as a daily commuter to work. Riding about 15 miles per day with traffic and potholes and curbs over the last 6 months gives me a fair view of the bike. I switched from a hardtail with a seatpost to this bike because my bike was stolen, I didn't have much time to look and checked the reviews here went to my local bike store where I got it on sale because the '98's had come in (paid $899 for a '97). I switched the brake levers, the shifters to grip shift x-rays, the tires (to more commuter friendly ones), and the pedals to M636's. I LOVE this bike. It cannot be beaten for the price. I think it definately could use upgrades in the seat and brakes but the rest works very well for me. It took a little getting used to as I kept wondering if the rear tire was flat at first (I was used to a little more feedback from the rear). I still find that it has a fair amount of bounce when I stand to pedal, but I don't stand to pedal as much anymore. This bike climbs great, the steering is quick, the suspension easy to dial up and down both front and back. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a cross-country rider
from Goffstown, NH
Date Reviewed: April 12, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I was wavering on buying this bike until I read all these reviews. Took the advice of many and upgraded that junk headset to a King. You gotta wonder what Klein was thinking. Also went with an XT rear derrailer and used my XT brakes from my previous hardtail. Put my 747's on it also. Had a little problem with auto shifting, especially when out of the saddle, but this was cured with slightly longer cable housing between the frame and the URT. It's a small frame so the weight is reasonable for now. The first couple of rides were interesting, taking a while to get used to it. I felt as though the front end was pretty jumpy on fast portions, so I went with a Continental Double Fighter, a semi slick. This has made a noticeable improvement, and I think a little more tweaking will get it just right. This bike CLIMBS. I am definitely the only thing that slows it down. I only 148 pounds, and I notice no bio pacing. The H2O mount sucks, but what do you do on this bike. I also replaced the stem to 135mm and 10 degree rise. Makes a nice difference. The worst part of this bike is the noticeably heavier rear end when having to climb on foot with it. Small price to pay. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nate
a weekend warrior
from Portland Oregon
Date Reviewed: April 11, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I just bought this bike about a month ago after having a Cannondale F700 for a year. this is my first full suspension bike and I must say that it is the BOMB!! I have heard about the lock out of the rear suspension when standing and I had reservations about that. Yet after getting out on the Korean back roads(I am a soldier in S.Korea right now) that rear suspension still gives me the control that I need to get over obstacles that my Cannondale would lose over. The componet picks kinda suck. The XT rear derailer is a good thing but the front derailer and the fork and stem need to go. I can hear a Marzoochi calling to me now!! On downhill you have the control you would not have on a hardtail and going uphill you definitly have a climbing advantage. Even to some hardtails. I picked up my Matra (not comp, just Matra) for about 1300 big ones and I feel that I am getting my moneys worth. I give it 4 stars because of the componets but those will get upgraded later. So we can go five. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Uncle Kevin
a cross-country rider
from Sayreville, NJ USA
Date Reviewed: April 8, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've had this bike since July 1997. I've ridden it in all kinds of weather, and all kinds of trail conditions. THIS BIKE ROCKS!!!
I'm 6'2 and weigh 185 lbs. I went over the bars 3 times, crossed streams with water up to the bottom bracket, went screaming down rocky hills and this bike begs for more. It climbs great and has little or no noticeable bio pacing when hammering on the pedals. They say it isn't a good downhill bike but it's a lot better than my old hardtail was. I go a lot faster anyway.
You really don't have to be picky when choosing a line either, just point the bike and go. It's very responsive and quick on technical singletrack. Oh yeah and the Fox Vanilla was recently voted more comfortable than the Alps 5 by the testers of Bicycling Magazine. They said it smoothed the little bumps better.
The STX components are OK ( I've upgraded all of them) just use them until they fail or you can afford to upgrade. You do get a GREAT frame and that is the most important thing.
THERE ARE SOME PROBLEMS
They are however very minor
1) The cable routing sucks. They ran the cables under the top tube where the mud sticks to them, get's in the housing and locks up the brakes and shifters. When you buy this bike get GORE-TEX plastic coated cables. Tell the Shop to put them on or you won't buy it. They'll put them on, beleive me.
2) The brake and rear derailleur cables rub on the head tube. This can cause a groove to form. Get a neoprene head seal such as Lizard Skins and let the cable rub that instead.
3) Make sure the rear brake cable is routed UNDER the rear pivot. Mine went around and the rubbing started to make an indentation in the pivot arm.
4) Check the headset from time to time. The caps on the stock headset are plastic and tend to split. No big deal but you might have to clean and regrease your headset frequently.
Other than that I haven't had any other problems. I also ride with another Mantra comp owner and he's had the same problems as I did.
This bike is excellent. I contacted Klein at their website when I was shopping for my FS and Gary Klein himself responded. (how cool was that?) He gave me sizing and weight saving advice on upgrades. If you have any questions or want to swap Mantra riding stories, e-mail me
The 1998's come with better components than the 1997 which means.....
THE 98's ARE BETTER! GO GET ONE!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John Puziss
a cross-country rider
from Wallingford, CT
Date Reviewed: April 8, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This is an update to my earlier review. I've now had the opportunity to get
in several off-road rides at some of my favorite local areas. These feature
lots of rocky single track, with signficant climbing and descending.
My impression of the bike is that it's a cross-country monster. The claims
that it out-climbs other designs are not hype; I'm now able to climb hills
that were impossible for me on my previous bike, a carbon fiber hardtail.
With the derailleurs properly adjusted, the shifting is fine (I also installed
a rollamajig to improve shifting), braking is fine as well. The handling is
very quick. The preload on the fork was factory set with full pre-load;
I've since changed it to no pre-load, and the ride is now very plush, especially
on big hits. It does feel a bit skittish on fast descents, but I haven't had the sensation that I'm going to be launched out of the saddle. Overall,
an outstanding bike, especially for the price. I'll give it 4.5 chilis. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ROPER
a cross-country rider
from EAST COAST
Date Reviewed: April 8, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Regarding cracking:I ride a Race (I realize that this is a Comp Site) and cracked my derailler hanger on my third ride. Klein doesn't make replaceable hangers so back toteh factory it went. Klein was going to charge me $250 to repair it. Having litlte choice, i agreed to pay. They then told me that there cracks around the pivot which needed to be fixed, and thus they would not charge me the $250. I was happy with that result. It took three months to get the bike back. Klein claimed that had to wait to repaint the rear triangle (it would have to be black instead of the origianal) red and it would take awhile to get the factory set up to do so. I got my bike back but I suspect (and have no way of proving this) that the triangle was brand new, and not the original as the welds at the pivot were completely different/ much narrower than before. I didn't mind getting a new RT but if so, they should have told me. Klein customer service was very accomading but only after a number phone calls and letters were sent. The local Klein rep even loaned me his personal Mantra RACE for about a month until mine was fixed. Greatlt apprciated it. So I do have cooncerns about the the pivot. EVEN AFTER ALL THIS, IT IS AN AMAZING XC BIKE | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stone
a downhiller
from Joseph OR.
Date Reviewed: April 7, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have enjoyed this bike very much it handles much better than my old rock hopper. The rear end seems a little bouncy when flying down a canyon but I think that that is just me. The first 3 hours I had the bike I went over the handle bars 3 times. But the next day I had no trouble at all with the bike. It rides extremely nice on single track I smoked all of my friends on our rides once I figured the thing out.
One question the Bike shop told me the bike had a lifetime warranty but the manual said 5 years? Why is your bike only warranted for five years.
Iwill update this issue once I have had more chances to ride this toy | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott Legal
a weekend warrior
from Thousand Oaks, CA
Date Reviewed: April 7, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Yesterday morning, April 6, I was reviewing Mantra Comp ratings on this site and there was a brand new rating from a previous reviewer. His follow up stated that he had found cracks in his URT and that he was aware of one other bike that suffered similar cracks. Today, that review has vanished. Unfortunately, this is a disservice to anyone that wants to learn everything they can about the bike. I own a Mantra Comp and have submitted a prior review of my own in the past. I am very concerned about the Trek built URT cracking. I would love to know if the reviewer's riding habbits or any other factors, other than product defect, may have contributed to the problem. If this review can be put back on, it would be very beneficial to everyone. If the author of the review is reading this, please tell us again. Thanks | | Overall Rating: |
| |
|
Photo Caption Contest
(sponsored by Maxxis)
|
Enter here
|
|
|
$ 1499.00
