Klein Mantra Pro history question!

[Barnefield]

Who can tell me the story of the Klein Mantra pro.

I've found 1 NOS and 1 Mind Klein Mantra Pro from 1996. Where they already made in 1995 or 1996? How many were made?
And I mean with the MC2 setup.

 

[34henry3w]

Hey man

Great score! I'm no expert but I understand that klein made 3 prototypes, and about 200 production versions of the mc2 mantras. Yours is a later production based on the seat collar..prob 96.

I would love one but am 6'7" and regardless of what the 1996 klein Catologue says they only ever made the production ones in medium!

Gary klein stills rides his mantra to this day and says it it his favorite bike!

Any more pics?

 

[Oakleyman]

Hi there,

I worked for Trek throughout the nineties and was part of the Klein and Bontrager team. The early proto's had a gold back end, second generation the red back end both running the Klein rear shock and welded lug seat clamp. These never made production to my knowledge. The last version was fully red with Judy SL fork, ALPS5 rear shock and separate seat clamp, only medium was manufactured.

They are a truly lovely bike - I still have one

The next incarnation had an OCLV front boom, disc mounts and was available in three sizes. I always felt these did not ride as nicely as the aluminium version though, not sure why and only a personal note - they still looked fantastic

Great find by the way - enjoy it.

Mark

 

[Rio]

Great find DJ!!

any ideas on how you're going to build them? I think they were in the magazines with lots of tune parts.

 

[Atticus]

Wow Great find - enjoy it ! :twisted:

This is a pure dream machine !
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde on trails, depending on the fact you sat on the saddle or not ! I loved it a lot before solding it !

 

[gtRTSdh]

Beautiful, I don't know why I don't have one to be honest.

 

[Solo]

I rode one like in the pictures , it was a 96 with MC 2 bar.
Specs where full XTR 950, Judy SL, Crossmax, Thomson seatpost.

I liked it alot but after 6 years of heavy use the frame was dead ...
Too much play in the headset/headtube and the main pivot where there are no bearings but teflon coated bushings on a bronze ring in the frame.
Very light but no good in the Belgian mud .

Nice find , and you only can ride one bike so 2 frames is overkill , even if it's a Klein Mantra ;-)

 

[dyna-ti]

They brought them round the bike shoppe not long after they were released and everyone oo'd and ahh'd till they left.
After which everyone agreed it had to be the ugliest thing any of us had ever seen

 

[indemnitor]

Hello Barnefield, great bike! Mark seems to be the expert! I have one of the first production Mantra Pros along with 6 other Klein bikes both mtn & road. As soon as I was informed by my shop/dealer (of "pusher" as I like to refer to him!) that Klein was working on a full suspension ride I ordered it in '94. I waited almost a full year for it. I absolutely love it and while I have a few other newer montain bikes, it's still my #1 for corss-country riding, especially for rougher terrain. It's gone through a few component revisions but it's still my favorite. I get asked "Why do you still ride that antique!" As I've heard Jeep owners say, I say if you have to ask, ya just won't undertand. Climbs like a mountain goat, sprints like a cheetah. I finally feel like I have it built just right (for me): SRAM 9.0 twist shifters & rear derailleur (sp?) & all the rest of the drive-train is XTR with "old school" original Bontrager Race Light wheelset (circal 1997/ with ceramic coated braking surface rims. Wears v-brake pads pretty quick but works great no matter what the conditions. Enjoy your Mantra Pro!! Mike

 

[mkozaczek]

You have a 1997, 96s had the welded on seat binder bolt. Otherwise it's the same thing.