Post Trek KLEIN - are they really as bad a people make out?

[ishaw]

Re:

I owned a gator fade Klein rascal so can appreciate the Klein spine.

I think the pulse does away with all the difficulties of Klein ownership, the press fit bb, proprietary headset and bar/stem, standard forks will fit etc, whilst retaining most of the character and design elements. So, you haven't got smooth welds? You have a bike that you can maintain and build as you like at home.

Not sure I'd file the welds down myself, but if it works, why not.

Enjoy

 

[mattr]

TBH, without knowing how good the welds were in the first place, i don't think i'd risk it.

That's one of the "benefits" with a genuine Klein, hand welded in small volumes using double pass and cleaned up in-situ with the proper tools and process.
I'd very much doubt that the Trek Kleins were double passed (double costs!) so you have a tiny bit more risk in flatting the welds down. And you don't necessarily have the right tools (or the right experience) to do it cleanly, which gives you a bit more risk.

Won't give you any performance benefit either.

 

[Hotwheels.]

I've had a '97 Attitude from new and can recommend it as a direct, agile and fast bike. Yeah they're stiff, but with that comes responsiveness and speed.

 

[Thias]

The differences between the pre trek Pulse and the post ones (Pulse comp...) is in the details. The original Pulses had a typical "over the top" quality Klein paint (very scratch resistant, yet good looking) They also had press fit BBs, internal cablerouting (good looking, but no V-brakes for you!) and the front triangles welds did look a bit better.

This is my pre trek Pulse for reference.


The Pulse Comp Frames still were very good frames. But just less special.
And yes, the rear is very - very(!) stiff. Like all Klein-frames. That was one of their selling points, wasn't it?

 

[Prodigal Son]

The differences between the pre trek Pulse and the post ones (Pulse comp...) is in the details. The original Pulses had a typical "over the top" quality Klein paint (very scratch resistant, yet good looking) They also had press fit BBs, internal cablerouting (good looking, but no V-brakes for you!) and the front triangles welds did look a bit better.

This is my pre trek Pulse for reference.


The Pulse Comp Frames still were very good frames. But just less special.
And yes, the rear is very - very(!) stiff. Like all Klein-frames. That was one of their selling points, wasn't it?

Nice bike. Beautifull color and syncros build incl. the forged crankset.

 

[TOMAS]

^^ I second that, very very classy looking build there! Oooh this is all giving me food for thought, looking through some of the early kleins and their paintjobs make me want to drop next months wages on something very nice indeed lol... MUST RESIST TEMPTATION lol!!

 

[Thias]

Thanks

 

[Prodigal Son]

Thanks

American classic skewers ? Wheels as well?

 

[Thias]

No, sadly not.
I had a set of AC apx chub hubs planed for this build. Same initials :facepalm:
But they were in such a bad shape, I had to give them a full resoration first. Now they are waiting for a nice set of Mavic Ceramic rims...

So for the time beeing, I used a set of XT Prallax instead.

 

[Prodigal Son]

I used a set of XT Prallax instead.

XT parallax weighs a ton and look bad but the bike rolls forward.