Resurrecting 1997 Klein Mantra Comp

[Thias]

I dont have a pic right now. But I will take one later and post it for you.

The original dampeners were Fox alpes 4 or 5, I think. But those do not work very well. I swapped mine for a modern platform dampener, a Fox Float RP23. That is quite the difference. It made the frame acually ridable. With the alpes it was a rather scary experience going downhill...

The problem will be to find on in a suitable "length" thou...

 

[npn]

Ah, I didn't realize you're talking about the rear shock - no, i haven't decided at all.

I'll post some pics on my progress tomorrow, but I'm sure that mine is missing the bolt.

 

[npn]

This is how the frame came, maybe i'm missing the center piece?

 

[npn]

I guess the previous owner or whoever tried to take it apart and removed the bolt that goes through. That bolt I don't have so I have to figure out how to replace it and meanwhile to proceed to take the rest apart.

 

[Thias]

Lets hope the thread in your coup isn't stripped...

Here is the promised pic:


The allen bolt you are missing is a M5 x 0,8
Length:

 

[npn]

I was about to ask you if you knew the length/size of the bolt. I appreciate it.

It turned out that the size is the same as a skewer. So I stuck one in, screwed it and hammered it till the cup popped out.

 

[npn]

Thias -- are these old pictures or current project? Once I strip everything down, I'm thinking of repainting the frame, but I can't decide whether to keep the original scheme or red.

 

[Thias]

My bikes are always work in progress

But my Mantra is mostly done, I am riding it from time to time. I had tried a few different setups with the fork and the rear dampener.

My conclusion would be that this frame really needs a modern rear dampener. To cope with the consructional weaknesses, so to say.

And it's steering angle is way too steep for my taste. This is one of the very few frames of that aera that actually rides better not using a time correct fork, but a much more modern long travel fork. Something like 100 to 120mm travel suits it very well in my oppinion as it raises the front and flattenes the seering angle. Using a short stem and a riser bar further helps.
But this is really my own opinion. And a setup like this really looks rather wired...



I can go more into detail about why I chose those rather unusual parts, if you are interested.

 

[npn]

Does it matter which side the sleeve comes out?

I gave it a good few blows but it won't move... I used a piece of fork stem

 

[dyna-ti]

Does it matter which side the sleeve comes out?

I gave it a good few blows but it won't move... I used a piece of fork stem

I dismantled(or is that dismantra'd ) one of these last year and to break it gently to you its an absolute barsteward to remove.
Problem is you need to support the swing arm around that pivot point, but allow the center to move out so the thing you use must be hollow.
If you dont brace it it will take that side of the pivot point with it and snap it off.

i also found it so tight I actually thought it was corroded in. It wasn't, but bloody hell it was tight.