Klein Touring Bike

[rweisheit]

Anyone have experience with Klein tourers? Saw this one up on the bay and I'm tempted to pull the trigger, although there's not a lot of info online about them. Here's a link:

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=261247507289&cmd=VIDESC

[pinkshogun]

i remember hearing about a proprietary bottom bracket that Klein uses...

[bikinchris]

Used. That was before the sale to Trek. This bike looks like it was in about that period.

[oldpotatoe]

Anyone have experience with Klein tourers? Saw this one up on the bay and I'm tempted to pull the trigger, although there's not a lot of info online about them. Here's a link:

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=261247507289&cmd=VIDESC

Looks like the unique to that frame, press in bearings for the BB. Not impossible to service but may be 'interesting' to get another crank on it.

[avalonracing]

This bike is VERY pre-Trek.

[Ken Robb]

The two Kleins that I demoed in the late 1990s were both stiff rides. They were "regular" road bikes so I would guess that this touring bike would be plenty stiff also. That Sun Tour stuff would be VERY dependable and great for touring as well. This bike might be too stiff for many folks to enjoy unloaded.

[bikinchris]

Looks like the unique to that frame, press in bearings for the BB. Not impossible to service but may be 'interesting' to get another crank on it.

I still have a bearing press set and a selection of different length bottom brackets in Campy and ISO taper left over for Klein frames. Been thinking of selling that and the headset press I have for the Klein Airheadset.
You can't use outboard bearings, but you can use almost any of the older tapered cranks.

[rweisheit]

A touring bike that uses proprietary technology seems a little risky. Particularly given the company isn't around anymore. Is it worth the potential headache?

[weaponsgrade]

Philwood makes a press-in BB that fits Kleins.

[Steve530]

I have a 1983 Klein Performance that probably pre-dates the bike in the photo. The only obvious difference is my bike has the downtube shifters mounted on the top of the downtube. My guess is the bike pictured was made around 1986. I was definitely made before 1992 because name on the downtube is the older style font.

No reason to be concerned about the bottom bracket. It has pressed in bearings with an interference fit with the spindle and bottom bracket. I replaced the original bearings with Phil bearings myself using a bunch of washers and a large bolt. I was lucky to find a Klein spindle when I decided to fit a triple crank.

The frame has longer chainstays than the racing frames, but it is really stiff. The frame should have enough clearance to fit at least 25C tires.

BTW, the price of the bike on ebay is less than I paid for the new frame in 1983. Here's a link to a good blog (http://diabloscott.blogspot.com/2000_05_01_archive.html) about Klein bikes. Let me know if you need more information.

[PacNW2Ford]

I have a 1994 Performance, note that you don't necessarily have to find a "Klein" spindle. Any 17mm OD spindle such as an older White Industries will work too. 'Course those may be just as hard to find too.

[sean]

Klein spindles aren't really that hard to find. I think they were banking on more sales so they made a bunch that just ended up sitting around. They show up on ebay for cheap. See them a lot at swaps too.