Blast from the past: Klein Mantra

[p nut]

Originally Posted by dddd

Gary Fisher "Genesis" bikes featured a longer top tube and shorter stem, which improved climbing traction and helped prevent endos. But I don't recall if they exploited a slacker headtube angle at all(???).

I bought a Big Sur with the Genesis geo back in ‘98. It certainly didn’t feel like it had any slacker angles. Probably 71-72 deg, typical 90’s geo. I went over the bars plenty.

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by p nut

Were there full suspension bikes in the 90’s that performed well and wasn’t a turd?? GT LTS, Trek Y… 😂🤣

Well, other bikes were polished turds, the Mantra wasn't. :-) Unified Rear Triangle was was an ultimate fail, but to put the pivot point up high where the Mantra's was probably made the suspension worse.

[choke]

I owned a Mantra for a while. As most have said, it was a POS going downhill....it was easily the worst bike that I've ever owned.

Originally Posted by p nut

Were there full suspension bikes in the 90’s that performed well and wasn’t a turd?? GT LTS, Trek Y…

Mantis Pro Floater
Ellsworth Truth
Dirt Works Cannibal

[chismog]

Didn't know there was so much "love" for the Mantra! A buddy of mine has one, the yellow jacket model with the gold arm and black rear. He would love to sell it to a good home. If anyone wants to put their money where their mouth is, let me know! Bike is approx 18" for 5'9 rider, located in Santa Barbara.

[T-Crush]

Originally Posted by p nut

Were there full suspension bikes in the 90’s that performed well and wasn’t a turd??.

I had a Santa Cruz Tazmon that I really liked, and before that a GT Team RTS that was interesting if you could get it set up correctly (almost no sag while seated, but moving through travel at the first sign of a bump, a real pain to dial in with the Noleen coil-over). I took a break from the full suspension nonsense for a while with a Zaskar until I wound up on a Cannondale Jekyll with a Lefty, a decent do it all ride, but that's getting later in the development process.

[tellyho]

Originally Posted by T-Crush

I had a Santa Cruz Tazmon that I really liked, and before that a GT Team RTS that was interesting if you could get it set up correctly (almost no sag while seated, but moving through travel at the first sign of a bump, a real pain to dial in with the Noleen coil-over). I took a break from the full suspension nonsense for a while with a Zaskar until I wound up on a Cannondale Jekyll with a Lefty, a decent do it all ride, but that's getting later in the development process.

You're still talking 20 years ago! Hope you moved.on from the Jekyll

[T-Crush]

Yes, the Jekyll was a 2 year affair. Long for me. A Turner, BMC 4-stroke, Blur, Jamis Dragon 29 and Ventana El Rey have all given way to a Niner Rip and Spec Stumpy 29er HT at present. At this point, thinking about adding a FS MTB e-bike to the mix.