My Klein frameset...

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by lokstah
Star Wars quote of the day: almost there... almost.. there... stay on target... stay... on.. target.

He's trying to do the same thing to us that Klein did to him...make us wait 😄 😄

.

another...

I'll be losing a few mm in spacers soon; things feel a little high. Otherwise, it feels dreamy. I've only taken it up and down the block, mind you, but it feels like riding a finely tuned, modern rollercoaster. Smooth, corner carving, all the usual bike babble...

😎

nice! 😄

i see you got the rear brake stuff routed from the right lever. you may want to put some 3m clear stuff under the wire to prevent damage to the paint.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by drewski
nice! 😄

i see you got the rear brake stuff routed from the right lever. you may want to put some 3m clear stuff under the wire to prevent damage to the paint.

Yeah, my builder put a few here and there but not enough for my taste. I've got a stack of them at home. This paint will be safe...

Ok, just had my first real ride -- a short one (just my 5 mile commute), but it left a big first impression. Big.

I love my TCR, but the discernable difference in feel between the new Klein and my Giant is dramatic. Of course, I'm feeling the entire build here; with the exception of Speedplay Zeros, every component on this bike from tires to handlebars is a different make than I'm used to.

Given that, I've got to say that the first observation jumped out at me -- it feels like a magnetic train. I'm not sure if it's the cummulative affect of dampened vibrations, or the way the geometry influences weight distribution, or what, but there's a much stronger sense of being glued comfortably, reassuringly, smoothly into the ground... as though the bike were sending forward momentum a touch downward.

Ok, that's all a bit esoteric; the real key is that it feels wonderfully stable, smooth, and responsive in ways that define it from my TCR.

I'm ga ga. I'm in love.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by lokstah
Ok, just had my first real ride -- a short one (just my 5 mile commute), but it left a big first impression. Big.

I love my TCR, but the discernable difference in feel between the new Klein and my Giant is dramatic. Of course, I'm feeling the entire build here; with the exception of Speedplay Zeros, every component on this bike from tires to handlebars is a different make than I'm used to.

Given that, I've got to say that the first observation jumped out at me -- it feels like a magnetic train. I'm not sure if it's the cummulative affect of dampened vibrations, or the way the geometry influences weight distribution, or what, but there's a much stronger sense of being glued comfortably, reassuringly, smoothly into the ground... as though the bike were sending forward momentum a touch downward.

Ok, that's all a bit esoteric; the real key is that it feels wonderfully stable, smooth, and responsive in ways that define it from my TCR.

I'm ga ga. I'm in love.

How about the internal routing for the shifter cables? Do they ding around inside the down tube? Is it bare wire inside the down tube or a plastic sleeve running all the way in there?

Is the right chainstay routed internally too?

that regular-sized-crown fork is a bit odd, imo, w/ the width of the integrated headtube above it.

do you know why klein does that? some fork weight savings?

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by BaCardi
How about the internal routing for the shifter cables? Do they ding around inside the down tube? Is it bare wire inside the down tube or a plastic sleeve running all the way in there?

Is the right chainstay routed internally too?

Well, no dinging yet. In fact, the ride is quite silent. I believe the wire is routed bare through the top and down -tubes, with no tubing or guide.

Though it would be cool for the routing to continue from tip to tail, the chainstay cabling is conventional. Nothing internal there. The wire is spit out just ahead of the BB, on the frame's underside. The 2007 model will probably sport fully hidden cables.

😄

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by drewski
that regular-sized-crown fork is a bit odd, imo, w/ the width of the integrated headtube above it.

do you know why klein does that? some fork weight savings?

It's definitely an unsual "face" for a frame; I like to think of it as sleek with that slim fork. I suppose weight savings is as good a guess as any. On that note, I haven't weighed it yet, but there were lots of exclamations of "holy [censored]!" around the office today as my buddies picked it up...

🙂

How popular are Kleins now? there was a HUGE boom here in the late 80's, but I havnt seen a new Klein in probably 12 years, didnt even know if they where still going.....I am asuming they are 🙂 but how big is there market now?

Hey Lokstah I gotta know.
Did you design that paintjob yourself?
Apparantly they had a competition.
It´s featured on Kleins homepage under custom...as the 2004 runner up...
http://www.kleinbikes.com/us/custom/design_competition_winner.html

Now that´s cool.

Only bad thing I have to say about your bike is that it´s so beautiful it might be hard to use a lot thus "wearing and tearing" it. Looks like a piece of art :-)

lokstah thats a sweet bike. i especially like how theres like matching on multiple levels. i mean how the wheels, tires, saddle cover and bar tape are all silver to match the paint is definately cool, but then how the yellow on your stem, bars and PEDALS all matches is rather ridiculous. good job. i actually like it more and more as i look at it. anyways.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by mrowkoob
Hey Lokstah I gotta know.
Did you design that paintjob yourself?
Apparantly they had a competition.
It´s featured on Kleins homepage under custom...as the 2004 runner up...
http://www.kleinbikes.com/us/custom/design_competition_winner.html

Now that´s cool.

Only bad thing I have to say about your bike is that it´s so beautiful it might be hard to use a lot thus "wearing and tearing" it. Looks like a piece of art :-)

I love it Lokstah. As for fear of wearing it out. It would be a crime not to ride this thing hard and often. It would be like putting a classic car in a museum instead of on the road where they both the car and bike belong.

I checked out the klein site and the other winning designs. Did you see that crazy day/night glow in the dark thing. That could be the best paint job I ever.

Mrokoob, you unveiled me. That's my concept painting on the bottom of Klein's contest winners page. I was wondering how long I could cruise on without discussing that.

Locher = Lokstah (so much for web annonymity!)

Anyways, glad you guys like it. As for the wear and tear factor -- I've lost a little sleep over that question. I've decided that it will sit in a place of honor in my home, but also taken out fairly regularly; maybe once a week. It's a nice weekend/special occasion ride.

My TCR will remain my commuter.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by lokstah
I'll be losing a few mm in spacers soon; things feel a little high. Otherwise, it feels dreamy. I've only taken it up and down the block, mind you, but it feels like riding a finely tuned, modern rollercoaster. Smooth, corner carving, all the usual bike babble...

😎

Beautiful! Great choice on the grip tape! One sweet ride Lokstah!

Thanks, meehs! It's a wonderful ride.

Super sweet buiild up. I don't know what I was thinking with that post about the brake cables - yours are routed the same as mine.

And I needed to keep this thread above the "My New Cannondale" thread.

You Rock Lock!

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by DiabloScott
You Rock Lock!

Right back at ya, homie. Thanks for your advice during my (long, long, long) build period.

I love new bikes. This one feels like God's own podracer.