Klein Mantra Carbon, Hope brakes plus bits bundle xmas pres

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Klein Mantra Carbon in size Large Hope brndleakes plus bundle – £360 posted to UK.

Builds into a lovely classic bike with modernisations. Others might disagree but there you go. Look at the build pics and see for yourself. Will always love the lines.

Am selling the fame as after many a build, hoping for a growth spurt and plain stubborn denial of facts. I have finally come to admit the fame is too big for me. I had it for probably 5ish years. Lovely to ride on fast single track. It really does smooth out trail bumps and chatter but not a big hit machine. Have been on the lookout for a small rear triangle for years now with no luck. Hence facing reality and finally putting add up. Any questions please ask. It will be boxed in a proper bike box and packed with protection. Payment via Paypal as gift or you pay fees. Cash on collection can be made in west London if that suits.

In this bundle you get:
- Klein Mantra Carbon frame (large). ST: 19.5” TT: 22”. Takes a 31.6 post. 1&1/8th fork. 2.3” tyres with clearance. 73mm BB. Variable paint but no crakes or damage other than a little chain suck. Has been modified so please read below for detail.
- Fox Float RL rear shock, 50mm stanchion. Short and long travel settings, rebound & pro-pedal. Very usable as it. Might be worth a service if you want the best out of it. Was going to look to a more modern unit but have decided to sell. Details below.
- Anti-chainsuck plate to underside of chain stays.
- Crane Creek S2 1&1/8th headset installed. Nice and smooth.
- Hope QR seat collar modded. Milled out 38.5mm to fit odd carbon size O.D. of frame.
- XT E-type BB mount front mech. Good condition.
- Front Hope M4 brake and pads, Standard hosing. Just bled and serviced.
- Rear Hope mini brake and pads, Standard hosing (hosing threaded to into frame) Just bled and serviced.
- Rear Hope 185mm brake rotor used but lots of life. Fits the current rear brake set up so you’ll need it.
- Rear brake adaptor. Home made to for mounting Hope Mini within the rear triangle. Neat.
- Aftermarket rear brake adaptor (new) for mounting ISO calliper above rear triangle.
The pics are of the fame as currently built up to show what is possible. Sale is for the listed items above only in a bundle.

20140919_185927 by Kean5000, on Flickr

First some notes on the frame. Would have been an (party like its) 1999-2000-2001 frame I think. There are modification that you need to note. spraypainted metallic silver in a spray booth. There are some chips and scratches from use but the PC is in decent condition. The decals are vinyl copies. I think I have spare and will include if I can find them. They are the wrong font I think. So not right for the frame anyway. From an earlier period of Klein me thinks. There has been 1.5-1&1/8th reducer cups epoxied into the head tube so it runs a normal 1&1/8th head set, rather than the Klein MC2 system. I don’t doubt that they could be removed but I wouldn’t start twating the things with a mallet. The cable routing on the boom for the rear brake was originally cable stops for the v-brake rear brake. They have been drilled out to take the hydraulic brake hosing. In line with this the v-brake bosses on the rear triangle have be ground off. Removing the bosses was the reason this frame had a paint job. The rear triangle had the same paint as the boom but now has a rattle can black over the top. As you can see from the pics this is suffering. Flaking around the BB area and chipping at the rear drop outs. There is also numerous scratches and some glue residue from a bag of bits I had taped to it for a while. There is chain suck damage to the drive side that has done more than scratched the paint but never had any trouble with it. Just looks ugly. The bearings are all good with no play. The tyres you see on it are 2.3 speed kings and they have plenty of clearance.

The shock is in OK condition. It keeps its air and has a smooth feeling while riding. The ‘bonce test’ by putting ones man gut on the saddle can feel a bit sticky though. As you can see the slippery ano is wearing on the shock stanchion at the top which would be the cause of this. The unit makes a very noticeable squishing sound when depressed. Riding and bouncing on it. Its’ pro-pedal works quite well in managing the fames suspension, but this is suspension from over 10 years ago remember. I would think of this as a soft tail with usable travel if you are seated. Ah the wonders of unified rear triangle suspension design. Why? Why not! is the answer.

The Hope M4/Mini brake combination have just been bleed and serviced and they are spot on. They have pads that have seen bedding in and one ride. Both front and rear have had their bore caps changed to red ano. Originally they had braided Goodridge hosing but now have standard black hosing. The sale is for them with standard hosing. I would be keeping these but for one reason. The rear Mini has had the hosing routed through the cable guides on the frame. You can’t take the brake off the frame unless you take off the calliper/lever and the end piece. Ergo, they really need to stay with the frame.

Associated with the brakes going with the frame is the rear brake rotor and mounts. The mount and rotor in the pic as it is built works great. The direct mount on Klein Mantra is a little used 22mm post mount system that was only used on a particular Hayes calliper at the time as far as I know. The threaded bolt mounts are integrated into the chain stay right in close to the corner inside the rear triangle. The guy I bought the frame off worked out that he could fit a Hope Mini on an old Hope 185mm rotor. So he made the adaptor from an ali angle you see in the pics. Never had a problem with it. I also don’t see why you could not make a similar one for a 203mm brake rotor if you have to. I don’t think you could go smaller, but would depend on the actual chosen calliper shape and how far you can push it back into the corner. Included in the sale is an aftermarket bracket to mount an ISO rear break above the seat stay of the rear triangle in the traditional location. I was going to do this but decided against for the following reasons. A - It’s heavy. B - Combined with the rear facing drop out of almost zero length, the likely outcome is that the rear wheel will be pulled out under heavy breaking. If you do use it, do so at your own risk and use a bolted skewer in my opinion. The 185mm hope rotor still has plenty of life but is used.

So there you go. A bit long winded but though it best to invest time in blurb to make clear the condition and modifications so there is no misunderstandings on what you’re getting.

Crying inside now.

Pics below for the tyre kickers and punters alike. Taken in the fading light so sorry for quality.

20140919_185914 by Kean5000, on Flickr
20140919_185927 by Kean5000, on Flickr
20140919_185937 by Kean5000, on Flickr
20140919_185948 by Kean5000, on Flickr
20140919_185957 by Kean5000, on Flickr
20140919_190023 by Kean5000, on Flickr
20140919_190049 by Kean5000, on Flickr
20140919_190057 by Kean5000, on Flickr
20140919_190127 by Kean5000, on Flickr
20140919_190136 by Kean5000, on Flickr
20140919_190452 by Kean5000, on Flickr
20140919_190502 by Kean5000, on Flickr
20140919_190512 by Kean5000, on Flickr
20140919_190532 by Kean5000, on Flickr
20140919_190554 by Kean5000, on Flickr
20140919_190636 by Kean5000, on Flickr
 
Re: Klein Mantra Carbon, Hope brakes plus bits bundle.

Nice bike a lot of thought has gone into the rear brake
How much travel does the rear end have
What's the weight if the frame

The frames carbon surely it's not powder coated
 
Re: Klein Mantra Carbon, Hope brakes plus bits bundle.

Thanks dan28 for the comment. You are absolutly right. The frame was spray painted in a booth. Just checked with the guy I bought it off. For some reason I always though it powder coated. My oversight, as running a current through carbon is near impossible. Doh! Anyway the boom was professionally done and the rear triangle in his back yard. The condition of each now show as such.

As to the weight. I not sure but quite respectable. http://www.themacaddress.com/?p=99708183 This web site suggests 5Lbs. On my house hold scales the bike as you see it weighs in at just under 8kg without pedals. So that’s circa 17.6Lbs. Quite good for something with two suspension units.

The site also suggest 6 to 7” of travel. Well if that’s what your get it disguises it well. I would say completely unscientifically on nine it is 3-4” if that. The shock on it is not what they came with so that could be the reason. Not quite a definitive answer sorry, but gives you an idea. Think soft-tail+.

Also have noted that the Hope hosing is not the Goodridge as advertised. Just the generic black hosing. Have amended the ad. I remember them being braided but must of changed them for some reason. Anyway the brakes have just been service and works great.
 
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