Hello. My Klein.

[Hardly Hardy]

Hello everyone, what a great site thank you!

Ok, I'm sure I bought my Klein back in 1999 or 2000 second-hand. I love this bike and used it for my main ride up until two years ago, (until my 55 year old knees started to suffer). I was the one responsible for the upgrades.

I have kept this bike hoping I could rescue my knees and get back on it again, but I have to face the facts. I'm thinking of passing this bike on now and will most likely cry when I do.

If I do sell it, I'd like to pass as much information as I can about the bike. Also I need to know how much it is worth. If you can help me I'd very much appreciate it.

The bike was resprayed about 10 years ago at Argos Bristol England, chips are upon the bike frame again.
I'm not sure of the year but I think its between 96-98?
Serial number is WTU (hard to read that bit) 032863 P
Some markings I can't read (four markings maybe 3EJJ?
21 K3 12-16
So the 21 is the Klein size, feels smaller that a 21"?
Hardware is Deore XT
Forks are RC36 (still have owners manual)

I have searched the forums but am still a little stumped about a few things. The bike is in Devon UK.

Oh btw its been fun watching my friends buy a new bikes almost every two years or so, while I have kept the love of my life. 25 years with bike and it feels almost like family.

 

[Hardly Hardy]

It also has Mavic 217 ceramic wheels (chipped but still good to ride).

 

[JohnAcrossPond]

I think you have a 1998 model. I have a 1997 Pulse Comp and the Klein logo is in white rather than silver. The 1997 Pulse Comp was a 21 speed bike, had a 5 arm crank and the IG cassette and chainrings and the not sought after Alivio components. The accountants at Trek did the pulse comp dirty in 1997, changing it from an 8 speed rear cassette in 1996 to a 7 speed cassette in 1997. In 1998 it was back to being an 8 speed cassette and back to being HG cassette and chainrings.
Trek still has the Klein catalogs on their web site, which is useful to see how the bike started out and what colors it came in.

Is there anything in particular you're stumped on?

 

[Hardly Hardy]

Thank you for your message. The trouble is that I had it resprayed around 2010 (argos UK). I can't remember if the logo was white or silver back then, I guess that argos went for as close to what was already on the bike so maybe you are right about silver v's white. I can't find an old photo of the bike before I upgraded it grrr.

All the components were swapped way back, and I can't remember what was on the bike before I upgraded it. Jeez I've had the bike for 25 years and my brain is struggling to remember everything.

I was looking for info to sell the bike, but as the ebay auction ends today I'll just leave the advert info as it is.

Thank you so much for helping me with your knowledge, it was very kind of you.

 

[JohnAcrossPond]

Did you swap the crankset? I did a quick look at the 1998 Klein catalog specs and it lists the Sugino Mighty 350 as the crankset, which looks like the one in your picture.
For 1996-1998 the Klein Pulse models came in five sizes XS,S,M,L,XL. It might say 21" but I think that a projection if the top tube was straight. Klein seemed to put on handlebar stems that were too long for the frame on the idea that taller riders would fit on their bikes. I see you changed the stem out on yours. I bought mine new in 1998 as an unsold leftover from 1997 but asked if they could find me another stem to swap out for something shorter, which they did. It didn't even leave the shop and I was already swapping parts out. LOL

The 1997 bike I have, I ordered a bunch of upgrade parts but then I moved, got a motorcycle, got married, etc, but I never sold it. Eventually I got around to changing the parts but never got around to riding it much. I looked at it recently and realized I still have the original frame, original V-brakes and levers, and the original Rock Shox Indy C suspension fork. Everything else got changed. I changed the seat and post (Terry Fly saddle, Control Tech Scandium seat post), got a different set of wheels and hubs (shimano XT hubs with Bontager Valiant ASYM rims), Shimano XT front derailleur , XTR 951 rear derailleur, XTR 8 speed rapidfire shifter, Shimano 11-30T 8 speed M737 cassette, a Suntour XC Pro thumb shifter (friction) for the front derailleur. Ditched the Alivio crankset and got a Race Face Turbine set (with ISIS bottom bracket). And I changed the handlebars a few times and have been through a couple different stems as well currently using a Ringle of some sort. I really like the Scott AT-4 "bowtie" handlebars I have on there now, back in the day some riders thought they were too fragile, but I've aged out of bombing down hard trails that could kill me long ago. I'm a few years older than you, (not too many LOL). Now it's a victory if I just actually go for a casual ride, this getting old stuff stinks.

 

[shepp]

Unfortunately the don’t go for much. There were a lot produced and made by Trek so not as exclusive as the original. Seem to always be a few up for sale as well.