what do you base your judgment on the performance of all those bikes on?
Carsten
Well, if my a$$ was the judge, Klein, like many alu frames I've ridden, are too stiff, unforgiving, and not lively. Kinda like strapping a jackhammer to your a$$. I remember seeing a lot of rich amateur racers buy them because of the shiny paintjob and lightness.
Also, Klein doesn't feel very stable as my old Bonty, Xizang
(which I regret selling), and Seven Sola. It doesn't handle very well on technical courses. I'm faster on the Bonty and Xizang thru the climbs, singletracks, and decends. And my personal criteria for a good bike is one I can whip/throw around with confidence, like a rag doll from under me during an XC race, and not be afraid of falling. Kinda like "being one" with the bike. Knowing how the bike will react. Klein is not one of them bikes. Maybe it's their funky geometry.
(personal opinion)
I've ridden a lot of Cannondales during the 90's
(because our University Team was sponsored by them) and that's what riding on a Klein felt like. When our team was sponsored by GT the following years, our Zaskars were stiff as hell, plus the triple triangle made it even more stiff. The difference with the Klein, is that the GT geometry fit me better and I can control the bike well, especially on fast technical descends.
(again, personal bias).
Lastly, a Klein and a Ti Fat cannot be put in the same sentence
(oops, I just did). Riding a Ti Fat is like magic, if you know what I mean. I remember riding on my friend's Ti Fat on a few Saturdays rides. Let's just say, I tried offering my old Acura Integra for his bike.
I will save the mechanics/racers horror stories about broken Klein frames for another day. Cannondales are the worst. Typical front triangle headtube/downtube failure. And servicing the headset/tube and internal cabling were nightmares.
I apoligize in advance if it seems like I'm degrading your Kleins. My reasonings are all subjective. Plus I cannot get rid of the idea that a superior and proven Ti frame (with many racing accolades) can be had for less. I guess, "to each his own..."
I do like looking at Klein porns
(paintjobs)