Pros: Paint to die for, Oh yeah, it rides well too
Cons: One day I'll scratch it
 

Few things are more personal and intimate than a cyclist to his bicycle. So buying a new bike can be an emotional adventure fraught with fears and doubts and joy and fulfillment. Think I'm kidding? If I were to ask: What have you had the longest, your job, your address, your wife/girlfriend or your bike, I'd bet a bunch of you cyclists would say, "job?".

The thought of having a bicycle fail catastrophically, however, is not a prospect to which I look forward. More than a few drops of rain have penetrated its steel frame so who knows what insidious damage rust has wrought. A few bonehead mistakes have bent the front dropouts more than I care to admit. A crash at Lake Tahoe tweaked the rear triangle (and my collarbone) and has never quite been the same. So after 14 years and maybe 40,000 miles on my trusty steed I decided to send it out to pasture. It was time to buy a new bike.

The Search
Having been out of the market but not out of touch with current bike designs and trends and pretty well knowing what I wanted I boldly took my first step and marched directly into the bike shop. NOT. Yeah right, a married guy walking boldly into a purchase without consulting his wife is like clearing a snow blower by reaching into it while it's still running, only worse. So, promising I'll finally paint the bathrooms this year and wallpaper the guestroom, she conceded and agreed to a budget between $1500 and $2000. A non-bicyclist tends to gasp at this figure but real cyclists find value in this competitive price point. Statistically, the average bicycle bought in the United States is ridden less than 100 miles in its lifetime. A $200 bike ridden all of 100 miles comes to $2/mile. It's cheaper to rent a car. On the other hand a pro or serious amateur will ride a $3000 bike up to 5000 miles or more a year. Do the math. So upwards of two grand is not unreasonable for sports equipment that I'll probably keep for at least a decade and will reach speeds up to 55 MPH on descents. No bargains for me when the slightest equipment failure can result in a 100 yard smear of red and spandex.

Since I would be keeping my steel bike for some training and commuting, I thought it would be fun to buy something "different". I narrowed my search to three aluminum bikes from three very different but all American companies.

The Makers

Klein is the product of engineer, designer, bike racer, Gary Klein who introduced large diameter production aluminum tubing to the bicycle world. The Quantum is Klein's low-end model that I could afford. It has a light frame whose "gradient" tubes are a result of a licensed process that results in thicker walls at the ends and a thinner section in the middle but without the typical butting. Of course the outside diameter is consistent throughout the length of each tube in the main triangle. The Klein tubes are larger than those on the other bikes. Geometry is neutral.

All three are fitted with Shimano 105 components featuring STI shifting. Two and three chainrings are available for each. There are absolutely no problems with this group. All the bikes roll on Rolf Vector wheels with their distinctive paired spokes, deep aero rims and machined braking surfaces. Like their more costly siblings the Vector Comp and Vector Pro, these wheels are light, radially spoked in front and hold their true remarkably well, even for a no-longer-svelte guy like me who stomps on them now and then.

The Find
Looking at the clean lines and finish of the Klein, I really wanted to like it. And I did. Even before I left the bike shop parking lot, I was feeling comfortable with its handling. It was responsive but not overly so. It felt very similar to my bike with quick handling but tracked straight on when riding no hands. Despite an average top tube length I was able to stretch out comfortably once a longer handlebar stem with zero degree rise was installed. The seat tube angle was perfect and allowed a neutral saddle position on the seat rails - not shoved all the way back as on my old bike. This made my position relative to the cranks very familiar and comfortable. With the replacement handlebar stem, I finally felt "in" the bike and was joyful that my old bike was not the only bike in the world that would fit me. During the downhill test I was expecting to be disappointed on the rough section ahead. With its large diameter tubes that gave this bike so much stiffness, I was sure that they would also convey each and every bump and ripple straight to my tush and hands. Surprisingly, this bike did not feel as rattled. Was it the gradient tubing? Was it the saddle? Was it magic? I can't say but kudos to Mr. Klein for this achievement. I was deciding which credit card I would use even before I returned to the store.

I have to admit that a serious draw to this model Klein is its looks. Coming from someone whose previous road bikes were gray, black and white, that's saying something. Internal cable routing gives it an overall clean look. Klein's exclusive "wash" welding technique results in the curvaceous, smooth and sexy look of hand filed, fillet brazing. Well I think it's sexy. This sure beats the crude, lumpy and unfinished TIG welds that are found on bikes costing twice as much. Finally, the paint. God, the paint. This is the kind of paint that inspires poetry, music, and deals with the devil. Anyone who sees the bike runs a finger long and slowly along the top tube and makes expressions that would get them arrested if a price was mentioned. Klein's "Purple Haze" finish is standard with the Quantum this year. The color can be described as purple but that depends. This mysterious paint takes on different hues when seen from different angles. The tubes always seem to be bluish green in the center then tapering off into a deep indigo at the edges. However looking lengthwise at a tube from a low angle will reveal a coppery hue. Similar paints are available on other manufacturer's bikes at steep premiums. Why Klein decided to use this on their lowest cost road bike is a wonder. And wonderful.

But don't love it because it's beautiful. Even if it were gray, and I like gray, this bike would be more than worthy of a test ride and your bike bucks. But man, that paint…
 

This Bike Rocks!!!


Pros: Great ride, fast, it rocks and kicks butt! Rolf vectors
Cons: None

Klein's rockin Quantum Y2K Road Bike.

Specs: Klein's great aluminum frame, the very same frame used for the Race and Pro models; Shimano 105 Triple gruppo; AirRail epoxy carbon fork; Cane Creek S2 AheadSet; Icon Onyx bars with Icon Graphite AHS stem and seatpost; Selle Italia titanium leather saddle; Michelin Axial Pro tires; Purple haze color (aka purple fade to teal in direct light); and, oh yeah, ROLF VECTOR COMP wheels!

The Skinny: This is my first real road bike, having gotten back into it this year and giving up sucking air on my hybrid of several years. In a nutshell, this thing flys! Pure speed, pure thrill, pure fun, even going up the hills and all. At only 18.5 pounds or so, it is incredibly light yet sturdy. Aluminum does give you a more stiff ride, but forget the idea of feeling each and every bump; I haven't. The Klein frame and fork combination give a very comfortable ride, though it does require a little more attention for control. I am getting used to the responsiveness of this frame, but it is pure joy all the way.

Everything I got is stock except I swapped out the Selle saddle for a Terry Fly titanium saddle. I had started using a Specialized Geometry, and the Terry is a little classier and comfortable.

The Shimano 105 gruppo is excellent; shifting is precise and clean. Only concern I have is the Rolf wheelsets. I have read others' reviews of the LeMond Zurich and they speak of lots of flats; well, I had my first one today with very little total mileage, and on the rear wheel to boot.

I looked at several bikes, from the LeMond Zurich to the Cannondale 1000, Trek 2200, Raleigh R800 and Fuji Team, and I chose the frame over all other combinations; you simply cannot beat the Klein frameset, and it is upgradeable to a better gruppo.

Bottom line; forget steel, buy aluminum and buy Klein. You'll be very glad you did!