Klein Bikes

Anyone know the history/what happened to these?

Bought out by Trek in the early to mid 90's
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/gallery2.php?g2_itemId=2453

I was looking into this the other day, and couldn't find anything current, and nothing about them ceasing to make bikes, so not sure what's going on.

From bicycleretailer site

Trek to Reintroduce Klein in U.S.

WATERLOO, WI (BRAIN)—Trek will introduce a new Klein road bike line to its worldwide dealers this summer.

The line could replace LeMond bicycles on shop floors if Trek is successful in its appeal to drop the brand. The company yesterday asked a federal court to release it from its licensing agreement to produce LeMond bicycles.

Trek owns the Klein brand, which it purchased from Gary Klein in 1995. Trek withdrew Klein from the U.S. market a few years ago. It remains a current brand with current products outside of the United States.

Some Trek retailers speculated that Trek would simply put a Klein decal on current LeMond road models to preserve those designs.

But Joe Vadeboncoeur, director of product development for Trek Bicycles, said Trek is developing the new line expressly for Klein.

“Since there is a current Klein brand with its own unique product mix and brand identity, we will not be selling any current products that Trek developed for any of our other brands, relabeled as Klein,” said Vadeboncoeur.

Vadeboncoeur described the line as a nice, tight product offering that will fit well into the current dealer base.

“That product lineup will clearly point where we will take the Klein line in the long haul,” Vadeboncoeur said. “We are very bullish about investing into the Klein brand as something that we can offer our dealers, and offer to them for as long into the future as it makes sense for them and for us.”

Trek will reveal the details of the Klein line at its dealer meeting in August.

—Megan Tompkins

They used to sell them in the 2 branches of Richmond Cycles. I remember them always being well ahead of their time and having amazing rainbow finishes and stuff like that.

Why are they so keen to drop the Lemond brand? Is this because Greg thinks Lance is a cheater?

Money is the real answer. They had fell out long before Greg made his Lance comments.

Lance owns 2% of Trek, Greg was apparantly unhappy about this

funnily enough it does have a bit to do with lance:

essentially, LeMond thought trek was promoting lance too much, at the cost of his own brand, so he filed suit against them.

trek replied in kind, saying LeMond's actions/statements/attitude was damaging both companies.

full story from bikebiz

They used to be very expensive and I could only dream on owing a Klein bike back in my mountain biking days. My Team Marin had to do for me...

I used to have a Klein- fantastic bike, light, nippy, great paintjob etc.

It was one of my milestones- you know when you are a kid and say "one day I will have one of those"?

Now I want my own tropical island complete with flying monkey butlers, but I'm not so sure that is going to happen.

greg lemond got caught selling lemond bikes direct to people out of his own garage way below the retail price.

Just remembered- when I bought my Klein Attitude I was also considering a Cannondale from Mosquito (when they sold MTB's).

I decided on the Klein, but as I lived down the road from Mosquito I bought a disc brake and new wheel from them.

Transaction went smoothly, thanked them and paid.

Then as I was walking off down the street the chap came to the door and shouted "enjoy it on your fucking TREK!"

This was post Trek takeover obviously, and a sign of poor anger management from Mosquito I thought.

Ha!

That is a fantastic story.

Customer relations FTW.

Then as I was walking off down the street the chap came to the door and shouted "enjoy it on your fucking TREK!"

Ouch, I would rather he had insulted my Mother.

Mosquito is my LBS, but I never go in there anymore.

This is my neighbors klein that he has converted, he has had it from new and it was a custom build for him - he has a bike collection to rival yours fiddy! :

I remember they looked like this...

...in my 1990's dreams.

Yup his had the original dayglo paintjob before he repainted it - same as this

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/gallery2.php?g2_itemId=40987&g2_imageViewsIndex=1

Wont let me copy picture - but porn of the highest order

it's funny, painted white, it looks like any old alu frame. Defo gonna keep mine original. Gotta put some rigid forks on it tho.

http://www.londonfgss.com/thread2287.html#post113566

nimhbus, my bike was stolen, a **Klein **(already 2nd hand) that I'd been working on.

Just remembering my gorgeous Klein, will have me sad all day now.

Shyza.

vinyl, that's wicked, Tioga tension disc! classic

@vinylvillain

This is my klein