# Klein Mantra ID/Year help



## broomhandle (Jul 27, 2006)

If anybody can help out. I am trying to figure out a year of this frame. The rear swing arm is different than others, and looks like it take a e-type?

i was hoping it was a early one, but now i am thinking 99 or newer. and if anybody knows pro, comp etc....

there are no SN's. somebody powder coated it a ugly dark purple, he asked for black and go this.... but the guy i got it from said it was a gary fisher so what ever....


----------



## mechagouki (Nov 30, 2007)

It looks like it has the Hayes disc caliper mounts on the chainstay, if it does I think that would make it 1999-2001 as that option was only available those years. That being said, the earlier swingarms used to crack if you stared at them too hard, so it could be an older fuselage with a warranty swingarm.

And yes, that powder coat is supremely fugly.

Hope you got all the main pivot parts cause spares are near impossible to come by.


----------



## broomhandle (Jul 27, 2006)

mechagouki said:


> It looks like it has the Hayes disc caliper mounts on the chainstay, if it does I think that would make it 1999-2001 as that option was only available those years. That being said, the earlier swingarms used to crack if you stared at them too hard, so it could be an older fuselage with a warranty swingarm.
> 
> And yes, that powder coat is supremely fugly.
> 
> Hope you got all the main pivot parts cause spares are near impossible to come by.


thats what i was afraid of... that dang piviot.does it have a plastic busing in between? i maye have to fabricate if i cant get it... i was told trek still has them. but who knows...

i was thinking 99 or 2k because of the disc as well.

is there a way to tell what model it is by the swing arm?

and did the fuselage change during the years?


----------



## mechagouki (Nov 30, 2007)

I don't know if there were significant changes in the aluminum fuselage, I would guess not as Trek owned Klein had a reputation for just using the same frame stock with different paint year after year.

This is the prototype with proprietary shock at Mombat:










This is an early Mantra Race in Koi (the best colour IMHO) (note the swingarm):










Here's my old 2001 Mantra Comp (I know Rumpfy loves this bike, which is my main reason for re-posting) has the same swingarm as yours:










And here's one more shot to make up for my blue monster:










Finally the carbon fuselage Mantra Pro:










And I'm sorry to tell you that TREK do not have bushing kits any more, and even if they did I believe getting them in and out of the frame is something of a PITA and requires special tools. If you really want a Mantra you can probably pick up a decent XT/XTR equipped bike for under $500, and as my bike above shows (I was second owner) a lot of the people who bought them didn't ride them much.


----------



## MendonCycleSmith (Feb 10, 2005)

mechagouki said:


> a lot of the people who bought them didn't ride them much.


That's what happens when you ride it, and it feels like it keeps breaking in two underneath you


----------



## broomhandle (Jul 27, 2006)

so..... i may have a 2k or 01 comp?

and...... no pivot bushings and even if i found them they need a special tool to put in?

so, this frame is to be recycling? there has to be something to retro fit for that pivot.


----------



## sprunghunt (May 14, 2006)

that's a 1999 klein mantra comp I have one just like it.

You can get bushings from ebay. 
And here's some instructions

here's a picture of one built up with (mostly) stock parts:


----------



## broomhandle (Jul 27, 2006)

sprunghunt said:


> that's a 1999 klein mantra comp I have one just like it.
> 
> You can get bushings from ebay.
> And here's some instructions


cool, i found the SN:

2112464 0898

i was guessing august of 98.. so a 99 made in 98.

and does it take a E-Type FD?

for the bushings what size nylon goes inside? and how many? i found those on ebay but i am assuming there are a lot more parts. like maybe a bolt... and nuts?

has anybody fabricated anything for this frame? like a polyurethane. that is what everybody uses in the auto world for bushings.


----------



## mechagouki (Nov 30, 2007)

Yep, e-type FD, that's what the little threaded mount above the BB is for.


----------



## broomhandle (Jul 27, 2006)

mechagouki said:


> Yep, e-type FD, that's what the little threaded mount above the BB is for.


cool, so you dont know whats inside that frame? what nylon bushings besides the bronze bushings?

if i cant figure out this pivot this frame is toast and not worth my time. i guess thats what happens to these old full suspension frames. and ones that are not as popular.


----------



## proto2000 (Jan 27, 2007)

I Like Bronze Milfs, I Mean Mantras......


----------



## H_Tuttle (Feb 27, 2007)

yip! looks like a 99 in XLarge

here is mine
www.googlepixel.com/99Mantra


----------



## ayuz (Aug 7, 2011)

H_Tuttle said:


> yip! looks like a 99 in XLarge
> 
> here is mine
> googlepixel.com/99Mantra]1999 Klein Mantra XL[l]


i have the same model and color mantra..but stock and in the process of upgrading the components.. i need to change the fork, crank set and bb, and the brake system to disc brake. also the handle bars. although i have a set of spin tri-spoke wheels to go with it.. is there such a thing as an adapter or disc mount for disc brake conversion??? any help will be appreciated.. thanks


----------



## broomhandle (Jul 27, 2006)

my 2 cents...

not worth going to disc. its a old bike, and V brakes work great if you get nice brakes and pads. sometimes better than a mec disc brake. just find a nice set of XT or XTR v brakes.

here is mine with temp parts to ride it. i have a 98 M front and a 99 L rear swing. bit of a mess, but it allows a longer shock.


----------



## H_Tuttle (Feb 27, 2007)

I will have to post a picture of the fox vanilla RC i mounted on mine.

I also found a 1999 full line Klein catalog

are you trying to convert the hubs to disc?


----------



## ayuz (Aug 7, 2011)

H_Tuttle said:


> I will have to post a picture of the fox vanilla RC i mounted on mine.
> 
> I also found a 1999 full line Klein catalog
> 
> are you trying to convert the hubs to disc?


Yes i'm planning on using disc InstEad of v brakes.
Where can i get a that catalog online? I also recently upgraded to fox float r. As soon as i get more than 10 posts i'll be uploading my mantra... I also need to get nuts and bolts.. Most of them have rust and some of them are in need of change anyone kbow any online sgop to get those tiny parts that local bike stotes dont even carry?


----------



## sprunghunt (May 14, 2006)

If you want to put discs on one of these you could try asking your local Hayes distributor or dealer if they have any calipers for a 32mm hayes mount. As that's the kind of brake that fits the rear.


----------



## H_Tuttle (Feb 27, 2007)

It's a 22mmm on the rear of a 99 klein


----------



## broomhandle (Jul 27, 2006)

retrobike ::

klein catalogs


----------



## ayuz (Aug 7, 2011)

broomhandle said:


> retrobike ::
> 
> klein catalogs


thanks for the catalog.. very kewl :thumbsup:


----------



## ayuz (Aug 7, 2011)

here's my mantras,
stock








upgraded - fox float R and spin tri spoke wheels









here's the other - downgraded till i get another spin tri-spoke or aerospokes wheels, soon going to upgrade the shox to fox float rp23


----------



## usedtodoit (Apr 28, 2009)

*Mantra pivots*

Check with David on his web site, The Mac Address Klein Mantra Frame Weight Table | He knows the model and can help with part sourcing and technical topics. He makes parts to convert some of the unique headsets to 1 1/8". Pivot bushings (#PAF 30160 P10) are not common but can be obtained from large bearing houses. No special tools to replace them. Somewhere I read this is theonly model Gary Klein has kept for himself. I have instructions from the manual to replace bushings, email for them if interested. I have not posted enough to put web links in this reply so reply to this with your address and I 'll send them to you.


----------



## EccentricRich (Dec 16, 2010)

Hello All

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread.

I've recently bought a Klein Mantra Race that needs some work to get in back in usable condition. It's fully assembled and all the parts are there but I need to strip it down, clean, grease and lubricate etc. and maybe get the swingarm powdercoated as most of the coating has lifted off. 

My question is can anyone give a step-by-step guide on removing the swingarm? I've read that it's imperative to support the swingarm with a vice or clamp to prevent damage to the ears but in practice how do you do this? Has anyone got any pictures of how they did it?

I've got a pdf copy of the old Klein manual but the instructions on the Mantra swingarm are quite vague.

Thanks for any advice given,

Richard.


----------

