Klein

Klein Bikes, the company was founded in 1973, when the founder Gary Klein became interested in building aluminum frames. An independent activities project was started to test bicycle frames. The prototypes were displayed at the international cycle show in New York. By 1976, batch sizes had grown. Today, Klein sells several types of road and mountain bikes. The Klein road bike makes include the Q-pro and Reve. The mountain bike is sold under the name Attitude. Klein holds eighteen patents on bicycle design improvements. All Klein bikes have high modulus carbon fiber composite in the seat stay assembly, the Aeros Carbon fork and in the chainstay tubes of select Klein models. This composite is meant to reduce weight, add stiffness and absorb road and trail vibration. The bikes have gradient chain stays, for frame rigidity and efficient climbing power. The bikes are hand-painted. Klein bikes offer a custom program that offers several color paint schemes. The bikes have an internal cable meant to improve frame aerodynamics and to disperse frame stresses by allowing for additional flexibility. Klein bikes have micro dropouts with reversed design, meant to work with the chain's tension to pull the rear wheel into the drop, reducing wheel slippage. After a Klein frame is welded, it is heat treated in a two-stage process to finish the welds. As the frames are brought through a series of controlled temperatures, they are monitored to avoid warping that can occur when metal cools. These frames are adjusted to the industry's frame alignment tolerances on all alignment surfaces and critical bearing dimensions.