Klein Bicycle Corporation Explained

Klein Bikes
Founder:Gary Klein
Location City:Chehalis, Washington
Products:Bicycles
Parent:Trek Bicycle Corporation

Klein was a bicycle company founded by Gary Klein that pioneered the use of large diameter aluminium alloy tubes for greater stiffness and lower weight.

Klein produced his first bicycle frames while a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology during the 1970s, and full production runs of frames began in the 1980s. In 1995 the company was purchased by the Trek Bicycle Corporation, and the original Klein factory at Chehalis, Washington, closed in 2002 as production moved to the Trek headquarters at Waterloo, Wisconsin. Widespread distribution in the United States stopped in 2007, and ceased altogether in the rest of the world in 2009.

History

Gary Klein, born 9 June 1952, attended the University of California at Davis before transferring to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). During the Independent Activities Period in 1973, a group of students including Klein worked together under Professor Buckley to produce an aluminum framed bicycle.[1] After analyzing a number of contemporary steel frames, and examining ones that had broken in use, they were able to determine the stresses placed on a bicycle frame.[1] Faced with limited available types of aluminum alloy tubing, the students chose to construct frames from 6061 aluminium alloy seamless drawn tube; alternatives such as the stronger 7075 aluminum alloy were discarded because of the tubing dimensions.[1]

After graduating from MIT in 1974 with a degree in chemical engineering, Klein took a business course for entrepreneurs.[2] As a keen road racer, in 1975, he started a business project with three other people and built a limited run of aluminum alloy framed bikes at the MIT Innovation Center, using a grant provided by MIT and of capital from each partner.[3] The prototypes, with larger diameter tubes and thinner walls than those produced in 1973, were displayed at the International cycle show in New York in February 1975.[1]

The next year, he relocated to some disused buildings on his parents' farm in San Martin, California, that had previously been used for dehydrating prunes.[1] [2] In 1977, he patented use of large diameter aluminum alloy tubes to increase stiffness,[4] and in 1980, he moved from San Jose, California, to Chehalis, Washington.[2] He started production runs of road bicycles in the early 1980s and mountain bikes in the mid 1980s.[1]

In the formative beginnings of the Klein Bicycle Corporation, the company began building bicycles out of a barn in Mary's Corner, a small community south of Chehalis, starting in 1981.[5] The company opened a 14000square feet factory plant in the town that was expanded to 70000square feet.[6]

In 1995, Trek bought Klein bikes, after Klein found it hard to compete without the sales network of a larger company in place.[7] [8] At its peak, around 250 people worked at the Chehalis plant, but operations gradually moved to the main Trek factory in Wisconsin.[9] In 2001, a workforce of around 70 people produced 15,000 to 20,000 frames a year.[7] In 2002, all production moved to the Trek headquarters at Waterloo, Wisconsin[10] and the Mary's Corner manufacturing site closed that same year.[11] Bikes were still sold under the Klein name until around 2009 in Japan, but widespread distribution ceased circa 2007 in the United States.[9] [12]

Innovations

Some off-road models featured two designs of one-piece welded stem-bar combination, marketed as "Mission Control" (MC), that eliminated clamping bolts and excess material.[13] The original version, MC1, used a quill stem and required a threaded steerer.[14] MC2 used a locknut tightening against a collet that sat between the fork steerer and the stem, and a special eight pointed wrench was required to remove it.[13] [15] The steerer had to be cut to the correct length in order to adjust the height of the stem.[13] MC3 was a third version that was only the stem, thus the handlebar was not welded.[13]

Klein held a patent for an improved method of routing cables through the frame of a bicycle, that reduced aerodynamic drag and stress on the frame. The front and rear derailleur cables were routed through the down tube, and the rear brake cable through the top tube, although some models changed in 2002 to top tube cable routing for greater harmonisation with Shimano components.[13]

In the 2002 model year, Klein replaced 6061 aluminium alloy with a new alloy called ZR 9000, that used zirconium in place of chromium; the new alloy had not been assigned an industry number and it was named after the unused 9000 series.[16] [17] Advertised improvements included a decrease in weight per frame and a fatigue life five times longer than the 2001 model year frames.[18]

While Klein's use of aluminium for a bicycle frames was not entirely novel, his use of large diameter tubes was.[3] [2] Aluminium alloys have a Young's modulus around a third that of steel, but with thicker tubes he was able to make a bicycle that weighed around 15% less than a conventional model.[19]

Techniques

Klein bicycles were famous for their paintwork, and offered a large number of custom colours and patterns.[13] [20] The paint used was a Durethane enamel non-metallic paint that cost up to per gallon.[13] The Klein logo was debossed into the frame by painting the frame in the colour of the logo, then applying a mask and painting the pattern.[13]

Beginning with the MC2 frames, Klein used "Gradient tubing", where the wall thickness varied along the length and diameter of the tube.[18] [13] Highly manipulated chainstays on mountain bikes allowed a tighter rear triangle to accommodate large off-road tyres, and facilitated efficient transfer of power.[21]

Welded aluminium needed heat treating to restore strength lost in welding.[18] After the treatment, frames were required to be aligned to within on all alignment surfaces, and were then machined to within .[18]

Models

Klein produced both mountain bikes and road bikes.[22]

Model'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08
Adept
Adroit
Advantage
Aeolus
Agile
Attitude
Aura
Criterium
Fervor
Karma
Kirsten
Mantra
Mountain Klein
Navigator
Palomino
Panache
Performance
Pinnacle
Pulse
Q-Carbon
Q-Elite
Q-Pro
Quantum
Rascal
Reve
Stage
Team
Top Gun
References[23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41] [42] [43] [44] [45]

Sponsored teams

Klein made custom bikes for San Francisco's Lombardi team, which were ridden in 2001.[46] German cycling team Gerolsteiner rode Klein Quantum frames before 2003, when Gerolsteiner changed their bike sponsor to Wilier Triestina.[47] [48] For the 2004 season, Klein sponsored the Jittery Joe's cycling team.[49]

Media

A green Klein Pinnacle bike was hanging in the set of Seinfeld from season 3 episode 5 through the end of the series.[50] [51]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Art of Bicycles . kleinjapan.com . May 25, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20061103174315/http://www.kleinjapan.com/at_klein/garys_speech.pdf . November 3, 2006 .
  2. Mountain Man . Backpacker . March 1987 . Bob Woodward.
  3. Web site: Gary Gordon Klein . Advameg Inc. . March 23, 2013.
  4. US . 4500103 . patent . High efficiency bicycle frame.
  5. News: Mittge . Brian . Today in history: From the files of The Chronicle . July 8, 2024 . The Chronicle . September 18, 2006.
  6. News: Lawton . Mark . Two manufacturers opening in Lewis County . July 8, 2024 . The Chronicle . September 17, 2004.
  7. News: Washington Bicycle Makers Are in High Gear . https://web.archive.org/web/20140629084315/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-76566496.html . dead . June 29, 2014 . Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News . July 15, 2001 . May 19, 2014 .
  8. Press Release to Trek Organization Dealers . bikepro.com . June 16, 1995 . May 27, 2014.
  9. Gary Klein . Switchback . Roy Wallack . John Maynard . https://web.archive.org/web/20140524003630/http://www.switchbackmb.com/Trail/content/18/1034/Gary-Klein . May 24, 2014 . October 7, 2014.
  10. Web site: Klein Bicycles Moves to Waterloo . Totalbike . March 23, 2013.
  11. News: Business Digest - Klein to shut down bicycle plant . July 8, 2024 . . November 1, 2001.
  12. Web site: Spotlight on Klein. Chain Reaction . March 23, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120117070651/http://www.chainreaction.com/klein.htm . January 17, 2012 .
  13. Web site: Klein Attitude evolution . oldklein.com . May 27, 2014.
  14. Web site: Archival Review of Klein Mission Control Bar / Stem Combo . .bikepro.com . May 27, 2014.
  15. Web site: Partially disassembled MC2 clamping mechanism . May 27, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140527125952/http://www.wundel.com/pic/jpg/mc2_detail_technik.jpg . May 27, 2014 .
  16. Web site: Trek Bicycle . totalbike.com . May 28, 2014.
  17. Book: Introduction to Aluminum Alloys and Tempers . 10 . John Gilbert Kaufman . ASM International . 2000 . 0-87170-689-X . October 9, 2014.
  18. Web site: 2002 Technical Service Manual . vintage-trek.com . May 28, 2014.
  19. Web site: Modulus of Elasticity – Young Modulus for some common Materials . The Engineering ToolBox . May 22, 2014.
  20. Book: Color Design Workbook: A Real World Guide to Using Color in Graphic Design . AdamsMorioka . AdamsMorioka . 9781616736514 . Rockport Publishers . 2008 . 110–111.
  21. Bicycle Guide . The Mountain Klein . Tom Walz . November 1985.
  22. Web site: Klein Models . oldklein.com . May 24, 2014.
  23. Web site: Klein Bicycles . mombat.org . 25 May 2014.
  24. Web site: Klein Catalogue 1986 Page 2 . retrobike.co.uk . 26 May 2014.
  25. Web site: 1988 Klein Pinnacle . mombat.org . 25 May 2014. Web site: 1988 Mountain Bike Specialists Catalog . https://web.archive.org/web/20140526133950/http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yMWpZFzpA8s/ScMzijbKGDI/AAAAAAAAAO0/B969uGgL0qo/s1600-h/88catkl.jpg . 2014-05-26 . 26 May 2014.
  26. Web site: 1989 Klein Catalog . vintage-trek.com . 26 May 2014.
  27. Web site: 1990 Klein Catalog . vintage-trek.com . 26 May 2014.
  28. Web site: 1991 Klein Catalog . vintage-trek.com . 26 May 2014.
  29. Web site: 1992 Klein Catalogue . retrobike.co.uk . 26 May 2014.
  30. Web site: 1993 Klein . BikePedia . 25 May 2014. Web site: 1993 Klein Catalog . vintage-trek.com . 26 May 2014.
  31. Web site: 1994 Klein . BikePedia . 25 May 2014. Web site: 1994 Klein Catalog . vintage-trek.com . 26 May 2014.
  32. Web site: 1995 Klein . BikePedia . 25 May 2014. Web site: 1995 Klein Catalog . vintage-trek.com . 26 May 2014.
  33. Web site: 1996 Klein . BikePedia . 25 May 2014. Web site: 1996 Klein Catalog . vintage-trek.com . 26 May 2014.
  34. Web site: 1997 Klein . BikePedia . 25 May 2014. Web site: 1997 Klein Catalog . vintage-trek.com . 26 May 2014.
  35. Web site: 1998 Klein . BikePedia . 25 May 2014. Web site: 1998 Klein Catalog . vintage-trek.com . 26 May 2014.
  36. Web site: 1999 Klein . BikePedia . 25 May 2014. Web site: 1999 Klein Catalog . vintage-trek.com . 26 May 2014.
  37. Web site: 2000 Klein . BikePedia . 25 May 2014. Web site: 2000 Klein Catalog . vintage-trek.com . 26 May 2014.
  38. Web site: 2001 Klein . BikePedia . 25 May 2014. Web site: 2001 Klein Catalog . vintage-trek.com . 26 May 2014.
  39. Web site: 2002 Klein . BikePedia . 25 May 2014. Web site: 2002 Klein Catalog . vintage-trek.com . 26 May 2014.
  40. Web site: 2003 Klein . BikePedia . 25 May 2014. Web site: 2003 Klein Catalog . vintage-trek.com . 26 May 2014.
  41. Web site: 2004 Klein . BikePedia . 25 May 2014. Web site: 2004 Klein Catalog . vintage-trek.com . 26 May 2014.
  42. Web site: 2005 Klein . BikePedia . 25 May 2014. Web site: 2005 Klein Catalog . vintage-trek.com . 26 May 2014.
  43. Web site: 2006 Klein . BikePedia . 25 May 2014. Web site: 2006 Klein Catalog . vintage-trek.com . 26 May 2014.
  44. Web site: 2007 Klein Catalog . vintage-trek.com . 26 May 2014.
  45. Web site: 2008 Klein Catalog . vintage-trek.com . 26 May 2014.
  46. News: John Crumpacker . To Beat the Best / Lombardi Sports cycling team has a lot riding on an S.F. race that features Lance Armstrong . San Francisco Chronicle . September 7, 2001 . June 16, 2014.
  47. Web site: Davide Rebellin's Gerolsteiner Klein Q-Pro Carbon . cyclingnews.com . 23 May 2014.
  48. Web site: News for November 24, 2002 . Chris Henry . cyclingnews.com . June 11, 2014.
  49. Web site: Cesar Grajales' Jittery Joes Pro Cycling Team Klein Q-Pro XX . cyclingnews.com . June 16, 2014.
  50. Web site: Seinfeld Klein mountain bike tribute at Classic Cycle | Classic Cycle Bainbridge Island Kitsap County . April 29, 2024 .
  51. Book: Bicycle: The History . registration . David V. Herlihy . 2004 . 368 . Yale University Press . 9780300120479.