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#1
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Parts availability for discontinued Klein bikes?
I have a Klein Palomino full suspension MTB frame that I like a lot and
anticipate riding for many seasons. This model has been retired as of last year and it looks like a strong possibility that Trek may retire the entire Klein brand soon. This concerns me because the Palomino has bushing pivots with some proprietary wear parts that are intended to be replaced periodically (frequency of service is unclear, but definitely less than the lifetime of the bike). Do you think I'll be able to get replacement parts two or three years down the road? I'd prefer not to order the parts now, since the pivots contain a lot of parts that likely won't need replacing, but if availabity is a real concern I'd rather be safe than sorry. How good is Trek about providing parts for discontinued bikes? |
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#2
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Parts availability for discontinued Klein bikes?
I have a Klein Palomino full suspension MTB frame that I like a lot and
anticipate riding for many seasons. This model has been retired as of last year and it looks like a strong possibility that Trek may retire the entire Klein brand soon. This concerns me because the Palomino has bushing pivots with some proprietary wear parts that are intended to be replaced periodically (frequency of service is unclear, but definitely less than the lifetime of the bike). Do you think I'll be able to get replacement parts two or three years down the road? Not likely to be a problem; Trek has been really good about taking care of frame issues in the past, whether for a Trek, Klein, LeMond or Fisher. Still, it makes sense to pick up whatever bushings there are that are unique to that frame only (I don't recall if some of the bushings are used in Trek models as well, but any that are would most likely be available for quite a few years down the road). --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles www.ChainReactionBicycles.com "Dave" wrote in message oups.com... I have a Klein Palomino full suspension MTB frame that I like a lot and anticipate riding for many seasons. This model has been retired as of last year and it looks like a strong possibility that Trek may retire the entire Klein brand soon. This concerns me because the Palomino has bushing pivots with some proprietary wear parts that are intended to be replaced periodically (frequency of service is unclear, but definitely less than the lifetime of the bike). Do you think I'll be able to get replacement parts two or three years down the road? I'd prefer not to order the parts now, since the pivots contain a lot of parts that likely won't need replacing, but if availabity is a real concern I'd rather be safe than sorry. How good is Trek about providing parts for discontinued bikes? |
#3
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Parts availability for discontinued Klein bikes?
Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
I have a Klein Palomino full suspension MTB frame that I like a lot and anticipate riding for many seasons. This model has been retired as of last year and it looks like a strong possibility that Trek may retire the entire Klein brand soon. Not likely to be a problem; Trek has been really good about taking care of frame issues in the past, whether for a Trek, Klein, LeMond or Fisher. Still, it makes sense to pick up whatever bushings there are that are unique to that frame only (I don't recall if some of the bushings are used in Trek models as well, but any that are would most likely be available for quite a few years down the road). --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles www.ChainReactionBicycles.com Mike - no comment on the "retire the entire Klein brand soon" bit? |
#4
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Parts availability for discontinued Klein bikes?
Mike - no comment on the "retire the entire Klein brand soon" bit?
There are a small number of dealers (like ourselves) who do very well with Klein. But there are a whole lot of dealers who don't know what to do with them, don't understand that you can make a really nice frameset out of aluminum if you care to, don't realize that aluminum isn't "yesterday's news", and generally think that all aluminum bikes are alike. As a result, Klein's numbers are dwarfed by big-Daddy Trek, and even by Fisher & LeMond. There was some talk of making Klein available only to a select number of dealers this year, but they backed down from that. The future? Tough to say. Present frame platforms realistically have two years more life to them before they seem dated, so there's not a whole lot of reason to discontinue the line anytime soon. Plus, Klein gives them a platform where they can experiment with new things that later get added into the Trek line, such as ZR9000 tubing and the "SPA" elastomer road bike. Klein has also been where they've perfected new ways to add graphical pizzazz to bikes. So there are definite reasons to keep the brand around, even if it doesn't sell in huge qtys. --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles www.ChainReactionBicycles.com "Diablo Scott" wrote in message ups.com... Mike Jacoubowsky wrote: I have a Klein Palomino full suspension MTB frame that I like a lot and anticipate riding for many seasons. This model has been retired as of last year and it looks like a strong possibility that Trek may retire the entire Klein brand soon. Not likely to be a problem; Trek has been really good about taking care of frame issues in the past, whether for a Trek, Klein, LeMond or Fisher. Still, it makes sense to pick up whatever bushings there are that are unique to that frame only (I don't recall if some of the bushings are used in Trek models as well, but any that are would most likely be available for quite a few years down the road). --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles www.ChainReactionBicycles.com Mike - no comment on the "retire the entire Klein brand soon" bit? |
#5
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Parts availability for discontinued Klein bikes?
What I've heard (from sources who may or may not know what they are
talking about) is that Klein will be gone within two years. Here in Los Angeles, there are perhaps half a dozen Klein "dealers", none of which AFAIK have Kleins on the sales floor. So basically in one of the country's biggest bicycle markets, its impossible to test ride a Klein. To me, its hard to interpret that as anything but a sign of impending demise. |
#6
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Parts availability for discontinued Klein bikes?
What I've heard (from sources who may or may not know what they are
talking about) is that Klein will be gone within two years. Here in Los Angeles, there are perhaps half a dozen Klein "dealers", none of which AFAIK have Kleins on the sales floor. So basically in one of the country's biggest bicycle markets, its impossible to test ride a Klein. To me, its hard to interpret that as anything but a sign of impending demise. Which is really a dealer issue, in my humble opinion. What is it about Southern California that they don't have the demand for Klein that we have up north? I don't get it. As you say, you're in possibly *the* largest bike market in the country... you'd think it would support more diversity than it does. But my perspective is perhaps a bit skewed and not representative. There's a part of me that believes that I could go anyplace in the country and get people interested in road bikes. After all, when we started, there was only one other shop 'round these parts doing much road-bike biz at all, and people often derisively referred to us as "that road bike shop" at a time when everyone else was selling nothing but mountain bikes. Never could figure that one out... nearly all of the riding people were doing was on roads... roads... road bike... kinda makes sense doesn't it? But getting back to Klein, somebody has to be into understanding that a bike can be more than the sum of its parts, that it's OK to sell something that isn't the answer to "What's your cheapest bike with Ultegra components?" You have to show a Klein to someone, explain what makes it cool, have them ride it. They won't sell by themselves (other than to people who are mostly attracted to their understated-elegance in graphic design). I would very much like to see Klein continue. Right now, one of the driving forces for the brand has been sales in Japan. Don't ask me why, I don't know why, but for some reason they go nuts for Klein in Japan. --Mike Jacoubowsky Chain Reaction Bicycles www.ChainReaction.com Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA "Dave" wrote in message oups.com... What I've heard (from sources who may or may not know what they are talking about) is that Klein will be gone within two years. Here in Los Angeles, there are perhaps half a dozen Klein "dealers", none of which AFAIK have Kleins on the sales floor. So basically in one of the country's biggest bicycle markets, its impossible to test ride a Klein. To me, its hard to interpret that as anything but a sign of impending demise. |
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