'03 Klein Palomino

[fellsbiker]

I have an '01 Klein Attitude, and i have a few big dents, and a whole lot of scratches on my frame. I've always ridden hard tails but I'm thinking it might be time to try a full suspension. My idea is that new Palomino. I'd just get the frame and swap everything over. I've never ridden FS before, just so you can get an idea of my type of riding, I'm about 140 pounds, and between the Fells and Ft Rock, I have everything I could ever ask for on two wheels. I don't do crazy vietnam type stuff but I do like a good drop when I see one. I'm just not sure if FS is for me I guess, when I really think about it. A new glow in the dark paint job is really extra tempting, though.

[MMcG]

Can you get a Palamino as a frame only? Look closely at some of the welds down near wear the bottom bracket is etc. etc. I don't know how to describe the piece of aluminum, but it basically connects some of the pivot mechanism to the seatpost. I saw one at Belmont Wheelworks few weekends ago and it looked shoddy for a Klein at least.

And also make sure you like the way the seat tube is angled so much.

Good Luck!

[fellsbiker]

Well I'm going to go to the cycle loft and ride a whole bike before i buy. The parkinglot next to the loft, where you can test ride them, actually has some powerlines behind them, so if you go quick, you can actually go way back there and to a little real offroading to get a true feel of the bike. When I bought my Attitude 2 years ago, I was sure I wanted a full suspension, but then I tested a couple of them, and was dissapointed, the way the whole bike felt like it just flopped around, then I rode the Attitude and was blown away and bought it.

[Mt.A TODD]

I don't think the Klien paintjob is good this year. My roadbike is sweet, but the Palimino I saw at a shop was all caked with heavy globby paint, could't read the type. It is a good frame design. Fells take a look at the Seven Duo. Titanium. oooo... aaaaaa.

[fellsbiker]

I'm all $$$$et with titanium! :D
Paint isn't that big of an issue, I scrape most of it off on rock on the white trail anyway, the fire road portions of the white trail that is, i wouldn't want any confusion.

[NEMBA_bkr-dude]

I have tried the palomino quite a few times. One thing to know about is the maverick rear shock it has. That is the only shock the bike can use and replacement parts aren't really standard. The other thing is that it is a real trail bike and for XC it is a little heavy and sluggish. Also because of the weird frame geometry, you might not be able to switch all of your components over (more specifically your stem). If you do more aggro XC and don't mind the slight sluggishness, it is a great bike and it goes through its travel really evenly. This bike is also comparable to as mentioned before the Seven Duo, some maverick bikes, and it's build for the same type of riding as the specialized enduro series.

[fellsbiker]

I would say I'm mainly cross country like the Fells but I like to get air whereever possible. I don't know ill see if I can ride one at the Cycle Loft, maybe they give out loaners like some shops do so I can actually take it on a trail and see. I certainly don't want a sluggish bike!

[NEMBA_bkr-dude]

You should also take acount for which model you try. The palomino race is nice. It comes with a fox float fork which kicks ass. Also, the bike I tried was stocked with huge tires for XC so I think it is less sluggish with smaller tires.

[fellsbiker]

Does anyone know how much a Palamino Frame goes for alone? My Attitude is only 2 seasons old, yet the frame has a few good hits, so it'd be a waste to throw away, yet I don't think I could get much money for it. Plus I'm now strictly a disc brake man.