>> Just between you and me, why wait until February to buy a Trek with
>> the suspension feature (SPA technology, they call it) when you can
>> get a Klein right now? They're putting a *lot* of effort into the
>> Klein product, with some of the best paint & welding you'll find
>> anywhere. Nice spec too. And, if you read the piece on our website,
>> you'll see that I was very impressed with how well it rode. If there
>> was room in the garage for another bike, no question it would be a
>> Reve.
>
> What is it about this bike's ride and handling that you prefer (or not) to
> your
> 5900(?), and how do you explain the difference?
My 5900 (and prior 5200) does an exceptional job of eliminating road buzz.
Back in the day, before chip-seal was king, road surfaces seemed a lot
smoother. But today? Yuck! Seems like roads are worse each year, with
cheapie surface repairs done once in a while but rarely do they get the
repaving they need.
But big bumps- that's another thing entirely. That's where wider tires can
work wonders and, until I rode the Klein Reve, I thought that was pretty
much the only way to deal with nastily chopped-up road surfaces. Not
anymore. The elastomer bumper on the Reve does a wonderful job of taking the
edge off the nasty stuff, without the squishy feeling you get from a large
tire. You stand up and sprint and the bike still feels like it wants to go.
Climbing hard out of the saddle and there's nothing funny going on in the
tail end. Descend fast and you still feel like you're directly connected to
the bike.
There's a Northern California century in March called the Tour of the
Unknown Valley. We call it the Tour of the Unknown Pavement. Absolutely
incredibly route, but roads designed to knock your fillings out. The Reve
would be a great bike, a much better choice than my 5900. But roads like
that aren't what I commonly ride, nor do I get rattled on bumpy stuff as
much as some, so the 5900, for me, remains my bike of choice.
>
> Especially since it will take wider tires & fenders if you
>> want,
>
> Now *that's* an improvement!
There are trade-offs to get fender clearance, including a strange one with
the Campy-equipped Reve XX- it used Shimano brakes! Why? Because Campy
doesn't make a long-reach brake. But overall, the Reve is a winner. It
definitely brings something new & exciting to the party.
--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com