I’ve now had enough Mantras pass through my hands to have a somewhat comprehensive database of frame weights. The only type of mantra frame I’ve not owned at this point is a 99+ aluminum main tube frame.Here are the weights in order of lightest to heaviest (with year, model, and size listed). These are all bare weights (no shock, no brake bosses, no seat collar, no headset, no bottle cage bolts, etc). I’ve not listed grams as these were only weighed to the nearest ounce, so there’s +/- 14 grams or so.
I’ve created a Klein Mantra forum containing information on:
Frame Year and Model Identification
Rear Shock Sizes and Replacements
and will soon be adding a threads for headsets and forks.
Please post future comments in the forums so we can build an interactive Mantra owner community.
1997 Mantra Pro Medium (original Pro): 4 lbs 10 oz
The limited ’97 Pro
Red/Yellow Mantra w/ full gradient tubeset and two tube pivot to bottom bracket rear triangle. 7.875″ shock length. 6.5-7″ travel depending on shock stroke (2.0″ to 2.25″ for 7.875″ shocks). Rumored to be limited to 200 frames, but I think at least 500 were produced. All ’97 Pros were size medium.
1999 Mantra Pro Carbon Medium: 4 lbs 13 oz
The carbon tubed ’99 Pro
Chameleon paint job. First year of the carbon front end and the 99+ rear triangle (similar design to the 97 Pro with a two tube pivot to bottom bracket rear triangle). 7.875″ shock length. Same travel as above.
2001 Mantra Carbon Large: 5 lbs 0 oz
The ’01 Carbon Mantra (final year)
Last year of the Mantra. Same as the ’99 pro but in size large (bigger boom tube and rear triangle). 99+ Mantras had two rear triangles. One for size small and medium which had identical geometry to the ’96-’98 Mantras (all), and one for large and x-large frames which had a raised pivot relative to the sm/med triangle. This made the larger frames ride like the smaller frames (older large mantras felt a bit different than the mediums and smalls as the rear triangle was smaller relative to the larger boom tube). My particular 2001 frame has a custom paint scheme. The production paint was a salmon orange/red boom tube with a black rear triangle.
1997 Mantra Comp Medium: 5 lbs 7 oz
The generic ’97 Comp
The first year of the “mass produced” Mantras. Has the cheaper power tubing front section (vs the Gradeint on the ’96-97 Pro) as well as a cast pivot yoke and a stamped box section single tube connecting the pivot to the bottom bracket area. These Mantras also had a shorter 6.750″ shock length and only about 5.5″ of travel as a result.
1998 Mantra Large: 5 lbs 8 oz
The generic ’98 Mantra
Same construction as the ’97 Comp above but with a large boom tube. Rear triangle is identical between all sizes (S/M/L) of these Mantras (1997 Comp and Race, 1998 Mantra (plain), Comp, Race, and Pro).
So indeed, the legend of the ’97 Pro being the lightest, trickest, rarest Mantra is true! I will say that the one I built up impressed me very much (every weld was perfect and the paint job is flawless). Speaking of which. Here’s what I did with that ’97 frame:
’97 Pro Build with Rohloff Speedhub
If you have any Mantra or Klein related questions, post em here. I’m currently working on putting Chris King headset bearings directily in my new Rêve frame as well as replacing the top bearing in my 2002 Q Pro Carbon with a CK bearing. Those IS bearings from Cane Creek are rubbish and the “self aligning” thing never works as well as press fit cups or press fit bearings (like a real AirHeadset). The stack height will remain the same and it won’t compromise the head tube either. I’ll put the details up once I’ve completed the conversion. Also going to make a zero stack headset (custom cups for King bearings) for my dad’s 1999 Mantra Pro. I made adaptor spacers that allowed me to run a regular CK headset on my 2001 Mantra Carbon, but I want to keep stack height to a minimum so he can run a small Fournales Shark XC fork. Since they never sealed the top bearing on the mountain airheads they have a problem of letting water in and having it pool on the bottom bearing which rusts it out in the off season. The King bearings are the best sealed units on the planet so it’ll be great to have the integrated/light weight of airhead with maintenance free bearings … plus being able to run a 1 1/8″ fork.Here’s a MC3.1 Mountain Airhead after a couple years use. Note that the upper bearing is fine because water doesn’t pool in it after entering the headtube. It seems the lower seal only traps water in the lower bearing however.
Here’s the setup I currently have on my 2001 Carbon Mantra:
Chris King Airheadset conversion
-David