I gonna disagree with the comment that Klein’s were harsh. I had three one season and they rode pretty similarly to my steel hardtails quite frankly. They just cracked. Most vertical compliance in a double Diamond frame comes from the seat post and saddle. There’s also a fair bit of compliance from the marketing. Lateral flexibility is different from vertical compliance. And that I think does provide a different ride feel. As does vibration and shock absorption of different materials and tubing sizes. I had a Kona Hei Hei back in the early 90s. Certainly felt different than any other hardtail I’d had. I’ve had a lot of bikes over the 40 years that I’ve been riding. I’ve had steel bikes, aluminum bikes and carbon bikes. I’ve broken bikes made from each of those materials.
Now I am a lighter weight rider at 64 or so kilos. Being short as well at 164 means I ride small or medium frames which will be more stiff simply because the tubes are shorter.
It’s interesting how for years and years we were told that we wanted stiff bikes and bike parts. Now apparently we all want compliant parts. We are being told now that weight isn’t that important and durability is. And I don’t disagree with that either.
But really when it comes down to "comfort" of a bike. It’s fit fit fit. Fit is probably THE most important single thing.
May 26, 2023, 9:15 a.m. - Andy Eunson
I gonna disagree with the comment that Klein’s were harsh. I had three one season and they rode pretty similarly to my steel hardtails quite frankly. They just cracked. Most vertical compliance in a double Diamond frame comes from the seat post and saddle. There’s also a fair bit of compliance from the marketing. Lateral flexibility is different from vertical compliance. And that I think does provide a different ride feel. As does vibration and shock absorption of different materials and tubing sizes. I had a Kona Hei Hei back in the early 90s. Certainly felt different than any other hardtail I’d had. I’ve had a lot of bikes over the 40 years that I’ve been riding. I’ve had steel bikes, aluminum bikes and carbon bikes. I’ve broken bikes made from each of those materials. Now I am a lighter weight rider at 64 or so kilos. Being short as well at 164 means I ride small or medium frames which will be more stiff simply because the tubes are shorter. It’s interesting how for years and years we were told that we wanted stiff bikes and bike parts. Now apparently we all want compliant parts. We are being told now that weight isn’t that important and durability is. And I don’t disagree with that either. But really when it comes down to "comfort" of a bike. It’s fit fit fit. Fit is probably THE most important single thing.