Mountain Bike (MTB)
Gravel Bike
All-Terrain Bike (ATB)
Fat Bike
Our Reader’s Rig of the week comes from Luke in Boulder, Colorado, who shares the Mountain Klein he’s owned and cared for since the late 1980s. Meet Luke and learn how the latest iteration of his trusty trailer-equipped rigid bike enables his car-free lifestyle here…
Words and photos by Luke Green
Hello, I’m Luke. I’m retired in my hometown of Boulder, Colorado, where I devote lots of time to cycling. Before the pandemic, I donated my vehicle to NPR, and these days, I rely on alternative modes of transportation to get around.
My bike is a 1988 Mountain Klein, which was a birthday gift in 1889. It is now in its third build. The Shimano Deore XT rear hub, faithful since the second build, was spilling bearings. Determined to continue riding it, I soon discovered the original frame, still prototypical in retrospect, was built with a 110mm front dropout and a 130mm rear dropout. The 135mm Shimano that had been jammed in the frame for all those miles had not cracked or damaged it.
Research into a better wheel led to White Industries hubs, whose stout flanges could host the 36H spokes on the rear, and 32H on the front. We mounted these on Velocity Cliffhanger rims. Those durable wheels, along with what must be one of the stiffest rear triangle hardtails ever, are the core of what is now the Urban Mule. The drivetrain is a fully renewed Shimano XT 3×9 with indexed shifters. The upsized rings to 48T, 38T, and 26T provide a host of useful gears for hauling. The Mule was born after handing Matt, a pro bike mechanic at BCS in Boulder, full editorial control of the build. I procured bits and pieces from eBay, Etsy, and elsewhere, and Matt tinkered on the stripped-down frame in the back of his shop for a few months.
- Frame: 1988 Mountain Klein
- Fork: Steve Potts
- Rims: Velocity Cliffhangers, 26”
- Hubs: White Industries
- Tires: Schwalbe Smart Sam
- Handlebars: Thomson triple-butted aluminum downhill bar
- Headset: Cane Creek 110
- Crankset: Shimano with 26/38/48 T/A chainrings
- Pedals: Shimano XTR
- Cassette: Shimano Deore LX 8-speed
- Derailleur(s): Shimano Deore XT
- Brakes: Shimano Deore XT thumbies, 3×8
- Shifter(s): Shimano Deore XT centerpull
- Saddle: Brooks C17 Carved
- Seatpost: Thompson
- Stem: Crust chromoly steel, 95mm
- Rear bags: Blackburn full-sized panniers and trunk bag
- Accessory bags: Blackburn bar roll, Two Wheels saddle bag
- Rear rack: Blackburn
- Lights: Cat Eye
- Other accessories: Third Eye chain keeper, Cat Eye mirror, SKS fenders
- Trailer: Burley Nomad Cargo Trailer
Sporting aluminum and 26” wheels are useful for town and trail transportation. It is light, really quick handling, and fast to ride. Both bike and trailer go on the local bus. The bike is something I ride for fun, as a classic MTB. The build is easily the smoothest, cleanest, most buttery ride I have ever owned. The power transfer from pedal to pavement is tremendous now and a surprising change. But when it comes time to work, strap on the Mule! Fully loaded, I am comfortable with 150 pounds on the Burley Nomad cargo trailer, and with full panniers sitting on that stout rear wheel. It is the most fun ride! The Mule also doubles as my bug-out vehicle or a deluxe bikeglamping setup. With the cargo trailer, true singletracks are iffy, but it is otherwise a trail, gravel, and pavement machine.
The bike frame is noteworthy on its own. Gary Klein was already producing the stiffest road bikes ever, and the Mountain Klein was his first foray into the emerging MTB world. It has many first-time features, such as internal cable routing, an angled top post, and Shimano brake pegs. The collection of all the patents was sold to Trek eventually, launching their early aluminum success. All of the frame welds are handcrafted. The fork is an original Steve Potts CrMo steel and is hyper-compliant when riding. Matt found nuances only produced later on, such as the internal cables.
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