# Trek to Reintroduce Klein in U.S.



## DIRT BOY (Aug 22, 2002)

WATERLOO, WI (BRAIN)—Trek will introduce a new Klein road bike line to its worldwide dealers this summer.

The line could replace LeMond bicycles on shop floors if Trek is successful in its appeal to drop the brand. The company yesterday asked a federal court to release it from its licensing agreement to produce LeMond bicycles.

Trek owns the Klein brand, which it purchased from Gary Klein in 1995. Trek withdrew Klein from the U.S. market a few years ago. It remains a current brand with current products outside of the United States.

Some Trek retailers speculated that Trek would simply put a Klein decal on current LeMond road models to preserve those designs.

But Joe Vadeboncoeur, director of product development for Trek Bicycles, said Trek is developing the new line expressly for Klein.

“Since there is a current Klein brand with its own unique product mix and brand identity, we will not be selling any current products that Trek developed for any of our other brands, relabeled as Klein,” said Vadeboncoeur.

Vadeboncoeur described the line as a nice, tight product offering that will fit well into the current dealer base.

“That product lineup will clearly point where we will take the Klein line in the long haul,” Vadeboncoeur said. “We are very bullish about investing into the Klein brand as something that we can offer our dealers, and offer to them for as long into the future as it makes sense for them and for us.”

Trek will reveal the details of the Klein line at its dealer meeting in August.


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## hclignett (Dec 18, 2006)

I almost purchased a Klein when I bought my LeMond. I was looking at the model with the rubber shock on the seat stays. Nice welds and I liked the internal cabling.


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## gewilli (Dec 18, 2006)

a Klein in name only....


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## lakes road sheep (Mar 19, 2007)

I would be interested to see what Trek comes up with to give Klein a unique identity. I just dont see how they could produce Carbon based Kleins to complement the Trek range that would be any different other than the decals. Perhaps they should concentrate on state of the art metal bikes (953, Aluminium, Scandium, Magnesium, Titanium).

A Klein in name only


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

There was a similar concern when customers contemplated a carbon Lemond bike and whether it would be the same as a Trek and most aggreed that the Triomphe series was a relevant and unique product in the marketplace. It was very well recieved.

Moral of the story: Let's not critize the cusine before it is served.


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## kneejerk (Feb 2, 2007)

Klein has been with Trek since 1995. I haven't seen one of them that was a relabled Trek bike as of yet. The cuisine should be good!


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## RoadCube (Nov 22, 2006)

The Lemond Geometry fits me well. Will/does the Klein bikes have the longish top tube?
RC


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## kneejerk (Feb 2, 2007)

Klein's have always been on the agressive side geometry wise (to my recollection). Although the only reason I am saying 'aggressive' is that I believe the seat angle is generally steeper than a "classic road" frame. Lemond was a big proponent of the layed back seat angle geometry, the "classic road" geometry. 

It seems to me that most manufacturers are pretty close when it comes to geometry. Especially in the head tube angle area.

I've never really had a problem with any of my bikes geometry. Well maybe that one Specialized I had with very little fork rake and it shaked and wobbled all over the place, but I fixed that with a different fork. 

The Lemond bikes I have ridden seem really nice.


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