Gary Klein

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This article is about the bicycle designer. For the decision making research psychologist, see Gary A. Klein.

Inventor Gary Klein can be considered the innovator of the oversized tube aluminum bicycle, which is now a feature of the cycling market. He first developed the concept in 1973 as part of the Independent Activities Period aluminum bicycle project at MIT, where he was an engineering student and bicycle racer, then took the concept commercial after graduation.

After Klein's company, Klein Bikes, was purchased by Trek, production was moved from Washington state to Trek's Wisconsin manufacturing facility. The mainstay of the Klein mountain bike product line continued to be the hardtail Attitude model. Attempts were made to design and market a full suspension bicycle, with efforts culminating in the Palomino model. The Palomino, based on a Maverick rear suspension design, was discontinued after the 2005 model year, apparently because of a patent controversy. There is widespread speculation over whether Trek plans to continue supporting Klein, or whether the company has plans to discontinue it altogether. In recent years Gary Klein's role in the design of Klein Bikes appears to be minimal.