Is this Klein legit?

[Tsundere]

Been told it's a 1989 Pinnacle, however, neither the paintjob or the parts match the 1989 catalogue listing, nor can I find any Pinnacles from any year with that paintjob, especially suspect is the DX stuff which wasn't listed as an option during that time, plus the forks, all Klein spinner forks from that era that I can find where the frame had a fade had at least a two colour fade themselves, if not three, or were black.

I suppose it could have been bought as a frameset only.

In 1992 bikes start appearing with plain coloured forks that matched the bars and stem, but again not in this colour scheme, and DX is only listed as a headset option. 1993 sees more DX but again not in these colours. In 94 DX disappears altogether, replaced by STX.

So I reckon it's a 92 or 93 at the earliest, any Klein experts in here who can shed more light on the matter?

I'm told the frame number is 'PD1B'

 

[ishaw]

My memory is sketchy but I had a Klein pinnacle in that colourscheme. I believe it was called backfire, and the forks were just yellow too iirc. The only thing nagging at me is was it a pinnacle? For some reason I think it had a 2 word name, like pinnacle ex or something. I didn't have it long, bought as a frameset (forks, bars and frame) but it was too small so swapped it for a full xc pro groupset with a guy in Holland iirc.

That is a very clean bike, is it original paint?

I think you can identify the model by the serial, so if you have that I'm sure those in the know could tell you what model it is.

 

[Tsundere]

My memory is sketchy but I had a Klein pinnacle in that colourscheme. I believe it was called backfire, and the forks were just yellow too iirc. The only thing nagging at me is was it a pinnacle? For some reason I think it had a 2 word name, like pinnacle ex or something. I didn't have it long, bought as a frameset (forks, bars and frame) but it was too small so swapped it for a full xc pro groupset with a guy in Holland iirc.

That is a very clean bike, is it original paint?

I think you can identify the model by the serial, so if you have that I'm sure those in the know could tell you what model it is.

You are correct, I just found this in a scan of a German 1990 catalogue, I think this might be it - Pinnacle Elite, DX all over the catalogue too so that would make sense. Saddle and seat post match as well, looks like we may have a match.

 

[ishaw]

Pinnacle Elite, that's it. Wasn't far off, good job memory, almost there.

 

[ishaw]

That said, I seem to recall the decals saying elite on mine, though could be wrong. I'll see if I can find pics as I may have some. Strange that I remember mine had a campag headset in silver.

 

[Tsundere]

So it's a legit 90 Pinnacle DX.

That said, I seem to recall the decals saying elite on mine, though could be wrong. I'll see if I can find pics as I may have some. Strange that I remember mine had a campag headset in silver.

Maybe yours was from a different year? Or maybe the XT version was called 'Elite' to set it apart from the DX plebs
The catalogue above shows only a 'Pinnacle' decal on the 90 Pinnacle Elite, maybe they added the Elite decal later in the season to end the confusion.

Apart from being too small how did it ride?

 

[ishaw]

I wish I could tell you how it rode but I realised before putting it all together it was going to be too small for me.

I did have a glf rascal draped in ringle, cooks and m900 after it, I hated the ride, it was an absolute bone shaker and I'd get numb hands and feet even on short rides on tarmac.

It was proper love-hate. Loved how it looked, hated how it made me feel after riding. I'm a fairly indecisive person when it comes to bikes, I hoard stuff I've no need for, but deciding to sell the rascal was fairly easy as it was a very expensive, but beautiful ornament to me.

Perhaps the pinnacle is different?

 

[Tsundere]

I wish I could tell you how it rode but I realised before putting it all together it was going to be too small for me.

I did have a glf rascal draped in ringle, cooks and m900 after it, I hated the ride, it was an absolute bone shaker and I'd get numb hands and feet even on short rides on tarmac.

It was proper love-hate. Loved how it looked, hated how it made me feel after riding. I'm a fairly indecisive person when it comes to bikes, I hoard stuff I've no need for, but deciding to sell the rascal was fairly easy as it was a very expensive, but beautiful ornament to me.

Perhaps the pinnacle is different?

I've read that Klein's are very much style over substance, I currently ride a Cannondale (my first alu mtb) and it's amazing on tarmac and a nightmare on anything rough.

This Pinnacle though is an unridden minter and reasonably priced so it's going to get bought, I'll ride it just to experience it then decide how to proceed. Thanks for your replies, you helped me to ID it, having zero knowledge of Klein's I was beginning to think I'd committed to buying a ringer

 

[ishaw]

One thing I think I recall is that the pinnacle took a normal BB. The rascal had the press fit bearings. Another advantage the pinnacle had was a normal headset, though 1 inch iirc.

If nothing else, they look great and have what are now in vogue features like internal cable routing, and the one pictured hasn't been butchered and drilled out.

I do regret selling mine despite it being too small as the paint job was awesome.

 

[Tsundere]

One thing I think I recall is that the pinnacle took a normal BB. The rascal had the press fit bearings. Another advantage the pinnacle had was a normal headset, though 1 inch iirc.

If nothing else, they look great and have what are now in vogue features like internal cable routing, and the one pictured hasn't been butchered and drilled out.

I do regret selling mine despite it being too small as the paint job was awesome.

I think I solved the colour scheme mystery, in the 1990 catalogue you could choose how many colours and how the front fork could be painted, the tricolour Backfire you had and most others I have seen have would have been standard, it looks very much like the original buyer of this bike wanted a Klein but was forced to make concessions in order to be able to afford one, hence the DX. The non 'Elite' Pinnacle of that year came without the mission control bar and stem, so this is definitely a 1990 Pinnacle Elite but unlike the fully loaded model you had mine came with DX and one less colour.



I'm not going to pretend I've always wanted one or anything like that, but owning and riding a Klein is certainly a box I'd like to tick. I fully expect the experience of riding to be slightly underwhelming, especially after the Fat Chance, I don't think aluminium can ever compete with steel on that front, although my Cannondale is great on roads and light trails, that's mainly because it has very wide tyres and rims plus an extraordinarily long steel stem which all work to cushion smaller bumps, I doubt this will even be able to outdo that.

Looking forward to finding out though and would be happy to be wrong, it wouldn't be the first time.