Old Klein Pinnacle Help

JimSwin

Retro Newbie
HI -First post- hope it in the correct spot!

My mystery Klein Pinnacle needs some help, it has Suntour XCD components (derailleurs, hubs, thumb shifters, quick releases,) Dai Compe brakes, wheelsmith spokes, 7 speed cassette and a chrome Spinner Fork, DX headset, and Specialized bottle cage all point to 1990 year, I think
BUT its has 3 paint colors and a Soft Ride stem from Bellingham Washington USA and Shimano stickers on the seat stays and top tube (photo) look like was done when painted originally- weird to me!
Has a serial # on chain stay by the drop out of ROBAO or R0BA0 and has 30 stamped on the other chain stay (diameter of 130-thinking) and only the down tube has KLEIN lettering - no Pinnacle letters
Photos attached.
Any ideas as to what is going on, year made, Shimano stickers, would be appreciated or knowledge of similar bikes appreciated
Thanks
 

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Hi Jim,
welcome to RB! Indeed your frame is a bit "inconclusive".

First I would not pay to much attention to components. Could have been changed later in its life.

The frame looks like it wears the colours of a Klein Top Gun, but is indeed a Pinnacle (no rear facing dropouts). But the fading is so bad, are there signs the blue rear end was painted later? I see whiffs of purple around the seat tube. Top Guns also normally had a painted fork. If it is the original fork it should be a Spinner with "KLEIN" stamped on the steerer.

Rear cantis point to a later than 1989 build date. Sometimes the Pinnacle decal was not present from factory, but these tend to be earlier frames (<1989). Unfortunately the Klein frame numbers are cryptic (hexadecimal?), so hardly any conclusions can be drawn from them. "R" and a number is possible for a Pinnacle. The "30" should indicate 130mm dropout spacing, although I have a frame that is stamped "13" (and has 130mm spacing). Have you measured it? 130mm would indicate 1989 and earlier.

Take all this with a grain of salt, Klein and other US manufacturers were not always that consequent in their line up. My guess would be an end -of-1989 model because of the earlier 130mm rear end and the later use of cantilever rear mounts.
 
Thanks for the information-measured rear drop out is 130, has rack mounts, and has spinner fork with the stamp, so looks like its a 1989/1990, but leaning toward 1990 a its a 7 speed and the earlier models had 6 rear cogs sets.
I know how bike companies assemble bikes, as my Raleigh Chill was advertised with rapid fire shifters but came with XT thumb shifters (which are still going strong and always got me home) so one can expect some variation in bike model years.
 

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