# Klein Pinnacle



## HNXTR (Jul 6, 2007)

I just bought my 8 yo son his first decent ride, a Trek MT60; it's aluminum with 6 speeds and a suspension fork. Watching him pedal around the yard and driveway inspired me to dig my old bike out of storage. It's been about 15 years since I've ridden this bike, and it has only a few years of mild usage anyway. The rims may be slightly warped, and the old Suntour shifters seem to have loosened from the handlebars, but it's still a Klein. I used to think that I would be able to ride that thing forever. The question is whether it would be worth the time and trouble to fix this bike up, or are there readily available new bikes of comparable quality which I can buy for less then $800. Fifteen years is a long time, and I haven't the slightest idea what's available now in bikes and components.

In need of some cognitive and equipment updating. (What happened to Suntour?)


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## pinguwin (Aug 20, 2004)

Suntour: R.I.P.

I see it's your first post, Welcome to VRC. Lots and lots of knowledge floating around here.

Is it worth it to fix up the bike for you...maybe. Depends on you. 

My quick answer is yes, it's worth it. That's the obvious answer. You've come to a group where people love vintage bikes and it's rare that a bike is beyond help, especially a Klein (well, at least to me), so most of us would fix it up and ride, ride, ride.

There are parts that you might have trouble getting, i.e. thumbshifters, at your local bike shop. There is nothing on a Pinnacle that you can't either get locally, from someone here, or on Ebay. Shifters can be tightened, rims trued & tensioned, and yes, it's still a Klein. A Pinnacle is, IMHO, still a nice bike. Have one myself.

If you want the latest doo-dads, such as a 100mm travel fork, you're better off getting a new bike as such a fork would mess up the steering angles of the Pinnacle.

Ask yourself what you want to do with this bike. Tool around town and light trail riding? Hey, the Klein would be great. Heavy trail riding you might want a newer fork but many here ride hard on rigid bikes.

Tell you what, why don't you post a few pictures so we can see what's on the bike and tell us what you might want to do with the bike. A lightly used Klein...Cool. 

Pinguwin


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## RickD. (Apr 7, 2004)

pinguwin said:


> Suntour: R.I.P.
> 
> I see it's your first post, Welcome to VRC. Lots and lots of knowledge floating around here.
> 
> ...


What pinguin said.....:thumbsup:


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## Sideknob (Jul 14, 2005)

Pics please!


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

RickD. said:


> What pinguin said.....:thumbsup:


I'll 3rd that.


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## jasonwa2 (Oct 28, 2004)

> HNXTR said:
> 
> 
> > I used to think that I would be able to ride that thing forever.


and you were right....



> or are there readily available new bikes of comparable quality which I can buy for less then $800?


Not even close.



> Fifteen years is a long time, and I haven't the slightest idea what's available now in bikes and components.


You would be disappointed.

I'm now convinced i can beat anybody on my klein
thats right. i said anybody.
on any model klein...
on any terrain....
with old parts.

I'll straight up beat Anybody on my 15 yr old full rigid klein at any time.

Bring it....

I say this as my fully pimped out Titus racer-x sits in the corner along with other full suspensions.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

jasonwa2 said:


> I'm now convinced i can beat anybody on my klein
> thats right. i said anybody.
> on any model klein...
> on any terrain....
> ...


I'm your huckleberry.

(I just wanted to quote Doc Holliday/Tombstone )
There are so many variables in a statement such as yours, its hard to validate or discredit such a thing.


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## Upchuck (Jan 30, 2004)

Rumpfy said:


> I'm your huckleberry.
> 
> (I just wanted to quote Doc Holliday/Tombstone ...though there are so many variables in a statement like that, its hard to validate or discredit such a thing. )


Well put your money where your mouth is...Keyesville Vintage Race is calling you.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Upchuck said:


> Well put your money where your mouth is...Keyesville Vintage Race is calling you.


I'll be there in 08. So much fun.


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

jasonwa2 said:


> I'm now convinced i can beat anybody on my klein
> thats right. i said anybody.
> on any model klein...
> on any terrain....
> ...


You are rad.


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## jasonwa2 (Oct 28, 2004)

> Fillet-brazed said:
> 
> 
> > So, I assume your race resume is nothing but 1st place? QUOTE]
> ...


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## jasonwa2 (Oct 28, 2004)

Holy double post batman!


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## jasonwa2 (Oct 28, 2004)

If anyone would like to ride or race with me, i'm very willing.
I'm in north florida. Come on over to my track.
The trails are perfectly packed down right now due to all the rain.
Its fast and beautifull...


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

jasonwa2 said:


> > I did win my last mtb race, yes. That was late 04.
> > I did it on a pinnacle....all against sponsored racers on their new full sus.
> 
> 
> ...


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## ameybrook (Sep 9, 2006)

jasonwa2 said:


> > my last race was a couple of months ago on a Giant TCR.
> > A road crit. I didnt win but i sure thought i was going to.
> 
> 
> AHHAHAHAH. F'n hilarious. Thanks dude, you made my day. Such a douchebag comment could only have been made on purpose to still the pot, and it worked.


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## Upchuck (Jan 30, 2004)

jasonwa2 said:


> If anyone would like to ride or race with me, i'm very willing.
> I'm in north florida. Come on over to my track.
> The trails are perfectly packed down right now due to all the rain.
> Its fast and beautifull...


Oooooh, I get it. "Perfectly packed down" trails. See, here in SoCal we have things called rocks and cactus. Oh and hills. Mountains, even. And we don't have "tracks". We have trails, and such. I 'spose if I rode everyday on my back yard hard packed race track, I'd be pretty confident that I could smoke anyone who wanted to fly 3000 miles to race 160 1/8-mile laps...
Let us know when you get into town. We'll be sure to save you a space for your tent in the campground at Keyesville.


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## pinguwin (Aug 20, 2004)

Upchuck said:


> don't have "tracks". We have trail


Just a FYI, but many places tracks is the name people use for trails. Not to long ago I rode on Smithey Track here in the Midwest. There are backpacking tracks in New Zealand that I know of that would make 99% of the people in this forum cry for mercy. Tougher than any trail I've been in the U.S.

No comment on the rest of the comments.

Penguin


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## Upchuck (Jan 30, 2004)

Oh c'mon, can't you tell when someone is trollin? Heck, I even left plenty of winkies and smilies. I'm not really that much of an a-hole. At least not most of the time. (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)


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## L-Train (Apr 28, 2006)

*First cat 1 race?*



jasonwa2 said:


> > my last race was a couple of months ago on a Giant TCR.
> > A road crit. I didnt win but i sure thought i was going to.
> > at the end, i got used up and spit out the back.
> > live and learn, it was my first road race.
> ...


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## pinguwin (Aug 20, 2004)

Upchuck said:


> Oh c'mon


Ok, ok, ya kinda got me. Just thought the thread was getting a little personal. Also, I just came back from New Zealand and there are very few trails there, 99% are called tracks, so those terms caught my attention.

Pinguwin


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## Upchuck (Jan 30, 2004)

pinguwin said:


> Ok, ok, ya kinda got me. Just thought the thread was getting a little personal. Also, I just came back from New Zealand and there are very few trails there, 99% are called tracks, so those terms caught my attention.
> 
> Pinguwin


No worries, mate. I figured jasonwa2 had to be kidding with his boast...I mean post. 
Kiwi all just get along?


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Upchuck said:


> I'm not really that much of an a-hole.


No way man, you're a total a'hole.


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## Upchuck (Jan 30, 2004)

Rumpfy said:


> No way man, you're a total a'hole.


Only to you, man. Only to you.

I wish people really spoke like that. It would be too cool to repeat the last few words of every statement to punctuate the meaning. Yeah, to punctuate the meaning. I would repeat every last word. Every...last...word...


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## Sideknob (Jul 14, 2005)




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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Sideknob said:


>


We're waiting for the OP to check back in and post some pics.


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## pinguwin (Aug 20, 2004)

Rumpfy said:


> We're waiting for the OP


It was OP's first post, don't be surprised if we scared them away.

Pin Gwen


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## jasonwa2 (Oct 28, 2004)

> Fillet-brazed said:
> 
> 
> > So, I take it you won the pro class?
> > .


No, no, it was the super duper pro class.

Lance wasn't even good enough to be there.
And if he had a been...

He'd a got whooped!!


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## hollister (Sep 16, 2005)

pinguwin said:


> It was OP's first post, don't be surprised if we scared them away.
> 
> Pin Gwen


"we eat our young" -crconsulting


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## stan4bikes (May 24, 2006)

pinguwin said:


> It was OP's first post, don't be surprised if we scared them away.
> 
> Pin Gwen


Hey, I was nice to him..:skep:.. ...oops, wrong thread.  I hate it when I wake up from my senility naps.....


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## Sideknob (Jul 14, 2005)

hollister said:


> "we eat our young" -crconsulting


:lol:

I too want to see pictures of this Pinnacle.


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## pickneygal (Aug 18, 2007)

Alright, since the other brother dropped the ball on sharing his Pinnacle, I'll share mine. I'm also looking for help ; ) 

I've had this bike since 1994. I bought it secondhand from a local shop; it was *barely* used. Thinking I was doing myself a favor I threw a new fork on it. It kills me now but I had lots of fun with it off-road. Babied it, still looks and rides great.

Fast-forward 13 years, my off-road days are mostly over but I've started commuting daily by bike. I've been using my around the town beater (a tanky old GT Pantera) but the super-long top tube is starting to kill me on the road, so I was hoping to get the Pinnacle back in action. (Unfortunately, the original rigid fork back was trashed years ago--thanks, Dad!) 

So.

Suggestions? Recommendations? Anyone happen to have an extra 1" threaded 'Backfire'-colored stiffy lying around? Would trying to turn this into a city-friendly commuter ride be ridiculous? Any and all comments and suggestions welcome. I just hate to see this great bike sit unridden any longer.


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## pinguwin (Aug 20, 2004)

You're going to have to wait a long while for a backfire colored fork to come up. I regret selling mine, made all of $20 on it :madmax:. I bought a complete Pinnacle Elite and didn't need the fork, oh well. It's been a while since I've seen a backfire colored fork for sale. Not to say it's not out there but it's probably not going to be an easy find. 

You could always buy a generic rigid fork for it and have it painted a single color yellow. That wouldn't be too expensive, if you start paying for a three color fade, you're starting to talk about some real money. Myself, I wouldn't want to put a blue or green (or whatever) color fork that didn't match on such a pretty paint job, but not sure what is best for you. Rigid 1" threaded forks aren't that expensive on ebay or your local shop that has one hanging around. One other thing I would do is either put clips on those pedals or go clipless. It's nice to keep the bike original but function is good if you're using it on a daily basis.

Pingu Win


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2007)

pinguwin said:


> You're going to have to wait a long while for a backfire colored fork to come up. Pingu Win


there's one for sale in germany but the steerer tube is for the medium (20") frame so it would have to be cut and threaded further down for the S and XS frame. NOS 75euro

https://www.mtb-news.de/forum/showthread.php?t=295229










Carsten


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## Sideknob (Jul 14, 2005)

I still have my rigid Pinnacle fork - but it's Gator Linear Fade.


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## pickneygal (Aug 18, 2007)

> here's one for sale in germany but the steerer tube is for the medium (20") frame so it would have to be cut and threaded further down for the S and XS frame. NOS 75euro


Ha ha! Thanks for the link, Carsten. Could I put that fork on my Pinnacle? I remember the original Pinnacle fork being more tapered, like this:

Is cutting and re-threading a steer tube from a much larger frame standard retrofitting? Am I losing anything integrity-wise? This is all new territory for me.


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## Cycleshark (Jan 21, 2004)

no you can't put that fork on your klein....since this fork has been sold to a very honorable member of this committee! :smilewinkgrin:


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## pickneygal (Aug 18, 2007)

> no you can't put that fork on your klein....since this fork has been sold to a very honorable member of this committee!


Damn you people! I'm a member of this forum for five minutes and already you're snatching needles from my haystacks!


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## Cycleshark (Jan 21, 2004)

rft: :thumbsup:


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## pinguwin (Aug 20, 2004)

Cutting and threading a fork is standard and doesn't weaken a fork. Also, the Pinnacle Elite fork is the same as on my 1989 Pinnacle Elite. The red/white/blue fork is from a Top Gun (later renamed the Rascal). Probably a 1989 model.

Pinguwin


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2007)

Cycleshark said:


> no you can't put that fork on your klein....since this fork has been sold to a very honorable member of this committee! :smilewinkgrin:


i thought you only bought the patriotic fork?!

Carsten


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## pickneygal (Aug 18, 2007)

Now I'm confused! Which fork *did* you buy, Cycleshark?! Because if that Backfire one is still available I need to learn me some German--quick!


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## Cycleshark (Jan 21, 2004)

german lesson one:

jaja....nur die top gun patriotic gabel ist auf dem weg nach sharkistan

einen schönen tag noch


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## pickneygal (Aug 18, 2007)

I think that means I found a fork!


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## zygote2k (Jun 5, 2011)

Funny how this thread started out, almost boiled over, then calmed right back down to normal. Only found it by searching google for Pinnacle reviews.


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

We're still waiting on the goddamn pics!


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## Cycleshark (Jan 21, 2004)

Rumpfy said:


> We're still waiting on the goddamn pics!


haha..old one...maybe gary fisher invented this thread.


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