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Very few names carry the same quiet authority in a modern bike shop as Cinelli. Born from the restless mind of a champion racer who traded the peloton for the machine shop, the marque built its reputation not on marketing but on relentless, race-tested reinterpretation of the bicycle itself, from the fork crown to the handlebar tape now found in garages the world over. Its story is one of a perfectionist who refused to compromise and of a company that, even after passing out of his hands, never lost its appetite for the next new idea.
Here is a chronological timeline of key innovation and racing events at Cinelli, spanning from 1943 to 2002, based on the sources used for an accompanying Ebykr article on its history, “The Quiet Warrior: Cino Cinelli and the History of Innovation.”
1943
Race Victory
Cino Cinelli won the 1943 edition of Milan-San Remo, establishing himself as a major threat in the peloton well before his namesake brand gained its legendary status.
1947
Sponsorship Milestone
Cycling legend Fausto Coppi first raced a Cinelli frame, beginning a relationship in which he remained willing to field test Cinelli‘s new designs.
1947
Product Introduction
The Super Corsa, a steel road frame that underwent very few changes from its inception onward, entered production and went on to become the most popular and enduring model in the Cinelli line.
1948
Company Founding
Five years after his Milan-San Remo win, Cino Cinelli founded Cinelli Bicycles, prioritizing a redesigned bicycle cockpit with a more aggressive riding position and stiffer materials to reduce power loss.
1950s
Production Milestone
Per David Herlihy‘s interview with Cinelli, annual production stood at about 5,000 stems and bars during this decade.
Early 1960s
Production Milestone
Annual production of stems and bars climbed to 7,500, according to David Herlihy‘s interview with Cinelli.
1963
Product Launch
Cinelli released Bivalent Quick Release hubs, a system that allowed the same wheel to be used in either the front or rear position, using a specially designed freewheel that mounted to the frame independently from the wheel. The hubs were made by Campagnolo and the freewheel by Regina. A period magazine feature on the system labeled it a 1961 design, though the article’s own account dates its release to 1963.
1963
Product Adoption
Cinelli‘s alloy handlebars were among the first to be accepted by professional racers and subsequently by the wider cycling community.
1965
Design Change
The bottom bracket grease port, prevalent on early Cinelli models, was removed from the design, a feature now used to help date frames.
Late 1960s
Product Discontinuation
Cinelli abandoned the Bivalent hub system, though its components remained in inventory throughout the 1970s.
Around 1968
Design Change
A three-hole lug design began appearing on Cinelli models, another feature used to help date frames.
1974
Product Launch
Cinelli designed an aerodynamic “Funny Bike” for Danish cyclist Ole Ritter in pursuit of the hour record, using a longer crankset, narrower hubs, winged fork blades and tubular tires designed specifically for the event; Ritter broke his own previous record on the machine.
Late 1970s–early 1980s
Product Line Expansion
Cinelli dabbled in BMX bicycles a full decade before its 1991 mountain bike venture, marketing a Columbus double-butted tubing frame specially designed for BMX use.
1978
Retirement
By Cino Cinelli‘s retirement in this year, annual production of stems and bars had reached 150,000, according to David Herlihy‘s interview with Cinelli.
1978
Company Acquisition
Cino Cinelli sold shares in his company to Antonio Colombo, owner of Columbus tubing, the frame material Cinelli had used from almost the beginning of his frame manufacturing after starting out with Reynolds tubing.
1980
BMX Line
Period advertisements show Cinelli‘s BMX line built on Columbus double-butted tubing and paired with Campagnolo, Clement and Regina components.
1980
Serial Numbering Change
New five-digit serial numbers began running sequentially, with the first two digits indicating the year of manufacture and the last three the frame’s serial number for that year, replacing the previous scheme which did not indicate date or sequence.
1981
Product Innovation
Cinelli first developed the Laser predecessor, whose aerodynamic fork shape was revolutionary at the time though common among forks today.
1991
Product Launch
Cinelli produced a frame and fork for the burgeoning mountain bike market, enlisting Gary Fisher for the design of the new bike, called the OttoMilla.
2002
Product Launch
The Cinelli Ram, a full-carbon integrated handlebar and stem combination, was among the first of its kind to hit the market, with an aerodynamic yet ergonomic design that has appealed to professional riders since.
2003
Owner Testimonial
Road rider Hans Carlson of Orono, Maine, reported riding a 2003 Cinelli Unica with an aluminum frame, carbon fork and carbon seat stays.
Join the Cinelli Heritage Discussion!
Have a Cinelli Super Corsa, Bivalent hub set or a Laser in the family; head to the Ebykr Forums to compare notes on dating your frame or tracking down that elusive multi-colored “C” logo era.
