Cinelli

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Erik Zabel (left) on a Cinelli track bike in 1989
Modern racing bike from Cinelli from the 2010s

Cinelli is an Italian bicycle manufacturer from Caleppio di Settala near Milan . The company was founded in 1948 and builds high-quality racing bikes , traditionally using tubes from the frame manufacturer Columbus , and has been the supplier of almost all bicycle forks for professional cycling teams for several decades . However, the company generates its main sales with the sale of bicycle components, especially handlebars and stems. The products enjoy cult status in cycling circles due to their design and quality .

history

The founder of the company, which was initially based in Turin , was the cyclist Cino Cinelli , who won the Milan-San Remo cycling race in 1943 . After the Second World War he started building frames based on many ideas that he had developed during his active time as a racing driver. One of the first riders to use a Cinelli frame was Fausto Coppi in 1947.

Cinelli was also known for developing components such as handlebar stems and handlebars made of steel, later also made of aluminum. The first saddle made of plastic , the "Unicantor", was designed in 1962 (until then, bicycle saddles were generally made of leather) and still serves as a model for all later bicycle saddles. Another innovation was the "Spinaci" bar ends for a more aerodynamic posture for racing cyclists on the racing bike.

The company only produced frames in small numbers, around 700 per year. In 1974 Cinelli designed an aerodynamic bicycle on which Ole Ritter set a new world hour record. Cinelli has been building the legendary “Supercorsa” frame model since the 1950s. For more than three decades, Cinelli's frame specialist was Maestro Valsassina, who was previously employed by Bianchi . In 1985 Cinelli brought out the first Italian mountain bike "Rampichino".

At the 1964 Olympic Games , the Japanese track cycling team was equipped with Cinelli racing bikes, and at the 1968 Olympic Games, the Mexican track cycling team. A total of 28 gold medals were won at the Olympics on Cinelli racing bikes. The company is also the only Italian bicycle manufacturer to have received the “ Compasso d'Oro ” for good design.

Today the company's production consists of 80 percent components and 20 percent bicycles. In 1978 Antonio Colombo , owner of the frame manufacturer Columbus, took over the company. In 1997 Cinelli became a subsidiary of Gruppo SRL .

Old Cinelli frames and racing bikes have become coveted collector's items and are kept in their own file.

  • Head tube emblem

  • Classic Criterium handlebar

  • Cinelli saddle on Eddy Merckx's Colnago track bike , on which he set a world hour record in 1972

Teams

Cinelli was or is the eponymous sponsor of the following cycling teams:

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Register of Cinelli frames

Web links

Commons : Cinelli  - collection of images, videos and audio files