Tuesday, March 30, 2010

The making of a Replica Cinelli SC Leggerissimo, Part I













Blair Turner from Dorset, England, writes in with Part I of his story of the making of a Cinelli SC Leggerissimo (information about this very particular model can be found here).

"Finding a Cinelli frame for renovation over here in the UK is difficult. I put this down to the fact that during the 1950/60 and 70’s most riders stuck with local frame builders and regarded foreign imports with contempt and whatever Cinelli frames there are over here are now in cherished collections. Certainly on this first point the reverse is true – you will not find many English frames from these eras in Italy – make of it what you will.

I therefore decided to commission a replica build. Now, this maybe a contentious issue with Cinelli purists but I stress it is a replica, and if there are not enough frames for those interested to own one then I am not adding to the demand (I have heard of and met two guys who had 20 Cinelli’s each in their collections).

I was very impressed by the whole ethos and exclusivity of the Leggerissimo model - built of a thin gauge tubing and no chroming it’s style certainly struck a chord.

A fellow classic bike enthusiast and frame builder (who wishes to remain anonymous) agreed to do the work . The basis for the build was to be the recently re-released Columbus SL tube set (albeit in a different alloy to Cyclex and certainly lighter than it’s predecessor). Note that the seat stays supplied with this new tube set are double tapered and therefore not suitable for use in the construction of the typical “fast back” seat stay arrangement. I had to substitute a set of single taper 12mm diameter stays in their place. The long point sheet lugs, brake bridge and gussets were sourced from Richard Sachs in America . The fork crown, tangs, a head badge, drop outs, etc were all sourced over a period of months from E-bay and other contacts. Over this period of time I also sourced as many pictures as I could find to help with the build.

Since the frame was to be bespoke I opted for a 57cm seat tube length and 55.5cm top tube – unlike the “square” frames made by Cinelli. Reading an article by Chris Kvale and John Corbett – "A Fresh Look at Steering Geometry" (2006) gave me the insight I needed to finally base the frame design around a slightly shorter wheel base Super Corsa model, adjusting the geometry to that similar of a Masi Prestige.

Rather than run through a highly detailed narrative of the build, I attach a series of pictures that illustrate the various stages of the frames progression with accompanying notes.

note: photos above are in order from 1 to 12, top to bottom

Pictures 1 and 2 , 4 and 5 below show the finished long point sheet lugs after drilling out and much modification/repair work aided by the use of a TIG welder.

Picture 3 shows the lightened bottom bracket drilled out in the specific pattern as described by other owners.

Once a full size drawing of the frame was completed by an architect friend of the builders and it was shown that the geometry was correct ie, all the tubes of the desired length met and remained at their desired angles, we were in a position to start the main triangle and fork fabrication . The frame was to be pinned then silver brazed , this method of construction requires less heating of the tubes thereby keeping much of their tensile strength (except for the seat lug which was bronze brazed - I will explain why later). The fork was put together first – see picture 6. It is interesting to note that the fork crown does have a front and back face, see the difference in the radii between the two faces, the front face also has a higher “skirt” to allow tyre clearance when compared to the back being lower. A minor problem was encountered prior to fabrication which required a little cold reworking of the fork blade . The fork tube cross section had a different elliptical cross section when compared to its “male” counterpart on the fork crown. Evidently Columbus fork blades were at one time flatter than they are now.

Pictures 7,8,9 ,10 and 11 show the front triangle in various stages of construction together with picture 11 illustrating the bronze brazing. All tubes were sawn and the mitres filed to suit – not cut on a lathe. It was tremendously satisfying to give the tubes a flick, they didn’t just ring back, the whole thing just seemed to sing back – you don’t get that with carbon fibre!

Anyway the next bit was the fabrication of the rear end with the “fast back” seat stay arrangement. I must take absolutely no credit for working out how to complete the rear triangle construction. Here is the problem: if the seat stays are to be silver brazed to the seat lug assembly –seat/top tubes and seat lug, (which is it self silver brazed together) there is a strong possibility that the reheating (when attaching the seat stays) may result in loss of silver braze (and therefore potential structural weakness) to the finished frame in the seat/top tube area . This was why the seat lug was brass brazed (brass having a higher melting point would not be therefore affected when the seat lug assembly was re-heated to attach the seat stays). There was of course a down side to this method of brass first, then silver braising second construction, that being, since the seat lug and seat tube were relatively thin walled there would be a strong possibility of heat distortion occurring. The builder was careful here when applying the heat and only a very slight distortion ultimately occurred on the inside of the seat tube which was easily removed by a reaming tool (no distortion was noticeable to the outside of the frame.

This made me think . I always wondered why Cino Cinelli used a 26.2 seat pin instead of the 27 or 27.2 diameters as other contemporary frame builders did at the time. I maybe very wrong in my assumption on this but after looking at the Cinelli rebuild undertaken by Campyonly, I noticed that the seat lug on their original frame appeared to be sleeved to reduce it’s internal diameter (the join can be easily seen as it was not filled in). Is it possible that to prevent heat distortion to the seat lug when building his frames in Milan, that Cinelli fitted this reducing collar inside the seat lug so as to give it extra support and to act as a “heat sink”thereby avoiding distortion during construction? Perhaps there are other reasons why he used 26.2 over 27 or 27.2 seat posts and I will be put to rights by other more informed Cinelli owners/followers of the Marque.

Picture 10 shows construction as of Spring 2010.

Picture 12: Throughout the winter of 2009/2010 no further brazing work was done owing to the very low temperatures and the rapid cooling affect that would make the joints too brittle and liable to snap. Instead my friend started working on the turning of a set of top eyes for the stays.

Again, as we did not have a frame to take measurements from this was done entirely through visual reckoning . The steel needed to turn these top eyes was only a form of bright mild steel alloyed with a small percentage of lead. The presence of lead allows the whole eye piece to be turned out smoothly. These top eyes were turned down at their lower end to produce a short shank that would then fit inside the seat stay tube. It did not need to be particularly long as silver braze penetration would not be that deep here. The chain stays were brazed into place first followed by the seat stays so as to get the correct top eye height/ position in relation to the seat lug window. This was crucial owing to the way in which the seat binder bolt interacts with the seat post to provide a slip free clamping arrangement."

To be continued in Part II.....

I invite you to contribute by sending in photographs of your Cinelli bike, illustrations, personal stories, and articles about Cinelli bikes and components.

Thanks for stopping by.

I can be contacted at veronaman@gmail.com

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Cino Cinelli Wins 1940 Tre Valli Varesine


Cino Cinelli wins the 1940 Tre Valli Varesine ahead of Mario Ricci (to his right along the wall) and Fausto Coppi (to his left with tubular around shoulders).

Photo: thank you Matteo (click to enlarge)

I invite you to contribute by sending in photographs of your Cinelli bike, illustrations, personal stories, and articles about Cinelli bikes and components.

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I can be contacted at veronaman@gmail.com

Friday, March 26, 2010

Cino Cinelli Wins 1939 Giro della Campania


Cino Cinelli, far left, edges out Gino Bartali, 2nd left, for victory in the 1939 Giro della Campania.

Photo: thank you Matteo (click to enlarge)

I invite you to contribute by sending in photographs of your Cinelli bike, illustrations, personal stories, and articles about Cinelli bikes and components.

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I can be contacted at veronaman@gmail.com

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Cino Cinelli Wins 1943 Milano-Sanremo


Photo: thank you Matteo (click to enlarge)

I invite you to contribute by sending in photographs of your Cinelli bike, illustrations, personal stories, and articles about Cinelli bikes and components.

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I can be contacted at veronaman@gmail.com

Monday, March 22, 2010

Cinetica













In this previous article, "A Visit with Cino Cinelli", there is this passage from an interview from 1986:

"Among those who consult regularly with Cino is his own son Andrea, who is about to start his own bicycle company. Called Cinetica, it will market radically new frames and accessories."

Pictured above are photographs of a Cinetica "Giotto" frame that recently appeared on ebay. The black & white photo is of Andrea Cinelli.

The ebay seller wrote this description:
"Here is one of the rarest racing frames ever produced. The Cinetica "Giotto". This is a true carbon fiber monocoque built racing frame. Hand made in Italy with the expertise and cooperation of 3 world class companies: Cinelli, Campagnolo, Ferarri.

In the 1980's Andrea Cinelli who hails from the Cinelli name decided to manufacture the ultimate racing frame. Along with Ferrari and Campagnolo the design was perfected and production went into effect. Sadly, only several dozen were ever made. It was just too expensive to manufacture, in 1991 these frames sold for $3500. All the Cinetica frames used Campagnolo dropouts stamped: Cinetica. As for the paint, that was provided by Ferrari along with its carbon expertise.

You will not find much info on the internet about Cinetica, it was way WAY ahead of its time. One claim to fame for this frame is the fact that it was used as a prop in 1991 in Terminator 2, Judgement Day, 1991 starring Arnold Schwarzenegger...look it up see for yourself.

Why is this frame so rare, it started it all...while everybody was messing with aluminum, Andrea Cinelli had a vision to use carbon fiber. To the best of my knowledge, I know of only 4 of these frames on the planet as of this day. In the late 1980's there were a few companies who experimented w/ carbon ...won't mention names...why ruffle feathers, the end result was failure. Cinetica was 20 years ahead of its time.

OK, here are the frame specs:

Fork: Carbon Fiber with a 1" threaded Columbus steel steering column.

Size: 57cm (center to top)

Size: 57cm (center to top)

Top tube length: 56cm (center to center)

Headset: 1" threaded (original headset was a Campagnolo C-Record setup)

Bottom Bracket threading: Italian

Seatpost diameter: 27.2mm (seatpost not included)

Front derailleur: braze-on

Frame/Fork weight: 5.7lbs (all the inserts are Columbus steel...headset, BB, wheel stays (Campagnolo), seatpost, etc.)

Wheel size: 700c

Condition: used in trade shows. This frame has traveled the world multiple times, there are some scuffs on the frame...see pics. Mileage wise: about 500 miles. This frame was mostly used as a prop and unique trade show bike.

All the cables & housing for the frame is internal (rear brake, front derailleur, rear derailleur), only the front brake cable/housing is exposed, naturally.

One more important note: because the age of the frame there are cracks in the paint. The Ferrari paint is very thick it is not the type of paint used today which is more adaptable to carbon flexing. The Cinetica's paint is a bit brittle and if needed could use a new coat. I assure you there is no carbon crack or frame damage, you are simply seeing the cracks in the 20 year old thick external paint job (see pics). The paint cracks are situated along the BB and seatpost area. Again, this is the paint and NOT the carbon fiber."


Additional information about the Cinetica history is desired.

I invite you to contribute by sending in photographs of your Cinelli bike, illustrations, personal stories, and articles about Cinelli bikes and components.

Thanks for stopping by.

I can be contacted at veronaman@gmail.com

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Armstrong's World Championship: the Cinelli Difference


1993 Cinelli advertisement which says, "Between Armstrong and the entire world there is a "grammo" (gram) of difference". "Grammo" is the name of the Cinelli titanium stem that was popular in the 1990s.

The ad goes on to say that the stem was used by Armstrong in his win at the 1993 World Championship road race in Oslo, riding for team Motorola on an Eddy Merckx bike with Cinelli cork ribbon handlebar tape.

I invite you to contribute by sending in photographs of your Cinelli bike, illustrations, personal stories, and articles about Cinelli bikes and components.

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I can be contacted at veronaman@gmail.com

Thursday, March 11, 2010

1965/1968 Cinelli B







This restored 1965/1968 Cinelli B, serial number 6281, recently sold on ebay. Details of the listing:

-VINTAGE CINELLI MOD. B FRAME YEAR 1965/1968.

-'ALL CLAMP' EARLY CINELLI FRAME, THERE IS SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT 'ALL CLAMP' CINELLI FRAMES. (ed. note: 'all clamp' meaning that the frame has no braze-ons)

-MODEL: CINELLI MOD. B

-FRAME No. 6281

-BOTTOM BRACKET THREAD 36 x 24F. ITALIAN THREAD

-FORK THREAD 25.4 X 24F. ITALIAN THREAD

-REAR FORK SPACING: 120 mm.

-SEAT POST DIAMETER: 26.2mm.

-FRAME SIZE: 56 CM CENTER TO END 54.5CM CENTER TO CENTER TALL (SEAT TUBE)

-FRAME SIZE: 56 CMCENTER TO CENTER LONG (TOP TUBE)

-THE FRAME HAS BEEN SAND BLASTED, NEW CHROME, NEW PAINT AND NEW DECAL SET.

-THE FRAME IS STRAIGHT AND TRUE, NO DENTS OR DAMAGE, GUARANTEED.

-THE FORK WEIGHT IS: 800 GR.

-THE FRAME WEIGHT IS: 2260 GR.

-THE SEAT BOLT (NEW CHROME), AND ALL CAMPAGNOLO CLAMPS IN PHOTOS ARE INCLUDED.


I invite you to contribute by sending in photographs of your Cinelli bike, illustrations, personal stories, and articles about Cinelli bikes and components.

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I can be contacted at veronaman@gmail.com

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Cino Cinelli with Cinelli SC


Cino Cinelli with a Cinelli SC in the model's best known color: silver.

I invite you to contribute by sending in photographs of your Cinelli bike, illustrations, personal stories, and articles about Cinelli bikes and components.

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Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Who Is Cino Cinelli?



Thanks to Dave for scanning and submitting the article "Who Is Cino Cinelli?" by D.O. Cozzi, from Bicycling magazine, May, 1976.

Photos: 2 pages (click to enlarge)


I invite you to contribute by sending in photographs of your Cinelli bike, illustrations, personal stories, and articles about Cinelli bikes and components.

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Monday, March 8, 2010

1984 Cinelli at L'Eroica






CINELLI ONLY reader Michael writes in with his story of riding L'Eroica with his 1984 Cinelli, serial number 84106:

"MY FIRST L'EROICA - THE BEST BIKE DAY OF MY LIFE

I bought my 1984 Cinelli Supercorsa on Ebay early last year. It had a dented down tube and many updated parts. Luckily, I was able to hide the dent with some creative touching-up of the scratched/dented area and spent many enjoyable hours conserving the bike and returning it to its Nuovo Record splendor. My expatriate buddy Mark lives near Livorno has ridden L'Eroica numerous times. Luckily, he warned me about strong, wide tires and gearing I would need. I was able to tweak the chain length and dropout screws so that the bike would work with a 30t rear cog (I had the standard 42/53 in front). A set of 700x28c clinchers was mounted on the Mavic MA40 rims and the bike was ready for L'Eroica.

I convinced my wife (easily done - just say: "Prada Outlet") that what she needed was a week in Tuscany, so we spent a few days on the coast in Viareggio, riding our bikes around Lucca, Pisa and Elba before heading to our hotel in Radda. The day I spent at the L'Eroica exhibition was worth the trip all by itself. The highlight for me was meeting Valeriano Falsini, a friend and gregario of Coppi's and ogling over the bike that Coppi gave him as a gift.

The most interesting thing I learned from Valeriano had to do with gearing and team dynamics. John and I observed that the Bianchi had a 46t front chainring and a 23t largest cog on the back. We commented to Valeriano that Coppi was indeed a campionissimo because he could survive in the mountains of the Giro and Tour, on terrible roads, with such a big gear. Valeriano waved us off and said something to the effect of: "We all used to have to push the xxxx up the steep parts because of that gearing!". I guess things were different back then; it was all for the leader and the all-seeing tv cameras had not made their appearance yet.

The next day I rode the 205km route and finished in about 11 to 12 hours. The first few hours in the dark were really tricky and there were a lot of crazy riders who were treating it like a race. I backed off and just rode at my own pace, trying to find others with a similar goal.

It took me a long time to descend on the strada bianca and many other, more-skilled riders, left me "in the dust". The good news is that I did not kill myself or end up looking like a lot of the other riders with road rash, ice packs and covered with dirt from wiping the floor with their bodies.

The climb to Montalcino seemed to go on forever, but the scenery was breathtaking. I found the Santa Maria to be the hardest climb because at that point my reserves were depleted. The last section of that climb, where it is pitched up to 18%, was the only one I had to walk up (next time I bring a 32 lowest cog, instead of the 30!!!!).
It was really satisfying to finish the long route. Next time, I want to ride a shorter route and spend more time eating ribbolata (a Tuscan vegetable porridge) and drinking the wine at the rest stops. Care to join me?"


I invite you to contribute by sending in photographs of your Cinelli bike, illustrations, personal stories, and articles about Cinelli bikes and components.

Thanks for stopping by.

I can be contacted at veronaman@gmail.com

Saturday, March 6, 2010

A Cinelli with a Racing History











CINELLI ONLY reader Norm writes in with his story 1969/1970 Cinelli and its restoration, serial number 6809:

"I acquired this 1969/1970 Cinelli SC from the second owner in 2006. He bought it used in 1973 from Doug Dale, the original owner who bought it in 1969 or 1970 from Kopp’s Cycles in Princeton, N. J. It had seen 36 years of hard use and neglect and was seriously rusty but it had most of its original parts and the price was right so I bought it hoping it could be saved.

It came with a Campagnolo Nuovo Record drive train, 36 hole low flange Record hubs, Nitor seat post, Unicanitor plastic saddle ( no leather ), Cinelli stem with 7 mm expander bolt and 12mm hex head binder, Giro D'Italia bars, and a Universal Model 61 brakeset. Supposedly the only non original part was the Pat 73 NR rear derailleur which replaced a Record steel derailleur as original.

I finally got to meet Doug Dale at this year's Longsjo race. There was a reunion of past champions and a public ride with the 70's Raleigh team. I signed up for the public ride and brought the Cinelli. Doug was a racer in the Philadelphia/New Jersey area as a college student in the mid 1960's when he became involved with Fritz Kuhn of Kopp's Cycles in Princeton, N. J. He described Fritz as a mentor. He got this bike through Fritz in 1969 or 70. He confirmed that it came from the factory as a complete bike and that I did indeed have the original components except for the steel Record derailleur which had been replaced by NR in 1973. He also talked about a few of the races he did with this bike and how he placed. Given this partial history I guess he was pretty good.

1970 1st Fitchburg Longsjo
1971 3rd Quebec to Montreal
1972 3rd US Nationals
1972 Olympic trials

Here is a clip from a note Doug sent me after the ride:

Dear Norm,
Thank you so much for making the effort to make that wonderfully restored bike part of the celebration. It was a moving experience for me to see it reincarnated to full majesty and in race readiness.... Howie ( John Howard ) was telling me about his collection too. But, I doubt his bikes could rival your Cinelli for total restoration which was darn near perfect. Again, thank you for resurrecting my speedy beast.
Doug Dale

The bike was refinished in February, 2007, by Bicycle Specialties (Mike Barry ) of Toronto, Canada; Mike Barry's painter at the time was Noah Rosen who is continuing the business as Velocolour. The parts which were replaced: rear derailleur, stem, front caliper, brake levers, pedals, clips, straps, wheels and freewheel."

Photos: 1969/1970 Cinelli

I invite you to contribute by sending in photographs of your Cinelli bike, illustrations, personal stories, and articles about Cinelli bikes and components.

Thanks for stopping by.

I can be contacted at veronaman@gmail.com