[CR]PLease help me date my Cinelli

(Example: Framebuilders:Richard Moon)

Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2003 17:49:17 -0400
From: "Martin Needleman" <mrndlmn@toad.net>
To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]PLease help me date my Cinelli

Help needed in dating a Cinelli Model "B". I've owned this bike since 1980 and it was quite old when I bought it. Used it for club rides in Los Angeles until 1984 when I moved to Maryland, stored it in my climate controlled garage and totally forgot about it until I rediscovered it today. Don't ask. My three car garage is absolutely packed with "stuff" and my cars live outdoors in the driveway.

Sad to say, climate controlled or not, the Cinelli has much more "patina" now than it had when I stored it. I, also, have acquired an additional twenty years of patina and, frankly, flaking chrome and all, the bike is holding up at least as well as I am. I've just begun the [bicycle] clean-up process. When I was riding the Cinelli, it was, to me, just a bike. A very nice bike to be sure. Fun to ride and a one that received many complements but bicycle worship is forbidden by my religion - I just enjoy bicycle riding. Frankly folks, when I get this bike cleaned up, I'm not going to exhibit it behind bullet-proof glass in an inert gas environment, I'm just going to ride it. Ok, OK. I'm a Philistine.

After accessing Mark Petry's very helpful Cinelli site I suspect that the bike is a Model B manufactured in either 1966 or 1967 - no BB oil port, no holes in the lugs and a flat fork crown. I believe that the components are original with the exception of ephemera such as tires, tubes, etc. but, to me, now that my bike consciousness has been raised through this mail-list, it is an unusual lineup. Puzzle for listees. Is there anything here which doesn't belong or which helps to pin down the year of manufacture?

CRANK ARMS: Agrati three arm cottored steel CHAIN RINGS: look like Stronglight. Will confirm when I remove and clean. Two rings, half step PEDALS: Agrati quill BRAKES: Universal Extra - BREV. 453949 STEM: Ambrosio Champion [Ambrosio = Made in Italy] HANDLEBARS: Ambrosio Champion - nice old style with sloping shoulders and almost no flat spot. SADDLE: Super-Rosa Calolziocorte - a bit like a Brooks B17. HEADSET: "??????? Milano" - will have to clean to read. FRONT DER.: Campagnolo Don't know what model. Will take pictures. REAR DER.: Campagnolo Grand Sport SHIFT LEVERS. Campagnolo (on downtube) REAR DROPOUTS: Brev. Campagnolo

More information and pictures as cleanup progresses. NO. I'm NOT going to touch up any paint or replace any faded decals. Clean, derust and a coat or two of non abrasive wax. Then ride. That's my plan and I'm sticking to it.

Any and all information on the age of this old gal and the authenticity (or lack thereof) of the components will be warmly and gratefully received.

Martin Needleman
Annapolis, MD