Re: [CR]Cinelli, Coppi and Bianchi

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From: <hersefan@comcast.net>
To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR]Cinelli, Coppi and Bianchi
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 03:39:28 +0000

Most of Steven's comments are in accord with my understanding - as I understood, Cinelli never himself built frames. But, he did have others build based on his designs.

The Coppi link was discussed in book "The Custom Bicycle" and has been repeated in the press a number of times. Does anyone have any info on how this "rumor" emerged and if there was anything to it?

Were any Bianchi bikes - especially bikes ridden by Coppi, ever built by others? I know of at least one person on this list who can shed light on this in regards to a certain "stash" of Coppi related machines that supposedly turned up a few years back.

My sense is that there may be an interesting story burried somewhere in this. Then again, it might all be baseless rumor that finally needs to be put to rest.

Mike Kone in Boulder CO - its supposed to hit almost 70 tommorow!
> Mike wrote:
>
> > Now a question - I know of the story how Cino Cinelli designed his first
> frames
> > for Fausto Coppi - but I'm a bit green on this subject. Coppi as I understand
> > always rode Bianchi bikes - does anyone know of Coppi's use of Cinelli bikes
> in
> > competition?
>
> Cino Cinelli did not build frames personally and the first frames bearing the
> Cinelli name were actually built before he even joined his brother Giotto's bike
> business. It is therefore virtually impossible that there is any truth in the
> story of his first frame designs being for Coppi. Cino and Coppi did however
> know each other quite well. I have a copy of a photo from 1940 showing Cino with
> his teammate Adolfo Leoni riding Bianchi bikes and Coppi with his teammate Gino
> Bartali riding Legnano bikes at a Vigorelli track event. I also have another
> photo from what is apparently the first post-war Milan bicycle trade fair in
> 1953 depicting Coppi speaking with Cino in front of the Cinelli stand. Cino was
> also the head of the cyclists union, so more than most new framebuilders, he did
> have access to pitch new ideas to the top riders including Coppi. Coppi did have
> considerable respect for Cinelli both as a racer and as a businessman.
>
> To the best of my knowledge Cino never sponsored any cycling team and did not
> believe it necessary to do so to market his bikes. His son, Andrea, who is the
> one who sent me the photos, also told me that his father's philosophy did not
> foresee trade team sponsorship. Cinelli did however provide bikes to individual
> riders and to national team members. Perhaps a Cinelli bike could have been
> ridden by Coppi at some time but never as his official team bike with Cinelli
> logos. Coppi rode for the Dopolavoro Tortona for 1938-39 (this was before any
> Cinelli bikes were made, then for Legnano from 1940 to 1942 (also before any
> Cinelli bikes were made). From 1943 to early 1945 he did not ride for any team
> because of the war. For the second half of the 1945 season he rode as an
> independent. From 1946 to 1955 he rode for Bianchi. Then from 1956 until the end
> of his life, he rode for the Carpano Coppi team on Coppi branded bikes built by
> Fiorelli.
>
> --
> Steven Maasland
> Moorestown, NJ