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Ask any cyclist about their preference of bar tape—soft or cushy, black or colored, cork ribbon or fabric—and you’ll receive an array of answers and even more suggestions for your own ride. But ask them what brand they prefer, and the majority will have a similar answer: Cinelli.

But Cinelli’s roots go well beyond the handlebar; in fact, throughout cycling history, Cinelli bicycles have been some of the most innovative and race-proven machines to hit the pavement. The company’s founder and namesake, Cino Cinelli, was the primary driving force behind such innovation and his bikes have become benchmarks in cycling technology as a result.

In 1943, Cinelli crossed the finish line a winner in the Milan-San Remo, proving to the world he was a major threat in the peloton. He was a man interested in gaining the edge, and so with successful racing experience in his back pocket, Cinelli took to the machine shop and began work on different cycling designs. Five years later, in 1948, he founded Cinelli Bicycles. High on his list of priorities was a redesign of the bicycle cockpit: a more aggressive riding position to improve pedal stroke and aerodynamics, and stiffer materials to reduce power loss. With his racing career behind him, Cinelli took his perfectionist nature to the drawing board and established a line of components that dominated the racing scene shortly thereafter.

Convinced that smaller wheels and longer cranks were more effective than the then-standard 27 inch wheels, Cinelli developed a smaller, more aerodynamic bike with appropriately longer cranks for better leverage. He incorporated smaller wheels which, Cinelli insisted, provided higher cadence leading to a smoother, more powerful ride. Though his concepts in this regard didn’t take off immediately or with great force, Cinelli began to revolutionize frame design, not to mention the component end of the cycling industry. His frames, too, were highly sought after by Olympian track cyclists and found their place in history with drastic redesigns.

One of Cinelli’s most significant accomplishments revolved around the design of his forks. He contended that a sloping crown shortened the fork legs themselves, thereby reducing flex and adding rigidity that encouraged less power loss. Though its aerodynamic advantages were negligible — aerodynamics was a fad that didn’t hit the scene until several years later — the design stuck; Cinelli himself acknowledged horizontal crowns were useful on rougher roads, but otherwise, a stiffer fork was far more advantageous than previous, flexier models. In combination with his radically new frame designs—such as the Super Corsa, which employed a more aggressive riding position and a Fast Back seatpost clamp that centered itself behind the top tube, strengthening the grip on the seatpost—Cinelli’s concepts came to fruition with a fervor and success that the bicycle industry simply could not ignore.

Cinelli’s bar and stem designs accounted for most of his early business. According to David Herlihy’s interview with Cinelli, “Annual production climbed from about 5,000 stems and bars in the 1950s, to 7,500 in the early 1960s. By Cino’s retirement in 1978, the figure had reached a giddy 150,000 (link).”  Though he primarily designed steel components, in 1963 Cinelli’s alloy handlebars were among the first to be accepted by pro racers and, ultimately, the cycling community at large. The Cinelli Ram, a full-carbon integrated stem and handlebar, was one of the first of its kind to hit the market only a few years ago, and its aerodynamic as well as ergonomic design has appealed to many riders in the professional peloton.

Always one to advance innovation, Cinelli developed Bivalent Quick Release hubs—a system that allowed riders to use a wheel in either the front or a rear. It employed the use of a specially-designed freewheel that mounted to the frame independently from the wheel (link). The hubs were made by Campagnolo and the freewheel was manufactured by Regina, but the concept, which allowed quicker wheel changes during races, never caught on.

Several bikes that came spec’d with the hub system sold in the , but sales in Europe remained tepid; Cinelli abandoned the system in the 60’s, but they remained in inventory throughout the 70’s. Nonetheless, it was one of Cinelli’s most prized concepts, and the hubs have become more of a collector’s item than racer’s tool.

Cinelli continued to innovate components with new introductions into the cycling world such as the first clipless pedal system, the M71; a saddle called the Unicantor, made of a plastic material called Rilsan and covered in buffalo hide to compete with full leather saddles, which tended to get squishy and deformed; and Binda toe straps, a tough and revolutionary choice for pedal designs and the only one of its kind at the time. As his reputation for innovation grew, so, too, did his respect as a frame maker in the race circuit. Cycling legend Fausto Coppi first raced a Cinelli frame in 1947 and was ever-willing to test out Cinelli’s new designs, such as a twenty-inch wheeled road bike with longer cranks and shorter wheelbase.

Cinelli’s hunger for improvements and implacably meticulous nature lured Danish cyclist Ole Ritter toward the Cinelli brand for his own quest: the hour record. So, in 1974, Cinelli designed an aerodynamic “Funny Bike” for Ritter, who broke his own previous record and brought the pursuit of the hour record to the forefront of cycling consciousness. The bike itself used a longer crank set and narrower hubs to enhance aerodynamics, as well as winged fork blades and tubular tires designed specifically for the event. This model eventually paved the way for a new aerodynamic model—and one of Cino Cinelli’s final projects—called the Laser.

Cinelli’s frame output at its highest averaged around 600 to 700 frames per year, and around 200 per year at the onset of the company. Most popular—not to mention enduring—among his line was the Super Corsa, a steel road frame that underwent very few changes from its inception in 1947 on. Due to a printing error at one point in its history, the Super Corsa was briefly labeled Speciale Corsa. According to Cino’s son, Andrea Cinelli, there is no difference at all in the frames themselves aside from the label (link).

Aside from the innovation facet of the company, what made Cinelli frames so special? Many say the frames stood out because they were fully custom. According to Herlihy’s interview with Cinelli, “Frames were only consigned per custom-order, and customers often had to wait months for delivery, or even longer when he had outstanding orders from Olympic athletes (link).”

This was due, in part, to the fact that Cinelli refused to mass-manufacture his frames. It would prove to be impossible to expand production of the frames without sacrificing quality, and Cinelli stood adamantly against such a move. Though Cinelli bikes are no longer fully custom today, the ride quality of Cinelli bikes hasn’t diminished at all. “I ride a 2003 Cinelli Unica with an aluminum frame, carbon fork, and carbon seat stays,” says Hans Carlson, a road rider from Orono, Maine. “My last bike was full aluminum, and it was harsh to say the least. I’ve found the geometry and the softness of the [Cinelli] ride nice; I’ve been happy with the ride and the quality of the product.”

It seems Cinelli’s longevity hasn’t changed much, either. Says Carlson, “I would buy another one, but I think this Cinelli is probably the bike I will ride for a long time to come.”

Distinguishable features of Cinelli frames are helpful in determining the time period in which the frame was built. A bottom bracket grease port, prevalent on early models, was taken out of the design in 1965. Around 1968, a three-hole lug design began appearing on models; after the company was sold, serial numbers began to run sequentially. This happened around 1981 and was contrary to previous serial numbers, which did not indicate sequence or date of production in any way (link).

In 1978, Cino Cinelli sold his company to Antonio Colombo, owner of Columbus tubing (the frame material of choice by Cino Cinelli almost from the beginning of his frame manufacturing; he started with Reynolds tubing, but switched to Columbus shortly thereafter). Not long after that, the Cinelli logo underwent a redesign: instead of the classic and simple “C” that Cinelli favored, the logo became a multi-colored “C” which, according to the interview with Herlihy, Cinelli himself did not like. "I guess they felt they had to change something, the way a new boss rearranges furniture,” Cinelli said.

But the Cinelli Company’s innovative spirit did not die when Cino sold the company. According to their website (link), Cinelli’s company goals are “new technologies, sophisticated materials, experienced technicians, very strict tests, state of the art tools, but also art shows and design competitions…Only new stimulations and new ideas  can help us create the product which is a synthesis of (our) dreams and visions.”

They put this concept to practice in 1991, when Cinelli produced a frame for the burgeoning  mountain bike market. They enlisted the help of Gary Fisher for the design and called the new bike the OttoMilla (link).

Assembly methods also changed, especially with the advent of the aluminum craze; instead of lugs, frames were constructed through TIG welding, and when carbon came along, the processes changed again. Still, the Cinelli core philosophy remained the same: build stellar bikes while maintaining the drive for innovative design.

Today, Cinelli carries a full line of aerodynamic and technologically current bike models. The XLR8R, for example, boasts a full-carbon Columbus tubeset and Columbus Mega Carve fork (which, ironically, has an aerodynamic shape common among forks today but was revolutionary when Cinelli first developed its predecessor years ago). It comes stock with Campagnolo components, which is no surprise, since Cino Cinelli and Campy’s founder, Tullio Campagnolo, shared a close relationship throughout their careers as component manufacturers. In fact, Cinelli often rejected business opportunities because they would put his products in direct competition with Campagnolo’s.

Other bikes in the carbon line are the Mecano, Estrada, and Aliante, each designed with Cinelli’s sloping top-tube design in mind. The carbon craze hasn’t simply stung the road bike side, either. Always eager to stay on top of current trends, Cinelli has developed a line of high-end mountain bikes as well, such as the Freedom Rider, the Lucille, the Soft Machine, and even a full suspension model called Double Trouble. Coupled with a commuter-style series of bikes (including a tandem), Cinelli has refined their line to encompass most styles of riding without sacrificing ride integrity, technology, or innovation.

Nor has Cinelli forgotten its roots. The company still produces the original steel Super Corsa, complete with Columbus Neuron tubing and fork, as well as Cinelli lugs. With its Fast-back design and detailed artistry, the Super Corsa holds its place among legendary bikes even today, and holds on to its position in the cycling world with this production model. In addition, though the materials have changed throughout the years, Cinelli handlebars remain a trustworthy staple in cyclists’ quivers. The Ram bars now feature ergonomic and aerodynamic designs, integrated 1 1/8” stems, light-weight carbon, and unique paint jobs. The handlebar line has also found its way into the aerobar niche, and a full line of stems, seatposts, and bar tape remain a staple of Cinelli products.

Considering the drive with which Cino Cinelli created and propelled his company—and ultimately gained respect and friendship in the industry—it’s no surprise the company has lasted so long with as much unique and innovative product as it has shown the cycling community. It’s possible that the prevalence of Cinelli bar tape—and conspicuous lack of other Cinelli components—in American bike shops diminishes the impact Cinelli has had on the industry, or perhaps it simply adds to the mystique. Either way, cyclists who’ve been around long enough know Cinelli bikes have always been the quiet warrior, the go-to bike that had class, reliability, and technology all molded into one; luckily, the company is still hell-bent on preserving that philosophy today.

In the Gallery:
Cinelli Parts discussed in this article