Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Why Are vintage CINELLI stems & bars so PRICEY?

I know the whole collectible classic bike thing is on fire but what's up w/ the old Cinelli stems & bars?

they don't make 'em like they used to

Well let's see. They haven't made the steel stuff since the late 70's. Anything Cinelli with the old badge/pre-Columbus is expensive. Collectors regard it as THEE best of the era. Any steel track stem is expensive. See Nitto Jaguar for example. You don't know this already?

EDIT: Unless you're not talking specifically about the steel stuff. In that case it's just a good 'ol case of supply vs. demand.

The chrome steel Cinelli stuff is pretty, but not very good chrome, so really pretty pieces in the original chrome are quite rare. You can get all this stuff re-chromed better than new, but it's not appropriate in the minds of the collectors. Older stems with the painted brass screw-on badge are particularly rare because the badges get destroyed or stolen. You see lots of junk that's priced accordingly, but very few nice looking pieces. If you're not a collector, finding a sound older piece and rechroming it is a nice way to go. You may have trouble finding the original hardware (which also gets ripped off to benefit the very best collectible pieces), but there are enough substitutes for real-world street use.

Yes, all steel track stems are expensive, simply because they can't be forged in big quantities like your typical alloy stem. If you want to get really pimp about it, there are plenty of framebuilders who will build you a custom one-off stem in steel in whatever drop and length you want. You can get it chromed, or get a great paint job. And you can get them made with fillet brazing (smooth joins) or with lugged connections that look very retro.

Personally, I used to ride Cinelli steel track stems and bars on the track, and didn't like them all that much -- you rusted them out quickly, the bolt heads rounded over easily, and they weren't really made all that well when you look at them close-up. There were more than a few track riders with big scars up their sternums from the deep-drop sprinters' stems as well. At least Cinelli made their old steel stems in 25.4 mm, the track standard, instead of 26.4 like their road bars, their Grammo Pista titanium stems, and their 2/A alloy track stems (which the Nitto quill stems are modeled after).

Johnny Coast is making cinelli style steel stems, I think it's www.coastouttabrooklyn.com . Not sure what he's asking for them though. If you really want cinelli, I've got a steel bar/stem that I might sell, but not for cheap.

Johnny Coast is making cinelli style steel stems, I think it's www.coastouttabrooklyn.com . Not sure what he's asking for them though. If you really want cinelli, I've got a steel bar/stem that I might sell, but not for cheap.

Sweet mary joe! Those stems are AMAZING. I'm not even going to ask how much he's selling those for. Anyone know?? :D

probably about the price of a pristine badged cinelli from 50 years ago. $200? plus/minus $50

The one made by Cino Cinelli are awesome from one of the top builders ever! His stuff is outstanding.

S/F<
CEYA!

You can get all this stuff re-chromed better than new, but it's not appropriate in the minds of the collectors.

Reawakening an old thread - rechroming would be appropriate in my mind but I am being talked out of it because it would certainly be too expensive to have a quality job done (not as pricy to have a not so quality job done) although noone has been able to recommend me a qualified chromer to at least chat with and ask. Does anyone have first hand experience doing it?

I have one of those Cinelli track stems (but as far as I know extremely rare 26mm, from the 60s) bought on eBay, perfectly usable... but the photos did not reveal the true condition of the stem, the underside is a bit rusted as others have described it is common with these stems. I am a bit torn between what to do, whether the idea of keeping it as is and rechroming would be a blasphemy or a really stupid thing to do, really curious about the JC stems too, but so far my emails have remained unanswered ;)

Sweet mary joe! Those stems are AMAZING. I'm not even going to ask how much he's selling those for. Anyone know?? :D

I'm pretty sure they're $250. evanyc had one made for his circle A, I think.

m.

EDIT: oops - I didn't realise how old this thread was...!

I've got a Coast stem on my painted up DB. I got it from Trackstar. They had a few of 'em in there at some point. I think it was $160/175 or so?

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y266/roscoenyc/JohnnyCoaststem.jpg

$200 from coast i believe

I've got a Coast stem on my painted up DB. I got it from Trackstar. They had a few of 'em in there at some point. I think it was $160/175 or so?

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y266/roscoenyc/JohnnyCoaststem.jpg

That bike looks #$@#ing ridiculous. I saw the other pictures.

That bike looks #$@#ing ridiculous. I saw the other pictures.

I can say the pics of it look great, but it is nothing compared to seeing it in person.

that DB looks like one of those slap braclets you had in the 2nd grade. all that **** that looks like holograms or something

Rampant brand consumerism.

So why were you looking to buy one?