Road Cycling - New Cinelli Frames: Any Good?

I've been looking at buying one of the cheaper aluminium Cinelli frames -- probably the
Proxima -- but they seem to have been thrown together. They don't exactly
demonstrate Scapin-like workmanship: the paint-work looks like they've just put
10 frames on a wall and spray-painted them all at once with a fire hose, and the
welds aren't what you'd call "babies bum smooth".

Anyone know if they're any good?

Thanks

I've been looking at buying one of the cheaper aluminium Cinelli frames -- probably the
Proxima -- but they seem to have been thrown together. They don't exactly
demonstrate Scapin-like workmanship: the paint-work looks like they've just put
10 frames on a wall and spray-painted them all at once with a fire hose, and the
welds aren't what you'd call "babies bum smooth".

Anyone know if they're any good?

Thanks

Whose selling them? There's been kind of a trend of company's buying up the rights to proud, old cycling names and stickering generic frames to sell. I don't know if that's what's happening in this case, but it sure sounds like it to me.

I have had 2 of the compact Cinelli Starship frames. They accelerate and climb better than anything that I've been on. Unfortunately, both frames broke. The first one lasted a year and the second 7 months. I tend to be hard on equipment and I range from 195 (beginning of season) to 180 pounds. There were no weight restrictions listed for the bikes, but I wonder. I broke/cracked both frames on the local big climb (Figueroa Mtn.).
Sounds like I'm whining a lot...I loved the ride and other ride attributes. Cinelli made good on the frames and I finally just got my money back and purchased a steel frame. There were no hassles about the warranty. No doubting or questioning (through a middle person).
I wish I had a reliable frame that rode the way the Cinelli compact rides.

That's exactly it - the era of the classic Italian road frame has been over for 20 years and people STILL buy them based largely on their past reputation! From the late 80's maybe early 90's, a lot of the European companies of some repute started going downmarket and outsourcing to Asia as the market moved away from brazed/lugged frames. Naturally this was largely due to the booming MTB market, and as sales of road frames slumped, road based companies started looking at 'new technologies' to make the niche more attractive.

Nutbag, it's hardly fair though comparing a Scapin frame to a low end Cinelli. Both are totally different bikes. i think one of the great ironies here is that the quality of North American based companies have in some way outstripped a lot of the 'Classic Italian' brands. Felt and Cervelo make great big brand bikes, and when it somes to hand built steel or ti, you'd be insane to look anywhere else other than your home turf.

...when it somes to hand built steel or ti, you'd be insane to look anywhere else other than your home turf.
Interesting perspective. Seeing as how you build beautiful bikes yourself, I'm interested in your opinion. I've been looking into Italian Ti/carbon combos like the Colnago CT2 and the Opera Pelladio. Money aside, what bikes from the USA would you suggest I take a closer look at? I like the idea of the new Lemonds like the Tete De Course but for this bike, I'm looking for something fairly unique and am trying to steer clear of the big mainstream brands.

55/Rad
Owner, 1 Trek and 2 Lemonds.

Unfortunately, both frames broke. The first one lasted a year and the second 7 months.

Thanks, I was kinda expecting to here something like this. I know it's annecdotal, but this will influence my purchasing, or at least my bargaining power.

J&B Importers, who are kind of the shady side of bike shop suppliers, are now carrying Cinelli... so its like they are one step from Walmart. I would say buying a higher end frame from a lower end manufacturer like Cannondale or Klein (if you bent on aluminum) would get a much better frame for the money that something with a Cinelli sticker from J&B

J&B Importers, who are kind of the shady side of bike shop suppliers, are now carrying Cinelli... so its like they are one step from Walmart. I would say buying a higher end frame from a lower end manufacturer like Cannondale or Klein (if you bent on aluminum) would get a much better frame for the money that something with a Cinelli sticker from J&B

I might be able to get a SUPER deal on a Cinelli Proxima frame, maybe under $500 with a Columbus Link fork and head set, and a Groove stem, so it's obviously very tempting, but I don't really want another alu frame because I've busted a couple. The distributor is gunna stop importing them, so I think they wanna clean them out, but that just might be bike shop sales talk.

Is Zonal stronger than Starship?

J&B Importers, who are kind of the shady side of bike shop suppliers, are now carrying Cinelli... so its like they are one step from Walmart. I would say buying a higher end frame from a lower end manufacturer like Cannondale or Klein (if you bent on aluminum) would get a much better frame for the money that something with a Cinelli sticker from J&B

Explain "shady side."

If the distributor is trying to unload them, make him/her an offer. "Will you take $300 for that frame?"
At $300 a frame, if it lasts 2 years, that is not bad. If it breaks, take the components off and stick them on another frame.

I've been looking at buying one of the cheaper aluminium Cinelli frames -- probably the
Proxima -- but they seem to have been thrown together. They don't exactly
demonstrate Scapin-like workmanship: the paint-work looks like they've just put
10 frames on a wall and spray-painted them all at once with a fire hose, and the
welds aren't what you'd call "babies bum smooth".

Anyone know if they're any good?

Thanks
My bike is a Cinelli Aliante with alu frame and carbon forks and rear stays. When my youngest son Clint rode up to our house with the bike, I told him that it was a really classy looking bike. He said it was two centimeters too big for him and was offering it for sale, so I told him I'd think about it. That took about 3 seconds and the next morning I laid sfr. 1000 on the breakfast table.

This is high end stuff. I guess it is called a hybrid, with the combination of carbon and alu. I've stuck the newest Campa Chorus stuff on it, so it is black all over. It is a slope frame and has a realitively short (100cm) wheel base, making it a very responsive bike in the climbs and extremely agile in the curves. Compared to all of the other bikes that I've had (Carlton, GIOS, Gazelle, Trek 5600s) it is a dream.

My bike is a Cinelli Aliante with alu frame and carbon forks and rear stays. When my youngest son Clint rode up to our house with the bike, I told him that it was a really classy looking bike.

Yes, I've gotta admit, it's the look of the dark blue Proxima that is the best selling point.

http://www.cinelli.it/eng/bici/telai/Corsa/2004_PROXIMA.html

Click on "Zoom" to get a better look. This my favourite colour.