Some help identifying the frame (SLX, Cinelli lugs...)
 

Hello,
recently i bought a vintage frame, but had no luck with identifying it. Maybe someone can help me.

Frame has SLX tubing and all the lugs are Cinelli made. They all have Cinelli pantographs.
Some of the helpful features can be the marks, the stickers left, when they were removed (at the front - oval) and seat stays. I couldn't find any frame with same combination of such tubing, lugs and seat stays.
As you can see, fork isn't original.

I would be very thankful for any help or guesses :]

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_qodqOk-sRJE/TN...0/IMG_0472.JPG
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http://lh6.ggpht.com/_qodqOk-sRJE/TN...0/Desktop7.jpg
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http://lh6.ggpht.com/_qodqOk-sRJE/TN...0/Desktop8.jpg
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Its a beautiful frame. Do you have pictures of the head tube lugs and a better picture of the fork crown?

I have very limited experience with such things but my best guess would be late 80's italian made.

My SLX guerciotti is pretty similar. I'm thinking that the sloping / sleaker fork crown places it towards the end of the 1980's. Most bikes ive seen mid eighties had really prominant square crowns. My late 80's guerciotti has the same cinelli bottom bracket and FD braze on. The way the seat stays attach to to the top of the seat tube is interesting. I would also like a better picture of the brake bridge and the chain stay bridge.

I'm sure the experts like Cudak can give you more specific information.

Good luck! I look forward to you finding out.

That's a start :]

The original fork is sadly gone, but it looked like this:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_qodqOk-sRJE/TN...li-56_fork.jpg
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And more detail pictures of head tube lugs:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_qodqOk-sRJE/TN...2/IMG_0487.JPG
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http://lh4.ggpht.com/_qodqOk-sRJE/TN...0/IMG_0488.JPG
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http://lh5.ggpht.com/_qodqOk-sRJE/TN...2/IMG_0489.JPG
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I tried to look for an Italian maker, who used long oval shaped sticker at the front, like the mark on the frame, but had no luck :/

definitely mid 80's. I tried to find out what year my Guerciotti was made. I got an email from Alessandro Guerciotti and all he said was..."its really quite old".... "80's ?"

:( great job Alessandro , i couldn't have figured that out.

The outline the decal left on the top tube when stripped off looks like one of those “signatures” that the Italian makers are fond of. Something with a letter at the end having a descender followed by something with an ascender. Like, Pogliaghi except that there doesn't seem to be a descender further left for the first g.

I'd say that the seatstay caps are about the most unique of the frame details.

Amazing frame, pity you don't have the original fork, although i do prefer the chrome look myself.

as for identification i'm stumped. Cinelli does have a great historical photogallery that may help you with your quest.
http://www.cinelli.it/IT/memorabilia.html


They also still make vintage steel frames.

Viner?

Besides the stay caps, the most distinguishing feature are the cable tunnels routed under the top tube. I've seen this on some later Basso and Pogliaghi, but it doesn't appear to be either. The frame is completely lacking in embossing and chrome which, in conjunction with the basic stay cap treatment and monochrome paint, makes me think this is from a minor builder and possibly even a home built frame. The workmanship is functional but nothing to write home about.

The BB shell dates it no earlier than 1984, while the Columbus decals, assuming they are original, move that to at least 1988. Has the OP actually verfied Italian threading and SLX tubing?

It's Italian threading and the stickers on the frame and fork states SLX tubing.

The decal on some top tubes of "Viner" frames actually look quite similiar. But there is no information on the net about Viner frames built with Cinelli lugs, so I doubt it. But signature decal with "letter at the end having a descender followed by something with an ascender" is something and i will try to look it over more.

It could be made by a minor builder, but i doubt about home built thing, because the frame was richley decaled. There are sticker outlines on all of the main tubes, and also on both seat stay tubes, between seat stay and brake bridges. I don't think that a home builder would do that.

And I forgot to mention that drop-outs are Campagnolo made, if that gives any help.

Thank you guys for your help. I had no luck finding anyone having similar sticker outlines. I built the bike with mixed parts and it really rides smoothly. And that's what counts the most :]

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_qodqOk-sRJE/TO...0/_MG_5086.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_qodqOk-sRJE/TO...105CANON15.jpg

I've seen Viner with Campagnolo dropouts and fork ends. Cinelli lugs were (and are) available for any frame builder.
Doesn't matter, it's a great looking bike, and obviously well bred.

We can eliminate a lot of the big name Italian bikes like Colnago, Pinarello, Bianchi, etc. so I'll just join the crowd that's voting small custom builder. Too bad the seat cluster isn't more distinctive. The top tube cable guides, brake bridge say mid to late 80's to me. No chainstay bridge. Very generic but well made frame. Enjoy it.