Originally Posted by
AndyK
I think it's pretty rare for a set of Cinelli bars to break, but I have read about the 1R and XA stems breaking at the logo. Not sure how many miles it takes, or how much abuse, but I would hate to find out. That said, the old Cinelli bars and stems look like works of art, and it would be a shame to not be able to use them on this classic bike!
If you're willing to wait, Cinelli is reissuing the 1A stem and Giro bars:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ars?highlight=
There are a few people on the forum I trust who report 1R and XA stems are more prone to cracking:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...elli-stem-safe. I think the 1R was redesigned in later generations (yours being the first I think) with a shallower recess for the badge, and I think yours also has a hole behind the badge, while the later models had no hole. However, you can probably still sell it guilt free to a collector for his/her show bike for small chunk of change!
I'll add that your caution about old used parts is warranted. Currently, I'm dealing with a stuck Cinelli stem. I've been using a rubber mallet and whacking it pretty good. I'd never think of using it, selling it, or giving it to someone after subjecting it to this amount of stress. However, I've bought stems in the past that have come to me with visible hammer marks and telltale oxidation below the insertion line. People will also use the handlebars as a device for leverage on stuck stems. So, caveat emptor.