CampyDropOut,

I've had a couple of 80s era Cinelli SCs and a Cinelli/Centurion over the years. I love the bikes and pay very close attention to details on the ones that pop up for sale. There is a HUGE array of different build features (braze-ons, logo'd vs non-logo'd fork crowns, bottom bracket features, derailleur cable routing, seatpost diameter, etc) on the early 80s Cinellis (after the Columbus take-over). However there are a few consistencies: fastback seatstay treatment on the SCs (which this one does not have, so it isn't a SC), Cinelli-pantographed, non-scalloped seatstay caps on the non-Cinelli, Cinellis like the Cinelli Centurions (this one has scalloped seat-stay caps w/a Cinelli decal on it!), a bridge between the chainstays (this one doesn't have a bridge), and a Cinelli-Logo'd seatstay bridge (I can't tell if this one is logo'd or not from the pictures, but it should be checked).

My guess is that this is a frame from an unknown builder that has been resprayed (which would explain the lack of chrome) and had Cinelli decals added (including the seatstay end caps) along with later Columbus decals that have the same basic shape as the SL stickers (the Cinellis would have been built w/either SL or SLX). From the pictures, the top tube pin stripe appears to be peeling off. The stripe on my SCs have flecked off, but have never peeled.

Cinelli regularly sold BB shells and lugs to other builders. The BB shell on this frame is the later "spoiler" design. I'm not sure when this design appeared, but I believe it was the early 90s which would place this frame in that time period.

My next step would be to see if there is a Cinelli logo pantographed into the seatstay bridge (where the rear brake bolts onto the frame).

Regardless it looks like a nice frame.

Cheers,

Texbike