Cinelli Identification help please?
 

I have what I believe to be an late 50's, early 60's Cinelli. Not sure if it is a "B" or an "SC".

A couple more bits of information... It came with a sloping crown fully chrome fork. chrome steel bars, and a set of chrome 3 arm cottered cranks with Cinelli engraving. There is an oil port in the BB shell. I'll post more pictures of the parts. It looks like someone took it apart to restore then packed it away. The newspapers it was wrapped in are from 1974.

Serial number is 5404, but apparently the serial numbers are pretty random...

Thanks for any info...

Unfortunately I cannot post any pictures until I have posted 10 times...Sad, but I guess I understand the rule.

Best, Davis

Pic Assist https://www.bikeforums.net/g/album/19779919

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6394a09f68.jpg

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ccfc0f2921.jpg

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5a065de39d.jpg

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d1a448ae2d.jpg

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4a7c8db03e.jpg

Open C on the dropout. It's an old one for sure. Has the spring hole as well.

Since you say it has the full sloping crown fork, and this style seat cluster, I'd guess it's an SC, and looks like a real beauty! Is there a headbadge?

Additional photographs if you please!

In addition to the details previously mentioned, the "B's" from the pre-three holed lugs period did not feature oil or drain holes, and for a few years had Simplex dropouts.

It's likely an "SC," but we'll need many more pictures to be certain.

Many, many more.

Nice! I suspect 1951-1953 SC.

Sloping fork crown = SC
Oil port on top = SC
Lack of oil drain hole = prior to 1955
Lack of filed rear dropout = prior to 1953
Rear derailleur stop at 7 o'clock = after 1951

Although I will say that oil port on top is a feature that is more mid-50s. But as with all Cinellis, usually more questions than answers.

Nothing sad about it, anti-spam measure that serves us very well, very small ask for what we have here as you can see by the help given already. ;)

That said, welcome aboard, glad you found us, you're in the right place, we love Cinelli's. :thumb:

Measure the thickness of the rear dropouts. That info could help.

I suggest coming back and looking at your thread.

I will, and thanks for posting the pics!

Best, Davis

Sorry. Unfortunately no headbadge. It looks like it was an interrupted or abandoned restoration project...

So if this was a restoration was the original color something else? Any residue of original paint inside the BB or at the fork crown, etc.?

Go with iab's info - he knows his stuff. Velo-Reto has a great Cinelli timeline here. It's the source I used for figuring out the approximate ages of Cinellis that have passed through my hands. But iab's info is more detailed for the period yours appears to come from.

You are correct about the random assignment of serial numbers on Cinellis. Their alleged system probably made sense to somebody at some point, by the logic has been lost in the mists of time. Strong men and women have been driven to the brink of madness trying to solve this riddle.

For example, I have two SCs that are in all details identical (the same tube lengths, same angles, same wheelbase, same port holes, same spring hole in the right rear dropout, everything except color) that I have pegged to the mid-1960s. One is serial number 14xx, on is 85xx. Another SC from the early 1970s that I had until recently was 15xx. There is no way Cinelli built enough frames to cycle through the numbers so as to account for the numbering. Go figure.

What a great find you have there. I look forward to learning more about it.

I find the color interesting, especially as it's from the early 1950s. It almost looks like the classic Bianchi celeste. A bold color statement, considering Cino Cinelli had poached one of Bianchi's top builders (Luigi Valsassina) a few years earlier - see the Velo Retro timeline c.1947.

I have the feeling that the paint may actually be original, but it is hard to tell. It looks like someone chipped away at the paint on the BB shell to read the serial #. No overspray anywhere I could find.

I can't post pictures until I post 10 times, but if someone is OK with posting them for me, I can e mail them. It might help identify the year by the components.

Best, Davis

Additional pic assist.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...66f793f860.jpg

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5e60245b09.jpg

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0ca8130a5c.jpg

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c699ec1cc3.jpg

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...49f54015e0.jpg

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...90ff2ca2ee.jpg

Great list.
Can you be more detailed about what filed rear dropouts would look like?

To that list I can add "wolf's ears" lugs.

Could be original paint, Cinelli did offer a similar color. But there is no doubt, the headset spacer was rechromed in its life. If someone is willing to rechrome, they could repaint too.

https://www.speedbicycles.ch/velo/48...el_b_1955.html


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f87815e54d.jpg

Wolf ears stopped about 1960.

On many, not all, SCs had the back of the of the rear dropouts filed flat instead of being left in the original "rounded" state. Again, a stolen image from Stefan's collection to illustrate..


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e960f6405e.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...94ddf6c3b6.jpg

No. Mostly because you haven't a clue of what was changed over the last 65 years and what was not. Also, many times frames hung on shop walls until they were built up later. And, sometimes components didn't change for years.

Ah! Now I see, you are referring to the extra "meat" in the back is removed from the original casting. Great point.

https://i.imgur.com/v9cNAoJ.jpg

VeloBase.com - View Single Frame Part

My SC from ca 1971 has the rear dropouts filed down.

Yes. Hard to tell for sure at this point....the original owner was purported to be from from Manchester NH, but that is all of the info I have.

Some of the components look like they have been rechromed. especially the crankarms and front derailleur cage.

Still think it could be prior to 1955, which would then "correct" to use the lozenge logo. I love that thing.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...95d5620d8d.jpg

PM sent.

Always The Bridesmaid
 

I'll queue up too, if it's my size.