Hello all,
I just grab this Lotus Record frame. Not much information on this designed by Cinelli frame on the Internet. I tried to do my homeworks but would like more information and confirmation from some of you guys who has more knowledge of this bike. So here is what I think I know from this frame and please add your comment and more importantly, correct me if I am wrong!
I still have to remove the BB but I expect the frame to be made of SLX Columbus tubing. While the seller told me it was a 1984, I lean more toward 1986-87, mainly based on the downtube decals. I also found detailed pictures of bike with an identical frame that is presented as a 1986 (without any evidence to back this up tough). Is there any frame characteristics that could lead to a more precise assessment of the year? Not clear if the pantographed chainring originally came with this specific frame, but since it is a C Record one, it may also indicate that the frame is later than 1984.
I would really appreciate any knowledge about this frame. From my searches, it seems that the Record is the least documented model of the "designed by Cinelli" serie.
Many thanks!

Is it a Lotus or a Cinelli? Or both? In either case, it is a beautiful frameset.

Agree with pB above. That’s an amazing frame.

I guess we can say both. It's a Lotus bike that was designed by Cinelli. My understanding is that Lotus and Cinelli had a collaboration for several years in the second half of the 1980s. Information about these bikes seems pretty difficult to find. I know that T-Mar and Snydermann have posted about "designed by Cinelli" Lotus bikes in the past. Hopefully they can help me gain better knowledge about my new acquisition. My wish is to rebuild it as close as possible to it's original specs.

Very nice frame. It looks as though it is in good shape.

Besides the fact that it appears to be a very nice frameset, what does "designed by Cinelli" really mean? It's got one Cinelli decal and a fork crown.

fraba here are the specifications per the vintagelotuscycling page on the wayback machine:




Here is a copy of the discussion, same site:

and the couple of pictures from the site:

Wow! Thanks for this! I found the vintagelotuscycling site reference but could not access since it does not exist anymore. Seems like wayback machine will be part of my search toolbox

The cranks will have a date code on the back
4 in a circle would be 1984
then they went to a square, with 11 inside.
1984 Corsa Record parts do exist.

they were near vaporware till 1986.
snd the. With Colbalto brakes as the Deltas were withdrawn for a while.

I know this is an old thread but I thought I would respond anyway. I have a 1986 Lotus Cinelli Design Triomphe. The frame was a mess (no dents though) so I totally restored it. I had the paint matched at an auto body paint store. Decals were there but pretty beat up so I had them re-made as well. These frames were made in Italy for Lotus. They were built under the supervision of Cinelli frame builders. The could not have them made by Cinelli since Cino Cinelli sold the company to the Columbo family. It is speculated that they were built at the Chirico factory in Bussero, Italy. This is were the infamous Centurion Cinelli Equipe was built the year before. Both were built under the supervision of Cinelli frame builders and not built by Cinelli like a lot of people believe. bikes

1986 Lotus Cinelli Design Triomphe
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Corrected "were" to "where" (correctly, I hope).

Thanks for the demystification of the origin of the Centurion Cinelli frames. A teammate who won a criterium in Maryland in the mid-1980's received a Cinelli Equipe frameset as his prize. I was trying to remember whether it had a Centurion label or something else.

there was a now long gone bike shop near to where I live that was selling a Cinelli frame set, reason was they bought the whole bike for a customer so he could be the near first to have the latest Record.

Cinelli had good relations with Campagnolo so received the latest first.