Cinelli '80's details - help needed
 

Hi Guys I picked up a couple of lots in the McCullock auction last week (thanks for the heads up on the forum) mostly I wanted the original alloy bottles and holders (result) but I also couldn't resist this Cinelli - the auction details were vague but its an slx tubed Cinelli, mid '80's at a guess, full Super Record throughout apart from Simplex retrofriction shifters, frame has internal brake cable routing - guessing this is a later SC?

Condition is very Original pearl white paint is chipped in places so will take sone very carefull sympathetic resto... Dan
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Semi-vertical dropouts? Internal cable routing? I'd say you're looking at something from the 1990s if not later.

You can buy replacements for the resin "buttons" that go in the circular recesses above the seat binder bolt.

That rear derailleur cable under the BB sort of missed the target. Really sad the bike was treated this way. What's the serial number?

Will check the serial number tomorrow, yep, quality cable routing on show :) overall its save able without paint but careful touchup - wondering why a full Super Record has been fitted to a 90's frame? Dan

It's sold as a frame only, so who knows? Maybe someone had the parts on-hand. You could put any parts group on it, from SR to Shimano Dura Ace, God forbid.;)

According to the Cinelli timelines the first two digits should be the year (only from '80's onwards) and the bb was from '83 onwards, update tomorrow, Dan

I don’t know the brand well enough. The Italians were innovative, they brought much to the market before others. I would not be surprised if this was 86-87 with newer brake levers and headset.

I’m guessing not even close. Even in 1994 they were still using external rear brake cable guides, horizontal dropouts and a single chromed chainstay. This is looking more like it’s from this century.

Thanks for the half quote

How on God’s green earth would quoting your entire post (which is still visible to everyone reading the thread, BTW) change my point? The first two sentences have nothing to do with your opinion of the age of the bike. JHC.

Next thing you know, I make a comment about Tom Sawyer convincing the neighborhood kids to whitewash his fence, and you’ll require me to quote the entire novel to somehow make it “valid.”
SMH.

You put forward a guess. Perhaps you are correct

A Cinelli Supercorsa - built in the early days of the Columbo family ownership of Cinelli.

With the tubing decal indicating Columbus SLX tubing and the 2 sets of bidon mounts, I would suggest that your Cinelli frame would be approximately mid-1980's. Also considering the choice of components, yes, haha, as you know, components are not a very accurate indication of a build era but your components could be original.

As previously suggested, the frame’s serial number will give you the build year provided it was built in the ‘80’s (or more).

I think Campagnolo (old) Super Record is appropriate for your frame and the Simplex gear levers was a common upgrade. I think Campagnolo Super Record wound-up around 1985 but your cranks were only available up to the early 1980's. The rear deraileur will probably have a date code - if not - the deraileur will belong to the last couple of years of production.

That being said, I wouldn’t mind betting that your frame was originally purchased as a bare frame set. The components were probably available and trusted by the original owner.

These were great frames - best of the best ‘off the shelf’ Italian frames - but some were produced with criterium racing in mind and have quite steep frame angles.

Would I like to own this frame?? YES! It's a beauty.

My ‘89 is SLX with external top tube cable guides. The short rear dropouts would make me think 90’s but that’s just a guess. You used to be able to buy the seat clamp bolt and little seat cluster Cinelli buttons direct from Cinelli (the site used to be called wingedstore) but couldn’t find them just now. If you want to do justice to that sweet bike, it would be worth contacting them about it, as they still make that frame.

Looking at the details (mostly the internal routing) I'm going with early 90's but will stick with the record set-up and see if the retrofrictions are actuality an upgrade, though i do prefer indexed... Dan

This is a review of the 1994 model--external brake cable, horizontal dropouts, chromed chain stay only:

1994 Supercorsa

This is a 1995 model--with identical dropouts as Dan's, chromed seat and chain stays, and internal brake cable routing.

1995 Supercorsa

Looks like the Supercorsa was built with Neuron starting in 1997.

Well!! smd4 and Dan, you have both convinced me that this Cinelli Supercorsa is probably a mid 1990’s frame. I couldn’t see the evidence of internal brake cable routing within the top tube. I wasn’t phased by the rear dropouts or even the chrome on both rear stays. As I know from Colnago build date research, these frame features could have been altered at the time the frame was ordered. Perhaps not so at Cinelli.

I was wondering about the headset being a later version so perhaps that is actually an original component? The Super Record gruppo could be there for any number of reasons.

I can hardly wait for your report of the serial number Dan. Perhaps the actual build date will be revealed? I must admit, this investigation is quite fun.

smd4, I do have the magazine you quoted from for your 1994 example. It’s one of my cherished magazines due to this very article. Thanks for reminding me.

I’m going to have to try and grab a copy off eBay.