Cinelli 26.4 Bars
 

I'm looking to get a set of 26.4 bars from Cinelli, most likely off Ebay. I know that I have seen the Cinelli Giro d' Italia, Criterium, Campione del Mondo, ect. bars listed as 26.4 diameters, but should I assume that they will be if not specifically listed? I guess what I am asking is, were all vintage Cinelli bars 26.4 or did they offer them is 26.0?

Here are the items of interest:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/251163053200...84.m1423.l2649
http://www.ebay.com/itm/280989040863...84.m1423.l2649
http://www.ebay.com/itm/190736506375...84.m1423.l2649

They came in both clamp sizes I think, so I would check with the sellers if you really need one or the other. If you want 26.4 66-38s for cheap, let me know.

Around 1994, Cinelli changed from their proprietary 26.4 mm clamp diameter to 26.0 mm. So no, you can't assume they'll be 26.4. (You can shim a 26.0 mm bar to fit a 26.4 stem, but I know, it's not the same....)

Thanks for the clarification.

Whatwolf, send me a PM. I can't send them till I have 50 posts.

If the bars have crests on both sides, they will be 26.4 Model number stamped on one end.
If they have a crest on one side and model name on the other they will be 26.4 (note the CdM bars are actually two styles, the 66 and the 63, the 66 is deeper, check the end of the bar to Know.
If they have the later Cinelli logomark on both sides they will be 26.4 and most often have the model and width (measured center to center) under the RH side.
If they have the Cinelli logomark on one side and a decorated pentagram on the other they will be 26.0

Be warned, Many used bars I have found are tweaked.
I have measured them on a surface plate and found:

Bars where the returns are not parallel.
Bars where one side is off by 3-4 mm on one side and they are in the Original wrapper!
I have found many bars that the retunes are not parallel in plan view.
Now, crashed? Bad quality control?
Probably both.
I bent a bar this year in a zero mph tumble, ticked me off, but I saved my coffee.

great post, repechage. I'll definately be writing that one down :thumb:

Sorry for bringing back this one, but from the info above, can I assume that ALL Cinelli stems from the early 70's (Ones with the oval "Milano" stamps on them) had clamps meant just for 26.4 diameter bars??
I've measured the two 70's Cinelli stems I have but it seems like their clamp ID is either, right at 26.4 with the clamp fully loosened or may be even a smidgen less, which leads me to think that the PO of one of my project bikes that had the stem and a 70's Cinelli CDM bar (with the crests) on the bike seems to have had a hard time removing the bar and ended up thoroughly scratching up the clamping sleeve on the bar when he did so for shipping. I'm just wondering what size bar should I really try to install on the 1A stem. A 26.0mm or a 26.4mm to avoid the tight fit problem......
BTW, I also noticed that a lot of the old/used CDM bars at the auction sites have lots of deep scratch marks on them from removal. Did Cinelli just make the 26.4 bar/stem fit just too close to start with??

Chombi

They fit damn tight. Oval logo = 26.4.

Didn't they also stamp 26.0 on the clamp area so all those people who had been using them for decades would know exactly what they were getting? I could swear I have a set of criteriums with the pentagram/star and they they are 26.4mm but maybe I am wrong and I have ruined my stem by using them....

Those 26.4 diameter bars seems to have made it hard to remove some brake lever band clamps. The Shimano clamps I removed from mine just did not want to just slide off even fully loosened without a lot of twisting and resulting scratching and gouging all the way to the ends of the bar..... I don't ever remember having that much of a problem taking off any of my brake lever band clamps before I encountered the Cinelli 26.4 mm stuff on my bikes.....
Cinelli 26.4 mm bar stuff = betamax.....??:twitchy:

Chombi

Maybe, but I have not seen this yet.

I am sure that many a shop and customer was frustrated during the transition. Perhaps they eventually made an indicator.

I have not a large enough representation of the early alloy bars before anodizing. I have one set now that is 26.2 mated to a Cinelli steel stem. But the chance of running into this is slim.

I have 5 sets that are 26.4, like these:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-y...0/P3300070.JPG

26.0 are marked as such, I believe on the end of the bar, on the right side.

^That is hot!

I have a 66-40 in a box somewhere. It's a 26.4mm, and I'm fairly certain that is stamped on the bar.

Heck,........ maybe I'll just try to sand out the scratches and gouges and polish up the old 70's CDM bar from the bike this weekend. Anyway, a few microns off the center sleeve can only help when I try to install it back on the tight stem clamp......Just not looking forward to all that black Al oxide mess it will make when I start polishing it.

Chombi

I've never seen 26.4 stamped on a Cinelli bar. I have seen 26.0, though.

Well beyond hot. :)

Easily on the road to explosive.

Man, that is a beautiful EM.

I don't have bars that clean, much less a bike.

Agreed.

Also agreed...

There are a lot of cinelli bars listed as NOS and they are not. They are actually new bars that are 26.0 and are not always clearly listed in the ad. Same with the stems. I was dopey enough to buy one without looking carefully. It is nice and shiny though.

I thought the paint was a bit messy.