A special Cinelli Speciale Corsa

lewisfoto

rBotM Winner
Feedback
View
For the sixth look into the Bicycle Garage, I offer my pride and joy (and one of two SCs in the Garage), a 1985 Cinelli Speciale Corsa road racing bicycle.

This bicycle is all original, in mint condition, with a mix of Cinelli, Campangnolo Super Record and C-Record components.

The mid-eighties were a time of change for Cinelli. The Colombo family had owned the marque for 7 years and there was significant competition from manufacturers inside Italy and, perhaps most important, from the upstart companies in the United States. So perhaps in an effort to rekindle the past, Cinelli had a few bikes decaled with the old logo and crest from the 1970s. I have seen photos of these bikes at industry shows of that year but nothing in the catalogs or at bike stores. The yellow and magenta fade color scheme, seen here, seems to be more common but there were some in the Cinellli silver. This bicycle has been in Southern California since it was new but I do not know the details because I got it after the original owner passed away.

A fun detail about this bicycle, it is almost entirely made by either Cinelli or Campagnolo. Exceptions: the chain, freewheel, spokes and tires. And, like all of my bikes, this one is ridden at least a couple of times a year.

Please enjoy the photographs which were taken at Pomona College, Claremont California, this evening (in my home town).
 

Attachments

  • sf.85 Cinelli SC 7 web.jpg
    sf.85 Cinelli SC 7 web.jpg
    82.7 KB · Views: 1,345
  • sf.85 Cinelli SC 4 web.jpg
    sf.85 Cinelli SC 4 web.jpg
    216.6 KB · Views: 1,345
  • sf.85 Cinelli SC 2 web.jpg
    sf.85 Cinelli SC 2 web.jpg
    74.3 KB · Views: 1,345
  • sf.85 Cinelli SC 6 web.jpg
    sf.85 Cinelli SC 6 web.jpg
    170.2 KB · Views: 1,345
  • sf.85 Cinelli SC 1 web.jpg
    sf.85 Cinelli SC 1 web.jpg
    151.2 KB · Views: 1,345
Blimey - I wasn't expecting that colour scheme... I really like it, must have felt ultra-modern back in 1985! Come to think of it I used to wear socks in those colours in 1985. :facepalm:
 
foz":144paauk said:
lovely! the colour scheme looks more early 90's than mid-80's!

Was thinking that myself. Very 1989. Personally I prefer something a little more subtle, but each to there own.

Interesting back story about the crest logo though.
 
Thanks for all the nice comments.

It is indeed 1985. By the time this bike was made Cinellis actually had serial number that made sense. This one is 85348, with the first two numbers representing the year.

Here is one more pic that shows a little of what Claremont, my home town, looks like:
 

Attachments

  • sf.85 Cinelli SC 8 web.jpg
    sf.85 Cinelli SC 8 web.jpg
    241.4 KB · Views: 1,220
I wasn't expecting these colors either, but man does it look nice! Reminds me of the Lemond Team Z bikes.
 
beautiful and very rare,I suppose,I've never seen another one.
I really like this colour scheme,how does it ride?
it seems to have a crit geometry,or not?
 
Back
Top