Cinelli identify: not an SC

[Canuk]

Unfortunately the seller has posted only close up photos of the frame, with few details, I'm assuming it's been repainted, not a Super Corsa?

Chrome underneath? Any thoughts?

 

[Jesper]

Though I doubt it, I'll take a longshot in the dark and say it is a Cinelli frame designed and produced or supervised production of for Centurion. They made 2 frames for Centurion's "experimental" marketing scheme (if it says Cinelli or Italy; build it and they will sell; wrong!): "Project" and "Equipe"; both around c. '84-'85. Neither was made in any great quantity so fairly rare (the "Equip" project was stopped midstream and rumored that inventory was dumped at low cost to clear them out).
My "Equip" could be rebadged will all Cinelli decals and easily pass as a slightly odd Cinelli model, as it is built with all Cinelli lugs, BB, crown, and embellished with Cinelli "flying C" logos. I am not familiar with the "Project" model; but the "Equipe" was only sold as a complete bike (not even shown in the '85 catalog except spec's listing) made with Columbus "SL" (unlike Centurion's normal Tange frames) and fit with a various/perverse melange of mid to high level components made by (pretty much from the Italian "Primo" cartel) Campagnolo, OFMEGA, Miche, Universal, Regina, Gipiemme, Cinelli, Fiame. All frames were "Cinelli" silver finish with head badge, DT and ST Centurion decals with a couple small Cinelli decals on DT and CS. Not sure about serial number, but if you get one from the owner I can compare to see if it matches the convention on my frame (if any exists) which might help ID it's model/year.

I will edit with my photos if found. I may have posted it here years ago if you do a search (Cinelli Equipe).

 

[Jesper]

Here are photos of my Cinelli Equipe ('85 model; built '84?) for comparison. Though obvious that the frame in question is not an Equipe; I doubt it is a Project model either due to rarity and original area of distribution (California); but as we all know bikes migrate. The images might help determine time frame of manufacture if any similar features; Equipe model is somewhat based on components fit. I think Project was fully Campagnolo.

 

[Jesper]

"Centurion" Cinelli Project (fork in images is not correct). essentially the early Equipe made to "test the waters". Features are not identical though so the Equipe did evolve some in the months between production of the 2 models. Some consider the Project as a prototype Equipe. Wrong; even though both are rare, the Project still had dozens to hundreds made as did the Equipe which I think was based on an initial contract ~1000 frames (?) and only a couple hundred were built and badged as Centurion and most were dumped at well below retail. (Photo credit: Cinelli Only blog)

 

[Canuk]

The top caps on this Cinelli are very small and discrete, I'm wondering now if it's a cinelli at all! There were a few Spanish frame builders who used the cinelli logo on nearly every frame lug (they had obviously made a stamp or got them custom cast) so it's not even 100% sure a real Cinelli now

 

[Canuk]

This is a Contini (Spain) built for Carrera, you can see the Cinelli logo on everything. Even the fork crown is not original Cinelli, it's been mugged up. I've seen one in the metal and they are well cast and beautifully finished, just nothing at all to do with their Italian namesake! I daresay Cinelli would be aware of this but never bothered pursuing it as a copyright issue. Several Spanish builders routinely flouted copyright (Zeus pretty much made identical copies of Campagnolo) but I guess production would be low and no one much cared about a localised violations!

 

[fguki]

You can see on the seat post seat (tube lug) that its not a Supercorsa ...