Help identify this Cinelli
 

The CL ad title said just “lightweight 10 speed” and the body of the ad didn’t contain much more information but did have some pics and listed a low price. The photos were of low quality but I did see a Cinelli logo on the fork crown and on the seat stay cap. No decals were on the bike. The bike looked to be my size so I called to see it. The owner was a non-bike person who said a friend gave it to him when he moved. He also said previous callers had told him it was a high quality bike and so he had raised the price to twice what it was listed for. The new price was still very good so I scheduled to see him immediately. The bike was my size and did not have any dents, deep scratches or rust. I pulled out my wallet and we had a done deal.
As mentioned, there are no decals on the bike; make, model, tubing or otherwise. I have not found a serial number.
It is a mish-mash of components:
Campy NR derailleurs and shifters, Ofmega Mistral crank, Cinelli stem and bars, Ofmega headset, Gipiemme seatpost, Universal AER brakes with Shimano RSX levers, Miche Competition hubs, Look pedals, Cinelli? seat. I can’t find any identification on the rims.
The paint appears original as does the lug lining. I haven’t checked yet for rifling in the tubes.
So, using the pics below, (or above),https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c3dbf489a.jpeg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ea1b86960.jpeg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...86c5f121a.jpeg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...93f6e712c.jpeg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...79c79639a.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4b24b5122.jpeg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b403aa859.jpeg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fa34a4c03.jpeg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...cfb86c881.jpeg
what are your thoughts as to model and approximate year of bike?

Windsor, Centurion Pro or some such?

at a first glance: Microfusione seat lug, so about the same time as the cranks, second half eighties? The very sloppy lining job looks homemade.
I'm not aware whether Cinelli ever made a lower budget frame but if so, this might be one (even though the chromed lugs suggest otherwise).
There was a letter from Mr. Billato on CR list like 15 years ago in which he suggested his company had built frames for Cinelli. If so, this might actually be one?! (big speculation)

Looks like a Centurion Equipe (Cinelli built). Not a Windsor.

That looks to be a Centurion Cinelli Equipe. Sold in the US in '84 and '85 I believe. It was sold with Omega cranks and brakes, Campy NR RD and FD.

Score !

http://www.vintage-centurion.com/mod...i-equipe.shtml

SLegs and Mwesti, it looks like you nailed it. The link to vintage centurion describes it to a T.
So, are these regarded as “real” Cinellis or are they the red-headed step child? The vintage centurion site says it would have had a “Made in Italy” decal on it. Who would have it been built by?
Thanks

Good buy. They're nice riding bikes. I do not believe the lug lining is original. Bike snobs consider them "lesser than".

TRUE bike snobs consider any Cinellis made after the AL Colombo acquisition to be "lesser than". And they're right.

The info is on here somewhere...1985 Cinelli Equipe (Team) Centurion
 

Built by the Chirico shop in Bussero, Italy, on the outskirts of Milan. Chirico made plenty of Cinelli models under agreement with Cinelli (and later, Columbo). Chirico's son was a framebuilder at Cinelli for more than 12 years.

Alan Goldsmith went to Italy to work out the arrangement, negotiating the size and placement of the Cinelli decals, the Cinelli pantograph logos, and the details on the frame of Columbus SL, with an SP seat tube on larger models.

One shipping container was ordered, with some models having lavender/black "CENTURION" on the DT and head badge, while others had orange/green. Posters show another font and color as well.

The saddle was a Cinelli Volare, and steering was Cinelli. Calipers and brake levers were Universal AER, and Miche supplied hubs, headset, and BB. The rims were Fiamme hard silver, crankset was Ofmega Mistral and pedals were Ofmega Sintesi. RD, FD, and shifters were NR, seat post by Gippieme.

Really nice bike. Yes. It's Italian , and yes, a Cinelli. It flopped, even at half the price of a Super Corsa.
In 1985 Centurion had the Equipe by Cinelli, the Prestige model with the new DA 2x6 indexed, the initial Ironman, and the do-everything Elite. All were really good values, but only the Ironman and Elite hit the price points needed.

If it had been red...

Thanks Robbie for the genealogy of it.
yes...if it had been red.��

Still a great score, plenty of history and good here. :thumb:

It could easily end up with red livery, go through the archives and have a sign shop makeup whatever fits the best for you. ;)

How many have you ridden, and are you a TRUE snob?

I had a centurion Cinelli at one time and wish I still had it. It was a great riding bike.
Drew

Nice Find!

I don't know if the red Lotus Cinellis sold any better. They were available with various Campy groups.

Cinelli Record

Was wondering about that as well...I’m in PA, the heart of Lotus country, and you never see those. I’ve seen more of the Centurions than the Lotus variant.

That would be a bike I’d have interest in...I’ve had a special fondness for Lotus going back a lot of years.

+1, but we know better.

Having had a Super Corsa and an Equipe, at the same time, in the same stable, I preferred the Equipe. I have a different Super Corsa now, and it's pretty hard not to love it. So much that I still ride it with the original 1990 group. The way I destroy bike provenance, that's saying something.

I also have both the Centurian and two Cinellis (69 & 73 I believe), and they all ride differently and well. My read is that the Equipe is a little quicker handling and a slightly better climber. I consider it to be as close to a Cinelli you can get and still not be a Cinelli. They were a bargain at the time, and sounds like the op scored a bargain now. Good score!