Cinelli early 60-s Model B vs Model SC
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Cinelli early 60-s Model B vs Model SC
Hello,
I'm looking for an expert view of someone with the knowledge of Cinelli's bikes from early 60s.
You'll know that Soviet cyclist Viktor Kapitonov won an Olympic race in 1960 riding Cinelli Model B. It was early days of the "iron curtain", yet it was highly unusual for the Soviet athlete to win thanks to a technology from the capitalist world. So the story in the Soviet/Russian media has always been that Cinelli equipped the team with a 2nd tier, touring bike, not properly suited for racing. As a quote from one of the books goes "a bike that Italian postmen used to ride".
I didn't buy into this story and did my own research, and it turns out that Model B was actually a fine racing machine. Surely, it wasn't a top model (Model SC or Supercorsa) at the time, but my perception is that it was far from touring bike as well.
What I'm trying to establish is how much disadvantage did Kapitonov actually have by riding Model B vs other teams equipped with Model SC (Supercorsa)?
I came across a discussion from years ago on one of the classic bikes forums, where someone claimed that Model B frame was heavier by 150 grams (which is nothing by the standard of 1960.
Any other thoughts or insights would be much appreciated.
I'm looking for an expert view of someone with the knowledge of Cinelli's bikes from early 60s.
You'll know that Soviet cyclist Viktor Kapitonov won an Olympic race in 1960 riding Cinelli Model B. It was early days of the "iron curtain", yet it was highly unusual for the Soviet athlete to win thanks to a technology from the capitalist world. So the story in the Soviet/Russian media has always been that Cinelli equipped the team with a 2nd tier, touring bike, not properly suited for racing. As a quote from one of the books goes "a bike that Italian postmen used to ride".
I didn't buy into this story and did my own research, and it turns out that Model B was actually a fine racing machine. Surely, it wasn't a top model (Model SC or Supercorsa) at the time, but my perception is that it was far from touring bike as well.
What I'm trying to establish is how much disadvantage did Kapitonov actually have by riding Model B vs other teams equipped with Model SC (Supercorsa)?
I came across a discussion from years ago on one of the classic bikes forums, where someone claimed that Model B frame was heavier by 150 grams (which is nothing by the standard of 1960.
Any other thoughts or insights would be much appreciated.
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None probably.
go into the wheels and tires and I might have a slightly different opinion.
Maybe the bike had cottered cranks, I have not seen images.
What was the gearing range and the terrain of the course?
go into the wheels and tires and I might have a slightly different opinion.
Maybe the bike had cottered cranks, I have not seen images.
What was the gearing range and the terrain of the course?
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I believe SCs were 531 and/or Columbus depending on the year/customer. Model B (Corsa) were Columbus/Falck, and definitely nice bikes.
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The course was 12 laps of a 9-mile loop, with a reasonably gentle undulation. What mattered on the day was extreme heat - over 100 F. Half of the field didn't finish the race because of that
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I have read that Cino Cinelli presented Kapitonov with a Model SC after his 1960 victory.
Brent
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The bike didn't matter.
PS. I have about a 1960 Model B and a repro Kapitonov jersey Cinelli reissued 10? years ago.
PS. I have about a 1960 Model B and a repro Kapitonov jersey Cinelli reissued 10? years ago.
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I'm pretty sure they are both Reynolds - I remember seeing that on the tubes when I painted them. They both came with TA 3-pin cranks, sew-ups on Tipo hubs, Universal centre-pulls, can't remember the mechs.
One might not be all Reynolds anymore - I caught a grate edge with the right side pedal on a BIG sweeping curve after a BIG hill and as part of the result the top-tube met a sign post at almost 90 degrees. There was a significant dent, a slight bend, and the seatpost bottom had distorted the seat-tube about 2mm forward where it stopped. I was unhurt, of course. I rode the bike the rest of the summer and then had the tubes replaced, and then it sort of morphed into an art bike. I don't know what kind of tubes were used, but it cost a packet so I hope they were good ones.
Last edited by oneclick; 06-01-20 at 05:47 PM.
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The bike didn't matter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiLHAKc3j3g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiLHAKc3j3g
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Great film @iab ! My 1970 Model B is about 10 years late to the conversation and I've found little marketing ephemera or useful specs about late model 'B's; they were phased out in '73 and no one seemed to write about about them anymore.
I can't tell you what steel was used in mine, but the upside is that it looks just like everything else Cino did.
There was a lovely restoration of a '61 Model B displayed in Mike Barry's Leaside shop 20 years ago and it was indeed, love at first sight.
I can't tell you what steel was used in mine, but the upside is that it looks just like everything else Cino did.
There was a lovely restoration of a '61 Model B displayed in Mike Barry's Leaside shop 20 years ago and it was indeed, love at first sight.
Likes For clubman:
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If there was a "budget" model in the Cinelli lineup, it was the Riviera. I suspect there is little difference between a B and an SC but for the few obvious cosmetic details (would need to compare geometries of two equal size bikes roughly the same age to be sure) .
I was told racers used the Model B and SC was for dentists who wanted that bit of extra bling 😀
Model B and Riviera
Last edited by martl; 06-01-20 at 10:19 PM.
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Cino Cinelli clearly didn't want the world to know that Kapitonov won the Olympics on his lesser bike. So immediately after the finish they put SC in his hands and took a bunch of photos.
If you go to Cinelli's website now, it says that Kapitonov won the race on SC(!). Why would they need to conceal the truth?
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There was more drama actually, as Kapitonov first finished after 11 laps, having had miscalculated the distance. Coach told him he needs to carry on for another lap, so he needed to catch the Italian who opened the lead
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That's what making me suspicious, if any.
Cino Cinelli clearly didn't want the world to know that Kapitonov won the Olympics on his lesser bike. So immediately after the finish they put SC in his hands and took a bunch of photos.
If you go to Cinelli's website now, it says that Kapitonov won the race on SC(!). Why would they need to conceal the truth?
Cino Cinelli clearly didn't want the world to know that Kapitonov won the Olympics on his lesser bike. So immediately after the finish they put SC in his hands and took a bunch of photos.
If you go to Cinelli's website now, it says that Kapitonov won the race on SC(!). Why would they need to conceal the truth?
#15
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That's what making me suspicious, if any.
Cino Cinelli clearly didn't want the world to know that Kapitonov won the Olympics on his lesser bike. So immediately after the finish they put SC in his hands and took a bunch of photos.
If you go to Cinelli's website now, it says that Kapitonov won the race on SC(!). Why would they need to conceal the truth?
Cino Cinelli clearly didn't want the world to know that Kapitonov won the Olympics on his lesser bike. So immediately after the finish they put SC in his hands and took a bunch of photos.
If you go to Cinelli's website now, it says that Kapitonov won the race on SC(!). Why would they need to conceal the truth?
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#17
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Respect!
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The bike didn't matter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiLHAKc3j3g
PS. I have about a 1960 Model B and a repro Kapitonov jersey Cinelli reissued 10? years ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiLHAKc3j3g
PS. I have about a 1960 Model B and a repro Kapitonov jersey Cinelli reissued 10? years ago.
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Great pic.
Definitely not a full sloping fork crown. Looks like FB or Campagnolo high flange hubs, not Record. Stronglight cranks? And most interestingly, center pulls in 1960, on both bikes. Perhaps Mafacs on Kapitonov's bike, but no self-respecting Italian like Trape would have French brakes. (although his cranks look like TA)
Definitely not a full sloping fork crown. Looks like FB or Campagnolo high flange hubs, not Record. Stronglight cranks? And most interestingly, center pulls in 1960, on both bikes. Perhaps Mafacs on Kapitonov's bike, but no self-respecting Italian like Trape would have French brakes. (although his cranks look like TA)
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Those brake levers and maybe calipers look like Balilla with the big adjusters and flat tops.
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if levers were Balilla we would clearly see the prominent QR lever mounted at the front of the lever body
also the shape of the Balilla lever body differs in that it has a prominent bluge at the front
calipers appear to be a member of the MAFAC family. note the flatness of the face of the front caliper arm
note also how the pad holders mount to the arm - not Weinmann, Universal nor Balilla
the mounting of the pad holder to the arm can also be seen on the rear caliper
suspect levers Fratelli Pietra (Universal)
it was fairly common in the 1950's and 1960's that when a rider did not have to employ a particular brake due to sponsorship they would pair MAFAC calipers with Universal levers. some riders found the reach of the MAFAC lever to be too great.
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Because they want to continue to market sales of their eternal flagship bike?
Yes indeed. I was thinking of some lower end models I once owned.
-----
....suspect levers Fratelli Pietra (Universal)
it was fairly common in the 1950's and 1960's that when a rider did not have to employ a particular brake due to sponsorship they would pair MAFAC calipers with Universal levers. some riders found the reach of the MAFAC lever to be too great.
-----
....suspect levers Fratelli Pietra (Universal)
it was fairly common in the 1950's and 1960's that when a rider did not have to employ a particular brake due to sponsorship they would pair MAFAC calipers with Universal levers. some riders found the reach of the MAFAC lever to be too great.
-----
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Great pic.
Definitely not a full sloping fork crown. Looks like FB or Campagnolo high flange hubs, not Record. Stronglight cranks? And most interestingly, center pulls in 1960, on both bikes. Perhaps Mafacs on Kapitonov's bike, but no self-respecting Italian like Trape would have French brakes. (although his cranks look like TA)
Definitely not a full sloping fork crown. Looks like FB or Campagnolo high flange hubs, not Record. Stronglight cranks? And most interestingly, center pulls in 1960, on both bikes. Perhaps Mafacs on Kapitonov's bike, but no self-respecting Italian like Trape would have French brakes. (although his cranks look like TA)
From what I'm seeing on the photo above, the frame geometry looks very similar on both bikes.
Kapitonov's bike gets commonly labeled as a touring (or a "postman's") bike in Russian sports history literature. However, I'm not getting to this conclusion by looking at the bike's photo, as Kapitonov's rig looks like a top notch racing bike for the time (1960).
It seems that Trape may have had better components, so I think of it (using a modern day analogy) as him riding a bike with a Dura-Ace groupset, whilst Kapitonov had one equipped with Ultegra. Is my analogy correct? Better groupset/components wouldn't guarantee a victory, especially in a 100-mile race in the 100+ degree heat.
Appreciate your insights.
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To me, he simply looks like a powerful rider determined to win. As noted earlier, it wasn't the bike.