Originally Posted by
merziac
The flyin ef C was after Columbus bought them out so not the real deal IMO.
Ah now this is interesting. I did a tiny bit of research into Cinelli after picking up an SC recently, and this transition period with Antonio Columbo stood out:
In 1978, Antonio Colombo [their emphasis] joined Cinelli as the main shareholder and the successor of Cino Cinelli. He set about updating the company and commissioned the new Cinelli logo to Italo Lupi, a young architect who over the years would design important logos; Prada, Fiorucci and the Turin Olympics. Cinelli's logo was among the first to completely distance itself from the heraldic tradition, becoming the most imitated logo of the internet of modern cycling.
(
Steel Vintage)
Long before I was interested in vintage bikes, the Cinello flying C was for me the most recognizable cycling logo indicating some sense of class and long standing tradition. I'd see it at tattoo shops and skate shops and bars. It hadn't yet occurred to me that the logo might not be as old as it felt, and that the timeline of branding revisions and business acquisitions could be quite interesting itself.
Re: the stem in question, I'm with a lot people on the forum in being period correct if you have it or can afford it.