The history of Cinelli - part 2 (90s - present)

In this 2nd part we will discuss the many innovative products launched by Cinelli: Cinelli Grammo, Cinelli Spinaci, Cinelli Alter, Cinelli Ram and the market of the travel bicycles (Cinelli Bootleg) and the world of the fixed gear (fixies) where Cinelli has become very important.

The 90's: Cinelli Grammo, Spinaci, Alter stuurpen

In 1991, 10 years after the launch of the Laser, the Laser Evoluzione wins the Compasso d'Oro, the most prestigious recognition in the world of design.

Cinelli Grammo: in 1993 Cinelli presents the Grammo stem. Made from three different titanium alloys, it weighs just 110g and is still the lightest mass-produced stem.
In the same year, Lance Armstrong wins the World Road Race Championships with the Grammo stem.

Cinelli Bootleg: in 1994 Antonio Colombo created the Cinelli Bootleg family, in this way giving a name to all the travel and touring bikes that will become an important part of the Cinelli range.
The graphic design of the Bootleg bikes was developed together with the artist Alessandro Pessoli, whose works are now also exhibited at the MOMA in New York.

Cinelli Spinaci: In 1995, Cinelli introduced the Spinaci handlebar extensions, defined by Bicycle Magazine as “the only significant change in the position of the cyclist in the past ten years”. Sales of Spinaci handlebar extensions reach impressive sales figures, 20,000 units per month, and are also bought by professional teams without Cinelli sponsoring them.

In the coming years you will see them a lot in the cycling peloton until 1997 when the UCI bans them because they are too dangerous. According to them, the rider cannot react quickly enough when he has to brake suddenly.

Cinelli Alter: in 1998 Cinelli launched the Alter stem, the most advanced example of CNC machining on the market. The oversized and concave shape allows the stem to be covered with custom logos and photos. Mario Cipollini, for example, wins a stage in the Giro d'Italia 1998 with a photo of Pamela Anderson on his Alter stem.

The 2000s: Ram handlebar, Vigorelli frame, stainless steel XCR frame

Cinelli Ram: In 2001 Cinelli presented the Ram course handlebar, the first in the world to integrate handlebar and stem into a single carbon monocoque. An immediate success that will be copied countless times by the competition in the coming years.
Gilberto Simoni wins the Giro d'Italia 2003 with the Ram, claiming that the incredible stiffness of the handlebar, combined with unprecedented sensitivity, allows him to better understand the bike's behavior and therefore drive more aggressively.

Cinelli Vigorelli: In 2006 Cinelli launched the track frame the Vigorelli, a new simple and extremely versatile aluminum frame. Even today, more than ten years after its launch, Cinelli continues to offer this frame, which has become an icon in the world of fixies.
This frame is very popular by many: bicycle couriers, Kanye West, participants of the Red Hook Criterium.

Cinelli XCR: In 2007, in collaboration with sister company Columbus, Cinelli produces the world's first stainless steel racing frame, called the XCR.
Later Cinelli designs a limited edition of this frame together with Rapha.

2008: Cinelli has teamed up with Barry McGee, an internationally renowned artist, to create a Supercorsa Pista frame with a very limited edition. The frame, along with other reinterpretations of the Supercorsa Pista, will be presented by artists of the caliber KAWS and C.R Stecyk at the Pressure exhibition co-organized with the RVCA brand in San Francisco. Cinelli continues to work with McGee today.

2009 Mash: Cinelli sponsors San Francisco's most extreme fixed gear collective, MASH, making the collaboration a true partnership with the release of the first co-developed product, a Benny Gold design tracking frame. The MASH is the first frame specifically designed for urban use and is an instant bestseller.

As the creative partnership grows, other track frames, a cyclocross bike and a commuter are added, as well as handlebars, wheels and stems. In 2013, the Cinelli-MASH team wins the team classification of the First Red Hook series with the Cinelli-MASH Parallax frames.

2009: Cinelli is also starting to team up with legendary tattoo artist Mike Giant, launching a limited edition of the RAM handlebar and numerous bar tapes. Giant is also designing the cover of this year's Cinelli catalog.

Since the 1980s, the cover of the Cinelli catalog has been designed by a different artist every year.
The partnership with Rapha continues with the launch of numerous handlebar tapes, which become a true worldwide bestseller with more than 10,000 units sold per year.

The 2010s: Red Hook Criterium, Team Cinelli Chrome

2010: Cinelli sponsors the second Red Hook Criterium Championship and becomes the first bike brand to support the event.
The sponsorship ends in 2016, but Cinelli remains the lead actor of the Cinelli Chrome team.

2013: Cinelli Laser “Nostra” is sold for $ 50,000 at the auction of Red, a non-profit organization of Sir Jonathan Ive, Marc Newson and Bono organized by Sotheby's in New York.

2015: The Cinelli Chrome team wins the Red Hook Criterium Team Classification, the most prestigious award in the world of fixed gear competition.

Present: the largest range of Cinelli are the components that represent about 80% of sales:

• handle bars incuding the Ram and the vintage models Giro d'Italia and Criterium
• stems including the Pista and the vintage Cinelli 1A
• seatposts including the Neos, Dinamo and the vintage via Folli
• saddles such as the CMX, the Unicantor and the iconic Volare
• handlebar tapes of all kinds
• Spinaci: these are still available, even in a light version
• drinking bottles
• cycling clothes
• cycling caps: these are mainly a hype in the world of fixed gear

20% is for the sale of bicycles:

• Bicycles with a fixed pawn, including the Vigorelli and the piste bikes
• Racing bikes including the Vigorelli, Supercorsa, Nemo, Veltrix, Superstar and Laser Mia
• Tour and gravel bikes including Bootleg bikes
• urban bikes