Cinelli Supercorsa - an iconic bicycle

De Supercorsa Cinelli is één van de meest iconische stalen frames in de wereld van het wielrennen en wordt al 70 jaar onafgebroken geproduceerd. Het Supercorsa frame wordt met andere woorden nog steeds aangeboden in de catalogus van Cinelli, als koersframe en als pisteframe.

First Cinelli Supercorsa in the early 1950s

The first Supercorsa was designed in the early 1950s by Cino Cinelli together with its frame maker, Luigi Valsasina. Their goal was “the perfect functional harmony between the three main parts of the frame: front fork, main triangle and chain and seatstays”.

This harmony was to be achieved through the combination of stiffness, elasticity, aerodynamics and aesthetics with each part designed to contribute, said Cino Cinelli who was a stubborn perfectionist.

After 15 years of experimenting and perfecting, the Supercorsa was born with the following revolutionary features: the patented sloping fork, the special exclusive seatpost clamp, sharply sloping lugs.

Ole Ritter broke the world hour record on a Cinello Supercorsa in Mexico City in 1968, but decals by Benotto were on the bike because Ole Ritter was riding for Benotto at the time. It was the 1st time that a world hour record on a Cinello bike was broken, the 2nd time 17 years later.

Invention of Cinelli Spoiler bracket

Since 1960, the Supercorsa has undergone two major changes: a new frame design designed in 1979 by the Milanese designer Italo Lupi who was also responsible for the new logo and in 1984, the introduction of the Cinelli Spoiler bottom bracket, the only micro- molded part of a frame that received a patent.

De uitvinder, de ingenieur Gianni Gabella zegt het volgende over zijn uitvinding ‘Mijn hele leven is beïnvloed door mijn twee grootste passies: water en wind. De “Spoiler” bracket vertegenwoordigt de vereniging van deze passies in zijn meest compacte uitdrukking’.

Other minor changes to the frame over the years include hidden and discreet technological updates of materials and manufacturing techniques that do not alter the original design.

Still Columbus tubes

Even today, the steel tubes used for the Supercorsa retain the same diameter as the original of the 1960s. However, the steel now used, the Columbus SL Omnicrom, has considerably better technical properties, giving the Supercorsa a very modern driving sensation.

Unique versions of the Cinelli Supercorsa

Antonio Colombo, the owner of Cinelli has always been an art lover and for the Supercorsa he has also collaborated with many Italian and International artists. This resulted in unique limited versions.

 

During the exhibition Pressure in San Francisco in 2008, artists such as Barry McGee, Kaws and Stecyck show their interpretation of the Supercorsa Pista.