60's Cinelli Mod B Project

[jordic1968]

Hi

After some (long) time just making room , finally keeping just THE bike (a 1994 Pinarello Banesto - sorry but I had to mention it I was tempted to start a new project when I could buy what seemed to be a Cinelli Mod B.

So here I am again, hoping to be honour the forum with nice histories and interesting pics during the restoration but also asking for some help and guidance

Here are some first & dirty pics after removing all paint (was already repainted). Serial number 5021 and NF also stamped on the BB. Maybe the initials of the owner ?

This is my first bike from the 60's , I'm more knowleadgeable from the 80's-90's, so I hardly know about tubing and paints from that era. Already gogled a little bit on it, so I'd say it is a Cinelli Mod B from early to mid 60's with Reynolds or Columbus. Not as pro and light as the SC version but still pretty good for the time, and some how rare as only few hundreds seem to be produced every year

As I've already removed the paint and applied WD40 not to get it rusted tomorrow, first thing will be to chrome and paint. Main reason to buy that frame was the beauty of its cromed lugs and overall italian vintage elegance ....

Anyone with experience on chroming and painting can give me some advice ? was usual in the period to chrome the whole bike or only the lugs ? what is your prefered colour ? Any initial guidance / ideas very much welcomed

Let's see how it goes....

 

[Nob]

Depends on your budget I would say - my last 3 projects all went through Argos & they’ve done a great job each time. Including a fully chromed frame.
https://www.iancammish.co.uk/nobs-tribute-to-roger

 

[jordic1968]

Re: 60's Cinelli Mod B Project - Nöel Foré & Precisia bikes ?

I've been reading a lot now around the 60's period , and got some ideas:

NF initials could be from Nöel Foré, (the seller told me the bike was owned by a pro rider around 1967-6. In 1967, Nöel Foré rode for Superia-Precisia team.

Between 1965 and 1967 I believe Precisia bikes were just rebranded cinelli's, as some pics from Eddy Merck in 1965 when he was at Solo-Superia team seem to show. I attach one pic from Merckx back in 1965 and the seatpost bolt looks to be from a cinelli.

This is the only indication I could find of any potential cinelli bike on the pro peloton during the 60's.

I have read Mr Jan De Smet has written some books about this period&dutch teams but unfortunately haven't his contact

I would like to restore the bike to original colours. Now looking for any expert on Dutch cycling around to say about Precisia bikes or any color pic from the team back in 1967

 

[jordic1968]

Some more reading suggests Belgium pro riders from the 60's ordered their frames directly from their preferred frame builders.

N.F. on the bottom bracket I still believe stands for Nöel Foré, and the bike is from 1966, 1967 or 1968 according cinelli design of bb and absence of lug holes.

He was riding for Solo-Superia and Goldor - Gerka in 1967, and for Flandria - De Clerck in 1968

I tend to believe as a reasonable explanation the bike can be from any of his teams in 1967 and arrived somehow to Spain along his team mates from Goldor - Gerka during the Vuelta a España in 1968 That matches somehow what the seller told me.

The frame seems a Cinelli, although Marastoni produced similar ones, also with the same seatpost lug in that early years... I 'm more inclined to thing of a Cinelli instead of a Marastoni because the latest always included fancy & "modern" things into his bikes

Investigation follows , now focused to find any pic of Nöel Foré / Goldor - Gerka from 1967

 

[torqueless]

Re:

Been here?
http://www.cyclingarchives.com/ploegfiche.php?id=4410
You'd have to have better eyes than mine to spot a Cinelli seat lug in the tiny pictures though, even after magnifying them.

 

[jordic1968]

Thanks, yes, that's a very good source of info indeed. Unfortunately none of the bikes there have the cinelly seat lug. Also I haven't found any pic anywhere of their Main d'Or bikes with the cinelly seat lug. But it is clearly seen on the Eddy Merckx Superia ....

 

[jordic1968]

Cleaning afternoon showed what I believe is a first generation Campagnolo Record bottom bracket spindle.

It came also with the first gent 151 BCD crankset . That adds some concerns to me dating the frame from mid-late 60's, but cinelli timeline says oil hole in the bb was removed mid 60's and unless this is what I have on the bridge , I do not see any hole in the BB. So more discoveries to come !

(Nöel Foré was running for Groene Leeuw team back in the late 50's and early 60's)

 

[jordic1968]

Tubbing seems columbus; 1st time I see this nice dove engraved in the top tube!

 

[Old Ned]

This is interesting. I've never associated Eddy Merckx with Cinelli. I thought Superia built the team frames for the Solo team. They were a spin-off from Flandria after all. I wonder what Rik van Looy rode when he was with them? Can't see him riding a 'stock' frame.

 

[jordic1968]

Indeed! During my research, different people have told me that Rik Van Looy rode Masi, and not only in the track. Some time later Merckx quoted in an interview that one of his earliest objectives was also to ride frames made in Belgium, so he started with Kessel.... But that's another story.