Cino Cinelli invented the first clipless pedal system (the M71) back in 1971. This design was to foreshadow Look’s reintroduction of the clipless pedal a decade later. Even more radical was Cino’s Bivalent hub system, from 1962. With this design, the same hub shell was used for front and back, and the quick release served as the axle. By pulling the quick release/axle through the hub shell, one could remove the wheel, as the freewheel was fixed to the right rear dropout, and replace it either in the front or rear forks. In 1948, Cino produced his first and most renowned design, the Supercorsa. This bicycle frame brought a paradigm shift upon racing frame design, with its compact wheelbase, its parallel 73 angles, its sloping fork crown, and its fastback seat stays.
So where did Cino (sadly departed in April of 2001) Cinelli’s creative brilliance come from? Well I, Euro Freddie, if you please bear with me, will try to illuminate. It came from the Unicanitor lobe, attached just at the anterior end of the Grammo brain stem, and surrounded by the strap of Binda.
And how does one attain these physiological attributes of genius? Only through rigorous study of the bicycle, and the act of daily poring over all of its forms, can one begin to manifest its sub-assemblies within the cranial confines of one’s own mind.
Sadly, this discipline alone, however, will not get you an after school job at your local bike shop. For that you will need real-world connections; like knowing the secret handshake of the fraternal brotherhood of the Freemason Order; through sponsoring charitable fundraisers for the local Chamber of Commerce; or by being the sole heir-apparent of George Soros’ fortune.
But if you are still determined, and choose to take the road less traveled, the Cinelli company has tried to take the rough edges off the ascetic cyclist’s path. Cinelli’s diversified company offerings have recently branched out into the pasta, sauce, and even gelato markets, making the rest stops en route quite attractive. Plate-up Cino! -Euro Freddie.