Cinelli is an Italian bicycle manufacturing company based in Milan, producing mostly road bicycles and components; production is estimated to consist of 80 per cent components and 20 per cent bicycles.
The iconic Cinelli Supercorsa is the oldest bicycle model still in production in the world. Athletes have won 28 Olympic and world track gold medals on Cinelli Laser models.[1]
History
Cinelli was founded in 1948 by Cino Cinelli (born Montespertoli, 9 February 1916, died 20 April 2001), a former professional road racer and president of the Italian Cyclists' Association. He was a professional racer from 1937 to 1944, winning Milan–San Remo in 1943, the Giro di Lombardia in 1938, and the Tour of the Apennines in 1937.[2] He started a company under his name in 1948.
Cinelli was the seventh of 10 children, the son of a small landowner near Florence.[3] He became interested in bicycle technology after mechanical failures in races. Failure to interest manufacturers with his ideas in 1946 led him to start his own company.