Cinelli x MASH SF

Cinelli has undertaken another collaboration, this time with MASH SF, to create a fixed gear bike. Specifically it's a pursuit bike and was first shown at Interbike Las Vegas 2008. An earlier collaboration was on the "RVCA" Cinelli (see http://italiancyclingjournal.blogspot.com/2008/09/cinelli.html).

I know I'm old, sort of a retro-grouch, but I really don't get all the excitement about the Cinelli x MASH. It's so far from a Cinelli that it boggles the mind.

Let's start with the logo. The creator of the Cinelli logo for this effort, Benny Gold, wrote, "I am happy to have a hand in this project. I was responsible for the designed of the bike. The custom paint and frame stickers are meant to resemble the shape of the Mash lighting bolt and give the bike a feeling of speed. Cinelli's classic headbadge worked perfect for the collaboration. Unfortunately they did not have the artwork for the crest anymore, so I had to redraw the entire thing. When the bike gets back from the trade show I am going to make some more changes to the art before it goes into production."

Really, how much of a Cinelli can it be when the company no longer has the artwork for one of the most famous bike logos in the world?

And, what is special about an aluminum frame? It could have been made by a robot.

I just don't get it. Hopefully the upside will be an interest in the real Cinelli's....

Technical details:

- Columbus Airplane (Supersection oversized shape) 7005-T6 aluminum frame construction with rear-facing, steel insert horizontal track dropouts @ 120mm spacing (no brake mount on frame)
- 1-1/8" Columbus Straight Carbon color matched, carbon/aluminum (blades/steerer) fork with 35mm rake and an integrated headset (41.8mm Campagnolo standard); fork will be drilled for a brake, Cinelli will include a Cinelli logo plug to cover the whole
Includes: headset and seat clamp
Color: Grey (gloss light grey and dark grey with white graphics)
Weight (frame/fork): 3.3lb/1.23lb (1500g/560g) - size 54cm

Availaible June 1st.

Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com