Arrigo Cinelli

The fine bikes of Cino Cinelli, of which no more than 750 were built per year in the best of times in Milano, are well known. Cino was one of 10 siblings and contrary to popular belief it was not Cino who founded the Cinelli bicycle business.


The first Cinelli branded bikes, and stems, were actually built and sold by his older brother Giotto Cinelli in Firenze (Florence), which is where the Cinelli family is from, after WWII. Giotto Cinelli was also good racer, good enough to be on the Maino squad in 1936 and to finish in 10th place in Milan-Sanremo.

Which brings me to the point of this story: Arrigo Cinelli. I had seen references to this older brother of Cino and that he had also been involved in the bicycle business in Firenze. I had no idea that stems had been made under his name until this:



Cino Cinelli moved the business from Firenze to Milano sometime in the 1950s.

A fairly comprehensive article about Cinelli can be read here.

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