Hi Kurt,
Thanks for the email. I followed the suggestion and looked at the Cinelli registry; the algorithm is non-obvious. I'll take some pics when I get back from travelling and post them next week. Are there particular aspects I should photograph that are tell-tale indicators of the date? People on this list are incredibly helpful -- I'm very appreciative.
When I bought the bike, the seller said it was early 70's. I forgot to mention that in my original post. He had a number of Cinellis (as well as other vintage bikes), and sounded quite knowledgable. It looks early 70's to me, from the little I know; it's not the original paint though.
Guy Apple (from the Cinelli Registry) also sent me email. His estimate, based on the serial number and that it's an SC, was early 70's, which matches what the seller told me.
It seems like there are quite a number of Cinellis on the registry from northwest Washington.
Brad Silverberg Mercer Island, WA ----- Original Message ----- From: Kurt Sperry To: Brad Silverberg Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2005 8:39 PM Subject: Re: [CR]What year is my Cinelli SC?
Mine's 5294 and I believe it to be a '71. Of course if you visited the Cinelli registry David posted a link to it quickly becomes apparent that Cinelli serial numbers are non-sequential to say the least! Take some pics, upload them to some webspace and post a link here, I'll bet the collective experience of this list can get you right close. Written descriptions of bikes seldom are very useful or sufficient.
Kurt Sperry
Bellingham WA