I actually looked more closely at the photos on John's site.
Our bikes are actually different. The bike John shows has a later crown which I believe is like the one on ebay, and the forkblade Cinelli crest decals aren't present (but they could have worn off?) Perhaps mine is a 1955 or 1956, and Johns is a 1956 or 1957. Then again, I recall the serial numbers are really close (like that means anything!). So maybe both crowns were used at the same time.
But regardless of the small details, in 1956 a classic Cinelli Seatcluster makes perfect sense.
If the ebay bike was a tad larger, I'd be all over it - but fortunately it isn't.
It would fit my son though.....
I'll hold off.
Mike Kone in Boulder CO USA
> Hi CR folks,
\r?\n>
\r?\n> The 1956 date looks right on the money to me (or within a year or so), as best
\r?\n> as I can tell from the photos.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> A good reference for a Cinelli track bike of this rough time period is the one
\r?\n> on the Velostuff website which I believe John dates to around 1956 through 1958.
\r?\n> I happen to have a nearly identical one, in original paint, only larger, here as
\r?\n> well (these are the ones in a darkish metalic looking bronze-brownish color).
\r?\n> The link is below.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> http://www.velostuf.com/
\r?\n>
\r?\n> My sense is that Cinelli stopped using the crest decal on the forkblades by
\r?\n> 1957, and certainly by 1958, so the bike is probably at the earlier end of the
\r?\n> time frame.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Another good reference is the (now defunct in an ugly way) Asphalt magazine
\r?\n> Spring 2003 issue that shows Dave Staub's trip to Italy. The trip took place in
\r?\n> 1957, and the photos from the trip show him on the track during summer 1957 with
\r?\n> a bike much like John's and also the one on ebay. So 1956 or 1957 really looks
\r?\n> dead-on with the documentation.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> These bikes certainly did use the classic Cinelli seatcluster. The bottom
\r?\n> bracket shell details look right on the money as well on the ebay bike. John's
\r?\n> bike uses a twin plate forkcrown (as does mine) that looks earlier and more
\r?\n> complex, but the wheels that came on mine have a 1955 date code so its possible
\r?\n> that my bike and John's might be on the slightly earlier side - but that is
\r?\n> getting tricky to ascertain.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Actually, the Cinelli Steven had seemed more like an outlier to me, and the bike
\r?\n> on ebay more the norm.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Hope this helps!
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Mike Kone in Boulder CO USA
\r?\n>
\r?\n>
\r?\n> -------------- Original message --------------
\r?\n> From: "Edward Albert"
\r?\n>
\r?\n> > Could someone out there comment on this Cinelli track bike which the seller
\r?\n> > dates to 1956. The bike is attributed to Gus Gatto. I seem to have seen
\r?\n> > many bikes so attributed (one a Paramount that I used to own). This bike
\r?\n> > has the expected fastback seat stay cluster. Recently, Steve Massland sold
\r?\n> > a 50's Cinelli with a completely different seat stay arrangement. Also, in
\r?\n> > a conversation with Mike Barry he confirmed that his 50's Cinelli (s) have a
\r?\n> > seat stay arrangement much like Stevens. To me this one looks much later
\r?\n> > than 50's....early 60's at best but I am in no way a Cinelli expert.
\r?\n> > Comments? The ebay number is 190270638202
\r?\n> >
\r?\n> > Edward Albert
\r?\n> > Chappaqua, New York, USA