This morning I looked at a craigslist bike represented as a Cinelli, but when I arrived at his house with cash in hand, the seller showed me the bike, but it is badged Torelli. There was a sticker on the seat tube that said "Cinelli project". The seller insisted that it was a Cinelli, but it didn't have the hallmarks of a Cinelli...such as the seat stay treatment at the seat lug. It was a very nice looking bike, all SR components, very clean. I wanted it to be a Cinelli, and tried to make it into a Cinelli in my mind, but those Torelli decals just said otherwise.
The wheels were the highly regarded and much sought after Campy hub/Martano rims. I Thought about buying the bike, sell some parts, move the F/F at a swap meet, keep the wheels for my '75 Masi...but I just let it go. It all seemed to fit together so well. It's been five hours, so I imagine the parts are flying around on e-bay this very minute.
In the archives, there is one post made several years with the subject line "Torelli by Cinelli". It doesn't seem to have been responded to.
So. Is there a connection?
BTW, the seller had an unadvertised bike for sale...a late '70's TREK TX700 built with NR. My size, very nice paint/graphics at a fraction of the asking price of the Cinelli (Torelli). We made a deal. I went home annoyed at the misrepresentation, but happy with my new TREK.
All's well.
Pat Moffat
Tempe Arizona USA