Hello Charles,
Having owned many Cinelli Mod Bs (and patiently waiting for another ; ). My observations have been that the Mod B is equivalent to what the Legnano Gran Premio is to the Roma Olympico or the Bianchi Competizione is to the Specialissima.... a very capable second tier bike. Often times the Mod B will have Simplex dropouts (sometimes without a der hangar) Cinelli headset - rather than a Campagnolo and steel crank- Magistroni, FB etc. I like to think of the Cinelli Mod B as being the working mans pro bike of the time. Having the prestige of the Cinelli marque, the same build quality (or sometimes the lack of...) and aesthetics of a Cinelli. Sometimes built up competent and serviceable components that lack the a certain snob appeal. An attractive offering for someone on a budget.
As stated in a previous email, the ultimate Cinelli Mod B anomaly is the Altenberger Cinelli. With its distinctive dropouts, Altenberger components anodized to match the color of the frame, it is one of the most unique bikes to be produced by the Milanese maker (in my opinion).
Regards,
David Martinez
Fremont Ca
US of A
From: Charles Andrews <chasds@mindspring.com> Subject: [CR] cinelli B To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Date: Wednesday, January 12, 2011, 6:27 PM
Picking up a question someone else asked recently..what is the story of the Cinelli B? Is it the same frame as the SC, but with price-point parts on it? Or is it/was it a cheaper frame with heavier tubing, or something of the sort?
I know Bs were sold as frames only to various bike-shops from the 1950s onwards, and those shops would build them up in various ways. I'm sure they came fully equipped from Cinelli too. I've seen them with what seems like OEM Campagnolo Record (but might have been upgrades), more often with price point stuff and cottered cranks.
The B frames I've seen have all been very tidy, no special suggestion that they're inferior to the SC, but I don't know as anyone has ever clarified this on the list.
What's the deal?
Thanks.
Charles Andrews Los Angeles
"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were: any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee."
John Donne
Meditation 1624