Cinelli: The Art and Design of the Bicycle
More than 65 years of industry innovation celebrated in a new book
Since Cino Cinelli began building frames in his native Italy in the early 1940s, his name has become synonymous with supreme quality and beautiful design in the cycling world. The innovative Cinelli set the standard in component design in the early days of the ambitious company, pioneering today’s common trends. To celebrate the continuously influential company and its rich history, this month Rizzoli will release Cinelli: The Art and Design of the Bicycle.
The 272-page book covers the brand’s extensive 65-year history with vibrant images and insightful text by the likes of current Cinelli owner Antonio Colombo, former pro cyclist Felice Gimondi, artist Barry McGee and designer Sir Paul Smith—all passionate enthusiasts. From the invention of the iconic curved fork crown to the brand’s illustrious foray into mountain biking and BMX, and eventual unveiling of the bizarrely aerodynamic Lazer frame and Alter stem, the comprehensive book touches on a multitude of contributions to the world of cycling, many of which will come as a surprise to those most familiar with brand’s sleek track bikes and recent artist collaborations.
The book does cover those much-loved collaborations as well, including work with San Francisco-based fixed gear gang MASH, artists Benny Gold and Keith Haring and brands like RVCA. Covering the scope of Cinelli’s significance from the carefully crafted collaborative projects to the gravity of the brand’s R&D outputs, Colombo and the cast of insightful authors provide clear and thorough accounts as appealing to both the knowledgeable enthusiast and the amateur.
Published by Rizzoli, Cinelli: The Art and Design of the Bicycle will be released 23 October with pre-order available now through Amazon for $34. For a closer look at the beautiful book’s inner workings see the slideshow.
Images by Graham Hiemstra
