Bicycles

Visiting Cinelli - Columbus - Gruppo SpA

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Parent Category: Bicycles

Category: Cinelli

Published on Tuesday, 27 July 2010 08:22

Written by Luca Salvatelli

 
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The history of Cino Cinelli and his bike is entwined with the story of another businessman, Angelo Luigi Colombo, who in 1919 started its business in trade of steel and iron. In fact the Colombo's company specializes in making pipe sections that are used in various sectors such as aerospace, automotive, motorcycle, marine, furniture and of course the bike. Within a few years A.L. Colombo becomes an established company in the industry. Development continues with the children of Colombo, the eldest child Gilberto and Antonio. Antonio as cyclists and this passion led him to further develop the branch pipes intended for bicycle frames. Just Antonio in 1977 off the Columbus Tubi from A.L. Colombo, to create an independent company that specializes solely in the production of tubes and components for bicycles.

The following year Cino Cinelli, who in 1948 decided to start producing bikes, using its experience of professional racer and his technical insight (it was the first to use the toe straps, aluminum handlebars, saddle with hull àplastic, etc.), and decided to leave his business to Antonio Colombo. Cinelli and Columbus Tubi then join in a success story that continues today, still under the direction of Antonio, who seems unaffected by the passing years and guided his Gruppo SpA, which holds the marks Cinelli, and Columbus, with the usual spirit of innovative and energetic as ever. The undoubted merit of Antonio Colombo was that it never upset the Identity Bike Cinelli, but rather, as it has developed and expanded, perhaps even the same Cino Cinelli, would have imagined. Then the story of Columbus is the story of the evolution of tubes steel, aluminum and carbon, with a series of innovations in materials, processes and processes that are unique and award-winning internationally (see awards had for the last stainless steel tubes XCR), history of Cinelli is the evolutionary history of the bike, both from a technical standpoint, its the first bike Mtb, innovative time trial bike, street bike the bootlegs, the Ram handlebar, and even style, with a bike Cinelli repeatedly exposed in the most famous museums around the world.

Today the company remains in its historic location of Caleppio of Settala, where the two realities coexist industrial Cinelli and Columbus. At the historic settlement was joined by a building management, which has all research and development, administrative and commercial offices. A very distinctive building, with many paintings depicting cycling, which reaffirmed the close link between the arts and Cinelli or rather the "Art of Cinelli". Unfortunately, the downsizing of the company, due to falling demand for steel pipes and aluminum Made in Italy, convinced Columbus to concentrate all activities at its original site, leaving the building for organizing special events. In a part of it, then, were collected a lot of furniture and plates of AL Colombo, reflecting the roots of the company today. Many collections of photographs and memorabilia about cycling. Remains intact the historic office of President Antonio Colombo, no longer used, but we hope to return to use as soon as possible. In the big industrial building, now met all activities. The most important is undoubtedly the creation of pipe sections for frames.

Today work especially steel, which after a heavy fall due to the advent of the carbon is returned to be required, especially abroad, where he appreciates the craftsmanship and quality of tubes Columbus. Rough tubes are passed through various machines which reduce the thickness, increase the length, impart the desired shape, they shine. Do not miss the ovens used for heat treatments that improve the mechanical characteristics of pipes and tanks dive for other treatments, such as corrosion. Throughout the complete procedure, starting from raw pipe to reach the finished piece ready to be welded, is very long and this explains the high cost end of a frame made with these tubes. But we just explain how this type of work you can have a tube from the unique mechanical characteristics superior to any other method of execution. In the past you used the same method for the aluminum tubes, but today few, almost no one is prepared to pay 2000 Euro for an aluminum high-range Made in Italy. For this production in Italy has focused on Columbus steel tubing, stainless steel is that, in various shapes and thicknesses, of which there is high demand. Do not miss a rich storehouse, where the tubes are placed and finished ready to be sent to the craftsmen who will then realize the frame. Not only steel pipes, but also aluminum and carbon, all divided by material, thickness and profile.

Equally interesting is the area for the quality test, where all products Cinelli and Columbus, are tested and subjected to endless stress before you decide to put into production. The same tests are performed for quality control, sampling, on products already on the market. The number of machines available can stress the frame tubes and components in various ways, with situations far beyond imagination for normal riding and racing. It comes, therefore, come to the warehouse where the finished frames are then assembled one by one, near the shipping department. In these two areas you can see some beautiful prototype frames, designed and never entered production (usually due to financial problems), but you can also see some old Cinelli. Next to the administrative offices and production technicians. Projects here are the new bike Cinelli, but also designed the new pipes, frames and forks Columbus, both in steel, aluminum or carbon fiber.

Among the offices an impressive number of plaques, posters, photographs, past history of cycling components to their innovation, reminding everyone what was, is and must continue to be Cinelli.