Cinelli: More Than Cork Bar Tape But An Esteemed and Innovative Builder of Bicycles and Components

If you’ve been riding road bikes for any length of time, then you probably have encountered Cinelli’s cork bar tape, perhaps even installed it on your bike.

While it is through this cycling accessory that many of us first discovered Cinelli, the company has been a part of the cycling industry for almost 80 years. Cork bar tape, unsurprisingly, is just one of the many things it has become known for and built its reputation

A Brief History of Cinelli

Cinelli Bicycles’ history is one of innovation in bikes, components, and accessories mixed with engineering and design. These traits have been the hallmark of the company during its 78 years of business. But it all began when Cino Cinelli, a former pro bike racer, founded his company in 1948.

Since that time, Cinelli has been the leader in shaping the look and feel of bicycles by focusing on three key areas: safety, materials, and ergonomics. That began in 1960 with the launch of its aluminum stem and matching handlebar. Eddy Merckx raced with these elements on his bike, then Viktor Kapitonov won the gold medal in the Olympic Road Race.

By 1981, Cinelli was the first cycling company to open a store centered on the cycling lifestyle. Eric Clapton was just one of the celebrities who visited the store.

Next came the revolutionary redesign of the racing bicycle saddle. Suddenly, leather stretched over metal saddles was out, and the new design, known as the “unicanitor” with its plastic shell, would become the modern standard for bicycle saddles.

By 1984, Cinelli had designed a bottom bracket shell that channeled airflow and removed humidity. This innovation was soon adopted by all the major bike builders at the time.

Then in 1986, the company created cork EVA and incorporated it into shock-absorbing bar tape. In 1999, Lance Armstrong rode a Cinelli quill stem to victory in the Tour de France.

In 2010, Cinelli became the first cycling company to sponsor the Red Hook Criterium. The company would go on to collaborate with Rapha, Oakley, and to continue to merge art and design alongside its innovations in the cycling industry, which has continued into 2025 with no sign of stopping.

Cinelli Today and Beyond

Today, Cinelli continues to be a leading presence in the bicycle industry, even though its name has been somewhat overshadowed by all the other well-known builders (Colnago, Pinarello, Bianchi) and newer builders like Canyon, Cervelo, Specialized, Argon, and others.

Cinelli continues to build not only road and aero bikes like the Aeroscoop pictured above, but also gravel, urban/fixed-gear, and adventure/touring bikes. The company also offers its customers components, apparel, and racewear.

Last Thoughts

Cino Cinelli’s time as a bike racer proved to be an important factor in the development and evolution of his company. His company’s many innovations in the stem, handlebar, saddle, and bottom bracket influenced a throng of bike builders and the bicycle industry.

With his contributions to the bicycle industry, where he merged bicycle and components with engineering and artistic design, it’s easy to conclude that the industry today would probably look a lot different if it hadn’t been for him.

While those big and revolutionary changes to bicycles and components don’t occur at Cinelli like they did in the past, other builders carry that spirit of innovation forward in what they create for racers and everyday riders.