# Any Cinelli Xperience experience?



## ox_rider (Sep 6, 2006)

I was looking around on teamcyclist.com today and saw this bike and was wondering if anyone has one, has seen one or generally knows the 411?

Thanks


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## Italianrider76 (May 13, 2005)

ox_rider said:


> I was looking around on teamcyclist.com today and saw this bike and was wondering if anyone has one, has seen one or generally knows the 411?
> 
> Thanks


I purchased a 2006 Cinelli Xperience frame in March of this year from a dealer in Italy on Ebay (I'm in Australia). I was very clear to the dealer that I needed the Small size. instead he sent me the Xtra Small size which was way too small. I had to send it back and got a refund because he didn't have any Smalls left. Anyway before I sent it back, I took some photos of it. It was a really nice looking frame especially in the Black Africa colour scheme which was basically a satin black with orange and white decals.

The frame was made from Columbus Zonal 7005 Al tubing with a Columbus Tusk carbon fork. Of course I didn't get to ride it because I never built it up. The only thing I didn't like about it were the rough welds. The frame would have looked much better if it had smooth welds. Anyway, here are some pics:


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## ox_rider (Sep 6, 2006)

Thanks for posting the photos. Wow, those welds look like toothpaste. Somehow, whenever I think aluminum I find myself thinking Cervelo Soloist Team even though there are lots of other choices out there.


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## Infini (Apr 21, 2003)

Old Thread, I know, but I just got an Xperience, and figured I'd post pics in case anyone is looking for some: 
































































Just got it today and haven't ridden it other than on the rollers, so we'll see how it rides soon..


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## CleavesF (Dec 31, 2007)

ox_rider said:


> Thanks for posting the photos. Wow, those welds look like toothpaste. Somehow, whenever I think aluminum I find myself thinking Cervelo Soloist Team even though there are lots of other choices out there.


Aluminum welds usually look like that, even on high end frames. 

The BMC MTB frames I've seen have had even "bigger" welds, very sloppy for a 1000+ frameset. 

Luckily, I own a nice Al-C Raleigh, and the welds are incredibly smooth for aluminum, it really surprised me. But nobody likes Raleigh since they're a "generic" brand. Look at the craftmanship, even though made in Taiwan the welds on the Cadent 5 are unreal. If you guys want pics I'll post.


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## ox_rider (Sep 6, 2006)

That looks tight.


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## Don Duende (Sep 13, 2007)

Are you Xperienced ?


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## Cinelli-USA (Apr 29, 2009)

*She looks great*

Thanks for posting your pics! And about the welds, I believe the welds are consistent with a frameset that MSRP's for $799. That is how aluminum welds look, unless they are ground down. That is a step that makes the frame more costly, and since this is our entry level frameset, that doesn't make much sense does it?


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

Cinelli-USA said:


> Thanks for posting your pics! And about the welds, I believe the welds are consistent with a frameset that MSRP's for $799. That is how aluminum welds look, unless they are ground down. That is a step that makes the frame more costly, and since this is our entry level frameset, that doesn't make much sense does it?


And sometimes "grinding down" the welds is done to hide pi$$ poor welding. I think the Xperience is a screaming deal.:thumbsup:


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## T K (Feb 11, 2009)

You think those welds look bad? You should see the ones on my Jamis Ventura Elite. Looks like a bird was sitting on it, if you know what I mean.
How does that thing ride. Looks like it would be stiff, in a good way. Crit bike like.


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## CleavesF (Dec 31, 2007)

Richard said:


> And sometimes "grinding down" the welds is done to hide pi$$ poor welding.


Really? You got any pictures of frames that had that happen to them? Because I haven't seen them. 

If anything, you should be able to see the welds on Alu. You can't stick that stuff together with 100% clean welds. It's literally impossible.


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## ausdb (May 20, 2009)

CleavesF said:


> Really? You got any pictures of frames that had that happen to them? Because I haven't seen them.
> 
> If anything, you should be able to see the welds on Alu. You can't stick that stuff together with 100% clean welds. It's literally impossible.


I'm not sure about new ones but have a look at an old Cannondale the welds are dynafiled nice and smooth so they look like they are fillet brazed


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## bikerboy337 (Jan 28, 2004)

Whats the weight of that build... and the frame/fork?


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## pooneej (Jul 19, 2009)

Here's my cinelli xperience:


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## TiBike (Aug 2, 2004)

*Ride*

All very attractive but how does the xperience ride?? Compared to, say, a CAAD9.


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## pooneej (Jul 19, 2009)

TiBike said:


> All very attractive but how does the xperience ride?? Compared to, say, a CAAD9.


I've never ridden any canondale bikes so I couldnt comment on that but I can tell you that this bike isnt as "lively" as my old aluminum Felt F1R but is sharper than my carbon Felt F1C. I guess I like aluminum better but this cinelli feels a little muted to me


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## Infini (Apr 21, 2003)

The bike is very stiff. I wouldn't have described it as muted. 

I used to ride a Cannondale CAAD3, (but haven't for a couple years). I'd say this is comparable, but maybe a little bit stiffer. 

I'm not the greatest judge of the bottom bracket or chain stays because I can't make huge amounts of power. When I say stiff, I'm talking about how it feels on the saddle and bars, particularly over bumps. 

I have 3 bikes I ride regularly. The other 2 are Colnagos (MXL, C40). Obviously, if I go on a long ride, I'm not taking the Cinelli. That said, if I travel with a bike, even if I'll be riding long durations, I'll take the Cinelli. It's not so bad that I would particularly avoid it. 

For the money, I think it's great. (frame, fork, headset, stem, bars, seatpost for under $500 shipped, from PBK)


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## brians647 (Mar 2, 2007)

Sorry to drag up and old(ish) thread, but I'm looking into the Xperience and came across this. Since others have revived it...



pooneej said:


> ... this bike isnt as "lively" as my old aluminum Felt F1R but is sharper than my carbon Felt F1C. I guess I like aluminum better but this cinelli feels a little muted to me


Just curious, did you swap over the same build, tires, wheels, etc?



Infini said:


> I used to ride a Cannondale CAAD3, (but haven't for a couple years). I'd say this is comparable, but maybe a little bit stiffer.


That kinda scares me. I never rode the Caad3, but the "plushness of riding a lamp post" has been used to describe it. If you don't mind, may I ask how much you weigh? I'm a clyde, and I suspect that they use the same tubing for all sizes, and what a lighter rider finds harsh, I may find just right.

Lastly, anybody have any problems fitting a size 25 tire (or a 27, like the size "25" Pro2Race), in these frames?


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## pooneej (Jul 19, 2009)

brians647 said:


> Sorry to drag up and old(ish) thread, but I'm looking into the Xperience and came across this. Since others have revived it...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I swapped over the DA9 group but put aerospokes on this one. So yes, that probably has a lot to do with it - the bike is stiff (I'm 190lbs) laterally, it just doesnt feel as "lively" and as flickable/twitchy as my old Felt. Some may not like that twitchiness so this frame may be perfect - especially for the price.


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## TheWanderer (Jun 19, 2002)

Infini said:


> The bike is very stiff. I wouldn't have described it as muted.
> 
> I used to ride a Cannondale CAAD3, (but haven't for a couple years). I'd say this is comparable, but maybe a little bit stiffer.
> 
> ...


Question for you, since I'm assuming you bought it at PBK. How do they size stem and handlebars that are included? Did you get the option of picking, or do they just include pieces that are assumed to be the best fit based on proportions compared to frame size (if that makes sense).

Also, are you in the States? How long/how much was shipping. 

Thanks,

TW


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## brians647 (Mar 2, 2007)

pooneej said:


> I swapped over the DA9 group but put aerospokes on this one. So yes, that probably has a lot to do with it - the bike is stiff (I'm 190lbs) laterally, it just doesnt feel as "lively" and as flickable/twitchy as my old Felt. Some may not like that twitchiness so this frame may be perfect - especially for the price.


Very cool. Thanks for elaborating. I'm just looking for something I can race/hammer on, and not cry (too much) when I crash it!



TheWanderer said:


> Question for you, since I'm assuming you bought it at PBK. How do they size stem and handlebars that are included?


I can answer part of that. I'm in the U.S. Shipping was $37, and you can choose what size stem and handlebar you want (on the product screen, it asks that you note what you want at the time of order).


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## bikerboy337 (Jan 28, 2004)

anyone know the weight of the frame/fork?


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## Infini (Apr 21, 2003)

brians647 said:


> That kinda scares me. I never rode the Caad3, but the "plushness of riding a lamp post" has been used to describe it. If you don't mind, may I ask how much you weigh? I'm a clyde, and I suspect that they use the same tubing for all sizes, and what a lighter rider finds harsh, I may find just right.
> 
> Lastly, anybody have any problems fitting a size 25 tire (or a 27, like the size "25" Pro2Race), in these frames?


I am small -- 145#. 

On tire clearance - I'm certain a 25 will fit,.. and 27 probably will... 27 will definitely fit in the rear. The front is tighter.


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## DannyBoy (Feb 19, 2004)

CleavesF said:


> Aluminum welds usually look like that, even on high end frames.
> 
> The BMC MTB frames I've seen have had even "bigger" welds, very sloppy for a 1000+ frameset.
> 
> Luckily, I own a nice Al-C Raleigh, and the welds are incredibly smooth for aluminum, it really surprised me. But nobody likes Raleigh since they're a "generic" brand. Look at the craftmanship, even though made in Taiwan the welds on the Cadent 5 are unreal. If you guys want pics I'll post.


Oddly the welds on my BMC road bike are smooth as smooth can be.


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## five04 (Jan 21, 2008)

Mine is definitely not as nice as the one Infiniti posted above, but here it is. It's an 07 will full Dura Ace 10-speed components, Mavic Aksium wheels, EA70 bar/stem, Thompson Elite post, Speedplay X2 pedals, and a completely busted Selle Italia Flite saddle that will be replaced ASAP. Overall it's a pretty good frame and this bike serves me well for bad weather days, commuting, and time on the trainer. Basically whenever I don't want to take my BMC SLT01 out.


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## brians647 (Mar 2, 2007)

five04 said:


> Mine is definitely not as nice as the one Infiniti posted above, but here it is. It's an 07 will full Dura Ace 10-speed components, Mavic Aksium wheels, EA70 bar/stem, Thompson Elite post, Speedplay X2 pedals, and a completely busted Selle Italia Flite saddle that will be replaced ASAP. Overall it's a pretty good frame and this bike serves me well for bad weather days, commuting, and time on the trainer. Basically whenever I don't want to take my BMC SLT01 out.


I love the white. GVH bikes has one in white in my size that I've been ogling. Beautiful.


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## Starter (Jan 7, 2009)

DannyBoy said:


> Oddly the welds on my BMC road bike are smooth as smooth can be.


The welds have been ground down, filled in, and blended smooth... Many aluminum frame makers do this to give the bike a cleaner look. 

The nature of aluminum makes the welds what they are... When examining raw welds in aluminum frames, you may see a little variance between welders of differing skill, but generally it's all toothpaste. 

Steel and Ti is where you start to see really disparate welds between frames, showcasing the skill of the welder...


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## brians647 (Mar 2, 2007)

Thanks to you all who posted responses to my questions.
I decided to pull the trigger and bought the bike.
At first, I went through PBK, but they informed me a couple weeks ago that they could no longer get the Xperience as it was being discontinued.
So, I tried again, and this time with Slane Cycles. They said that their distributor could get me a red/white one, but it would be two weeks for Black/White. I didn't care about color, but I knew full well that if I waited for the black/white, I wouldn't get it.

I was right.

Right after this bike came in (last week), I checked the usual online sources, and none of them even show an option to buy the Xperience. I think that GVH bikes has one around, and there are some other retailers here and there that show having them, but I suspect it'll be hit and miss at this point.

Kinda unfortunate, as it's a great bike. Stable geo, super-stiff (too stiff for long rides, IMO), and turns exceptionally well under my Clydesdale-heft. A photo below.

Thanks again for everyone's input.


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## farm (Jul 10, 2008)

It looks great, and I especially like the Rolls and the setback seatpost -- very much my kind of setup. I am thinking about buying this frame and appreciate the thread.


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## BernyMac (Jul 13, 2010)

farm said:


> It looks great, and I especially like the Rolls and the setback seatpost -- very much my kind of setup. I am thinking about buying this frame and appreciate the thread.


Did you ever buy the Cinneli?


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## Overflow (Oct 17, 2010)

Hey guys. I read some stuff about Cinelli...Got some questions for ya. What's going on with them? I'm wondering, are they fixie, are they road, are they parts?? Are they good, bad, old, new?


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## BernyMac (Jul 13, 2010)

Overflow said:


> Hey guys. I read some stuff about Cinelli...Got some questions for ya. What's going on with them? I'm wondering, are they fixie, are they road, are they parts?? Are they good, bad, old, new?


They are everything you described, except for "bad".


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## modemthug (Feb 15, 2012)

Old thread but updating seeing how I own a 2010 Cinelli Xperience. I have over 2,000 miles and rolling on my frameset. I bought a XL thinking it would be perfect since they run on the smaller side- which they do. But I could settle for a size : L instead for a more 'tight & aggressive fit'.

Only downfall I see in this frame (and I don't really care about this ' downfall ' ) is that the frame is a little on the heavy side. But over all; its responsive, stiff and handles well in long rides (pushing hard).

I originally wanted to build this frame with Campagnolo Chorus but went with Sram Force instead.. 

Anyways... Here's the part list.. This is not a WW build by any means and it is not scaled. 

Sram Force Full Groupset
Zipp 101 Wheelset
SL-K Zero Setback Seatpost
3T ARX Team 110mm Stem
FSA Compact Carbon Bars
Fizik Aliante K:ium rails , carbon shell
(don't rag on my pedals, they're temps)


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## holy cromoly (Nov 9, 2008)

Another late reply here to this old thread. Figured info on the Xperience is hard to find.

I rode an Xperience for a season back in 2008. It's a very quick handling bike with a short wheelbase. The front-center measurement was shorter than any road bike I've ridden to date, resulting in a major toe overlap, for those who care.

Fit and finish on the frame is top notch. The welds are smooth and the paint is super glossy.

Tire clearance is tight, so I ran 23c only. The bike was solid and if anything, road a bit on the rough side. It's a solid crit bike, that's for sure.

At that time, the head tubes ran shorter. Over time, Cinelli has increased the height of the head tubes on this model.


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## Oasisbill (Jan 15, 2011)

Overflow said:


> Hey guys. I read some stuff about Cinelli...Got some questions for ya. What's going on with them? I'm wondering, are they fixie, are they road, are they parts?? Are they good, bad, old, new?


Cinelli invented quick release pedals, road handlebars plus LOTS of other stuff. I think they either bought Columbus - hence all their frames are made of their fine steel.

edit: they make carbon bikes too...


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## megl (Nov 18, 2011)

As many other Italian frames they don't come bigger than 58cm - that would be quite small for me right? I'm 196cm which is 6"4

Or is the sizing a little bit different since it's sloped?


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## modemthug (Feb 15, 2012)

The effictive top tube length is 58cm on the XL. The one I have measures out to be that size. Now.. I'm 6ft 1 with a 110 stem and 5 inches raise on the saddle height. I actually should be on a bike smaller. My friend of mine rides a 58cm and he's 6"4 and fits comfortably.


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## megl (Nov 18, 2011)

Cool - thanks a lot modemthug, very useful

The 2012 black Experience is quite sexy IMO


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## modemthug (Feb 15, 2012)

Not a problem! I'm actually going to be selling my frameset to get a size smaller. Very very sad to let it go, but it is what it is. I may get another cinelli just a size down. People tell me they run on the small size nut I don't think so.


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## box handler (Nov 8, 2010)

Some beautiful builds in here. The real question is has anyone seen one of these available used? I suspect it'd be right in my price range and probably an ideal go fast/not be too banged up city race bike. Oh yeah, and I'm at 220# (although 100kg sounds nicer...).


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## frankdatank1337 (Jul 25, 2010)

I ordered my Cinelli Experience off of Wiggle in I think 2009. I was super happy with the quality of the build and group (Campy Chorus). Although, after riding it I didnt like the fit so I sold it (wish it fit *sad face*).








Cinelli Experience next to my Masi Coltello (bad pic but only one I had).


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