gazman22

Hello,

Picked up this Allegro a few months ago. Fits me well and hoping to get it in rideable shape. A few questions I am hoping the community can answer—

1. ID the model and year. My best guess is 1972± but I cant find any references on models.
2. Can anyone point me to images of what the finish was for this bike? I am almost certain some of this white paint has been added.
3. Did this bike originally have down tube shifters?
4. Open to any opinions on what to do with it—get it rideable and don't touch finish, restore, city beater etc.

Campy RD came with bike unmounted.











Thanks!

Gary

unworthy1

Interesting bike! Very worthy project: it deserves some TLC and to be ridden, again. I suspect the main finish is the original and al that was added is the white "panel" and on the fork blades. You may want to check out where your serial number falls into line with this database in this thread: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...e-exist-2.html (see link in post #35), noting it's approximate but based on educated guessing. A couple things to note with this frame you have is the BCM (Bocama) headlugs but WITH the more ornate sockets, that can be a clue to add in dating, plus the unique stem and HS: I had not seen those on an Allegro, before (but I don't get out much, these days!) Take a couple pix of the headlugs that show those sockets, please.

gazman22

Thanks for info. My guess is downtube white panel has also been added.
I see now that is what you said!

juvela

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thank you for posting

headset, chainset and brakeset all original

the Torevess headset is a marque created by Verot-Perrin (Stronglight) in the late 1940's

your example is the latest use of it i have encountered

enthusiasts speculate a bit of whimsy involved with the creation of the marque

name created by Monsieur Verot spelling his last name backwards and adding the -ess suffix to "exotify" it

name also employed for some cottered bottom bracket fittings

specification for this model Allegro at this time was the Stronglight model P3 headset
it may be that the Torevess represents a substitution due to parts shortages - this was the boom era

it is below the quality level of the P3 as races were not rectified after plating

yes to downtube controls

great to see it still has its serial ingot

when the bikes pass between hands this sometimes gets removed...

the sandcast bottom bracket shell with the prominent lip on the fixed side is a Georg Fischer item, expect Swiss threading

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possible dating aid -

Verot-Perrin made a change in the design of the bicycle's model 93 chainset during mid-year 1972

this image courtesy of V-B shows a mixed set; the drive side arm is early type and the non-driveside arm is late type

the difference is in how much dural material surrounds the pedal hole

note the heavy chamfer on the distal end of the drive side arm



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Allegro | Swiss Bicycles | A website about Swiss Bicycles

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unworthy1

Thanks for the pix, yes those are "Bocama model 14 pattern II lugs" which are also on rustystrings61 bike that is in that thread on post #4, his has a "241XXX" serial number and he pegged his at "1974" but the dating may NOT be sequential. He probably could have some thoughts as may others...there has been a recent up-surge in Allegro activity on this forum, lately, which we always enjoy seeing.

EDIT: as to the "model" it is probably not a "Special" due to lack of chrome and the presumed 1970's era, when Allegro was not adding model name decals to most frames, AFAIK, but others may have additional thoughts.

gazman22

Thanks for all the information. You guys are a great resource! Very appreciated.

Gary

rustystrings61 

Here's what I have, data-wise - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...HkE/edit#gid=0

The OP's bike, no. 242265, appears to be roughly contemporary with mine, no. 241247. Craig Griffiths over on the Classic Rendezvous list, who at one time and perhaps still maintains a Swiss bike site, suggest 1974 as the most likely date, and I've rolled along with that since. I think Allegro's serial numbers ARE consecutive, based on stuff observed on bikes that appear to have original equipment with dates.

The Bocama 14/II lugs appear to have replaced the Nervex Professionals c.1961 and they appear to have lasted through 1974. The Vagner PL fork crown appears to have run concurrently with those lugs. I suspect your bike is a variant of the no. 76 Schweizer Meister, which came in a couple of grades. Allegro used pretty much the same frame for all their 531 bikes, just different finish treatments and braze-ons - AND different length fork steerers. There was the full Campagnolo variant with a long enough steerer for the Campy headset, a Stronglight with V4 headset variant with French bars and stem, and a variant that is listed but not depicted in the catalogs that appears to be what you and I have - steerer cut for a Stronglight P3 or comparable headset.

I would recommend getting it running and really trying it out. I acquired mine on a whim, and several times I have put it onto the repair stand to part it out, looked at its lines, sighed and returned it to its hook. Last year I realized I had never really ridden it anywhere, so I took it out for 27 miles, came home and enshrined it as a keeper. There is something really lovely and flowing to the ride of these bikes, and perhaps it's the geometry, which is pretty close to their geometry for their race bikes in the '30s. Mine just glides along, floating beautifully down the road. You were warned ...

JoeBass

Mine's very similar. It looks to me from viewing the period Allegro catalog that this would've been a model 76 or 77. It looks like the versions sold in Europe were set up with downtube shifters, but I have seen A LOT of these in the U.S. that have the bar end shifters, so I'm thinking that someone was importing the frames and building them up here with the bar ends (mine originally had bar ends and I installed downtube shifters). Oh, and Rusty is correct- these ride beautifully. Here's a link to the 1976 Allegro catalog and a shot of me with mine:

Catalog link:
allegro-1976-bicycle-catalog.pdf (k-i-n-g.ch)

juvela

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minor lug note -

while the feature and nozzle cuts of the bicycle's lugs are indeed BOCAMA pattern 14/II

the 14/II is not shown in any company printed material have been able to locate with the reinforcing lip we see on the lugs of the subject frame

"usually" company's lug patterns with the reinforcing lip carry the appellation "Professional", often followed by a suffix




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gazman22

Hello Joe Bass,

Do you have more photos of your bike? Looks like bringing my fork and downtime back to red gets me back to original on finish. Curious what the seat post bolt looks like.

Thanks,

Gary

JoeBass

Hey, Gary- I'll attach another photo in which you can see my bike a bit better. Yeah, that red was the original color of the Allegro race bikes- they won quite a few big races back in their day. The story goes that aside from being the colors of the Swiss flag (red and white), Allegro liked the way the red bikes stood out in the peloton. I unfortunately do not have an original seat post bolt on mine (where do they all go?) but maybe someone else here could tell us about the seat bolts.

JoeBass

Forgot...I shot this short video awhile back that shows a little more of the bike:

unworthy1

and... sidebar concerning the long and distinctive Allegro seat lug pinch bolt: Brent was looking for one to complete his recent project (see this thread: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...character.html) but managed to find an original. I thought I had read somebody suggesting he (or somebody else with a lathe) might turn some out of hexagonal stock, but cannot find that post. I'd like to re-read that (unless I hallucinated the thing) and maybe touch-base about what a small run of these bolts might cost.

juvela

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the brand name for that binder is Nikrom

Allegro employed them at least from the 1930's through the 1960's

here is one on a Neuchatel denizen owned by member rhm followed by an example on a Special model from 1963





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gazman22

Very nicely detailed seat binder. If anyone has a lead or spare (ha!) please let me know.

Thanks!

retyred

I purchased an Allegro last year which looks to be same color as yours except for your white forks and seat tube banding.

Serial number is 238065. Components are different from your Allegro but mine has the Stronglight 93 cranks.

Your 1972 dating is very accurate. I once owned Allegro 244972. Campy RD was stamped Pat 72, Full Campy equipped including brakes.

gazman22

Yes, my white fork and white band have definitely been added. They are not original. The photos of JoeBass's bike are all original paint, which I assume matches yours.

JoeBass

How's that Allegro coming along, Gary?

gazman22

Hey Joe, it is in the cue! I got a little to enthusiastic with project bikes last fall so I am slowly digging my way out. I will post some pic when I make some progress. best, Gary

gazman22

Hey Joe, well not much to report on the original bike but couldn't pass up these....

merziac

That standoff nut would be pretty easy to make from hex stock, with a file, drill/press, tap, dremel and patience.

JoeBass

Nice! That Allegro looks just about identical to mine. What's the serial number? Mine's "235909". I'm wondering how close they are in age...

merziac

https://www.ebay.com/itm/16652630241...1YAMAA064QE976

gazman22

Hello Joe,
Serial number is 228462. Yours is between the two. Unlike yours and my first one this has no Stronglight parts. It is full Campy.

Have you ever taken out your drive side BB cup? This one is in there pretty good. Assuming English or Swiss threading and want to make sure I am not banging away in the wrong direction!

Gary

juvela

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if shell has prominent lip on fixed side it is Georg Fischer

which, in Allegro terms means it is CH


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