Early 60's Allegro Special
07-14-20, 06:49 PM
#1
small ring
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Early 60's Allegro Special
1961, give or take a year or two, Allegro Special. I've posted about it before but here's the short version. I found this frame in my dad's stuff after he passed. French threads.... I scraped off many layers of paint, rust, grime and built it a couple times with parts bin stuff. I've been trying to make it into something I will use so I started collecting bits and pieces. The frame is rough so I decided against period correct restoration, opting for the functionality of light gravel and easy cruising. I left the frame primed and roughly sanded. Triplized Stronglight 93, 7 speed friction bar ends, and gravelkings. 45/42/28 x 12-32 I'm over capacity on the RD, but it all works fine. I think I set a record on the number of brands on one bike though.
Allegro - frame
Stronglight - crank and 45t ring
Dia Compe - levers and shifters
Nitto - stem and bars
VO - headset
Suntour - derailleurs
Shimano - pedals, brakes, cables
IRD - BB
Sram - chain and cassette
Ritchey - saddle
Kalloy - seatpost
Sugino - 28t ring and seat binder bolt
Red Clover - 42t triplizer
Panaracer - tires
Alexrims - wheels
Jagwire - housing
Pro - bar tape
Allegro - frame
Stronglight - crank and 45t ring
Dia Compe - levers and shifters
Nitto - stem and bars
VO - headset
Suntour - derailleurs
Shimano - pedals, brakes, cables
IRD - BB
Sram - chain and cassette
Ritchey - saddle
Kalloy - seatpost
Sugino - 28t ring and seat binder bolt
Red Clover - 42t triplizer
Panaracer - tires
Alexrims - wheels
Jagwire - housing
Pro - bar tape
__________________
59 Allegro Special -- 72 Bob Jackson -- 74 Motobecane Grand Jubile -- 74 Sekine SHS 271 -- 80 Nishiki International
85 Shogun 800 -- 86 Tommasini Super Prestige -- 92 Specialized Rockhopper -- 17 Colnago Arabesque
59 Allegro Special -- 72 Bob Jackson -- 74 Motobecane Grand Jubile -- 74 Sekine SHS 271 -- 80 Nishiki International
85 Shogun 800 -- 86 Tommasini Super Prestige -- 92 Specialized Rockhopper -- 17 Colnago Arabesque
Last edited by droppedandlost; 07-14-20 at 08:10 PM. Reason: more brands
07-14-20, 07:10 PM
#3
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Cool bike and build. I have my Dad's 1993 Bridgestone XO 2 and I still ride it regularly.
07-14-20, 11:56 PM
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Oh wow. The curve of that fork is the sexiest thing I've seen in awhile 
And is that Suntour AR long cage? I don't think you've even approached the capacity of that thing. That guy is almost up there in Doupar territory, IME.
And is that Suntour AR long cage? I don't think you've even approached the capacity of that thing. That guy is almost up there in Doupar territory, IME.
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● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
07-15-20, 06:27 AM
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That’s a great-looking bike. It’s screaming, “Why am I indoors?!”
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07-15-20, 07:33 AM
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I have an Allegro with the same geometry, a '74 built with the Bocama 14/II lugset they started using right after the OP's bike was built. There is just something special about the ride of these, something really plush and comfortable about them. Mine just glides along, even with the basic budget parts kit I threw onto it. It helps that mine is serious French fit 60 x 59 cm with the thinner metric gauge 531 (26.6mm seat post rather than the 26.4 of a Gitane or a Peugeot) and those lovely tapered deeply raked forks. Put it on Panaracer 27 x 1 1/4 at 70 psi and it seriously floats. I've concluded that ALL Allegros are special!
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07-15-20, 09:29 AM
#7
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I also have a circa 1974 Allegro and I agree with rustystrings61 it has a sweet ride. Yours is really nice also, if it were me, I'd probably either paint it or get it done somewhere. I still run the Stronglight 93 but can no longer handle a 42 - 52 with the hills here. So, I was lucky and found a 40 and a 49 that I run with a 28 tooth big cog at the back. Works well and I can climb OK once on form. Considering other options down the road. Keep riding it.
07-15-20, 01:49 PM
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I love that setup, particularly the half-step-and-granny and the barcons. Perfect bike for gravel or dirt roads or just comfortable cruising on asphalt, and, of course, great-looking lugwork. 
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
07-15-20, 03:02 PM
#9
small ring
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Suntour ARx FD and RD came off of my Fuji that I had (still have) as a teenager, so I have of a lot of miles with them. Previous build was 10 speed brifters and I rode it quite a bit, but I felt that it deserved a more appropriate build. Even though it's a bit too small (so much seat post, like sloping top tube style!) it's a great ride, those forks are certainly comfy. I would like to get it painted and do a more period correct build but there's multiple dents in the frame and a lot of the chrome was toast after rust removal (forks and stays). Absolutely love the Nervex lugs, just don't get too close. Original gearing was 52/45 x 14-24 (5sp), which is odd because it creates a bunch of duplicates and made it effectively a six speed. I'm considering getting a 37t from Red Clover and going back to a double.
__________________
59 Allegro Special -- 72 Bob Jackson -- 74 Motobecane Grand Jubile -- 74 Sekine SHS 271 -- 80 Nishiki International
85 Shogun 800 -- 86 Tommasini Super Prestige -- 92 Specialized Rockhopper -- 17 Colnago Arabesque
59 Allegro Special -- 72 Bob Jackson -- 74 Motobecane Grand Jubile -- 74 Sekine SHS 271 -- 80 Nishiki International
85 Shogun 800 -- 86 Tommasini Super Prestige -- 92 Specialized Rockhopper -- 17 Colnago Arabesque
07-15-20, 08:45 PM
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small ring
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__________________
59 Allegro Special -- 72 Bob Jackson -- 74 Motobecane Grand Jubile -- 74 Sekine SHS 271 -- 80 Nishiki International
85 Shogun 800 -- 86 Tommasini Super Prestige -- 92 Specialized Rockhopper -- 17 Colnago Arabesque
59 Allegro Special -- 72 Bob Jackson -- 74 Motobecane Grand Jubile -- 74 Sekine SHS 271 -- 80 Nishiki International
85 Shogun 800 -- 86 Tommasini Super Prestige -- 92 Specialized Rockhopper -- 17 Colnago Arabesque
07-15-20, 08:55 PM
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07-16-20, 09:19 AM
#12
feros ferio
Join Date: Jul 2000
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A lot of bikes were factory-geared with redundant ratios. Lejeune and others had 52-42/14-16-18-20-22, when 52-42/14-16-18-21-24 made much more sense, and some Capos came through with 52-46/14-17-20-23-26. Some folks used the overlap redundancies to avoid the double shifts we fans of half-step and 1.5-step take for granted.
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
07-17-20, 10:46 AM
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is the serial ingot in place on the side of the seat tube?
these were constructed with a Fischer shell of CH threading with the distinctive lip on the fixed side
some of the "smoked" paint schemes on these were lots of fun...
-----
is the serial ingot in place on the side of the seat tube?
these were constructed with a Fischer shell of CH threading with the distinctive lip on the fixed side
some of the "smoked" paint schemes on these were lots of fun...
-----
07-17-20, 01:13 PM
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There is just something special about the ride of these, something really plush and comfortable about them. Mine just glides along, even with the basic budget parts kit I threw onto it. It helps that mine is serious French fit 60 x 59 cm with the thinner metric gauge 531 (26.6mm seat post rather than the 26.4 of a Gitane or a Peugeot) and those lovely tapered deeply raked forks.
LC_SideD_00, on Flickr
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Bikes don't stand alone. They are two tired.
07-17-20, 03:52 PM
#15
small ring
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The serial on this one is just a few before mine so it's a good example of what mine would have looked like.
__________________
59 Allegro Special -- 72 Bob Jackson -- 74 Motobecane Grand Jubile -- 74 Sekine SHS 271 -- 80 Nishiki International
85 Shogun 800 -- 86 Tommasini Super Prestige -- 92 Specialized Rockhopper -- 17 Colnago Arabesque
59 Allegro Special -- 72 Bob Jackson -- 74 Motobecane Grand Jubile -- 74 Sekine SHS 271 -- 80 Nishiki International
85 Shogun 800 -- 86 Tommasini Super Prestige -- 92 Specialized Rockhopper -- 17 Colnago Arabesque
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07-20-20, 08:53 AM
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I assembled this database of Allegros a while back. Somewhere between nos. 175513 and 179365 they switched from the Nervex Professional lugs to the Bocama 14 type II, which appears to be c.1960 or so. I'm thinking the OP's bike is '59 or '60.
