gkeep
I live for the CABE
I rescued this from the scrap pile at work last year. Interesting history of Allegros being imported to Southern California starting in 1954 by Jack Kemp to Vilage Cyclery and the bikes success lead to Schwinn using the geometry to develop the Paramount.
From this site, http://www.swissbicycles.com/allegro/mondia-advertisement/.
Jack Kemp was well known in the Western United states bike raing scene. Along with being instrumental in the construction and management of the Encino Velodrome (home of the 1968 Olympic trials) and founder of the famed North Hollywood Wheelman racing club, Kemp was also the owner of Village Cycles – a Schwinn dealership who had had success with importing bicycle products from Europe with Detto Pietro, Clement and Sergal which in his day was a lot harder than it seemed due to the large body of water that lie between the two known as the Atlantic. Kemp’s first introduction to Allegro was from a Swiss gentleman by the name of Hans Kuhn in the summer of 1953. After negotiation, a deal was struck and in 1954 Jack Kemp became the exclusive importer of Allegro bicycles to America.
The Kemp Bike Shop
Jack, along with his son Bobby soon began selling Allegro’s from both their retail store in Los Angeles and to dealerships across the Western US. To improve delivery, in time they would become one of the first importers to begin shipments via Swiss Air, something which was unheard of in that day in the bicycle industry. What was a 60 day, three tier shipping process (via steamer, rail and truck) was cut to only six days at a total cost of only $1.50 per bike. By 1959, Kemp was importing over 600 Allegros a year to the US – a huge quantity by 1950’s standards. Feeling the full impact of Kemp’s success,, Schwinn, in an attempt to reclaim the sales of high-end bikes lost due to this and other European lines, intentionally duplicated Allegro’s geometry on their Paramounts, – down to the double tapered rear strays.
Unfortunately most of the components have been switched out over the years but it should make a nice rider. I just might have some old 27" Weinmann rims and I do have a Campi hub but it's on a sew up rim.
Here is a 1950s catalog.
.
From this site, http://www.swissbicycles.com/allegro/mondia-advertisement/.
Jack Kemp was well known in the Western United states bike raing scene. Along with being instrumental in the construction and management of the Encino Velodrome (home of the 1968 Olympic trials) and founder of the famed North Hollywood Wheelman racing club, Kemp was also the owner of Village Cycles – a Schwinn dealership who had had success with importing bicycle products from Europe with Detto Pietro, Clement and Sergal which in his day was a lot harder than it seemed due to the large body of water that lie between the two known as the Atlantic. Kemp’s first introduction to Allegro was from a Swiss gentleman by the name of Hans Kuhn in the summer of 1953. After negotiation, a deal was struck and in 1954 Jack Kemp became the exclusive importer of Allegro bicycles to America.
The Kemp Bike Shop
Jack, along with his son Bobby soon began selling Allegro’s from both their retail store in Los Angeles and to dealerships across the Western US. To improve delivery, in time they would become one of the first importers to begin shipments via Swiss Air, something which was unheard of in that day in the bicycle industry. What was a 60 day, three tier shipping process (via steamer, rail and truck) was cut to only six days at a total cost of only $1.50 per bike. By 1959, Kemp was importing over 600 Allegros a year to the US – a huge quantity by 1950’s standards. Feeling the full impact of Kemp’s success,, Schwinn, in an attempt to reclaim the sales of high-end bikes lost due to this and other European lines, intentionally duplicated Allegro’s geometry on their Paramounts, – down to the double tapered rear strays.
Unfortunately most of the components have been switched out over the years but it should make a nice rider. I just might have some old 27" Weinmann rims and I do have a Campi hub but it's on a sew up rim.
Here is a 1950s catalog.
.
