Allegro Bikes - British 70's bike company

[wurzelmike]

anyone know anything about the above bike company, I've been trying to find out about them for the last few weeks,
but other than one which went for something like 45 quid on ebay. Haven't really found anything.

here's another one that's just turned up....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/vintage-class ... 41807c0297

love the colour more than anything but I'm wondering how can a bike company just disappear and leave almost no trace.

just wondering,
mike

 

[Midlife]

I worked in a bike shop in the 70's and by then the larger companies had basically hoovered up all the small companies aside from quirky ones like Trust / Viscount which everybody knows about.
plus other outfits like Vindec / Brown brothers, again well know.

Various bikes were imported and re-badged so there was no "bike company" as such, just someone sticking on decals.........Mail order catalogues also sold re-badged bikes. Universal Cycles would also supply rebadged bikes.........

Not very helpful I know but My Guess is the "allegro" company never existed.

Shaun

 

[xxnick1975]

top of the range models had square wheels

 

[bagpuss]

Re:

To give you an idea of this I have a collection of headbadges that came from a lady who worked at Raleigh . The number of marques owned by Raleigh numbers at about 25 , that I have badges for .This includes some mail order brands and export names .

 

[Old Ned]

Re: Re:

To give you an idea of this I have a collection of headbadges that came from a lady who worked at Raleigh . The number of marques owned by Raleigh numbers at about 25 , that I have badges for .This includes some mail order brands and export names .

Have you got a 'Robin Hood'?

 

[Blacktopdisciple]

The only Allegro bicycle company Ive heard of was the Swiss company.

 

[wurzelmike]

thanks for all the replies everyone. I had hoped that there might have been a company making quality bikes, somewhere in the midlands, way back when, which fell on hard times and got taken over by one of the bigger companies.... who continued to badge bikes with 'Allegro', due to their once proud and noble heritage. I'm thinking Carlton or Sun here

Seems like that's not true, but I've learned a little. Still, someone made these bikes, and it's got 'made in England' on the frame too, so I'll just assume it's one of the larger companies - model name rather than a company one, might be a better way to think about them.

@ nick: it's the era of the Raliegh Chopper, so I'm really not surprised. Just hope they were careful where they placed their gear lever on the square wheeled bikes.

@ bagpus: I'd love to start collecting head badges, any advice on where or how to start ? Maybe just British bikes.

@ disciple: Yep, that's the only company I could find any reference too.


thanks again,
mike

 

[Robbied196]

I've seen a couple of Allegro bikes over the years. Usually with stick on chrome effect headbadges and decals, and always very basic entry level. My guess is they were mass produced somewhere in the Midlands during the 70s.

To be honest, I definitely wouldn't buy one

 

[Bagie]

Allegro bikes were made in Pleasant Street, West Bromwich until the late 80’s…
When I say made, I believe the majority of the parts were imported and assembled in the Uk, I lived over the road from the factory when I was younger.