Allegro 1970s – 1990s

Published on September 09, 2011

 In the early 1970s Allegro’s business relationship with Village Cycles also ended. For the Kemps, an increase of other European brands being imported into the United States and the volatility of the Swiss Franc were taking their toll on distribution. 

  US importation of Allegro bikes would be passed to two other sources – Colnago dealer Jim Beres at Jim’s Pro Bikes in Akron, Ohio and ex-pro Otto Rozvoda of Czechoslovakia with his shop, Otto’s Racing Bicycles in Santa Monica, California.

  Otto Rozvoda met Arnold Grandjean during his stellar racing campaign in Europe. In a story not unlike Greg Lemond’s, Otto first gained national success as a track and field star and switched to bicycles only after an debilitating injury ended his running career. It was not a poor decision on his part. Not only did Otto win his first bike race, he won 17 Czech national championships over the course of his tenure and would go on as a pro with the Mercier and Peugeot teams in which he rode ten Tours de France during the Coppi period. Bicycle racing being big in Czechoslovakia, Otto had become as big an icon in his home country as Michael Jordon was here during his heyday.

 After his pro career and twelve years after escaping to Canada due to complications in the Czech political structure, Rozvoda moved to America to open a bike shop and searched for a mainline European manufacturer to bring with him. Passing over the french made Follis and Peugeots, as well as some Italian bike lines he settled on Allegro, because as he said, “they were best made”. This relationship with Allegro would continue for a seven – year period out of Otto’s shop in Santa Monica. Rozvoda sold his business in 1972 to Frenchman Patrick Lachovarn who continued selling them for a few years after that, until once again the increased fluctuations in the Swiss franc took it’s toll and made importation unprofitable. In many cases Patrick lost money on Allegros he had ordered – sometimes even before the shipments had arrived – so he opted to carry Raleigh instead.            

 

NOS Allegro Frames from Jim Beres's Barn in Ohio after he closed his shop

 The sole importer of US shipments from Allegro’s Marin facility rested with Jim Beres in Akron, Ohio. Jim purchased a large quantity of Allegros completely assembled. Soon the mountain bike market took off and sales of road racing bikes slowed. Jim eventually closed his doors and placed all of his remaining Allegros in a barn on the family farm in Ohio. Slowly Jim sold off bikes and parts as people had a need and found him.   

 Allegro in the 1980-90’s searched for ways to export their bicycles to other countries. Mountain bikes had taken away market share and Allegro struggled to keep the factory afloat. By the 1990s Allegro was purchased by Mondia, which carried the Allegro name on bicycles for a few years.

Major Allegro Racing Victories:
 

YEAR
EVENT
STAGE
RIDER
1916
Bern-Geneva
overall
Arnold Granjean
1935
Tour De Suisse
4
Bula
1935
Circuit De Bale
 
Bula
1935
Criterium De Bale
 
Bula
1936
World Road Championships
 
Buchwalder
1936
Tour De Suisse
6
Garnier
1936
Tour De Suisse
overall
Garnier
1937
Criterium International
 
Buchwalder
1937
Criteruim of Nyon
 
Buchwalder
1937
Criteruim of Schaffhouse
 
Mersch
1937
Criterium d’Yverdon
 
Meulenberg
1937
World Road Championships
 
Meulenberg
1938
Tour De Suisse
1
Mersch
1938
Tour De Suisse
6
Demondt
1938
Tour De Suisse
8
Perret
1938
Tour De Suisse
overall
Mersch
1938
Criteruim of Nyon
 
Mersch
1939
Criterium of Locarno
 
Diggelmann
1939
Circuit Nord-Quest
 
Perret
1939
Criteruim of Schaffhouse
 
Diggelmann
1939
Etape des Arravis
 
Lang
1939
Tour De Suisse
1
Lauwers
1939
Tour De Suisse
3
Lang
1939
Tour De Suisse
6
Sommers
1939
Tour De Suisse
7
Sommers
1939
Tour De Suisse
8
Mersch
1939
Tour du Lac Lemon
 
Lang
1939
Championnat Valaisan
 
Vicquery
1939
Championnat Genevois
 
Noti
1954
Tour De Suisse
1
Zampini
1955
Tour De Romandie
 
Strehler
1957
Swiss Championship
 
Hollenstein
1960
Swiss Championship
 
Strehler
1960
Tour de Berne
 
Strehler
1962
Tour des Jeunes
 
Team Champions
1964
Swiss National RR
 
Koechli
1964
Cycloball World Championships
 
Swiss Team
1966
Tour of Luxenberg
 
Shutz
1968
Tour of Luxenberg
 
Shutz
1968
Tour De Suisse
 
Pfenninger
1969
Swiss Championship
 
Vifian
1970
Tour of Luxenberg
 
Shutz
1972
Track Worlds
4k TT
world record
Kurmann
1972
Munich Olympics
4k TT
silver
Kurmann
1974
Swiss Championship
 
Thalmann
1974
World Pro Road Championships
Bronze
Kuhn
1979
World Track Championships 4cm Individual Pursuit
world record
Dill-Bundi
1980
Moscow Olympics 4cm Individual Pursuit
Gold
Dill-Bundi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

 

 

 acing Bicycles in Santa Monica, CA