In a message dated 6/6/02 3:28:02 PM Eastern Daylight Time, abart@techline.com writes:
> Does anyone remember exactly when 3Rensho made the original series of lugged
> steel frames labeled Allez for Specialized?
I am sorry about not remembering dates, but since both my sons are currently riding lugged steel Specialized Allez frames sometimes, I have had some interest in this.
I spoke with the Specialized area rep at a party at Dale's shop over Christmas, or New Years this winter. I asked him about the steel Allez and 3Rensho connection.
He told me that one year Specialized was offering both the older lugged steel Allez models and also the new aluminium versions simultaeneously. They apparantly approxiamated the demand for the older lugged steel version and ran out of them. When they went back to their producer to have more steel ones run off to meet demand, they found that their normal supplier was booked up making bikes for other folks and could not make any more steel Allez bikes for them that year. So, they searched around in the far east and came across this 3Rensho outfit and had some made up by them. They lost money on every one they sold, and the 3Rensho/Allez models were red, I believe exclusively. These were the last of the lugged steel Allez models and are remarkable bikes.
Older son Aaron was given what might well be one of these by Mark the speed-sketer who was just turned away from the Parkway as he was about to complete the Assault on Mt Mitchell a few weekends ago, on inline skates ! It was his old race frame and it is sweet. Replaced Aaron's Miyata 914, for fast riding, but Aaron still prefers his trash-dump Univega Specialissimo tourer for riding in general.
I don't know what of the story above is true, if anything, but I tried to report it as I remember hearing it told to me.
Glenn Jordan - Durham, NC