In a message dated 3/2/2005 12:43:14 PM Eastern Standard Time, chasds@mindspring.com writes:
<< Uragos are nice enough I suppose, but they always seemed to me to be not much different than a top-line Allegro, or Mondia, or similar production frame of the period. Not to mention the Swiss Condors. Mondia was around for as long, or longer, as was Allegro. And the nicest Mondias I ever saw were pretty nice. >>
I will probably get in trouble here but honestly I have seen some nasty cobby lugwork and paint on these marques, Mondias and Allegros included! And I have seen some very clean and refined bikes as well. It's all relative to what you are comparing it to. Compared to the one-at-a-time custom USA bikes of today (Baylis, Davidson, Erickson, Gordon, Johnson, Kvale, Sachs, Swan, Weigle, oh who have I left out?) most of these bikes are still somewhat crude. But it's all relative to the standard that you are judging them by, and IF you are able to see and understand the differences in craft and execution. Not everyone does until suitably experienced and versed in the forms. What my Urago does have is the most delicate and beautiful pin striping ever done on a bicycle! Super thin and obviously done with a fine brush by a human, unlike the thick, raggedy striping one sees elsewhere.
Dale Brown cycles de ORO, Inc. 1410 Mill Street Greensboro, North Carolina 27408 336-274-5959 fax 336-274-6360 <A HREF="http://www.cyclesdeoro.com">cyclesdeORO.com</A> <A HREF="http://www.classicrendezvous.com./main.htm">ClassicRendezvous.com</A>