Let me put it to rest for you, seeing as I was on site, on time, listening
and watching at my dad's shop in Chicago, where I worked and started racing
Read the Magnani article recommended, very good.
The only Urago connection to Schwinn was that Joe Magnani worked at the
factory for many years in the Paramount rooms.
My dad Ted Sr met Joe probably early '48 and Joe always seemed to feel
himself more European because of his stay all through those war years.
Joe and my dad got along well sharing more traditonal cycling values.
My dad was interested in bringing in bikes from Europe on his own, and Joe
recommended my dad to the Urago family and we brought the bikes in for quite
a few years.
Joe was a quiet unassuming guy and didn't seem interested in any business
dealings, being content with his working at Schwinn.
Joe was not a bike designer, and he didn't help the factory all that much in
that area as far as I know.
I can remember the guys from Schwinn at my dad's shop when they were
developing the Varsity and Continental bikes for derailleur attachments.
They brought over a frame and were on the floor in the store comparing parts
and frame, overlay as it were so the braze-ons would be in the proper place
for angle and function.
That's more of a Urago / Schwinn connection as anything else, because a
Urago was used as the example.
Dale could be correct with the club scenario, or so could the scam
possibility of trying to disguise a bike to look like a Paramount.
We had a lot of that in the '60s and '70's so that the responsible shops
were VERY careful when we supplied decals to people. We wanted to see the
bike and serial #.
Any other Q's please ask, I'll fill in where i can.
Ted Ernst
Palos verdes Estates, CA
>I have acquired a Urago frame (no forks) with Paramount decals applied. The
> decals look the age of the bike (1950's) and appear professionally
> applied. I
> believe there was a link to Urago by Schwinn through the Racer Magnani.
> Does
> anyone have any information on a possible Urago Schwinn connection. I have
> been warned that this could have been an effort by a Paramount owner
> wannabe.
> There is no head badge but existing holes do not match a Paramount badge.
> The
> drop outs are Simplex and there is Stronglight Crankset. Any comments
> would
> be greatly appreciated. Ron Tandy, Westminster, California,
> (tmyden@aol.com)