Urago Bicycles was a French manufacturer which was founded in 1935 in Nice by brothers Joseph and Francois. They were known for the high quality of their handmade frames, many of which were built by artisan frame builder Anicet Cattanéo who continued working through the early 70’s. Francois Urago was a track racer in the 1920s -1930s and his likeness was on the head badge for many years. Outside of these scant few details there is limited information readily available on the Urago marque other than the few bikes that are out there to observe.

I acquired this frame along with a few parts from an online acquaintance for quite a reasonable price. That is how it usually starts, when you get a good deal on something, right? The real cost comes later when you try and find the few parts that you need but don’t have! The advertisement below although undated is an excellent reference for the model of this bike which places it as their entry level machine.

Additional research has revealed an extensive series of posts showing a 1952 Urago Debutante with the same characteristics as my example. I have also seen later years of the Debutante that are also very similar so I am not feeling very confident about a specific date for this frame at this point. It is likely that this model saw few changes over a long production run and that only the component spec changed periodically. There are few other markings on the frame to assist in identifying it further.

The paint appears to be original but it has had 2 rounds of touching up with mismatched colors. On the plus side this has prevented any rust from forming, but to remove it will cause quite a blemish on the paint. Preserving as much of the original as possible is the goal so we will see on what path that ends up taking me.

In addition to the frame and fork the bike came with the following components:

  • An A. Duprat crank-set and bottom bracket
  • Simplex Competition front derailleur
  • Original headset, (unknown)

As a French made bicycle it seems entirely appropriate that it should be built up with French components. I am not stocked well with French stuff so I will begin the process of accumulating the needed parts. I do have a few items on hand so this will be the base from which I will start.

  • Pellisier Competition high flange hubs
  • Mafac Racer brakes and levers
  • Belleri stem
  • 25.8 mm seat post
  • Ideale saddle
  • Huret Competition rear Derailleur
  • Huret Touriste down-tube shift lever

So, the hunt will be on for a set of French handlebars, pedals and some old 36 hole rims, preferably Mavic. Until then I will start working on preparing and preserving the frame and fork and to continue researching the Urago marque.

Following are some additional images that I come across while researching Urago this marque. Urago had a presence in both road and track racing through team sponsorship, though it may have been inconsistent. They even offered a “randonneur” model for a time, the “Brevet des Cimes,” which might loosely translate as peaks certified.