The bike in the race foto is a 1939 Kilian & Vopel model Durkopp,
Chicago slang called them Dirtcups, but we are always on the cutting edge of
nicknaming.
The model I had was the special sprint model that had drilled out rear
dropouts and somewhat nicer lug work.
I took it to Germany in 1951 when I lived at the Patria WKC bike factory in
Solingen working in the racing room and riding races as an amateur for 9
months. Pay was 40 Deutschmarks a week with room and board.
That was $10 US at that times exchange rate.
The quarters I lived in I shared with the manager and and also the team's
soigneur so that I learned a lot from these gentleman.
The Patria team manager had ridden the TDF at least 5 times before the war,
the soigneur was a medic in the German army. Both had been Soviet POW's and
the little thay wanted to share about that was quite harrowing.
Once they saw I actually knew how to work on racing bikes and wasn't too bad
a racer they were much relieved and the fact that I could speak German with
them made our living in a large room much more pleasant.
The pro team would come and gather when a large race was to be travelled to,
so I got to meet and hobnob with "da boyz" which when the occasion presented
itself meant that I could get in and be with the team at races where only
official team's personnel were allowed.
Not bad for a 19 year kid from Chicago.
The guys loved my track bike, as all that stuff was put into war meltdown
and not many were still around, so they talked me out of it and I left it
with them. They were great mentors so what the hell.
Woulda been nice to have now.
Kilian & Vopel had been so successful here on the 6-Day circuit that Durkopp
made a real nice track bike modelled after their specs and it was one of the
most popular along with Schwinn Paramount.
Anyhow, that's a little history on that bike.
If someone has a Q that my narrative has kindled, please ask and I'll do my
best to answer.
Ted Ernst
Palos Verdes Estates
CA USA
> Ah, of course... It must be this one:
>
> http://www.wooljersey.com/
>
> Love those Durkopp chainwheels! Forks looks normal so I guess it was a
> photographic quirk!
>
> -Harry Schwartzman
> Brooklyn, NY
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Cc: Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Sent: Fri, December 11, 2009 11:32:56 AM
> Subject: Re: [CR] Ted Ernst winning a race
>
> Sorry for the bad spelling....Durkopp!
> Edward Albert
> Chappaqua, New York, U.S.A.
>
>
> On Fri, Dec 11, 2009 at 11:31 AM, Edward Albert <ealbert01@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> Harry, He is riding a Drukopp! What else would Ted be riding :-)
>>Edward Albert
>>>Chappaqua, New York, U.S.A.
>>
>>
>>
>>On Fri, Dec 11, 2009 at 11:23 AM, Harry Schwartzman
>><harryschwartzman@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>>Great photo! Ted, what bike are you riding? Is it a photographic quirk, or
>>are the fork legs gigantic?
>>>
>>>
>>>>>-Harry Schwartzman
>>>>>Brooklyn, NY