kopsky special

Doris Kopsky’s 1933 Kopsky Special

Doris Kopsky’s 1933 Kopsky Special

Doris Kopsky was a pioneer in womens cycling in America.

In 1937 at the age of fifteen Doris won the first womens division race at the ABL of A National Championships (a league that has been supplanted by the USCF and later USA Cycling), held in Buffalo, New York.

Doris raced up and down the east coast, her father Joe first bringing her to races where he was competing, and later supporting Doris in her own right.

Doris was tough and fast.  She won numerous regional and national dirt track titles, as well as indoor roller races from 1936 to 1941.  She was the New Jersey State Sprint Champion (a category that mixed what we would consider “road racing” with track racing) in 1937, 1938 and 1939.

Doris & her father Joe

Doris and her bike, 1994

The National Champion and her bike, 1937

This is Doris’ bike, a Kopsky Special, built by her father Joe.  This “speed instrument” as Joe called it, weighs only 18 pounds, and is made out of chrome plated Reynolds steel.

Kopsky adjustable stem

Bottom bracket oil port

This may be one of the first “womens specific” bicycle designs, as it was built with a shorter top tube for its height than was standard practice (Check out Bill Honeman’s bike, while similar overall size, the top tube is around two inches longer).  The bike also includes a custom racing saddle and an innovative adjustable stem.