Kondor (Hans Lutz)

[HawkMA750]

Hi there

Kondor was the first brand of bikophile opera singer Albuch Kotter, before he founded Kotter's Racing Team in late 80s.
This frame is labeled Hans Lutz. Hans Lutz was an 1976 olympic winner, who had a little bike shop in southern germany. To my reconstruction he may have bought frames from Kondor manufacury to label them Hans Lutz.

It rides like charm, bar and stem are not last decision - the wires may be replaced by white later.

 

[Spokesmann]

Very nice. I love the velo orange ping bell, I have 3 of those myself.

 

[HawkMA750]

thanks. Switched bar today to a SR Custom with an ugly ITM stem, but I like much better then tis one mounted on the pix. couldn't really ride it.

Routed down 2mm of the Head-Tube today, now I have perfect room including the nose ring for the 6208 headset. When I decided for the stem/bar combination I have on now, I'll sew in leather like on the Colner - but this time with some neoprene-like 2mm cushion on the bar (first time experimental).

 

[svensson]

Kondor was the first brand of bikophile opera singer Albuch Kotter, before he founded Kotter's Racing Team in late 80s.

Great bike, very collectible. I am also a big fan of these Swabian bikes, esp. the "Kondor" ones that were based on imported Italian frames and finished in Schechingen, Germany, a village of approx. 2000 people.

When Konrad Kotter (BTW, his first name is Konrad; "Albuch" is the name of a region/mountain range in Swabia) went bankrupt in 1982, ownership changed, and so did the name of the brand. Ironically, now that Kotter was no longer in charge, the name shifted from Kondor to Kotter. But Kotter was now owned by the Engler family, and production, including frames, had shifted to another small town in the area, Böhmenkirch, which is situated in the foothills of the Albuch.

The first incarnation of Kotter's racing team lasted from 1978/79 to 1982 and ended in bankruptcy. His second attempt lasted only one year (1987), but I could be wrong here as I cannot find any printed evidence and the online sources offer little more than hearsay. But by then, "Albuch Kotter" bikes, as mentioned earlier, were produced by the Englers in Böhmenkirch.

Scans from German magazines with more information on Kondor and Kotter can be found here: http://fotos.rennrad-news.de/p/193481

 

[HawkMA750]

nice background story!!