Fifty years of Wheelin’ in the South Bay

South Bay Wheelmen president Cary Alpert (left) presents club founder, Ted Ernst, with the Harris Robinson award. Photo by Steve Whitsitt

South Bay Wheelmen president Cary Alpert (left) presents club founder, Ted Ernst, with the Harris Robinson award. Photo by Steve Whitsitt

by Andrea Ruse

Bicyclist hall-of-famer Ted Ernst Jr. finally won the most prestigious award handed out by the club he founded 50 years ago — the South Bay Wheelmen’s Harris Robinson award.

At an anniversary celebration Sunday, club president Cary Alpert presented the former owner of Ted’s Manhattan Cycles with the award, which is named for two SBW cyclists who died in separate bicycle-vehicle accidents. It is given out annually to the club member who shows sincere commitment to the club and to the sport of cycling.

“They’re not supposed to give me any prizes anymore,” said a humble Ernst. “I did my thing a long time ago and I like for the more current people in the club to enjoy the awards. But I am honored. It is nice to be recognized.”

Ernst founded the bike club in 1960, shortly after opening his legendary bike shop on Sepulveda Blvd. At that time, few such clubs existed in L.A. County.

“It’s a tradition that a good bike shop has a bike club headquartered with it,” Ernst said. “There are not that many shops of that ability level.”

Since then, club membership has grown from 10 to roughly 150 people who train and compete in national and community races as well as ride together recreationally. The club also hosts two of its own outdoor racing series events.

A year after founding SBW, Ernst started the now widely recognized Chevron Manhattan Beach Grand Prix. It is second oldest one-day race in the country, drawing more than 900 racers and 8,000 spectators each year.

“Good people who make up the club have kept it going all of these years,” Alpert said. “These are people who really like to cycle and want to work for it enough so that other people want to join. Lots of it is Ted. It’s his baby and he doesn’t want to see the club become homeless. He works really hard and tirelessly for the club and all kinds of other things to do with cycling.”

Members Kurt Sato, Charles Watson, and Danny Heeley were all given “Ted Awards” on Sunday, special awards handed out by Ernst to club cyclists who win at least one national track championship during the year.

While the basics of bike riding have changed little in the last half century, Ernst has seen developments in his sport emerge throughout the South Bay.

“When I first came along, riding bikes around town and on The Strand was mostly recreational,” Ernst said. “As time has gone on, bike-riding has become more accepted as a serious sport. People are buying better bikes and going farther distances. The bike club I started gave cyclists a big push in the arm for the entire South Bay area.”

The club is now making preparations for the Chevron Manhattan Beach Grand Prix on June 27.

 “This year, we were happy to give the Harris Robinson award to Ted,” Alpert said. “When going over members to nominate, I realized Ted had never won it. It seemed like a no brainer that on the 50th anniversary of the club, the founder should win it.”

 For more information, visit www.sbwcycling.com. ER

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