Prominent Bike Museum in Freehold
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u Winter Madness . 2 ISSUEISSUE 2 1 VOLUMEVOLUME 29 29 FEB,2009 2009 u The Magic of Titanium 3 u Tell us your story of how you joined the club . .5 The Shore THE JERSEY SHORE TOURING SOCIETY KEEPING BIKE RIDING FUN SINCE 1981 Thing The Metz Bicycle Museum has a fine collection of antique and unusual bicycles Prominent Bike Museum in Freehold A remarkable collection of antique bi- bicycles and help out with the restora- trick bicycles used in circuses and side cycles is in our own backyard. tion of bicycles for other collectors. He shows. He also has a complete collection has ridden in The Macy’s Thanksgiving of handmade miniature reproductions of A step into the Metz Bicycle Museum in Day Parade, The Mummer’s Parade in antique bicycles made by a prisoner of Freehold is truly a stroll through history. Philadelphia, The Main Street Parade at war in Belgium in the early 1940’s. The Museum houses one of the world’s Disney World in Florida, and numerous finest collections of antique bicycles, dat- Memorial Day and Bicentennial Celebra- Arthur Zimmerman of Freehold, N.J. was ing from the 1850’s to the 1950’s. Hun- tion Parades in Freehold with The the world’s first bicycle racing champion dreds of bicycles are artfully displayed. Wheelmen. in the 1880’s and 1890’s. When he retired in 1895 he opened a bicycle factory in Boneshakers, highwheelers, quadricycles, Freehold and manufactured several mod- tricycles, ordinaries, safeties, children’s els of the “Zimmy” bicycle including the bikes, trick bikes, and many more unusu- 1896 model on display at the Museum. al and one-of-a kind cycles make up this fascinating collection. Most of the bicycles and many of the hundreds of other collectibles have a David Metz, the owner of this incredible story that goes along with them, and Mr. collection is a retired businessman who Metz is happy to share these stories with has lived in the Freehold area all of his visitors. life. He has been collecting antiques for almost fifty years. He was born on a farm If you would like to visit the museum in Cranbury, N.J., and was a farmer for please call (732) 462-7363 to set up an many years. “I think that my early experi- There are several very unusual bicycles appointment. He would love to share his ence with the farm equipment helps to in the collection that, to the best of Mr. collection and knowledge with you. explain my fascination with the mechani- Metz’s knowledge, are the only ones in cal pieces that I like to collect,” said Mr. existence in the world. His lamplighter (This article is adaped from the Metz Bi- Metz bicycle is over eight feet high and was cycle Museum Website. Click on the title used in New York City in the 1890’s to above to visit the site) Mr. Metz is often called upon to appraise light the gas street lights. He has several JSTS members are doing it in the woods all winter long . Don’t let the season stop you, join the Winter Madness fun . Ride Report: Ice is Not Nice — MTB Winter Madness Weeks 1-5 Last winter (2007-2008) was a moder- mountain bike ride was out at Clayton recounted that he had a fall despite ate one by most assessments. Now it’s Park and only Brian Hrycyk and Kevin taking the precaution of carefully going baaaack with its ability to chill. They Coposky rode. There are pictures to back a little bit in advance. George says call the ride series “Winter Madness” prove it (Brian, you need a newspaper he figures the ride isn’t complete until for a reason. It’s not that anyone is he tumbles. (George, I mention this in crazed; we prefer to think that we are hopes of breaking the pattern.) not bowed by sinking mercury or a little wind. The following words are Week 5 (last of Jan) was scheduled mostly about our JSTS mountain biking for Tatum once more. Although many crew. We go off-road to escape the showed up to ride, it was a bust. It wind’s tendency to whip road riders, as looked like a fire hose had distributed we roll over unpaved trails. Sometimes water all over the place, and that had it’s like being a kid again, except that turned into solid ice. For the most part, we exercise adult caution as we hop ice skates were in order. We retreated logs and barge down hilly twists and after making our way a fair distance turns. There’s fun in it, good cardio (roughly halfway across the park). exercise and beautiful local parks to explore. How about some mud, or light snow? We’ll take it. This year has already seen some winter extremes. Week 1 (Jan 3) began at Tat- - submitted by Ed Marx um Park in Middletown with a healthy close-up of the date next time –just turnout of 9 riders and a pronounced kidding). The snow that had accumu- wind-chill. We have observed that the lated in the flurries of the previous days Tatum parking lot is always frigid when gave reasonable traction. I found out JSTS shows up, and are grateful to firsthand when I went out in that balmy get going (and get warm) by peddling. 22-degree windless afternoon (skipped Even though Tatum is not considered the single-digit morning) to ride at very technically challenging, a couple Hartshorne with my adult son. We of the inclines make for significant had the place to ourselves, the riding work. We crisscrossed the park’s trails was good and it was a beautiful winter and had a good old mountain bike time. scene. I remarked how things would be different after some melting and freez- Week 2 was our MTB ride at Allaire ing. That was soon to be all-too-true. State Park, and there was the threat of rain. We still had a great ride that Week 4 (Jan 24) was the JSTS MTB began with a parking lot nearly full of ride at Hartshorne. There was plenty riders. Allaire is big enough that we of mud on many of the trails, and ice didn’t see all that many of them on the on the rest. Some of the ice formed trails. Lots of single-track zig-zag is like snow crystals we could grip a little, there for entertainment. The conditions but nonetheless proved tricky. With 7 were fine. riders starting, a few chose to go back early to be spared the marginal traction Week 3, as is mentioned in Donna Mat- conditions. In the end, the last of us ulawicz’s road story, was extreme. The took the road back. George Gregorio SMARTER Can any obstacle stop the intrepid JSTS winter riders? RIDING Winter Madness—Week 3—On the Road The Jersey Shore Touring Its ten degrees with a wind chill Society making it feel like one degree at 10 am on Saturday, Jan. 17. I am preparing to lead the third Winter Madness ride leaving from the Free- hold Y. Last week’s ride was chilly, so I came better prepared with a new winter cycling jacket, and a neck scarf. I wanted a balaclava, but all four stores I visited were sold out. Driving there I’m wondering will anyone show? The Jersey Shore Touring So- ciety is a bicycle club whose Yes, two hardy riders did show, primary focus is on social Dan Hinton and Jody Rubin, and rather than competitive riding. we agreed to do the shorter 15 mile We have “leader led” as well ride. I often wondered about winter as “route sheet” rides. On a riding, does the exercise warm you leader led ride you stay with up, or does the wind chill you fur- the ride leader and the group ther? I can now tell you this about goes only as fast as its slow- winter riding—it feels even colder est member, unless there is when you’re biking! Despite our an advertised pace. On a route best efforts, my fingers turned numb sheet ride, you can proceed at and we had to turn back. Dan’s feet your own pace or hang around were getting cold, and Jody—well with others of the same ability. he may have to rethink his seven You can’t get lost because you layers of clothing. We ended up rid- have a route sheet. We wel- ing eight miles. Keeping with Club come newcomers to our club tradition, we then went to Marlboro Bagel where we had a hearty breakfast, good conversa- rides and ask that each rider tion, and best of all, we were warm! Why not join us in the fun, see the website for details wear a helmet and complete on the winter madness series. - Submitted by Donna Matulewicz a waiver available at the sign- in before the ride begins. We Reprinted from the December, 1991 edition of The Shore Thing have monthly meetings and The bike is as good as new! we publish a monthly newslet- ter. If you like the club, please The Magic of Titanium join by paying dues. Titanium. I first heard the word in fifth important strategic metal, used in the of the grade science class. Number 22 on the manufacture of jet engine and aircraft welds can be seen. A Titanium bicycle periodic chart of the elements. Chemi- parts. frame, Is that something I could have? cal Symbol of Ti, just below silicon Tour de France, is that a race I could and carbon and above germanium and Nearly three years ago, just after I enter? zirconium.