A step into this newly opened Metz Biclcyle Museum in Freehold is truly a peek into history. Inside the newly decorated facility is one of the world's finest collection of antique bicycles, dating from the 1850's to the 1950's. On display are hundreds of different bicycles of all kinds. Some of them are boneshakers, high wheelers, quadracycles, tricycles. a "Zimmy", a lamp lighter bicycle, children's bikes, trick bikes, and many more other unusual and one-of-a kind cycles, according to David Metz, owner of this fascinating collection.

The Metz Bicycle Meseum houses much more than bicycles. The sign over the entrance to the meseum reads "Treasures of Years Gone By," and treasures you will see! On display at the Metz Meseum are extensive collections of children's riding toys, kitchen and household gadgets, antique mousetraps, cast iron bottle cap openers, pencil sharpeners, antique cars, and lots more. Diplay cases and all of the walls are filled with the interesting items neatly displayed and labeled. Bicycle accessories, such as horns, seats, oil lanterns, bicycle tools and posters complete the display.

David Metz, the owner of this fasicinating collection is a retired businessman who has lived in the Freehold area all of his life. He has been collecting antiques for almost fifty years. He was born on a farm in Cranbury, N.J., and was a farmer for many years. "I think that my early experience with the farm equipment helps to explain my fascination with the mechanical pieces that I like to collect." "Collecting and being able to share my collection with so many others will be a real pleasure," said Mr. Metz

Widely known in the international antique cycling community, Mr. Metz is a past Captiain of the New Jersey Wheelmen and a past National Commander of the Wheelman organization with many members in foreign countries.

Mr. Metz is often called upon to help appraise bicycles for others, help out with the restoration of a bicycle for another collector, set up a display for some organization, or make a movie riding one of his high wheelers. He has riden in The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, The Mummer's Parade in Philadelpia, The Main Street Parade at Disney World in Florida, and numerous Memorial Day and Bicentennial Celebration Parades in Freehold with The Wheelmen. "When Governor Whitman rode through Freehold on one of her state-wide bike rides, she stopped at the court house and rode one of my high wheel tricycle tandems with me."

Most of the bicycles and many of the hundreds of other collectibles have a story that goes along with it, and Mr. Metz is happy to share these stoies with visitors. One of his prize possessions is the "Zimmy" bicycle that he finally managed to obtain just 2 years ago.

Arthur Zimmerman of Freehold, N.J. was the world's first bicycle racing champion in the 1880's and 1890's. When he retired in 1895 he opened a bicycle factory in Freehold and manufactured several models of the Zimmy bicycle including the 1896 model on display at The Metz Bicycle Museum.

"I have several very unusual bicycles that, to the best of my knowledge, are the only ones in existence in the world. My lamplighter bicycle is over 8 feet high and was used in New York City in the 1890's to light the street gas lights. I also have a complete collection of handmade miniature reproductions of antique bicycles made by a prisoner of war in Europe, and several trick bicycles used in circuses and side shows."

If you would like to visit my museum then please call me at (732) 462-7363 to set up an appointment. I would love to share my collection and knowledge with you.