Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Classic and Vintage Bicycles: Whats it Worth? Appraisals.
Reload this Page >

Info Needed: MATTHEWS Lightweight Cycles, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

Notices
Classic and Vintage Bicycles: Whats it Worth? Appraisals. Use this subforum for all requests as to "How much is this vintage bike worth?"Do NOT try to sell it in here, use the Marketplaces.

Info Needed: MATTHEWS Lightweight Cycles, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

Old 08-18-17, 09:51 PM
  #1  
AAVA Tech
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 7
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Info Needed: MATTHEWS Lightweight Cycles, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

Greetings,
I recently acquired a very nice bike, the frame of which was made by "Matthews";
The headset tube says: "Matthews Lightweight Cycles, "Mt. Pleasant, Michigan".
(It's too late for pictures as it's currently almost 10:00 PM here in Michigan, but
I'll upload some pics tomorrow. )

I was wondering if anyone had any information about these frames.
The frame is very well built with nice, clean welds at dropouts and all lugs.
It's made with Reynolds 531 aluminum, and a gruppo consisting of:
Campy Record headset, bottom bracket, chainrings/crankset, pedals, hubs and dropouts.
Shimano Dura-Ace breaks & Suntour Cyclone mII derailleurs, Cinelli stem and bars, Weinmann 700G rims.
Nice choices I'd say. A pretty light bike indeed 20 odd years ago and not so bad now honestly.

I've been all over the internet trying to find out anything about the builder but the only relevant article I've found
is another Matthews owner looking for info himself in '06!

If anyone that knows anything about Matthews Lightweight Cycles of Mt. Pleasant, MI I'd sure appreciate
any info or history you can forward.
Thanks much

M. B.
AAVA
AAVA Tech is offline  
Old 08-19-17, 06:09 PM
  #2  
FBOATSB
Senior Member
 
FBOATSB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Central Indiana
Posts: 2,201

Bikes: Old Stuff

Mentioned: 27 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 912 Post(s)
Liked 514 Times in 343 Posts
Without pics my only suggestion would be to call these guys and ask them if they know anything:
Motorless Motion - A Family Run Bike Shop Since 1976

Of course you will have to wait until Monday morning.

Last edited by FBOATSB; 08-19-17 at 06:14 PM.
FBOATSB is online now  
Old 08-19-17, 07:52 PM
  #3  
AAVA Tech
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 7
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
The promised pics: "Matthews Lightweight Cycles"

Hey FBOATSB,
thanks for the link. I was thinking the same thing actually.
I'll give 'em a call on Monday for sure.
Until then here are the pics I promised.

Thanks again

-M>
Attached Images
File Type: jpg
IMG_20170819_141733412_HDR.jpg (98.8 KB, 178 views)
File Type: jpg
IMG_20170819_141554479_HDR.jpg (53.8 KB, 175 views)
File Type: jpg
IMG_20170819_201924679.jpg (99.2 KB, 175 views)
File Type: jpg
IMG_20170819_141626750_HDR.jpg (98.4 KB, 175 views)
File Type: jpg
IMG_20170819_141819375_HDR.jpg (78.9 KB, 176 views)
File Type: jpg
IMG_20170819_141711746_HDR.jpg (99.0 KB, 172 views)
File Type: jpg
IMG_20170819_141658586_HDR.jpg (98.5 KB, 175 views)
File Type: jpg
IMG_20170819_202125649.jpg (98.0 KB, 172 views)
File Type: jpg
IMG_20170819_141744780_HDR.jpg (96.2 KB, 175 views)
File Type: jpg
IMG_20170819_141612026_HDR.jpg (97.5 KB, 173 views)
File Type: jpg
IMG_20170819_202019065.jpg (71.6 KB, 173 views)
AAVA Tech is offline  
Old 08-19-17, 08:22 PM
  #4  
Chombi1 
Senior Member
 
Chombi1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 4,457
Mentioned: 102 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1629 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 814 Times in 527 Posts
Looks beautiful! Most likely a custom built frame. Hopefully it's your size.
The intricate lugwork is a definite sign of high quality usually available only from custom frame builders.
From some of the details on the frame, it looks like it might have been built sometime in the mid to late 70's.
BTW, Reynolds 531 tubing is not aluminum. It is a premium quality manganese steel alloy double butted tubing with a long history in cycling, used by builders of quality framesets. It was also used to build frames for competition and record setting cars and motorcycles.
__________________
72 Line Seeker
83 Davidson Signature
84 Peugeot PSV
84 Peugeot PY10FC
84 Gitane Tour de France.
85 Vitus Plus Carbone 7
86 ALAN Record Carbonio
86 Medici Aerodynamic (Project)
88 Pinarello Montello
89 Bottecchia Professional Chorus SL
95 Trek 5500 OCLV (Project)

Last edited by Chombi1; 08-19-17 at 08:25 PM.
Chombi1 is offline  
Old 04-22-20, 07:06 PM
  #5  
AAVA Tech
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 7
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Hey Chombi 1, I know it's been 5 freekin' years since you were kind enough to reply to my post but a lot has been going on and i had to put the bike
up until I could find the time to deal with it. And thanks for all the info. I've since found the company, still in existence, near Flint, MI. (..just now)
The frame was made by Matt Assenbacker, then in Mt. Pleasant, MI. A good job indeed and a great choice of components. I'm hoping to get it restored this spring.
So even given our circumstances here in the US I'll give 'em a a call and see if they're like to see some pics. Maybe they even have a few rolling around up there in Flint.
I hope you're doing well and are safe and sound at home. Take care of yourself and happy cycling.
Mark - Ann Arbor, MI

Last edited by AAVA Tech; 04-22-20 at 07:10 PM.
AAVA Tech is offline  
Old 04-22-20, 08:43 PM
  #6  
juvela
Senior Member
 
juvela's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Alta California
Posts: 14,324
Mentioned: 414 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3781 Post(s)
Liked 3,284 Times in 2,145 Posts
-----

the name is Assenmacher

https://www.assenmachers.com/about/our-history-pg56.htm

Assenmacher, main

https://www.bikeforums.net/search.php?searchid=7964025

-----
juvela is offline  
Old 04-22-20, 08:59 PM
  #7  
zukahn1 
Senior Member
 
zukahn1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Fairplay Co
Posts: 9,582

Bikes: Current 79 Nishiki Custum Sport, Jeunet 620, notable previous bikes P.K. Ripper loop tail, Kawahara Laser Lite, Paramount Track full chrome, Raliegh Internatioanl, Motobecan Super Mirage. 59 Crown royak 3 speed

Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 786 Post(s)
Liked 1,706 Times in 620 Posts
Great bike from a lesser known American maker I just love most of the independent lesser known American hand built frames from the 70's and 80's. There just seemed to be a bit of art to these this one has hand finished blunted smoothed fancy lugs very mice.
zukahn1 is offline  
Old 01-21-22, 05:28 PM
  #8  
sd5782 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Toledo Ohio
Posts: 1,501

Bikes: 1964 Huffy Sportsman, 1972 Fuji Newest, 1973 Schwinn Super Sport (3), 1982 Trek 412, 1983 Trek 700, 1989 Miyata 1000LT, 1991 Bianchi Boardwalk, plus others

Mentioned: 21 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 577 Post(s)
Liked 686 Times in 385 Posts
FYI to anyone interested, I see a Craigslist posting in Ann Arbor Michigan for this bike. Same pics. I am not involved in any way with this sale. I thought it may be of interest considering a recent discussion of American frame builders.

https://annarbor.craigslist.org/bik/d/ann-arbor-vintage-matthews-10-speed/7435576582.html


Last edited by cb400bill; 01-21-22 at 07:33 PM. Reason: Fixed link. Added pic.
sd5782 is offline  
Old 01-22-22, 01:09 AM
  #9  
Doug Fattic 
framebuilder
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Niles, Michigan
Posts: 1,459
Mentioned: 50 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 610 Post(s)
Liked 1,905 Times in 647 Posts
Matt Assenmacher and I share a similar history. We are both frame builders in Michigan that learned in Yorkshire England. Although his shop in the eastern part is more than 200 miles from mine in the south west. Our marketing areas don't really overlap. He went (as already noted) to Bob Jackson in Leeds about 1973. His college degree is from Central Michigan University in Mt Pleasant. That is in the upper middle part of the lower peninsula and where he began making and painting his frames under the trade name "Mathews" (his 1st name). In 1977 he moved his operation further east to Swartz Creek, MI not too far from Flint. Flint was a car manufacturing town until it wasn't. It was famous a few years ago for its water problems. He then started using his last name to brand his frames. He also ran a full service bike store so that limited his frame painting and building. He recently moved his bike shop again and no longer offering painting services.

I went to Ellis Briggs in Shipley West Yorkshire in 1975 after I got my teaching degrees and had taught high school for a few years. Shipley is in the same metropolitan area as Leeds. The 2 shops were only 17 miles apart although it seemed a lot longer because to get from one to the other required driving on winding city roads with lots of stop lights. I build and paint frames in Niles on the southwest corner of Michigan just north of Notre Dame University and South Bend, Indiana.

Matt and I have always had a friendly relationship. Both Ellis Briggs and Bob Jackson offered painting services. That knowledge has served us both very well once we started our own businesses in the Michigan. He taught me something really important about painting. Dust nibs in paint is much more likely to come through the airline than through the air. Once I put a nearly $1000 filter in the airline just before it goes into the spray booth, I greatly decreased that problem. I've passed this information on to my colleagues too (including Joe Bell - who was surprised like I was at the news).

Someone needs to interview Matt about his experiences living and learning to build frames in Leeds. Just for reference Bob Jackson's is where Kevin Sayles (now at Woodrup's in Leeds) got his start. They may have been at Jackson's at the same time but maybe Matt had left before Kevin got started there.
Doug Fattic is online now  
Old 01-23-22, 03:38 PM
  #10  
beech333
Fuji Fan
 
beech333's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Oswego, Il
Posts: 1,942

Bikes: Was Fuji and got my grails (Pro, Pro SR, Design Series, & Ti). Now I hunt 50's and older road bikes.

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 150 Post(s)
Liked 161 Times in 106 Posts
If only that were a 1/2" shorter, I would pick that up and put an apostrophe on it. It's a nice looking frame.
beech333 is offline  
Old 01-25-22, 10:37 PM
  #11  
AAVA Tech
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 7
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
If it were an inch shorter I'd be keeping it!
Thanks for the background also, Doug. I spoke with Matt earlier last spring. A very kind man indeed.
He offered me a bit of info on the time frame the frame was built and so forth. I hope to get up to his shop here in Michigan
sometime soon.

Last edited by AAVA Tech; 01-25-22 at 10:41 PM.
AAVA Tech is offline  
Old 01-28-22, 06:50 PM
  #12  
beech333
Fuji Fan
 
beech333's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Oswego, Il
Posts: 1,942

Bikes: Was Fuji and got my grails (Pro, Pro SR, Design Series, & Ti). Now I hunt 50's and older road bikes.

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 150 Post(s)
Liked 161 Times in 106 Posts
Judging by the saddle height in the photo, I would have assumed it was too short for you. GLWS!
beech333 is offline  
Old 01-09-23, 07:30 AM
  #13  
Kevlar55
Newbie
 
Join Date: Jan 2023
Posts: 5
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times in 2 Posts
Originally Posted by Doug Fattic
Matt Assenmacher and I share a similar history. We are both frame builders in Michigan that learned in Yorkshire England. Although his shop in the eastern part is more than 200 miles from mine in the south west. Our marketing areas don't really overlap. He went (as already noted) to Bob Jackson in Leeds about 1973. His college degree is from Central Michigan University in Mt Pleasant. That is in the upper middle part of the lower peninsula and where he began making and painting his frames under the trade name "Mathews" (his 1st name). In 1977 he moved his operation further east to Swartz Creek, MI not too far from Flint. Flint was a car manufacturing town until it wasn't. It was famous a few years ago for its water problems. He then started using his last name to brand his frames. He also ran a full service bike store so that limited his frame painting and building. He recently moved his bike shop again and no longer offering painting services.

I went to Ellis Briggs in Shipley West Yorkshire in 1975 after I got my teaching degrees and had taught high school for a few years. Shipley is in the same metropolitan area as Leeds. The 2 shops were only 17 miles apart although it seemed a lot longer because to get from one to the other required driving on winding city roads with lots of stop lights. I build and paint frames in Niles on the southwest corner of Michigan just north of Notre Dame University and South Bend, Indiana.

Matt and I have always had a friendly relationship. Both Ellis Briggs and Bob Jackson offered painting services. That knowledge has served us both very well once we started our own businesses in the Michigan. He taught me something really important about painting. Dust nibs in paint is much more likely to come through the airline than through the air. Once I put a nearly $1000 filter in the airline just before it goes into the spray booth, I greatly decreased that problem. I've passed this information on to my colleagues too (including Joe Bell - who was surprised like I was at the news).

Someone needs to interview Matt about his experiences living and learning to build frames in Leeds. Just for reference Bob Jackson's is where Kevin Sayles (now at Woodrup's in Leeds) got his start. They may have been at Jackson's at the same time but maybe Matt had left before Kevin got started there.
Hi Doug, I'm sure you now know this, but yes I was at Jackson's when Matt was also there, I started at Jackson's in 1971, Matt turned up in 1974, cheers Kevin
Kevlar55 is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
veloham
Classic & Vintage
31
03-08-19 02:23 PM
bargainguy
Classic and Vintage Bicycles: Whats it Worth? Appraisals.
9
05-26-16 11:07 AM
4funbikes
Classic & Vintage
19
06-05-12 01:44 PM
rockles
Classic & Vintage
7
09-23-11 02:24 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.