[CR]Re: [CR ] About Mike Melton

(Example: Framebuilding:Tubing:Falck)

References: <362a29b90809302020r242bebd9t12383839514822c@mail.gmail.com>
To: bob@sutterfields.us, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Date: Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:26:16 -0400
In-Reply-To: <362a29b90809302020r242bebd9t12383839514822c@mail.gmail.com>
From: "Dale Brown" <oroboyz@aol.com>
Subject: [CR]Re: [CR ] About Mike Melton

Bob wrote: << Fillet brazed (except the lugged fork crown) with a Marathon lateral between the headset and the 140mm rear dropouts. 26.6mm seat tubes, which I'm told is a mutt spec because a standard box-o-pipes tube set (from two of which a tandem was assembled) didn't have enough of the right sizes.>>

Not quite sure why you say this... Mike Melton made quite a (albeit short) career of expertly building tandems with very specific tubing. To have heavier gauge seat tubes (hence smaller seat post size) would be relatively logical for a purpose built, filet brazed tandem frame.

Mike began his bike making career by visiting and being positively impressed by San Rensho in Japan when in the Navy in the VietNam era. He returned to the States in the late 1960's and set up shop in South Carolina. He was a cat 1 racer (his wife Debbie also a top racer) and made frames there until around 1980. They moved back to home State of Ohio and with an investor, set up a largish tandem production shop that received national attention, with additional press due to his use of Vietnamese imigrant workers. But his business floundered after just a few years and was closed (mid 80s?) Mike then took a job with the Huffy Development Center and developed the famous "funny bikes" for the USA team, including Greg Lemond. I have a really neat video tape of Mike in that facility, demonstrating the building of a track frame.

I last saw Mike at the bike show about 6 years ago, shortly before the closing of the Huffy facility. He was always very talented and personable guy. He and his wife had gotten into horses rather than bikes but not sure what they are doing these days....

Dale Brown cycles de ORO Bike Shop 1410 Mill Street Greensboro, North Carolina 27408 USA 336-274-5959 http://cyclesdeoro.com http://www.classicrendezvous.com http://www.carolinacup.com http://www.greensborovelo.com http://www.bikegso.org http://nbda.com

-----Original Message----- From: Bob Sutterfield <bob@sutterfields.us> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Sent: Tue, 30 Sep 2008 11:20 pm Subject: [CR]Melton tandem

Hello,

Last spring we took custody (via a Craigslist ad) of a red Melton tandem. Fillet brazed (except the lugged fork crown) with a Marathon lateral between the headset and the 140mm rear dropouts. 26.6mm seat tubes, which I'm told is a mutt spec because a standard box-o-pipes tube set (from two of which a tandem was assembled) didn't have enough of the right sizes. 1" steerer, Phil hubs, TA cranks, SunTour VX derailleurs setup 3x7 with bar-end shifters, Mafac cantilevers, Campy headset, Arai drum, it's all here.

It has no identifying marks other than the Melton decals on the down and boom tubes. No head badge. No tube decals from Reynolds etc. No serial numbers or dates or anything else stamped into the BB shells or anywhere else I can think to look.

It attracts attention wherever we go, more I think than a modern tandem would. It draws admiring looks and lots of questions, particularly from guys who are, shall we say, beyond their salad days.

Can anyone help me learn more about this lovely bike? When and where was Mike Melton building tandems, and how might I narrow down the period during which this was built?

Thanks for any info you can share!
--
Bob Sutterfield
Saratoga California USA