CYCLING.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 142, 17 June 1899, Page 4 (Supplement)

CYCLING.

The cycling contributor to the 'Weekly Press,' says:— T hear that steps are to be. taken—they may have been by this—to represent to the International Cyclists' Union of England that they could not have had matters put fully and clearly before them to have affiliated the. League of Wheelmen with them as the governing body of cycling of all classes for New Zealand. Probably reports of the meeting at which the alleged disbandinent of the New Zealand Cyclists' Alliance was carried were placed before, the Union without any of the explanations and opinions offered as to the legality of such a step and without information of the carrying on of the Alliance. No doubt matters will soon be set right.' Jackson is without doubt the best Australian rider of the day (asserts the Melbourne 'Sportsman.') He is a man of sturdier frame than Bobby .value, and is capable of harder and more continuous training than the lithe Queenslander. With Walne fit and well, he is possibly the Victorian s master, though even that is questionable,, for Jackson has improved wonderfully of late—but with the black and red out of form, there is nobody, in Australia to approach Newhaven.

Though. the English C.T.C. has a membership of 50,000, only about 200 attended the last general meeting. A proposal which came up and only narrowly escaped being given effect to was that the Council should use its endeavours to legalise bicycle riding Oil footpaths.

An objection often put forward to cycling in winter is ' damage to the machine from rust, ■ etc. With regard to this, it may be said that bright parts treated with a good transparent enamel (readily removable with methylated spirit) or a liberal coating of vaseline (to be renewed from time to time, will effectually water proof them, while the enamel on a high grade cycle will come to no harm from mud or any inclemency of the weather. The better class of bearings are to-day practically dirt and waterproof. A ' good geai-case, preferably of the fixed oil-retaining pattern is, of course, a sine qua non, as also a pair of efficient mud-guards.

The balance-sheet of last year's International Cycle Championship meeting, held at Vienna, has now been issued, and shovfl_ a clear profit of £700, which will be divided between the affiliated bodies represented. This year the meeting will be held at Montreal, Canada, where great preparations are being made for the meeting in August next. The question of Australia being represented at this\ meeting still remains in abeyance.

An English exchange tells the following Gilbertian story: 'A cyclist hired a cab. Cabby declined to put the machine on the vehicle. The cyclist was too tired to ride or walk, so it was arranged that the cyclist

should drive the cab and the cabman ride the bicycle. Cabby, however, bungled the steering, crashed into his own horses, upset his own cab, and worked general ruin. The cyclist did not escape, for he was summoned and fined for driving a hackney carriage without a license.