A WONDERFUL BICYCLING FEAT.

Evening Star, Issue 6761, 28 November 1884, Page 4

A WONDERFUL BICYCLING FEAT.

; The ' Sportsman' of Ootober 8 has the following account of an extraordinary cycling contest, which came off the day previous on the cinder track at the Crystal Palace, the conditions of the ride being that Hillier, an accomplished member of almost all the c'uba in or near London, being twenty-eight years of age, should compete against Major Knox Holmes, aged seventyseven, in a ten hours' ride, miles for years, consequently Hillier had to concede fortynine miles at the end of the journey. Laßt season on the same track the Major rode fifty miles against time, when he completed -ten miles in 53min 48seo, twenty miles in 1 hour 47min; thirty miles, 2 hours 50min 19sec; fory miles, 3 hours 45min 15sec; fifty miles, 4 hours 43min 26sec. It will be seen, therefore, that the gallant and placky officer on this occasion beat his own record as compared with his previous performance. The Major was coached along by A. Santer (Star 8.C.) on a bicycle, who never left him from start to finish ; A. Nixon (captain L.8.C.) also mounted on a bicycle; and W. S. Holding (Facile Club) on a tricycle, Hillier was accompanied by W. Brown (Brixton Ramblers 8.C.), and later on by J. Smith (manager of the Surrey Machine Company), and A. J. Fade (North London Tricycle Club) on a hunter tandem. Mr G. Pembroke Coleman, N.0.U., was laptaker and timekeeper, assisted in the former occupation by Mr B. Holmes, the Major's son. In fine vi either, but with a rather stiff breeza, the competitors were sont away at 5.5 a.m., the Major on a tricycle and Hillier on his old familiar two-wheeled machine, The latter naturally made a good start, but the wind proved very troublesome to him at the pace he was going. 'About ten o'clock rain began to fall, still accompanied by a strong wind, and with a few pauses continued to annoy him to the end of his arduous duties. Hillier, who in the fifty-first, fiftysecond, fifty-third, and fifty-fourth mile beat record time, dismounted when he had covered fifty-six miles, and after a rest of 26min remounted and went on. He stopped again at 101 miles one lap for 10min45seo. The Major also sought retirement after completing seventy-four miles for smin 30sec, but neither of them left the saddle ag.in ti'l their task was completed, At 12l| miles, Hillier, suffering from a sore foot, slackened up, but soon afterwards, recovering himself, dashed along in grand style, When the

Major's score stood at 100 miles (time, 8h 30min 6 sec) it was generally thought he would retire, instead of which, however, after taking some slight refreshment, on he went to the end without resting for a moment, though he looked rather fagged at the finish. Hillier also, at 8h 30tnin, had ridden 125J miles. And so they went on till six o'clock, darkness having almost completely set in, when the result proved to be a victory for the Major, his score being for the ten hours 115 miles 260 yds, andHillier's 146 miles 250 yds, the officer thus winning by 18 mileß 10yds—a most wonderful performance.