CYCLING NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 9581, 29 December 1894, Page 2 (Supplement)

CYCLING NOTES.

[By Rotor.]

Correspondence and queries are invited, and must be addressed to "Itover," editor of Cycling Notes, office of thifl paper.

Last week again the roads were alive with cyclists, but I have not heard of many trips far afield. . ** .

Mr R. Crow is away among the Lakes, and at time of writing must be somewhere near the Sutherland Falls.

Mr M'Nab, of the Otago Club here, came up from Invercargill one day last week in the reported time of eleven hours odd. What a pity his times were not officially taken.

To-day the Otago Cycling Club's annual fixture takes place, and it is noteworthy that no less than seven competitors have broken the existent records at some time or other. The three-mile championship, when fought out between such riders as Reynolds,, Pitner, Jones, Hayward, Hall, Stedman,' M'Kenzie, and Emeraou—to say nothing of the lesser lights—should be: worth a pilgrimage to witness. lam not at all anxious i to anticipate the events, and it seems to me that all competitors have been well placed by the hon. handicappers, whose duty must j have this time been an arduous one. I believe the O.C.C. are holding a smoke con- j cert this evening, at which prizes are to be ■ presented to successful competitors. ! But two local men were well in at the Pioneer Bicycle Club's fixture on Boxing Day, Mr H. Cameron obtaining a first in the one and three-mile roadster events, and a second in the two-mile, and Mr Maw a third in the Ladies' Bracelet. Mr Cameron also takes a very fine cup for most points in the roadster events.

Going home after dusk the other evening I recognised a well-known voice asking for paste, and on looking round perceived a group of cyclists earnestly engaged in billsticking. There is a future for energetic young men in this colony. Kow that the Henley road race is over many wise people are beginning to blame the handicappers, for, as is known, the first three men were on the limits. Has it struck anyone that the scratch men could not make use of their speed over the greater part of the journey owing to the state of the roads. A limit man has always a better chance on the rough road. FOREIGN JOTTINGS. John S. Johnson has ridden a mile over a straightaway course in the marvellous time of lmin 35 2-ssec. The following is a short report of the ride: — Rain fell at intervals all the morning, but the Tonawanda Boulevard at Buffalo was found to be in excellent condition at four o'clock. The wind was very cold, and at the back of the rider; and the first quarters of the course was down hill, the second quarter up hill at about the same incline, and the third and fourth quarters comparatively level. Johnson went back half a mile behind the starting tape, and the pacing quadruple started from this point with Johnson hugging the back wheel, and riding with apparent ease. The first quarter (down grade) was covered in 21 2-ssee, the second quarter (uphill) in 25 2-ssec, the j third quarter in just 25see. Two of the pacers showed the effects of the terrible pace in this quarter, and slowed up a little. When the men on the quadruplet crossed the line Johnson was not a foot behind the back wheel. The official time for the mile was lmin 35 2-53 ec, although one timekeeper made it lmin 35sec. Johnson dismounted in a very fresh condition from his machine, which was geared to 80in. He said he had ridden within the limit of his powers, and thinks he can reduce the record to lmin 30sec. He used Morgan and Wright tyres. From the reports published in the American papers now to hand, it would appear that Otto Ziegler, the new American crack, really dfd ride a mile at Sacramento on October 16 in the time of 1.50. It was a flying start, paced by tandem teams, Ziegler sprinting his pacers at the finish. His first quarter was 26 3-5; half, 53 3-5; threequarters, 1.23. Several watches made it just over 1.49 at the finish, but as one showed 1.50 that time was taken. Ziegler has since reduced the quarter to 25 1-5, riding without pacers. At the Waltham traJc, U.S.A., on October 27, Harry C. Tyler, the American crack, rode a flying mile in the time of lmin 48 3-ssec. The intermediate times were : Quarter, 26 l-ssec; third, 35sec; half, 53 2-ssec; two-thirds, lmin 12 2-ssec; three-quarters, lmin 21 3-ssec ; mile, 1 min 48 3-ssec. Both this performance and Ziegler's have now been eclipsed by J. 0. Johnson's wonderful performance of lmin i 35 2-ssec.

A fine copy of the ' Australian Cyclist' is to hand from'the Dunlop Tyre Company. In it are several photos and a long and interesting description of the Austral Wheel Race.