A DAY'S CYCLING.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 666, 6 May 1914, Page 3

A DAY'S CYCLING.

useful T.ii , y I'Dr thl: wheel-" MAN. Tin pleasure to be derived from a U ay's cycling depends considerably upon the adequacy of tlic arrangements made for it. First of all. you should settle the nature of-your day's outing. Is st. to be a hard day's run, in wl-kli fifty or even a lvimlred milc.3 are. to lie covered, or is it to be the equivalent of a more or less aimless iamble on foot, in which your bicycle is merely to be used ns a plmrant way' of getting about from spot to spot ?

Decide in advance ono way or another. If you mn';s up your mind to get ito a certain place before dark, map out roughly the stages of your journey, and see that you keep up to time at each, for otherwise you will have a hard and fatiguing run at the end of the day.

Similarly, if your object is to have a day's pottering about, make it an aimless one from the beginning, do not, fix tlis village at which you are to lunch, and do not even decide upon a definite route. There is pleasure in -both styles of riding, but they should be kept dist'inet. OVERHAULING YOUR MOUNT. Another important factor in thf day's enjoyment is to see that youi; machine is in thorough order, and this applies especially to a hard, lcng-distance journey. - A machine that has a slightly defective tyre may be all right for short-d'iatance work, but it is extremely disconcerting to have to pull up for the purpose of inflating a defective tube just when you have got into your stride on a long trip. The clothes to be worn for a day's cycling depend upon which of the two kinds of cycling you are to enjoy.

If you-are only pottering about on your machine, you ran wear any sort of clothes that the weather and your fancy may dictate, but i'i you are testing your endurance by a long journey, it is hard to beat the conventional, though somewhat unsightly costume usually adopted by members of cycling clubs —namely, knickers, a jacket, shoes, and a sweater.

PREVENTING A CHILL.

The most important thing is that the clothes next to your skin should be wool, for when these are wet with perspiration there is less danger of a chill resulting than if they •were cotton.

As to food, all authorities arc agreed that the heaviest meal on a day's cycling run should come in the evening. The breakfast should be sustaining and substantial, but not much ought to be eaten at midday. The question of drank is a less important one at the present season of the year than it will be later on, when the roads are dry and the cycl'ist's throat parched. Alcohol in any shape or form should be avoided till the end of the day's work. Ginger-bread is a fairly good drink to ride upon, but milk-and-soda is probably better. In any case; one should avoid that abomination beloved of certain wheelmen, the meat tea- The action o! tea upon meat is to make it indigestible, and if the stomach is upset, the run in the evening cannot b' a pleasant one. IN CASE OF ACCIDENTS. Part of the pleasure to be derived from a day in the cycle saddle is the feel'ing of independence that the wheelman possesses. He should foster this by providing himself with a lamp, even though he does not intend to ride after dark, for if a puncture or other circumstance makes it necessary for him to dc so, he is provided for the occasion and does not have to sprint at breakneck speed for the last few miles.

He should also provide himself v/itl? a sufficiency of "money. Iniependent as he is of trains when everything is sroing well witb him, an unfortunate accident may make it necessary for him to return by rail. Apart from an accident to his machine, he '.ray strain a leg, which makes further riding a hardship, and it is ■pleasant to know that he can pay for 'the necessary ticket without goinn; to a stranger for a lean. Hid experienced cyclist does not, 01 course, anticipate accidents or difficulties, but if he is wise he pro■■ides for them. CHOOSING A CHUM. His choice of a companion for a day's cycle run depcnls upon your own speed and inclinations. A man who is in the thick of business during his working days may be glad to be alone when he is on a cycle spin, but another may be equally anxious to have someone to chat with. It is important that, whatever else your companion may be, he should possess an equable temper, for ever in the best planned cycle spins there are' some trifles which might ruffle the irritable. He should also be similarly disposed to yourself in the matter of speed ideals, and should not be oi the kind which takes pride in keeping a hundred yards in front of you. Given decent weather, pleasant company, and a good machine, and there is nothing to beat a day's cycling for making a man fit for the work of the coming week. —"The Modern Man."