THE WHEEL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1247, 23 January 1896, Page 27

THE WHEEL.

“ Cyclometer” will at all times be pleased to receive contributions, correspondence, news items, reports of meetings, suggestions, and other matter interesting to cyclists. Correspondents and contributors must send tbeir full names and addresses, not necessarily for publication, but as a guarantee of the genuineness of their communications ; write on one side of the paper only, and address : > “Cyclometer,” New Zealand Mail. FIXTURES. Februai’y 6, S. —International Cycling Carnival at Christchurch, under N.Z.C.U. rules. Entries close February Ist. February 22. —Wellington Cycling Club’s First Annual Race Meeting, under N.Z.C.A. rules. Entries close February 10th. W.C.C. RUNS AND ROAD RACES. January 25 —Run to Queen’s Drive February B—Fifty-mileß—Fifty-mile Club Championship February 15 —Run to Taita February 2$ —Run to Bolmont March 7 —Handioap Road Race, Taita to Telephone Exchange March 14 —Run to Ohariu (Runs start from club-room at 2.30 p.m.) ' TO CORRESPONDENT. Reuqrd-breajcer ” (Feilding).—No apace this issue. Will give them next week.

SPOKES.

By “Cyclometer,

A correspondent signing himself "Tyro” •—th6 Tiovi de plxxme is very apropos, by-the-way, for he has shown himself to be the veriest of tyros in two of the first essentials of those who write for the press : he has not yet mastered the art of speaking the truth with regard to what he is writing, and he also shows a lamentable lack of knowledge of the subjects he handles—has some notes from Wellington in the last issue of the New Zealand; Whepfipan. I do not know who. fhis individqal is, but he Really ought to. epdeayour to be more accurate b.eforo h© rushes into print. He has a UUhlber of grievances, the chief of which seems to be that Smith won two races and scored two seconds at the local Caledonian sports, thus gaining <£ll in trophies. These are Smith’s first wins on the track, and he has ridden at all meetings since the first half of last season. With a wail which sounds very much like the wail of a disappointed competitor, this writer infers that Smith hung back in the earlier races of the present season, in order that the handicapping would enable him to bag the larger prizes at this ipeetipg. And yet he credit's Slmith with wjpniixg by more than gkar.fc—^ -and he did—in the five-mile race, Would Smith have done this if he had been “ riding cunning ” ? The public —and they are good judges—were, judging by the applause, quite satisfied with Smith’s victories, as also were they with Muir’s.

"Tyro” also has a sad wail about the handicapping for these races, hinting that the starts given were too big. The limit in each race was only 100 yards per xrple, whereas in all first-class races in Australia and New Zealand tlie limit is rarely undei; the‘rate pf 15b, yards per mile. In the big Austral and Sydney Wheel Races, distance two miles, the limit is as much as 325 yards.’ 1 tfiero was any injustice in the handicapping, it was in riot giving Lucy a slight' start of Jeffrey and Muir, but then in the five-mile he rode a good second to Muir and beat Jeffrey for third place, thus showing that he was quite good enough to be on the mark with them. To show his knowledge—or, rather, want of knowledge—of what he is writing about, I o-ive the following record of the events : Four races—Smith won two and was second in two, the only competitor receiving a start who secured a place ; Muir (scratch) won two and was second m two Jeffrey (scratch) third in two events, and Lucy (scratch)- also third in two races Ample proof that this critic is a tyro . -he position of handicapper is a thankless one, but , . o re almost unanimous in S2tSs‘KWri gtt - r that duty in a creditable and a satisfactory manner.

The next complaint of “ Tyro is that some of t£e limit men were " utter novices some ot u loarnt to control their and_had n TS V. - thafc’ this ' infeonipemachmes, . and Tincrev find tcdev on the' part "of Castle, lingey anu Nifedf Wds 'tfio bkiise' of “ casualties,. each $ thess doming ’ a 'cropper twice. T^ngey, Vidius * httlo more

than two months, was the only rider who could be called a novice, and it was due more to a leaking tyre that he slipped at the corners than from bad riding on his part. Nicol has been on the track for two seasons, and rides very steadily, but he is an unlucky rider. Castle has been riding for more than five years, but this is his first season on the track. Rather oldfashioned novices these two! It wasTingey who caused Nicol to fall on both occasions, while on the second occasion he brought down Castle also. And, let me add, Castle did not cropper twice; in the two-mile race the tyre of his wheel was cut before he had gone two hundred yards.

And now I come to a personal matter upon which “Tyro” touches. Pie says : “I notice that ‘Cyclometer/ of the N.Z. Mail, is acting as Australasian correspondent to The Bearings.” Where “Tyro” gets his information from I cannot say, but as a reader of The Bearings, T must say that I have not yet come across any Australasian notes in that journal over the signature of “ Cyclometer,” Has someone been “ pulling ‘ Tyro’s ’ leg ” ?

The Christchurch Cycling Club have issued a first-rate programme for their International Cycling Carnival at Christchurch on February 6th and Sth. There will be 13 events, seven on the first day and six on the second, for which the total prize-money amounts to .£143 10s. The chief event is the New Zealand Wheel Race, two miles, for which the prizes are .£2O, ,£5 and «£2 ; the next being the Ten-mile International Test Race (scratch), with .£ls, «£5 and <£2 prizes, while the prizes for the Five-mile Provincial Championship are .£lO, .£3 and .£l. It is a really good programme, and should materially help along the cash branch of the sport in this colony. It is announced that A. W, Plarris, W. Martin, O. Porta and PI. J. Pither will come across from Australia to compete. The presence of the English, American and Italian cracks should ensure a big gate, while everyone will go to see Pither, the ex-New Zealand amateur champion. Entries are due on February-Tst.

The Wellington Cycling Club’s programme for their sports on February 22nd is to hand. It comprises 13 events —nine bicycle and four flat—for which a sum of <£s2 will be distributed in trophies. The prizes for the Five-mile Championship will be —Ist, gold medal valued at <£3 and open order for £1 ; 2nd, gold medal; 3rd, silver medal, Mr Inglis presents the first i>rize fox the Ladies’ Bracelet, which is valued at four guineas. The other events have all good prizes allotted, while the prizes for the flat races are larger than usual. Given fine weather, the sports should be a great success from both a sporting and a financial point of view.

The following are donors of prizes for the W.C.C.’s sports: —G. and T. Young, N. Oates, Evening Post, McKee and Gamble, Inglis Bros., F. Grady, Jenness and Co,, F. W. J. Fear, Hosie and B,el> u D. Brand, R. P. Hood, J. B. Grove and S'. E. Wright.

Herman Jessup informs me that the Christchurch manufacturers who inspected his 241 b American mount, upon which he l’ode from Nelson to Christchurch, were much pleased with it. Mr N. Oates’ opinion was that it was an adjective “good machine,” while Mr Simpson, of the Kent Works, was so pleased with its running qualities and its general construction that he asked to be allowed to take its measurements. Mr Adams, of the Star Cycle Works, also spoke well of the machine, and Mr A. Wildey, of the New Zealand Wheelman, had a satisfactory spin on it.

The W.C.C.’s run for Saturday next will hp round the Queen’s Drive, starting from the. club-room, Willis street, at 2.30 p.m.

At Lancaster Park, Christchurch, on Friday afternoon, J. Boyd, of the Christchurch Cycling Club, lowered the New Zealand one-mile bicycle record to 2min lOsec, which is 9see better than the previous record, held by T. Clarkson.

With regard to the idiotic by-law dealing with cycling recently passed by the l£angitikei County Council, a correspondpr»t to a Rangitikei paper stages that while out driving 'two' cyclists passed, who totally disregarded the new by-law as to dismoxxnting, but the horse showed no signs of fear. Shortly afterwards, however, a reaper and binder was encouutei’ed, with the result that the horse was very much frightened and almost capsized the vehicle. While not suggesting that reapers and binders should be debarred fyam using the roads, the writer remarks that his object in citing this instance is to show that what is deemed harmless by the Coxincil may often be a source of danger to the public, while the bicycle, which the councillors considered dangerous, when ridden with ordinary care may he quite harmless. For the by-law to be condemned, by. those wlum it was desjgfied to protect is strong condemnation indeed, and the sooner it is repealed

the less ridicule will the R.C.C. be subjected to.

The New Zealand Wheelman is suffering from a severe attack of modesty, which shows sigus of becoming chronic. Dr T. M. Lucy, the famous Wellington specialist in such complaints, has the patient in hand, and has prescribed a liberal dose of “ borax.”

The Bulletin is death on a man when he is down, and that’s when it seizes the opportunity to hit hard. It handles Zim. exceedingly rough since the champion was downed by Pither and Walker, and now because Parsons—who was the first to defeat Zim. in Australia—has been beaten by A. W. Harris, its heel is upon the Australian, while the Englishman is its wdiiteheaded boy. It is a significant fact that, notwithstanding the Bulletin’s screech as to Zim. being done, no rider in Australia has yet come forward to accept the Yank’s challenge.

It is said that Messrs Earl and Pepper, w r ho rode a tandem geared to lJOin, and fitted with one of Appleby’s ordinary pattern chains, have reduced the one-mile tandem record to the extraordinary time of 1.25 2-5. The course was a portion of the Great North road, near Luton.

The following is (says the Bulletin) an American definition of an amateur: —“A man who never has, never will, and never can win a race.”

It is said that Zimmerman will cut his Australian tour short, as he was cabled for the other day in connection with the business of his company.

When Colonel Pope, the great American cycle manufacturer, and his family go on a cycle tour they do it in style. A baggage van goes with them, carrying their traps, and an extra man to clean the machines and oil up.

How does it sound now P “ I have been racing since ’B7, and in ’94 1 won .101 scratch races out of 104. He spoke cautiously of the Australian riders.” Early press interview with Zim. And in ’95, just after all these brilliant successes, to be successively downed by Parsons, Pither and Walker—men unknown to the world ! —Bulletin.

Be not wise in thine own eyes, for he who knoweth it all in Cycling getteth the loud, resonant laugh from the populace.

Reprove not the Scorcher, lest in an unguarded movement he run thee down: rebuke a wise rider, and he will love thee —nit.

Note carefully those words which say, “ Keep off the Sidewalk,” so that thou mayest ride in the way of good men and keep the paths of the righteous.

Heaviness of the heart maketh weary the back of a man, as does likewise a century run over a rough road<

Better is it to ride behind oxen than to have an accident hajxpen xxnto thy Wheel when thou art a-weary and miles from a railroad station.

The light of the righteous rejoiceth, but the lamp of the wicked goeth oixt, and the park Policeman doeth not a thing to him —verily, not a thing.

Let not speed and truth forsake thee ; bind them about thy neck; write them upon the tablet of thy heart—except when the Handicapper be present, for then thou shalt be. a short-marked men with such things abeaxt then.

The simple believeth every word, but the wise rider writeth a letter unto his favourite paper and asketli many questions, after which he signetli " Old Rider.”

When thou sitteth to talk with the Buyer of those chariots men call cycles, l’efuse not hastily the noxious weed which he mayost offer, lest the Buyex*, seeing thou art no Drummer, may say unto thee, " Go to !”

Labour not to get rich ; get for thyself Speed; then thou mayest acquire "great wealth, and thy bxow shall bear no marks of Toil.

See that thou incJinetli thine ear to the bell tinkles, thine eyes to seeing and thine heart to understanding. In this way thou mayest perchance escape the Scorcher.

Pleasant words are as honey, sweet to the soul, but when thou hearest them from the lips of tlie Seller of Cycles, beware, lest he jolly thee.

Let thine eyes look straight before thee, lest the Refei*ee deal ou,t disqualification, and give the race fipto another.

The foi'egoing clever " Cyclists’ Proverbs ” are taken from Wheel Talk, that useful little weekly published by Messrs Morgan and Wright, of Chicago.

The Stipendiary Magistrate was occupied, for several hours last week in hearing a case in which J. Hodgson, a porter at the Lower Hutt Railway Station, sued the Gear Meat Company for <£.9 15s, damages for injuries received lo himself and bicycle through a collision which occurred Svitk a butcher’s cart belonging to the Company on the H u tt road on November 2nd last. Mr Wilford appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr Treadwell for the defendant Company. The casd for tlie plaintiff was that when near Casey's Hotel on the might in question he saw by the light of his lamp a cart'crossing the road in front of kin* about six or seven away, <vnd corning towards him,. He rang his bell, and shouted and tried to stop, and the man in the cart jerked the reins, the result being that plaintiff’s bicycle collided with the cart, and he waa. thrown down, and, hhnbinvole.-wp.

j injured through the horse kicking it. The f driver of the vehicle, John Brugh, stated that the bicycle came between him and the kerbing and struck the steps of the cart. He did not pull his horse back, nor did he hear plaintiff call out or ring his bell. A large amount of evidence was called, and Mr Martin ultiI mately reserved his decision.

The Wellington Cycling Club’s road race from the Lower Hutt Bailway Station to the Telephone Exchange, eight and a half miles, on Saturday afternoon was run under anything but favourable circumstances, and as the competitors arrived at the winning post they were almost unrecognisable owing to the liberal coating of mud in which they were enveloped. The starters were —T. M. Lucy, G. Jeffrey and H. G. Smith, scratch ; J. Brodie, 70sec, and H. Crease, SOsec. Brodie won the race with ease by nearly 50sec, the three scratch men arriving next in a bunch, Lucy beating Jeffrey by two feet for second place, while Smith was the same distance behind the latter. The winner’s actual time was 27min 50see. Lucy, who was second, arrived 40 seconds later than the winner. Mr Tydeman was timekeeper, Mr D. Brand starter, and Mr W. P. Christie judge.

Mrs F. B. Fowles has started (says a Bangitikei paper) on her bicycle trip of 100 miles to Wellington by way of Wairarapa. She will visit friends at Carterton and then go on to Wellington.