SPOKES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1262, 7 May 1896, Page 26

SPOKES.

By "Cyclometer." A large crowd of people assomblod outside tho General Post Ollico on Wednesday night last week in anticipation of the arrival of Mr A. E. Wakeman, iu his attempt to lower tho bicycle record from Napier to Wellington. At half-past 8 excitement began to rise, and many we're hoard to exclaim, " Will lie do it?" At last a cry went up, "Hero heroines!" A bieyclo light was .-ivan in tho distance, and excitement bog an to rise almost to fever heat as tho light drew gradually nearer. "Ho must be nearly done, poor fellow! Look hoc unsteady ho rides," said a sympathetic individual. "Bah!" said a man, evidently one who had studied human nature and bieyclo riders ; " light's wobbling-woman." And so it turned out to be, but tho lady was applauded by the chagrined crowd as she went past. It wanted but three minutes to go, and the crowd were about to leave, when a small boy yelled out from tho heights of a telegraph pole, " 'Eru 'o c.lines." Three bieyclo lights wore seen, and tho conclusion was immediately jumped at that it was Wakeman and two " pacers." Some of tho more enthusiastic of the crowd yelled for them to "Come on !" as time was then precious. But a hearty laugh went up when the first rider turned out to ho a gentleman, and the " pacers" two ladies. After this second disappointment the crowd thinned considerably.

Tho following letter was received too late for insertion last week. Perhaps some of my readers may know of an agent for " Tho Bantam " in New Zealand : Dear "Cyclometer," -1 have just received from the Crypto Cycle Works, Ltd., 29, Clerk-mwell road, London, a catalogue ol " The Bantam " cycle, from which I send you some of tho advantages claimed :—Very fast, and a capital bill-climber ; the position of the rider in relation to raddle and pedals is much more natural and comfortable than can be secured on a rear-driver without objectionable modifications of frame, &c.; remarkably compact, measuring only 4ft 4in over all, whereas a chain safety measures Git 2in ; a very cloanly machine, mud guards effectually protecting the rider, so that it can be used in

any state of the roads ; the gear gives no trouble, and will outwear half-a-dozen chains. The standard pattern lias sizes—22in, geared to OOin ; 2:!in, geared to (Win ; 2lin. geared to Odin ; weight, with saddle and pedals, about 2S:b. One of (he testimonials is from Mr W. H. Porrift, in which he says :—" Next June 1 shall be 7" years old, but can ride 50 or 00 miles a day comfortably. 1 h.tve abandoned all chain safeties for the ' Bantam,' which is the best machine 1 ever mounted." Also a testimonial from Air J. h' Keates, who is in his 79th year, and has ridden a " Bantam " 50 miles in one day. I enclose printed extracts from Hi" Field, and shall be glad to know through your columns if we have any agency for this machine in the Colony.—l am, &c, Interested. Norsewood, April 27.

Wakeman's second attempt on Fabian's Napier-Wellington record last week was, like the first, unsuccessful, and again his failure was due to unfavourable weather. Leaving Napier under tho most favourable circumstances, ho made splendid time to Waipukurau, but on entering the. Takapau Plain ho met; with a stiff head wind, and the pace dwindled down to a crawl. Still, ho managed to get across inside record time. But another misfortune awaited him. Immediately on entering tho bush which borders the plain the rain began to fall in torrmits, while the cold head wind completely numbed the rider. Wakeman nevertheless struggled on to Danovirko, tho rain pouring down incessantly all the way. As there appeared to bo no prospect of the rain ceasing, he wisely decided to atop at Danovirke and get his clothes dried. The rain did not stop until three hours after he reached Danovirko, and all idea of lowering Fabian's record had to be abandoned. After tho weather had cleared, Wakeman rode on to Carterton, where he put up for tho night, and peddled leisurely into town next day. He is confident that had the rain kept oil ho would have got well within his own figures for the Wol-lington-Napier record.

That eccentric little sheet issued in Christohurch uuder the title of " The Cycling Authority of the Southern Hemisphere " recently Lad an article dealing with tho errors sometimes made by cycling

writers on fins staffs of Now Zealand news journals. The writer very condescendingly remarked that, although the standard of cycling in this portion of the globe could by judged solely by tho "Authority," no objection could be offered to weekly newspapers engaging cycling writers provided those writers were competent. So far, so good, Bui when (ho writer proceeds to point out the enormity of my offence in stating that a standard was "lowered" instead of saying that tho distance was ridden under standard time, it is only right to expect that he will not make any such absurdorror. Yet in tho following issue the "Authority" perpetrates the ridiculous blunder of stating that a record which had never existed had been broken. Thus, in referring to the Wellington to Napier record recently established by Wakeman, it says that he succeeded in "easily breaking tin; previous record made by F. Fabian." As a matter of fact, Fabian has never attempted a Wellington-Napier record, and he is still the holder of the Napier-Wel-lington record, lor Wakeman failed in both his attempts at tho latter record. Perhaps the "Authority " can explain how it is possible to break a record which was never in existence!-' Of course, we can have no objection to the New Zealand Wheelman being so absurd as to claim to la; " Tin' Cycling Authority of the Southern Hemisphere," provided if employs a writer who understands the subject ho handle.-. Tho open orders in connection with tho Wellington Cycling Club's recent, sports have not yet, been paid; nor have the trophy-winners yet. been notified when and where they can obtain their prizes. Woman has at last found her true position in the world (of wheels). Slio will in future lake a bade seat —on a taudoin. A recent issue of Bearings gives illustrations of a Y\n\v combination bicycle ah'rm and roller brake, which has just been brought out by the Johnson Novelty Co., of Indianapolis. The brake is hinged to the bicycle frame over the rear wheel, so that when tin; roller is first brought into contact with the tyre the natural tendency is for the roller to follow the direction of tin; wheel, thus being partially automatic in its action, and the pressure increasing as the roller is drawn forward. The pressure may be increased to any desired extent, and the cll'oct on the tyro is not in the least harmful, all the friction talcing place in tho roller bearings of the spool. The spool is of rubber with metal flanges, which have serrated edges that act upon a steel spring slab when it is desired to use tho brake as a combined alarm. One of the largest bicycle sundry manufacturers in England has closed a contract for its production.

The individual who started the late yarn about the nonoplet (a " bicycle built for nine") which was supposed to be careering over tho roads and tracks of America

was gifted with moro than a vivid imagination ; he must also havo been possessed of the spirit of prophecy, for in that wonderful country the building of a " double quint.," or a bicycle to carry ten riders, is now about to be undertaken by the Barnes Cycle Co., of Syracuse, New York.

Darrell, who is now racing iu Victoria, is, as the Bulletin puts it, an "unbleached American."

L. Barclay, of tho Otago Cycling Club, and A. Dalglcish, of Oamaru, have been having a big tussle for the Oamaru to Dunedin record. On the 22nd nit. Barclay succeeded in lowering Dalgleish's time for tho 78 miles by 2min 20sec, his time being obr dlmin 4-Oscc. Tho following Saturday Dalgleish undertook to regain the record, and this the cash man did by over 20 minutes, covering the distance in ohr 21min.

Waller, Myhre and Co. forward me a tastefully-printed '9(3 catalogue.

On April 25th I;. Barclay succeeded in lowering McKcusdo's Dunedin - Henley record by ssec, and tho figures now stand at lhr 3min losec.

At the Adelaide Easter Cycling Carnival on April 11th A. W. Harris lowered D. Walker's quarter-mile record made in Melbourne a week earlier by 3-osec. From a flying start, and paced by a tandem, he went the distance in 27 3-ssec.

American wheels aro gaining ground in England. In one week recently the estimated value of the exports in cycles and cycling material from tho port of New York, exclusively to Great Britain, was .£SOOO.

The Marquis of Qucensberry and Mr C. B. Lawes, a famous sculptor, recently rode a, ten-mile match road race in England, tho Marquis winning by nearly 2min in 35min Usee. Mr Lawes and the Marquis have both been noted athletes in their younger days, the former having stroked the Cambridge crow 3D years ago, while the latter excelled with the gloves and in crosscountry contests.

The New York correspondent of the Bearings states that it is rumoured that Zimmerman has been engaged as a. cycling writer on The World,

Before leaving on his European racing tour, J. S. Johnson had the somewhat unique pleasure of entertaining a large party of wheelmen and relatives and friends at dinner at his house, which he purchased out of his winnings on the track.

Mr Goschcn, First Lord of the Admiralty, is the latest convert to the cycle.

A triplet geared to 300 in has been built in England. It is fitted with a Simpson chain.

The example of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, America, of carrying bicycles free of charge has boon followed by tho Chicago and Eastern Illinois and tho Chicago and Northern Pacific Railroad Companies.

An automatic brake has been patented by Hyslop, Son and Meßumey, Toronto, Ontario, which is brought into use by the action of back-pedalling. It is fitted to the bottom bracket, and is operated upon by an attachment on tho sprocket wheel. By a fire at the Pope Manufacturing Company'.-; branch establishment iu Boston —a five-storied building, with an elaborate riding school on its top floor—on March 12th, 1700 whools wens destroyed, and tho loss on all the property amounted to £55,000. Some, of tin; employees barely escaped with their lives.

"Tho Jnkobson Three Wheel Tandem Attachment Company" is tho title of a concern iu New York' which has patented an attachment for converting two single machines into a throo-whoelod tandem. By this device the front wheel of one of tho machines is removed and the forks fitted to the axle of tho rear wheel of the front machine, with connecting rods from the bracket of the rear machine and from (he saddle of the front machine to the ~(em of the handle-bar of tin; other. The company is reported to have been rushed with orders. F. W. China is now riding as a professional. It is rumoured tiiat there is still one " pun;" amateur in England. In Washington then; is a lady cyclist who is always accompanied by a coloured footman on a bicycle When his mistress is making a call the footman takes charge of her wheel, afterwards assisting her to remount, and then following her at a respectable distance. Another pneumatic hub has boon placed on tho market, this time by the Renter Motor and Mode! Company, of Chicago, and from the description and the illustrations in Bearings, it appears to be a practical .solution of the problem of how to secure a resilient wheel with immunity from puncture.

Further evidence iu support of tho bike was given in this city last Saturday morning. The first fireman at the fire on Onslow terrace was one who is the owner of a Premier cycle. Although living near Mount Victoria he was at the sceno of the fire in a very few minutes. The way tho man in the helmet got over the ground was a caution.

At the cycling mooting in Melbourne on Saturday last the Twenty-five-milo Championship of Victoria was won by M. J. McLean, W. Martin second, and G. J. Turnor third. Fftoen started, and after an exciting

finish McLean won by a few inches. Time, 71 mill 34 2-ssec.

At Lancaster Park last Thursday J. O. Shorland established new records for five, 10 and 25 miles, his times being llmin 55sec, 2kmin lsec and lhr 40scc respectively. The time for 10 miles beats the previous best record by 2min 18 2-ssoc ; and the time for 25 miles is 2mm 20sec faster than J. W. Parsons' (Melbourne) Australasian record. On April 23rd Shorland was also successful in lowering the New Zealand 50 and 100 miles records, his respective times being 2'ir 1 linin Itlscc and 4hr o.lmin 51soc, which are also inside Australian record time. He finished quite fresh, and rode the last mile in 2min 39 l-ssec.

Prior to his departure for Albury to join the mail steamer en route to England, Parsons, the Victorian cyclist, was entertained at a large meeting of cyclists, and presented witli a cheque for .£273, being the proceeds of the late benefit meeting, and .£ll3, the first instalment of tho fund started by tho Australian cyclists to defray the expenses of his trip to Europe. He received an enthusiastic send-off.

A bicyle race from Grey town to Carterton by members of the Carterton Bicycle Club ■was won by P. Lawrcuson, F. Sullivan and W. Campbell making a dead heat of it for second place.