THE WHEEL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1263, 14 May 1896, Page 26

THE WHEEL.

"Cyclometer" wiilatall times be pleased to receive contributions, correspondence, news items, reports of meetings, suggestions, and other matter interesting to cyclists. Correspondents and contributors must send their full names and addresses, not necessarily for publication, but as a gnaranteo of the genuineness of their communications ; write on ono side of tho paper only, and address : " CYCI.OMETKIt,' ; New Zealand Mail. TO CORRESPONDENTS. "Wahkk" (Palmorston North).—H. J. Pither is the holder of the New Zealand 50-milo road record, which stands at 2hr iJtimiu Usee. He made the record at Christchurch —or rather, from Christchurch to Leeston and back.

SPGKES.

By "Cyclometek. A sign of tho times. Tho Wellington Athletic Park Company has provided a special entrance to its ground for bicycles. Presumably, this is for the convenience of cyclists who ride, to the ground to witness or take pai tin football matches. But why do not the Company at once go ono hotter and lay down a good bicycle track ? There's money in it.

I understand that want of funds is the sole reason of tho Company not having had a track laid before now. But there is no necessity, at present, to go to the expense the laying of an asphalt or a concrete path would incur, for tho Company has within easy access tho material for a really good track at small cost. Wo have plenty of rock in Wellington, such as forms the foundation of the Thorndon Esplanade. This would make a splendid foundation for a track, and then a coating of clay (of which there is plenty on and near the Park ground) and finely screened crumbled rock would servo as a surface Such a track when hard and in good order would, in the opinion of a prominent Christchurch rider with a knowledge of most New Zealand and Australian tracks, be superior to asphalt, and if tho directors want further evidence as to the excellence of such a track, let them pay a visit to the Esplanade ami examine its surface, which has attained its present state without any care whatever. The only drawback to such a track as compared with one formed of cement or asphalt would bo Ihe cost of keeping in order. Hut it would bo infinitely superior to a cinder track, and would cost less to lay ; it would also 1)0 fast, and, if desired, a cement or asphalt surface could bo given it at any time. Lot, the Company lay such a track, and if will soon furnish siiliieient funds t > provide a better one.

The result of tho Court case between Waller, Myhre and Co. and F. F. Fabian should act as a chock upon those ambitious wheelmen who want to win fame and a bicycle at one bound. Tim lowering of a record is without doubt a good advertisement (provided the name of the machine and tin: maker aro mentioned in the pipers) for the maker of the machine used by the record-breaker, but it is absurd to expect that maker to present a £2O bicycle to tic rider for so doing. Some manufacturers in other countries can afford to employ paid record-breakers, but not so in New Zealand. In most instances the putting up and smashing of records is done with the solo object of obtaining a cheap advertisement, and for this purpose our makers are very willing to loan machines. But without tho aid id' tho newspapers tho records as an advertising medium would bo practically useless. It would bo more to the credit, of makers if they were to sot forth tho merits of their goods in well-displayed advertisements in the public press, instead of relying on record-breaking for cheap advertising.

Mi W. S. Percy, that popular member of Pollard's Opera Company, is an enthusiastic bicycle rider, and in all his journcyings bis wheel accompanies him. While lading in Christchurch the other day he had tho misfortune to "come a cropper" through a piece of wood becoming caught in the mud-guard, and the result was that his left arm was dislocated. Notwithstanding tho doctor's orders to the conIt ary, Percy took part in tho performance and executed his " eccentric " dance in tho evening.

Mr W. 11. Stewart, who loft tho United States at the end of March with samples

of American wheels and sundries, for the purpose of opening agencies in Australia and Now Zealand, writes mo from Sydney that be expects to be in this Colony shortly. He is handling tho Ponton, Barnes, Eagle and Viking bicycles, Veeder cyclometers, and Vim and other tyres.

Although humorous events are occasionally recorded in the cycling press, ono does not naturally turn to a journal of this class when in search of humour. " The Cycling Authority of the Southern Homispheio" is, however, a. notable exception; its pages teem with (unconscious) humour of a more or less (rather less) high standard. Its latest joke is to produce what purports to bo the'photo, of a well-known New Zealand lady cyclist who was good enough to forward a number of views and a description of a tour she had accomplished. In presenting this "photo.," which might, as it appears in tho "Authority," represent anything from a potato patch to a pumpkin just emerged from the gentle pressure of a steam road roller, it remarks, "Wo are glad to present our readers with an admirable likeness of the lady herself." Really, "Authority," to perpetrate such a joke at the expense of ono of the tender sex is not, to say the least, gallant.

The wheelmen of Denver, U.S.A., were recently thrown into a state of great excitement on discovering that the/ac simile of the gold brick which Morgan and Wright, of Chicago, offered for the fastest unpaced mile for the season of 1595, which had been exhibited at tho recent Denver show, was made of brass. 'The Chicago manufacturers deemed it imprudent to exhibit the genuine chunk of gold, as it was constantly passing from hand to hand, and was liablo to tempt some unscrupulous person to increase his worldly possessions by annexing it. The Denver people woro under the impression thac this exhibition brick was the genuine article, and consequently became somewhat excited at tho discovery. It is a fact, however, that, the genuine article is in the possession of the firm, who are only waiting to hand it over to tho holder of 'the fastest unpaced milo made on their tyres. But this point is not settled, as tho Racing Board of the L.A.W. have refused to sanction W. W. Hamilton's unpaced mile of 2min 2-ssec, made at Denver on November 12th, on tho technicality of his having received assistance from a tandem in bringing him up to tho starting point, thereby enabling him to get under full headway beforo ho started on tho milo ride. Records made under similar conditions have been allowed by the Board, and aro still in existence. The fact, however, that Hamilton's ride was not allowed reflects no discredit on him as an unpaced rider, for he has since proved that ho is to-day without a poor in this particular kind of riding, while he is able to keep with any pace yet set him by a multicycle.

According to Bicycling World, A. W. Harris, tho English champion, would visit America after leaving Australia, and was due there early in May. As a matter of bud, however, 'he left Melbourne on the 2nd inst. for England.

E. Payne, the young New South "Wales rider, suddenly made up his mind to visit England with R. W. Lewis and J. Megson, and these three left Sydney together on the Ith inst. It has been arranged that J. W. Parsons and the other three shall form a combined Australian team, and be under one management. Let us hope they will return with a good record both on and oil' the track.

Owing fo A. W. Harris's ill-health and his departure for Uouie, the match between him and W. Martin did not take place.

J. Michael, (ho little Welsh wonder, who is only 17 years of ago, recently put Up a world's record for .-even miles in 12uiin dilsec. It is generally argued that, only heavy men should ride high gears, yet Michael, who scales just over 8s t, on this occasion rode a 120 in gear.

On .March Gth Mr A. C. Nesbitt, captain! ot tho Oxford University Bicycle Club, determined to seo what he could accomplish in the way of speed on a bicycle fitted with a plain chain over a measured mile outside Oxford with a slope of 1 in 298, or a drop of FSft the full distance. Ho rode a 211 b machine geared to 81 in, and with a gale blowing right on his back, ho succeeded in covering tho distance in lmiu 25 3-ssec. The ride was timed by Messrs A. E. Jolifl'e, of Corpus Christi, and C. Cannon, of Trinity, who used split-second chronographs. Tho ride was undertaken solely as an experiment by Mr Nesbitt, who wished to demonstrate to his own satisfaction that what was done with the Simpson chain could be equalled or bettered with a plain one. Mr Nesbitt's timo is 4 3-ssec better than the best tandem time for tho Simpsonian mile.

A. A. Doudney recently applied to tho N.S.W. League for official recognition of a record he had put up on a Sunday. Noedless to add, tho application was refused.

Do not assume you aro an authority on cycling because you can talk long and fast. —Wheel Talk.

Beforo leaving for England, Parsons was handed a cheque for £273 10s, tho net proceeds of, the benefit meeting recently tendered him, and another cheque for Jill;!, the first instalment of tho shilling testimonial. For all of which Parsons returned thanks and promised to do his best to uphold Australian cycling while in the Old World.

A. W. Harris has again had to go down beforo a trotter. On bhis occasion he was matched against Mr Robertson's Osterley for .£2O a-side, the distances being three one-mile beats. Pho raco took place on tho 29th ult., Osterley winning by 100yds. 'This was enough for Harris, who complained of the uuevonness of tho track, and he forfeited the other heats.

Tho sum of £33S was handod to MegsDii and Lewis as the amount of profit on tho benefit meeting tendered to them.

The case in which Waller, Myhre and Co., of Christchurch, sued F. F . Fabian for the return or value of a bicycle lent to the defendant for the purpose of breaking the record between Napier and Wellington, was concluded on Monday. Fabian, in his evidence, stated that Mr Ceroid, agent for Waller, Myhre ami Co. in Wellington, promised to present him with a bicycle if ho succeeded in breaking the record. Ceroid stated that ho only lent tho machine, and Waller, Myhro and Co. stated, through Dr Findlay, who appeared on their behalf, that their agent had received no authority to give away their property. After hearing evidence Mr Greenfield ordered Fabian to return the machine and pay costs amounting to £3 Bs. Mr Jellicoc appeared for Fabian.

The cycle export trade of England for February amounts to .£111,225, as against .£99,429 for 1895, and £104,330 for IS9I. Up to the present timo the exports for 1890 have exceeded those for 1895 by ovor £BI,OOO, and of 1891 by over £78,000.