Page 61 Advertisements Column 1

New Zealand Mail, 3 December 1896, Page 61

No lifted to tell you much about this machine. You all know it. Every other machine you meet is a Reliance, and I sold it. Ask Reliance riders about their wheels, and they wax enthusiastic. For all-round roadster uses they are Al, j R 4 any. The cheapest bicycle in the colony. Price, AIS, with gear case; AIT without; and it' you want a better ATS worth, well, you are a glutton. One rider I met in the street just said to me, “ None of your bally AoO-ers for me while Reliances can be got. I laugh at the Johnnies and their donahs, who pay more for any bicycle made. I would not swop for any machine I have yet seen here.” That’s the kind all Reliance riders talk. It’s “ good enough.” Eve got Reliances, and 1 am, yours obedientl} 7 , S. E. WRIGHT, —and lam not puffed out with pride either. L? 6 A eA 6 14, llm Markml Q Call in and see the machines for yourself, and learn all about them from No room to tell you all about these, and no money to pay for big advertisements, my proportion of profit being the smallest in Wellington. lxj-mi-n’tjm: contest This contest has been a matter of great interest to cyclists, inasmuch as its determination decided the vexed question of what bicycle is the premier wheel of the worla. The makers of the Lu-mi-num (Aluminum) Machine challenged the bicycle makers of the world to enter their machines against the Lu-mi-num, and to submit them to certain tests. The loser ol the match was to pay 750 dollars to such hospital as the winner should select. Per a long time no maker would accept the challenge, as all knew the Lu-mi-num to be an extremely strong machine, and they were afraid to meet it. Finally, the Steams people said they had sufficient confidence in their wheels to enter, and they did so. Each company selected two judges, and the four judges selected an umpire, as follows: — Lu-mi-num appointed Professor J. R. Thompson, of Washington University ; Edmund Eladd, of St. Louis, Patent Engineer. m Stearns appointed J. W. Suggett, of Cortland, New York; Professor Jesse IT. Brown, of Syracuse, New York. The above selected Professor John H. Barr, of Ithaca, New York, as fifth judge. The judges decided that the Stearns’ wheel was the stronger, thereby certifying that that wheel was the premier bicycle of the world, and awarded the stakes to that company. The Stearns won by 12 out of 13 points. Don’t you think a Stearns is good enough for you, dear reader? Mr. S. E. WRIGHT, of 33, Lambton Quay, has them, and he deserves the gratitude of the people of Wellington for having introduced such a wheel to this market. No finer has ever been made, no matter under what name it is run, how much advertised it may be, or how much carbon or other nonsense may be used in its construction. It challenges the world to produce a better machine. T IHI IE A IT G E L S’ W SI lEG IE I_j_ So is called the Barnes’ “White Flyer,” because of its colour — ivory white —and of its superb design, splendid finish, and wonderful quality, by the inhabitants of the Mate of New York. Truly it is a remarkable machine. It is the favourite mount of Edie “ Cannon ” Bald, the present champion of America, who on it has broken all the records previously held by him made on a Columbia. Bald is to the American public what Zimmerman used to be, and when he appears on a track the crowd cheer themselves hoarse. He has finished at the top of the percentage table of the circuit riders of America, and lias V) c/o A & been adjudged champion. In his last race at the Quill Club meet he was hopelessly in the rear at the last lap, and the crowd thought that he was done, buddenlv a streak of white was seen shooting about amongst the riders, and it turned out to be Bald sliding through them and finishing ahead of all by less than two inches. It is stated to be the most startling and thrilling finish on record, as Bald had to wriggle about in and out among the riders in order to gat through, and he went so fast that all that could be seen was the white streak caused by the rapid rush of Ills “ White Flyer.” His racer weighs only 161 b. HERE’S A ONER From Bearings: —“Three short years ago English wheels were beingimported into America in considerable quantities. In one issue of B car in fis, selected at random, in 1893, there were advertisements of eight English-made wheels then being sold on the American market. In the latest edition of English Cifcinuj there appear the advertisements of nine American wheels that are being sold on the English market. Comment is unnecessary.” How long will it be before the heavy English wheels are run out of this market by their light and airy and graceful American cousins “? Mr. 8. E. Wright says three years. He was the first to introduce American wheels into the colony, and now he points out that within the last few months there are more than thirty different makes of American machines being sold here, though he claims that he got first pick and selected the cream. Certainly his claim would almost seem to be justified. Interviewed, Mr. Wright said : —For some years I was local agent for Adams’ Christchurch Stars. They seemed good enough, but somehow the public did not appreciate them, and did not hesitate to give reasons. I came to the conclusion that l could do better myself; so I started importing Reliances, two years ago. They gave great satisfaction, and are probably the best known bicycles in this part of the colony, and are greatly appreciated. I sold at a reasonable price ( LTB), and never had a dissatisfied customer. Then I heard of Americans, and for nearly twelve months made my inquiries quietly, and investigated thoroughly. I had offers of all the agencies now in the colony, f 8 LG eA g ► < a s o - H r t~i pq oq < >4 g -1 CO PQ 05 H OQ c X CP C/0 and of a good many more besides. I tried a few Crackajacks first, and found them good. I had my eye on the Stearns as the piece de resistance. 1 hesitated between the Columbia and the Barnes, the s teams people being very coy ; but finally I got their agency, on condition of taking 100 machines to start with. 1 also selected the Barnes and the World as the only other two leading makes woith taking. 1 took the 'Tourist and the Geneva lor second grades, though they are both close up to the leading first grades. I have been justified in my choice by results. Then other dealers, hearing what I was doing, began to chip in, till now we have more American machines here than English. I do my share of business still, notwithstanding competition by importing railway officials, drapers, saddlers, and goodness knows wlro. Everybody thinks he is going to make a fortune out of cycles, but as there are only about two really first-grade agencies in the city outside of those held by me, and as the prices being asked are absolutely absurd, some of these dabblers will soon be suffering from frost-bite. There seems to be an idea prevalent that a man needs only to call himself an “expert” to work off any kind of machine on the in discriminating Wellington public. The public are, however, waking up, and well for them that it is so. I estimate that in three years, unless great changes arc made in the English wheels, that they will be quite unsaleable here. Our opinion is that Mr. Wright has overstated the period. Twelve months at the present rate would seem to be all the Americans will require to wipe out their rivals, especially if they continue to send out machines like the Barnes and the c teams. a/v A. V XV. mOVEXa gX X A Our representative, was invited to call on Mr. Wright a few days back to see a novel bicycle, lie went. He saw. He was conquered—by the “ Old Hickory, ’ a machine built of wood. The frame is in one piece, and jointless, being formed of t_n thin strips of hickory, laminated together, each piece being joined in a different place, and the laminations opening out to form the bracket. It is a marvellous piece of woodwork'. Ail the bends are reinforced with neat steel clamps, which grip handle-bar and saddle-pillar. It ought to bo seen by all. It would he a lesson to the students in woodwork at the technical school, as it is to all woodworkers in Wellington. Our representative was invited tw try the machine, and, being a reckless individual as he thought, he mounted it and rode away. Ho turned up an hour or two AAA/ /vfa mW V > later, having yielded to the temptation to go for a decent spin. He was loud in his praises of the machine, said he had never been on a wheel which was so vibrationless, and declared that it was strong enough to carry all our staff at a time, and a few extra. Mr. Wright stated that the machine is somewhat expensive, on account of the laminations ; hut that lie lias a cheaper wooden machine coining, which, though perhaps not quite so strong, he will he able to sell for nearly AlO less, and yet guarantee it for twelve months. He believes wooden wheels are going to “catch on,” and so does our representative, who is an enthusiastic cyclist, and Hatters himself that he can tell a bicycle from any oilier kind of ox. We commend “ Old Hickory” to the inspection ol’ all. If it cures the vibration trouble, and we are assn it d it do; s, it would be cheap at twice the price asked for it. /xv AX3 AH \x The tHorid Bieye.^, record pedals, etc., and everv part is superbly finished AT Enamelled in Maroon or Green and Gold, is one of the daintiest machines ever made. It is fitted with everv up-to-date ” improvement, Fanber patent one-piece axle and pedal-cranks, Only S. E. WRIGHT'S, 33, Lambton Quay A