THE WHEEL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1293, 10 December 1896, Page 29

THE WHEEL.

" SILVERSPUR" will at all times bo 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 guarantee of tho genuineness of their communications ; write on one side of the paper only, and address : " SlI/VERSPUR," New Zealand Mail.

SPOKES.

[By Silverspur.] There will be a great inter-provincial cycling exhibition this coming Saturday, when the first annual meeting of the Wellington Cash Cycling Club will be held. The various events" have filled well, riders from all parts of the Colony intimating their intention of being present. Among others taking part will be C. O. Sherwood, of Victoria, hiunt, of Marton, A. J. Campbell, of Auckland. C. Oattanach, of Hastings. S. Thacker, of Palmerstou North, A. G. Forbes, of Taranaki, A. Butland, of Westland, A. E. Land, of Christchurch, the Now Zealand Wheel Race winner, F. Wilson, of ftlauaia, W. H. Lewis, of p ahnerston North, F. Chainey and O. Henwood, of Christchurch, N. S. Brunette, of Hawera, and a great many others, the total number of entrants being •10, and the entiies 131. The racing will be on both afternoon and evening. The meeting is bound to be largely patronised by both town and country people. The racing promises to be a cut above the ordinary, and competition keen. Toe cash cycling club has made good progress since its inauguration, and deserves every encouragement. An attractive meeting of this character should give them a great lift. The committee have gone to a deal of trouble and expense in connection wich the gaditring, and it is to be hoped that their efforts to cater for the amusement of the public wilt meet with reward, The gathering is ttadef

\ the patronage of His Excellency the Goverj Bor. " It might be mentioned that the .Garrison I Band has been engaged, and that the comI mittee intend getting off the heats smartly and without delay. There is nothing so bad as long waits at sports meetings, and this will be guarded against.

Entrance to the sports ground at night; can only be gained by Mercer street, and holders of Exhibition tickets are to be admitted through the Exhibition only.

Now that we are in the month of December touring parties will be the order of the day, and a pleasanter or cheaper way of spending the Christmas vacation could not be imagined. A number of riders, starting early, have already left Wellington, and others have signified their intention of wheeling off the moment the holidays proper come along. One thing about the Zealand roads is that, on the whole, they aie admirably adapted to cycling, and pleasureseekers on the wheel can reckon 00 fair thoroughfares and good accommodation by the wayside.

Cyclists who are going on tour should exercise great caution in the nature and number of their drinks. In the earlier stages an almost unquenchable thirst will seize the rider, and at this stage especial care should be taken not to partake too freely of any liquid, but merely take what the immortal DickSwiveller would call a modest quencher. When heated, too, any cold drink should be sipped very slowly, and not gulped, or cramp may supervene. In regard to the best drink, that is a matter which is best left at the discretion of riders.

A common evil among touring and other riders is the stooping posture, with bent back and head thrust out awkwardly like a tortoise. This is the position of the racer on the racecourse. For ordinary riding it is. entirely unnecessary, and even injurious.. Gain in chest measurement depends largely upon the position adopted in riding. If the position be an erect one and the handles of the machine be sufficiently far apart to prevent a cramping of the chest by the arms,, the gain will be greater than under different conditions. In fact there are cases of actual loss in chest measurement, due to compressing the lungs in the smallest space by a faulty position. An incorrect position, throws all the organs out of place, interferes with proper inflation of the lungs, besides preventing the rider from enjoying thescenery. By raising or lowering the handle bars or seat any road bicycle may be arranged so that the rider is compelled to sit erect. Look at horseback riding ! The moats natural, graceful and healthful position on a> horse is the erect posture. After one has learned to ride the bicycle the saddle should be so elevated that, the rider's leg being extended, the down pedal will be sufficiently low to enable him to touch it easily with the heel of his boot, thus keeping most of his weight upon his feet, and lessening the proportion of weight upon the gluteal muscles.

Good soup, like wheeling, is frequently spoiled by too much Georching. Wellington streets are not very favourable to scorching, but out in the country a bit cyclists seem to " let go " for all they are worth. Excessive exercise is injurious and must be interdicted. The long rides on time are productive of no good, and often end in harm to some delicate point. The strain consequent upon riding up steep hills should also he avoided. It is a good plan to dismount and walk up every hill when the effort of riding is at all tiresome.

Contrary to ancient beliefs we fail to sae that age in a man puts an end to his desire for pleasure. No man of 70 who cycles wants to die yet awhile.

Mr S. E. Wright, of Wellington, agent for the Stearns bicycle, has received advice from the makers of that machine, per Frisco mail, agreeing to offer a trophy for competition under such conditions as Mr Wright thinks fit. The value of the prize will be between £2O and £3O.

On the Crystal Palace track S. M. McGregor anil G. A. Nelson have been devoting their attention to •'smashing 5 ' tandem records. They accomplished a splendid performance, riding half a mile in. 58 2-ssec., three-quarters of a mile in lmin 24sec, and a mile in the extraordinary time of lmiu 50 1-osec. What a turn of speed 1 There seems to be no ending to the breakiug of the mile record, and, to mc, it is quite possible to see the figures brought to lmin 30sec for the distance before another year has passed, so perfect are the tracks, machines, pacing, and the riders are trained " to a hair " before attempting a record.

The Napier Wanderers Club hold a sports meeting this week, when four Wellington riders will compete —F. B. Muir, Fitz Gerald and W. and F. Castle.

Two bullfighters, a matador named Rodriquez and Badila, a picador, used the bicycle in a bull light at Madrid the other day. Tho public were both-gratified and amused, for the matador's machine apparently was seized with panic and bolted out of reach of the bull. The picador, however, advanced boldly to the attack, and the bull expressed his opinion of the affair by chucking the bicycle, picador and all in tho air, and absolutely smashing the bicycle. The picador is alive; the bull quickly perished.

A serious . bicycls accident occurred at Brussels recently Two cyclists, proceeding at full speed in opposite directions, camo into collision, with tho result that both. sustained terriblo injuries. One of the victims was removed in a dying condition, to tho hospital, while the life of the other was for some time ia danger.

One of tho competitors in the bicycle race at the Eoston Football Sporfrs last

The League of American Wheelmen has 68,897 members.

A. A. Zimmerman offers to race any rider in America for a .£IOOO purse. He does not consider he is one whit inferior to 03-ardiner, Bald, Johnson, Sanger and Comy my, and many others are of the same ooinion. The rest Zimmerman has had since the fir3t of this year, when he left Australia, was merely what he was entitled to after all the racing he indulged in l/efore.

Denmark has a law requiring wheelman to dismount and walk down hills. This law was passed because so many narrow escapes from accident resulted from the antics of brainless, brakeless scorchers.

A novel experience was enjoyed by two cyclists at Serpentine (Vic.) on a recent Sunday. When out for a spin they espied a fox and gave chase. After a rough ride across country they ran the fox down, killed him, and carried home the brush in triumph.

A company, with a capital of £900,000, lias been formed in England to acquire the business of the big French cycle firm of Adoiph Clement, the Gladiator Company, and the French branch of Humber and Company.

There were no fewer than 1300 candidates for election to the Cyclists' Touring Union of Great Britain last October.

The South African mile record is a long way ahead of the Australian. From a standing start and paced by a triplet C. E. Osmond has covered the mile in lmin 56 4-ssec on a 3| lap track.

Two francs were all that could be obtained by an auctioneer for the wooden bicycle used by Blondin in his mid-air rides.

The Commander of the Forces in Ireland has been seeing wild Connemara in the very best possible manner—to wit, on a cycle. The weather was not ideal weather for the wheel, but Lord Roberts is probably by this time inured to hardships. At any rate, he managed to cycle most cf the way through Connemara.

An eminent physician feels confident that before long the advantages of cycling for lunatics of a particular class will manifest themselves to all persons interested in the care and cure of the demented.

An important point to be noted at this season of the year is that a sudden cessation from the exercise afforded by cycling must be avoided, if the rider wishes to remain in good health. Medical men are unanimous in declaring that a man who abruptly relinquishes the bicycle incurs serious risks.

A test case was recently brought by the Belfast Cyclists' Touring Club against J. Woodhouse, of Jarrow, who, whilst driving a vehicle on the wrong side of the road, ran down a Mr M. Dawson, a member of the C.T.C. There was practically no defence, the evidence being beyond attack. However, although the case was decided in the cyclist's favour, the small fine of 10s was altogether inadequate, and this probably would not have been imposed were it not proved beyond question that Woodhouse was riding on the wrong side of the road, This is the second occasion this year on which the C.T.C. has upheld this principle of the rule of the road. The knowledge that to abandon the left for the right-hand side of the road is a punishable offence should have an important bearing upon the conduot of all users of highways.

A New Plymouth bariran named Eden Payne has taken out letters patent for a new non-puucturing tyre for bicycles, &c.

Mr A. J. Campbell, the Auckland cyclist, arrived by the Takapuna on Tuesday in order to take part in the Caish Cycling Club's mooting at the Exhibition ground on Saturday. Mr Norden, representative of the Auckland Cycling Club, was a passenger by the same steamer.

Mr S. E. Wright, the well-known cycle importer of Lambton quay, has just delivered the first instalment of bicycles under his contract with the Post Ofllco Department. The machines, which are of the well-known " Now Hudson" make, are up-to-date, .and are really strong, serviceable bicycles, with ball bearings throughout, and look just tho thing for the work required of them. Mr Gladstone is about to become a bicyclist, inspired thereto by tho success of his granddaughter, Miss Dorothy Drew. THE AUSTRAL WHEEL RACE. Melbourne, December 5. At tho Cycling Carnival tho woather was fine, and there was an enormous attendance. .Results of the chief races: Austral Whebl Race, two miles. — Kelloo, 15yds. 1; Walne, 20yds, 2; Klliot, 150yds, 3. Won eaasily by ten lengths. Time, 4min 29sec, which is a record for the lacs.

.Five-miles International Scratch Race.—Ken Lewis, 1 ; Knhlo, 2 ; Porta, 3. The winner came through with a splendid spurt in the last half lap, and won by the length of a machine, 'lime, 12min 25 4-ssec.