WHEELING

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1726, 29 March 1905, Page 50

WHEELING

(By “Austral.”)

The variable speed attachments and devices have not “caught on” in New Zealand to the extent expected. The extra expense may be the cause, but the writer thinks it is more- a matter of ignorance on the part of cyclists of the advantages derivable from using a variable speed gear. The initial outlay is only a matter of two or three pounds. Time will, no doubt, bring home the advantages of the change speed gear to New Zealand riders. By the use of the variable gear the cyclist can then suit his gear to the prevailing conditions If he is travelling on a hard, dry road, as sometimes happens in winter, lie can use liis high gear with ea-.e. If the roads are heavy, lie will throw in his low gear, while with, a three-speed gear lie will be still better suited, as he can cope with practically all conditions of fine road and favourable wind, muddy road and head wind, and very heavy road with a gale.

‘•'Our visitors,” states an Australian writer, “from Europe and the United States have not done kadly on Australian tracks since the commencement of the present cyclo-raoing lseason’. In the space of about five months Rutt, the Rhinelander, has won over £l5O, Ell-e----gaard over £2BO, and Iv-e-r Lawson, “our American cousin.,”' £360. Floyd MacFarland has secured £l7O, and Anderson, the Dane, £B7. Perhaps the

“Lokal Anzeiger,’ ’a. Berlin paper, which recently stated that Ellegaard and Rutt were disgusted with tlieir trip, had r.ot won £lO, etc., will note these figures and reflect that the season is not yet finished.

The Automobile Club of Victoria he'd its first annual meeting at its club rooms two weeks ago, when the annual report and balance-sheet was placed before the members. A very encouraging state of affaire was disclosed —the roll totalling 170 members, whilst the bal-ajnoe-sheet showed a profit of £lO7. Good work was accomplished by the club during its first year, and there is no doubt that the A.C.V. has a very prosperous career before it, if it is conducted on similar lines to that laid down during the association’s first year. The motor cycle contest held in connection with the recent Dunlop Reliability Contest from Sydney to Melbourne, emphasised cue very important feature of the motor cycle. Over the hilly N.S.W. section of the course the high powered engines gave considerable trouble from over-heating, which generally resulted in the rider having to dismount and jpush (his 1601 b or 1601 b cycle up the mountain sides, which is harder work than one would wish his worst enemy or the taking of a spell until the engine had cooled. Pedalling was of very little assistance up long, stiff hills, and could not keep the engine going at sufficient speed to develop even half the declared horse-power. With the lighter-powered engine and lighter cycle far better progress was made over the hills —in many instances the 2 h.p. engine outpacing the 3i li.p. motor. Again, on the rough roads the lighter machine was easier held up, and was not nearly so severe as the hevxor powered cycles. B. James, the winner of the competition, rode a machine weighing—fitted up with spares, and a gallon and a half of petrol, etc. —nearly 1401 b. This machine had only a 2 h.p, Minerva engine fitted, the bore and stroke being 211-16 in by 2£in respectively. This machine, by its wonderful performance (James’s average being 20 3-5 miles an hour from Sydney to- Melbourne, including all stoppages on the road), demonstrated the fact that the high-powered machine will, of course, easily Leave the small powered cycle, but at the end of a long day’s run over the average Australian road, the lighterpowered machine will not be far from its heavier rival. Apart from this, the rider will not be so fatigued, and the cost of travelling and up-keep in tyres wilt be considerably less. This interesting and instructive fact was frequent-, ly demonstrated in the recent Dunlop contest. Some Australian riders have done well in some instances, notably A. J. Clarke, the brilliant young winner of the Austral, who pockets nearly £SOO up to date. E. A. Rye wins over £3OO, G. R. Morgan £2OO, and George Farloy nearly £240. Schops gets under those figures, and is closely followed by R. W. Morgan and C. A. Best. Don AYalker totals less than £SO, whilst A. E. Tamo, M. Chappell and A. O. Forbes figure among the twenties. Among the “tenners” is Joe Mogson The unsuccessful section contains the names of good riders like Ossy Prouse, Dan Plunkett, R. Cameron and A. G*. Flack. An Australian scribe writes: —“Last Saturday’s instalment of the Sydney Thousand Meeting produced a world’s record in the time (lOmin 40 4-sseo), put up by Ellegaard over five miles; the winner was closely pressed by Lawson and MacFarland, who finished in that order. R. Amst, who figured so prominently Mi 'the (Dunlop Road Race Last, year, carried off his heat in the big event from the 50.yds mark, beating Rutt, Don Walker, R. W. Morgan and W. McDonald. In otlier heats of the Thousand A. G. Gilmore (150yds), O. 11. Brook (90yds). Ellegaard (scr), O. H.

Foster (120yds). and A. Butler (170yds) were first past the past. In the Mosman Handicap (one mile) all the visiting cracks competed without success, G. H. Holder (90yds) being first, Bestel (130yds) second, and A. J. Plunkett (120vds) third. Time, lmin 54 l-ssec.