Cycling Notes.

Otago Witness, Issue 1581, 4 March 1882, Page 20

Cycling Notes.

By Pedalpin.

Tho Club run to the Taieri on the 18th did not c ime off. Owing to the unsettled state of the weather only eight members turned up, and of tbeßo some three or four were unable to ;.;o the wholo distance. The afternoon was si eat in trying the various roads abont town.

Last Saturday waa a glorious day for 'cycling, and three members who rode to Ontram enjoyed themselves thoroughly. The dry weather has made the sandy road* on the West Taieri rather soft and broken in places, but the metal road was very good.

A telegram from ChrisLchorch, just received, advises that the race meeting is postponed till April, during exhibition time, which ought to aaifc many Dunedin men. The programme has also been slightly altered.

Tricyoling seems to be gaining in favour here. There are throe styles of tricyles at present in town— the ' Carocbe,' 4 Rob Roy,' and ' Salvo,' of which tbe Salvo eeems best suited for our hills, because of itu great broak power, though tbe other two machines are lighter and faster on good roads, as on tho Taieri.

Some new styles of bicycles have also been imported, so that several well-known Home makers are now represented. The local makers, Messrs Cutten & Co., aud Mr Lawrence, seem to bavetbeir hands pretty full, altogether some dczen bicycles being turned out by them at present.

Some of the local make are to be tried at the forthcoming races, which will give an opportunity to test the comparative merits of the Home and colonial machine.

The following items are by ' Roadster,' in the Australasian :—

The Australian branch of the British oak has frequently shown its ancestral endurance on the scorching and duat-ohoking days which visit ub during the summer, both in tbe cricket field and other athletic arenas, but in no way more decisively than it does on a bicycle running towards the north, under a glaring sun, and in the face of a fnrnace-like wind, heavily mantled with dust. Examples of such were some of the runs on Saturday by our bicyclo clubs. Eighteen members of the Victoria Club met at the Trades Hall at 3 o'clock, and started in good order for Keilor. A fair pace was made to Flemington road, but along this road to the Essendon Junction, and thence to Keilor, the riders were obliged, through the weather and tie broken condition of the road, to ride Blowly. The township was reached safely, and afforded a welcome rest to the detachment. The return run was ridden at » v-ry Uir pace, the city being reached at 7 o'clock,

A attachment o! the Ferneide Club left town at half-paat 2, and, running through Richmond and Hawthorn, kept on the Burwood road to Camberwell, where refreshments were eagerly called for. Some then ran across to Malvern over a fair road, and thence to St. Kilda for ft refreshing bath. The city was reached on the return at 6 o'clock. The road to CarnberwoJl has feljc the tffaot» of the dry weather, for ifc if brokota in some ports and rough in othera.

Sevwal members of the Nornuanby club left their rendezvous at Jolitnonb. for HeidelbergThe detachment was not long in reaching the Heidelberg-road and this being in fair condition enabled (.hem to reach Alphington in 40 minuteb from Btavting. Fr<>m ASphiugton they passed on to the Mount Eagle gardens, and refreshed themselves for an hour with ttie fine assortment of fruit to be hud there. Heidelberg was rb&ched at 5 o'clock, which ouly allowed them a short time fco etay. Town wae reached on the return at half vast 6.

A dczen members of tho Albert club started at; 3 o'clock fur Broadmoadowß, and arrived there at half-past 4. At 6 o'clock they took the road for town, and on r«»chiiog tho Essendvn road caina away at a very smart pace and reached Emerald-hill at half-past 7 o'clock.

Another club is beiag formed in the country, this time at Colac. This will bo luo tenth country club, and ila prqaent prospects, I may reimrk, are favourable