CYCLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 1762, 29 August 1885, Page 21

CYCLING.

WHEEL NOTES. By Demon. The entries for the annua champion race , meeting of the Sydney 8.C., says " Cyclos" in Town and Country,' amount to over 200, and 'include abouij thirty from Victoria, six from Brisbane, ' and eight from Newcastle. The i Cambridge University B.C. and London Scottish B.C. are also represented. For the One and Ten Miles Amateur Championships of New South Wales all the crack riders of the Colonies are entered) and iuclude Messrs Bennett, Wood,Shackleford, Foulk'es, Blooinfield, Stokes, Thurlow, Ferguson, Holloway (of Adelaide), and Lock.(of Warmambool). The known performances of these men, together with the fact that they are all thought to be in good condition, make it very probable that the racing w^ll bs the hottest ever witnessed in Australia ; and provided the weather keeps fine till then, Australian records will no doubt be considerably shaken. The Sydney B.C. propose to give a ball in honour of the visitors on the 24th inst., and I understand the Surburban B.C. will also share the pleasaut burden of hospitality by giving a picnic. Among the very useful cycles may be noted the "Coventry Chair," a tandem tricycle specially designed for invalids, the machine being driven by one person. Recently a gentleman conveyed a lady and 501b of luggage on one of these macHines from Coventry to London, 95 miles, in 22 hours 20 minutes. Hendee, the American crack, is said to have done a half a mile in 1 mm.< 16 1-5 sec. ' Late Records. — Two miles bicycle, 5 mm. 34 4-5 sec. by M. V. J. Webber, on June 15, Cambridge University track. Five miles, tandem hricycle, 14 mm. 22 3-5 sec. by Gatehouse and Furnival, on June 10, Cambridge University track. Safety bicycle, 19 miles 215 yards in an hour, by Grose (pro.), on June 18, Crystal Palace track, • ' ' | Mr Langdown purposes visiting the Exhibi- \ fcion at Wellington next month, and also contemplates bicycling from that town to Napier— a rather extended tour. ' ' Mr H. J. .Bagofc,- of Melbourne, who is now visiting England, gained third place in a onemile handicap at Lillie' Bridge on June 27 When ( he advanced to receive his prize at the hands of. Sir John Bennett, he' received quite ai ( ovation.- The shouts of " Advance Australia," ■ coriple'd with' " The Soudan," were , loud and frequent. Mr Bagot v replied to Sir John's en- ' comiums in a few well-chosen .remarks, anrl retired amidst the plaudits of the assembly. Mir Bagot has since got a 59in. challenge racer weighing only 22|lb, so we may expect to hear , more of him before long. ' ' , The Sydney mile record was lowered to 3 mm. 9§ sec. recently by Foulks. A feat of more than passing note was recently I accomplished by Mr Rogers, a promising young bicyclist, who rode 100 miles in 10 hours. •■'At'a recent run of the Melbourne B. C. to Alphingjipn, the-old captain, Mr J. A.,K. Clarke, took several picturesque photographs' of the clul. on the Darebin Creek. Mr Clarke, who may be teifmed the "father of cycling" in Australia, has given up riding and gone in for a dog-cart, which is generally known as the "ambulance waggon." It is needless to say this " ambulance" has been used more than once in giving " a lift to a disabled cyclist. A gentleman in Maiden, Mass., has found a new ' use for the tricycle in his domestic economy. For him no more pushing of hi baby-carriage along the sidewalks. It is now a pleasure for him to give his baby its daily airing He simply hitches the carriage to the rear of hitricycle, and glides away over the smooth roaclf of that favoured Boston suburb, taking enjoyable 'exercise while fulfilling a parental duty. As n " safety.'' machine for babes in arms this is fai 1 preferable to the bicycle, a Washington gentleman having been seen one morning carrying hi.little one upon the head of the wheel he was. riding,

• It is reported that Captain F. R. Cook, of the Bay City Wheelman, San Francisco, has broken the 24-hour record of 200 1-G miles, held by T. S. Webb and J. Tacy, of the Lawrence Bicycle Club. The first 100 miles is claimed to have been made in 9 hours 30 mm., including stops, the total number 7 of miles being 207^-. It is understood that the club will send Mr Cook east to compete in the Springfield and other races, as he is the Pacific coast champion.

Thomas Stevens crossed the Austrian frontier the morning of the 28th of May, expecting to reach Vienna in about three days. The roads about Munich are described as abominable stretches of loose flints, improving gradually as they approach Linbach ; from Hoag to Linbach, however, they are as good as any traversed in Germany. He reached Buclapesth, Hungary, June 6, in good health. He says: "The roads are growing gradually worse from Vienna onward, and the weather hotter. There is a fair proportion of side-path wheeling, however, so far. The natives are less and less familiar with the bicycle as I proceed, but I shall reach Turkey before they are altogether unacquainted with the machine. Five Vienna wheelmen accompanied me to Presburg, 40 English miles." The Austrian roads are found to be good, but hilly.