CYCLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 1822, 22 October 1886, Page 25

CYCLING.

WHF.fX iVOTES. By Demon. Isi R. Davis, Adelaide has a splendid racing man, since he gained the three mile bicycle wfli^w) 1 ' ' tral^ a u (Bmin 37sec >" Efforts have 5^5 ?u 8 S? d him over to Melbourne to fCT&E he D , rumraon d Trophy Race on the Melbourne {cricket ground on 13th Non^lll * n f J* \ s 4 uifce Probable be will go. ft!?iw 7 Se meu and Dw yer, Shackeltord, F.usst, and Brown in the same race, one of the most stirring contests imaginable would be witnessed. The Town and Country Journal says the uv?T £ rdmar y bicycle ever built is a 65in r lt S % 7 acor> whlch was received last week for the Sydney professional W. Gordon, whose riding- fora novice attracted so much attention at the Easter sports. Gordon is 6ft 4in in height I and we,ghs 13 2 Kst. The machine, which has been specially constructed, weighs 311b. _ The Sandhurst wheel clubs propose to hold a joint sports meeting at the new track, Back Creek cricket ground, 10th November. Theprogramme is to be framed on a very liberal 4?}% event of the meeting will be a. iJWmite Amateur Bicycle Race-first prize, , rw" hundred and fifty-one inilos in 24 con- . seoutive hours, ridden on a tricycle, is what Mr A. H. Fletcher recently accomplished on EnglishReference has been recently made to thepractice of allowing men to start in wheel raceswithout wearing numbers. The plan of wearinea number on the left arm does not meet witk general satisfaction. Ve?y often the tickets get disarranged.so that they cannot be read; or againbeing on the left arm, the spectators cannot see them. In England the tickets are made of tin and woy» on tho back of the saddle, where they can bs seen and read by all. J£he number and magnificenco of trophies offered and to be offered for competition amongst amateur racing wheelmen this season (says the Leader) far' ejcdeeds anything given during past years. The Fornsida club have awarded about £200 worth of trophies for their meetings. The , Melbourne club's troP r lO j.^ r the Nove mber meeting are valued a* £410. The Sandhurst clubs will hold races _in November, giving £200 worth. °} pnzes. In the same month the Fernside have a race meeting on the MelbourneCricket ground, tho'tropby list being drawn up on the same liberal scale. Besides what has been enumerated above, the numbers of odd prises given "here and there" are something oonside^ftble,

Perhaps in no other sport is proficiency so easily attained as in cycle racing. Provided a young fellow has a sound constitution, he can learn to ride, train steadily for a few weeks, and then "shine" on the racing path. Although old and experienced riders carry off many prizes, yet it often happens that riders who have had but brief experience in wheeling also take " good slices out of the cake." Mr A. W. M'lvor, of the Fernside Club, almost succeeded in securing " a double " last Saturday afternoon. He contested the Three Mile Bicycle Race with Mr J. W. H. Busst at the Essendon sports, East Melbourne cricket ground, when just at the finish of a most exciting race he fell heavily and lost. Nothing daunted, he made his way over to-- the Warehousemen's ground, St. Kilda, being just in time to ride in the Three Mile Race at the Prahran Football Club's sports. In tbia race' he rode with commendable determination.' Starting from the 150 yard mark with A. E. Brown (scratch), R. Stewart (100 yds), H. Remshard (200 yds), W. Scudamore (210 yds), H. Crawley (210 yds), B. Elliott (400 yds), C. A. Wragge, (450 yds), and J. Argall (500 yds). M'lvor gradually worked his way up to fourth place. Entering on the last lap he literally flew along, passing all save Argall; 200 yds from the post he caught him, shot past, and won by a yard. The rider was loudly cheered for his plucky ride. A remarkably clever exhibition of bicycle riding was given at the Melbourne Athenreum yesterday afternoon (says the Argus of September 23), under the management of Mr W. Gallan, formerly of Hudson's Surprise Party, by Mr W. S. Maltby, an American rider, who has lately been performing in Sydney. He started the exhibition by riding in a serpentine course round the hall, then with folded arms he described the same curves without in any way losing his balance or complete control of the bicycle. Next, sitting sideways on his seat, he worked himself along, first with one foot and then with the other. He brought his machine to a standstill, and picked up a handkerchief without touching the ground. Next, bowling the bicycle along ahead of him, he jumped upon the seat, and with one foot on the handles guided himself about the room. Then, with his body bent forward, he raised the hind wheel of the machine from the ground and rode on the single wheel several times round the hall. He mounted the bicycle and rode facing the hind wheel both backwards and forwards. The small wheel was then removed, and he propelled the single wheel with as great facility as the full machine, mounting in a very clever manner. Next the wheel was deprived of the handle, whioh alone had apparently sustained the rider, but he leaped on to the treadles and rode rapidly round the arena with perfect balance and grace. , The next feat was riding the small wheel with the backbone attached, and though awkward as compared with the previous performances thi» was not legs remarkable for skill. Finally a btiggy, wheel was produced, and the rider propelled it along by the tire with wonderful facility.

The advantages of a fine physical form are under-estimated by* a large class of people, who Have a nalf-defineS" impression that any considerable addition to the muscles and general physique must be at the' expense of the mental qualities. This mistaken impression is so prevalent that many professional literary people avoid any vigorous exercjae for fear that it will be a drain upon their whole system, and thus upon their capacity for brain, ( srork. , The truth is that such complete physical inertness has the effect of clogging the action of the blood, of retaining the impurities of the, system, and of eventually bringing about a host ef small nervous disorders that induce in turn mental anxiety— the worst possible drain upon the nervous organisation. W^hen none of these people, after a year of sick headache and dyspepsia, comes to realise that healthy nerves cannot exist without general physical health and activity, he joins a gymnasium, strains his long-unusued muscles on bars and ropes, or by lifting heavy weights. ■ The result usually is that the muscles, so long unaccustomed to use, cannot withstand the sudden strain imposed upon them, and the would-be athlete retires with some severe or perhaps fatal injury.

But occasionally he finds some especial gymnastic exercise suited to him, and weathers the first ordeal. He persists bravely, and is astonished to find that his digestion improves, his weight increases, and his mind becomes clear and brighter. He exercises systematically, and cultivates a few special muscles, perhaps those of the shoulder, to the hindrance of the complex muscles of the neck and throat: or perhaps those of the back and groin, as in rowing, to the detriment of chest, muscle, airl development; and although his condition is greatly improved, he is apt to become wearied from a lack of physical exhilaration or a lack of that sweetening of mental enjoyment whiph gives cycling such a lasting charm. If a man has no heart in his exercise he will not persist in it long enough to get its finest benefits.

In the gentle swinging motion above the wheel there is nothing to disturb the muscular or nervous system once accustomed to it ; indeed, it is the experience of most cyclists that the motion is at first tranquilising to the nerves, and eventually becomes a refreshing stimulus. The man who goes through 10 hours' daily mental fret and worry will in an hour of pleasant road-riding, in the fresh sweet scented country, throw off all its ill effects and prepare himself for the effectual accomplishment of another day's brain-work. The steady and active employment of all the muscles, until they are well-heated and healthily tired, clears the blood from the brain, sharpens the appetite, and ensures a night's refreshing sleep.

In propelling the wheel, all the flexor and extensor muscles of the legs are in active motion ; while in balancing, the smaller muscles of the legs and feet and the prominent ones of the groin and thighs are brought into play. The wrist and arms are employed in steering ; while the whole of the back, neck, and throat muscles are U9ed in pulling up on the handles on a spurt. Thus the exertion is distributed more thoroughly over the whole body than in any other exercise. A tired feeling in any one part of the body is generally occasioned by a weakness caused by former disuse of the rausoles located there, and this disappears as the rider becomes habituated to the new motions of I;he wheel. With an experienced cyclist, the sensation of fatigue does not develop itself prominently in any one part of the body, but is so evenly adjusted as to be hardly noticeable.' "

The wretched habit of cyclists riding with the body inclined forward has produced an habitual bent attitade with several riders, and gives rise to a prejudice against the sport as producing a, "Tricycle back." Nearly all oarsmen have this form of back ; it has not proved detrimental, but it is ungainly, and the methods by which it is acquired on a bicycle are entirely unnecessary. Ereot riding is more graceful : it develops the chest, and adds an exercise to the muscles of the throat and chest that rowing does not.

The exposure to out-of-door air, the constant fwaployment of the mind by the delight of

changing scenery or agreeable companionship, add their contribution, and make cycling, to those who have tried practically every other sport, the most enjoyable healthful, useful exercise ever known. Most cyclers become sound, well-made, evenly-balanced, healthy men, and bid fair to leave to their descendants some such heritage of health and vigour as descended from from the hardy old fathers to the men who have made this country what it is. — Chambers' Journal.