CYCLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2009, 25 August 1892, Page 32

CYCLING.

NOTES BY DEMON.

At last committee meeting of the Dunedin Cycling Club two ladies were nominated for election as active members of the club. This is an excellent start in the season's work, and I hope that ere the season closes the club will have in its ranks not two but a dozen fair devotees of the wheel.

At a committee meeting of the Dunedin Cycling Club, held at the club room (Mr W. Melville's), on Tuesday evening, there were present — Messrs F. J. Stilling (in the chair), J. M 'Donald (captain), G. Crow, A. G. Melville, E. Howlison, S. R. Stedman, E. H. Reid, R. A. Ewing, and W. H. Matthews (hon. sec.) A sub-committee was appointed to revise the club rules and report at a future meeting. The annual club social was fixed for Friday, 30rd September, and the opening run of the season will take place on the following afternoon.

The wife of Mr A. E. Payne, a wellknown Bradford cyclist,metwith aterrible death recently whilst out on a tandem tricycle with her husband. They were at a narrow part of the road at Benrhydding, near Ilkley, during the height of a storm. As they were passing a waggonette the back wheel of the tricycle skidded, and both riders were thrown under the horses' feet. The machine was doubled up into a ball almost, and the lady was killed, her husband escaping with comparatively slight injuries.

A correspondent , writes asking me " How to Learn to Ride a Safety Bicycle." I wish I had him and his bicycle here for a few minutes, for 'tis much easier to verbally explain the mysteries of the art of learning to cycle than 'tis to put one's instructions down on paper. I have taught a number of people to ride and have found the best way for a novice to succeed in his efforts, is, while a friend is holding up the machine by the handle and the back of the seat, for him to pedal quietly along until the art of pedalling seems to come naturally, and confidence is gained in balancing. In learning to ride a safety bicycle the most difficult; portion of the work to be overcome is the steering, which must be done very gently, until familiarity aud practice gives the main requisite in learning — viz., confidence/ In mounting, the left foot is placed on the step, and- having a grip of the handle, a few short steps with the right foot sets the machine in motion. Then the rider, first getting his right leg well on to the saddle, lifts his left off the step and gently glides safely into position, his feet naturally seeking the pedals, and now by custom ready for the requisite movement of pedalling, away he goes. Dismounting is natural, but in many cases not graceful, and the best way to overcome this obstacle is to wait till the pedal, on whichever side the writer wishes to dismount, is nearly at its lowest point, then raising the right or left leg, as the case may be, clear of the seat, using the pedal as a step, dismount ; meanwhile holding the handle of the bicycle by the hand on which side the dismount is effected.

According to latest exchanges the coming racing season in Melbourne promises to be the biggest on record. From programmes already out the most ardent racer should be satisfied. There is, to start withj the Melbourne Bicycle Club's Race meeting for L 450 ; and now the Victorian Racing Cyclists' Association are out with a programme of 480 sovereigns.

For the following description of the V.R.C.A. programme I am indebted to "Verates," the cycling correspondent to the Sporting Standard: — "No sooner had it been made known that a race meeting was to be held than practical assistance came in from all quarters, and so satisfactory has it been that the committee are able to put forward one of the grandest programmes ever placed before the public. The chief item, it has been suggested, should be named the Melbourne Cyclists' Cup. It will be a handicap of two miles, on best and best machines, for 260sovs, which will be the largest amount ever offered in the cycling world for an event of this description. In order that a better class of racing may be introduced, and riders encouraged to attain a high standard in racing, it was decided to introduce an innovation in the shape of a mile record race. Should the winner break the record he will win 20sovs ; if not, lOsovs, and the second ssovs. The nursery class has been subject to careful attention, and as we look to them to fill vacancies of old fliers, every encouragement is offered by giving them the largest cash prize ever run for—viz., 20sovs, one prize only. One mile and a-half Ladies' Bracelet Race on safeties, for 16sovs, will please the fair ones, who must nominate the competitors. One Mile Ordinary Handicap, and a One Mile Novelty Obstacle Race are for 16sovs each. The conditions of the latter will be made known later on. For the second it is proposed to run off the championship of Australia, distance three miles, on best and best machines, for a first prize of 20?ovs and medal, and second of ssovs and medal. Although there is no desire to crush the good old ordinary, the committee have come to the opinion that the time has arrived when the most popular mount (the safety) should be considered first, consequently these mounts have the_ choice of the bill of fare. But still the Two-miles Handicap (ordinaries), for 30sovs, is very tempting, and a One-mile Colour Race or Donkey Race, for 14sovs, will cause some fun. The last colours win the race. For instance, A and B change colours. A will endeavour to beat B, in order that his colours will be last. A One-mile Novice, for 15sovs, one prize only, will be enticing to the beginners. The Trick-riding Championship of Australia, for 15sovs, will be an opportune time for our trick riders, who are constantly throwing out challenges without coming to business, a chance of deciding the question. In all the prizes total 480sovs.

In Christchurch a Ladies' Club has been formed under the name of the Afcalanta Cycling Club. The following office-bearers were elected : — Captain, Miss Blanche Lough ; sub-captain, Miss Keating; hon. secretary, Mrs Burn; hon. treasurer, Miss Barker ; committee — Mrs Shephard, Miss Bertha Lough, and Miss F. Adams ; auditors, Mr R. P. Clarkson and Miss Cabob. The rules of the Bicycle Touring Club were adopted with slight amendments. Mrs Burn, whom we have lately heard of as a cyclist, will no doubt put as hon. secretary of the club the same amount of enthusiasm into her new office as she has into touring. Bravo, Christchurch !

The returu ball given by the Bicycle Touring Club to the lady members was a thorough success. There were over 120 persons present.

- — ■ The Cycling Road Premiership of Victoria is exciting great enthusiasm among the clubs of Melbourne. The race was to be runoff last Saturday, ami no less than seven clubs have each sent in a team.

On June 27 F. W. Shorland lowered S. F. Edge's record from London to York by 39min riding the full distance in 12hr lOinin, adding a couple of miles to his own 12 hours record by accomplishing 194- miles in the time. Some 10,000 or 12,000 spectators as-

sembled on the Leeds ground at Headingley England, on June 25, in soaking wet weather, to witness the racing for the One and Five Miles Safety Championships and the Twentyfive Miles Ordinary Championship. All the best men in the country were entered, but Osmond, although on the ground, did not compete. The racing, so-called, was a miserable farce Zimmerman, the American, was successful in both the One and Five-mile events. Both were miserable crawls until nearing home, when Zimmerman's fine spurting powers soon put the issue beyond doubt. He won the One Mile (A. C. Edwards second, J. W. Schofield third) in 3min 5 4-ssec, and the Five Miles (W. Harris second, A. Dv Cros third) in 20min 1 l-ssec. There were only two competitors for the Twenty-five Miles Ordinary Championship, namely, J. H. Adams (holder) and H. D. Faith. The pair alternately led till within half a lap of home, where Adams came right away and won by 25 yards. Time, lhr 19min 3-ssec.

Zimmerman won the Fifty Miles Safety Championship at Paddington on July 7 in 2hr 37min 32 3-ssec. F. Shorland was second and R. G. Ilsley third.

The bicycle race from Paris to Nantes (France) and return, a distance of 625 miles, came off on July 3rd, 4th, and sth, and was won by the English rider, Allard, who covered the distance in 64hr 14min. Meyer finished second, an hour and 52 minutes behind.

The National Cyclists' Union Championship meeting yielded a return of L3BO, which will put the finances of the governing body right after the costs of the big WarwickGoalding law case.

A. Zimmerman, the American rider and champion of the world, at the Herne Hill track, London, on the 30th June, pulverised the halfmile world's record, recently made by Lewis Stroud, by doing the distance in lmin ssec, or 1 3-ssec better than Stroud's. The quarter was covered in 32 2-ssec. In this attempt a refinement in the science of pacemaking was introduced by the suggestion of Pern. Coleman, the N.C.U. official timekeeper. At each of the quarter lines a responsible individual was stationed to advise the pacemaker as to the position of the would-be record-breaker. The plan worked admirably.

With regard to the above performance, Bicycling News states that the American ought to do about 2min 12seo for the mile, and 24miles in the hour easily, if pacemakers are available. One minute five seconds is over 2sec faster than the time made on any other track. Yet Stroud would want all 25yds from Osmond iv half a mile, both at their best.