CYCLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2057, 27 July 1893, Page 33

CYCLING.

NOTES BY DEMON. Cyclists in, Dunedin are beginning to shake off their winter sleep and to show signs of activity. Already the air is full of talk of races and racing men and machines, while the two clubs are busy getting ready for their annual meetings. So soon as the different office-bearers of the clubs are elected I expect to see a marked activity in cycling circles, and from all accounts this year promises to be one ia which cycling here will make rapid strides. — =• There is as yet no new racing star about, bub the old racing men are on the move, and anticipate being ready to do battle at the Labour Day sports gathering, when cycle racing may be said to commence. I hope from now on to be able to keep my readers posted up in the doings among the clubs and clubmen in our midst. On dit that the Taieri Ramblers' Cycling Club intend to hold a big concert in aid of track improvements. The date is not yet fixed, but no doubt the Taieri boys will let their brethren in Dunedin know in good time to patronise the affair. The Timaru Tourists held the first road race of the season on Thursday last. The distance was to Winchester and back, 32 miles, and the race was won by Parr (20sec start), Whelan being second, and Orr third. Parr's time was 2hr lOmin 46sec. — — The trial match against C. Hall, of Timaru; is to take place on Thursday, August 3, At a recent meeting held at Hororafca it was decided to form a cycling and athletic club for the district. The club is formed on the cash principle, and is to be called the Hororata Cash Cycling and Athletic Club. A "cash amateur " athletic club is decidedly a novelty. On Monday, 17th inst., the Rev. A. P. Pritchard started on a safety bicycle from Hokitika, and reached Rangiora on Tuesday afternoon. On part of the journey the new metalled roads rendered progress slow. On another stage there was a good deal of snow, which had been frozen hard. The machine slipped once, and Mr Pritchard slightly injured his ankle. He returns to the Coast by the same method, The distance from Rangiora to Hokitika is about 130 miles. A meeting of delegates to the New Zealand Cyclists' Union was held on Tuesday, 18th inst., at Christchurch. The capitation fee was fixed at one guinea. In consequence of the alteration of the date of the Austral meeting in Melbourne, it was decided to write to the Melbourne Bicycle Club to ascertain what arrangements could bo made for a New Zealand team to compete. Tuesday's Lyttelton Times says :— "ln order to enable the public to easily distinguish one competitor from another in cycle racing, nearly 4000 distinctive colours have been arranged and printed in the registered colour book of the New Zealand Cyclists' Union, the headquarters of which are in Christchurch. Racing cyclists who are members of any club affiliated to the union must register one of these as the colours they alwaj s intend to ride in, as no entry-form for path racing will be considered complete unless the registered colours are specified. Colours may be registered by any athlete, whether a member of a club or not, on and after August 1, 1893. The fee chargeable for registration is 2s 6d, and eaoh registration holds good for three years, but may be re-re-gistered at the expiration pf that time.

The colour-steward is Mr W. E. Thompson, from whom all information may be obtained, and with whom all colours must be registered. The only colours that may be used are: White, black, red, blue, green, yellow, grey, and brown, a regulation shade being in eaoh colour. The principal variations are : All one colour, all one colour with different caps, gashes, sleeves and stripes. Sashes must be the regulation width (4in), and are to be worn round the left shoulder to the right hip (back and front). Hoops and stripes must be the same width as sashes— viz., 4in. Spots must be 2£in in diameter. No two men will be allowed to have the same colours, and they will be allotted according to priority of application. Every competitor must wear a silk or satin jacket, long sleeves, plain white knickerbockers, and black socks or stockings. His Honor the Chief Justice of South Australia, in summing up the cycling libel case against the Adelaide Sporting News, said he was aware that dishonesty existed in horseracing, but he was sorry to hear it suggested that the same sort of thing had crept into cycling. It was incumbent on those who had the management of cycle races to put down suspicious practices with a strong hand. If they did this they might expect to be supported by the press, the public, and courts of justice. — — At Melbourne on Saturday afternoon, 21st inst., a road raco, promoted by the laterclub Committee, was held from the Haymarket to Bevendgi and back to Oampbellfield, a distance of about 30 miloa. The road was in bad order. Out of 46 entrants 38 faced the starter, and the race resulted in J. Carpenter, the limit man (32tnin start), coming in first, doing the^ distance in 2hr 48min 42sec. J. Parsons, who" came in fourth, rode the distance in the fastest time, 2hr 34min 34sec. He had a start lOmin, and rode a 341b machine SHorland, a London bicyclist, rode 426 miles in 24 hours, establishing a new record. The Ten-mile Championship of Scotland was decided at Dundee on June 7, when eight competitors went to the post. The pace was fast throughout, and J. M'Laren got home first by a yard from R. A. Vogt, who finished 2yds in front of G. Torranoe. The winner was objected to by Vogt for foul riding, .while Torrance protested against Yogt and M'Laren for putting him on the railings, several of the competitors having ridden on the grass, which was level with the cinders. The judge declared the race void, and ordered it to be run over again on a date yet to be fixed. This decision met with general approval. Time, 28min 45£seo. — The American champion rider, A. A. Zimmerman, competed at an open race meeting held at Dublin, Ireland, June 7, winning a onemile invitation scratch race by two lengths, in 2min 47£seo; O'Neil, of Dublin, second, and O'Callaghan, of Cork, third. Later in the day there was a race for the 25-mile Championship. Of the 20 starters three fell in the first lap. Zimmerman, at an early stage of the race, came in collision with another contestant, and was thrown with great violence against the rails which enclosed the track. Three of his teeth were knocked out, and he was otherwise injured to such an extent that he was compelled to retire. Eenna, of Limerick,' won, covering the distance in lhr 12min 26|sec. Camp, of London, was second. Previous to meeting with the accident Zimmerman gave an exhibition, riding a quarter mile, with a flying start, in 30 4-ssec, beating the best Irish record by lsec. . « J. P. Mills broke the Land's End to John O'Groats record early in June by about seven hours, covering the distance, about 7QO miles, in three days 16 hours. This beats the tricycle record for the distanoe by 41hr 13min. The cycle to whioh the ideal tyre will be fitted (says Pearson's Weekly) will travel upon air. The pneumatic , tyre achieves this condition, but it has drawbaoks which place it a considerable distance short of ideal excellence. In the first place, however good the rubber may be, the air escapes under pressure ; in the second place, the prick of a nail or a piece of glass instantly reduces the machine to uselessness, it may be miles from home. True, the injury can be repaired, but the haunting fear of it is ever present. Thirdly, the pneumatic tyre is too expensive, considering its liability to injury ; and lastly, the so-called "rubber flow" is not quite in the right direction. A wheel now promised will, if it stands the test of experience, be the ideal tyre so far as can be seen. It> is praotjcally an air ball flattened out into a wheel, with a solid rubber tyre which cannot be punctured. The walls are of rubber layers', lined with unstretchable canvas. There are no spokes in the proper sense of the word, but radial divisions form a, kind of air-spokes, .which when the wheel ib fully inflated are said to give the maximum of resistance and resilience. It is far lighter than any wheel in use ; it is to cost about half of the pneumatic tyre's price, and a spare wheel uninflated can be carried in the pocket and fitted in a few minutes. THE SKY-CICLE: A MODERN WITCH'S BROOMSTICK, Mr Fred T. Merrill, a ■ dealer in bicycles in Portland, who intends to visit Chicago on a "sky-cycle," gives some amazing particulars of the invention in the Chicago Tribune. It is said to be invented by a brother of Joaquin Miller, the " Poet of the Sierras," who resides in the State of Oregon. " .We have already," says 'Mr Merrill, "used a he ivy machine made of wood, ascended 30ft above the ground, ridden 200 yds, made curves, and described a circle of 100 ft in diameter, alighting safely. The machine, all of aluminium, we intend to have, will weigh ksa than 401b. . . . Each machine will have 'a parachute attached to the handle bar, which can be opened at will, should the machine descend too rapidly in the case of a breakage, or if the rider should stop pedalling. . . As to speed, we intend to average 30 to 40 miles an hour, and with tho wind favourable at least 50 miles an hour can easily be made. The machine is propelled by the ordinary motion of the feet as with a bicycle on the ground. The gearing attached operates the wings, and tbe steering is by the handle, which. moves a fan-tail or rudder In starting, we imitate a crane or other large bird which tuns along the ground a short distance, using its wings at the same time, then, rising in the air. Our ' sky-cycle l will run on the land even with but a single wheel, and at the same time the wings are set in motion. All other machines for aerial navigation require either steam or electricity for motive power, and thus adding materially to the weight, require a larger and more cumbersome machine. We dispense with that, as the motive power is supplied by the rider, and our machine is consequently much lighter than any other invented. The wings and rudder are steered or changed in position by the hands of the operator, and he is at perfect liberty to look over the country above which he is travelling, simply keeping his feet in motion. When high up in the air and desirous of sloping downwards, he can, cease pedalling, and turn the wings in suoh a manner that with the momentum already attained he gracefully comes sailing down like a bird that stops fluttering and floats with extended wings." —^sisvery pretty and graqefulj and altogether

a superior affair .to the antiquated, and of course obsolete, witch's broomstick 1 ANNUAI REPORT OTAGO CYCLING CLUB.* I , Your committee, in presenting their first annual report and balance sheet for the year ending July 31, 1893, congratulate the club on its prosperity, the result of the season's work, though commenced at a very late date, being, highly satisfactory. Finances.— The balance sheet shows a credit balance of £15 Is 9d, a very 'substantial balance considering that no canvass>was made for donations or prizes, and that this is the first year of tbe club s existence. Membership.— The membership roll shows that we have 50 members, and there w every reason to believe that the ensuing season will see a conBiderable addition to the membership. Club Runs.-As the club did not start till late in the season, club runs were not organised, but your committee trust that, during the coming season runs will be held once a fortnight, and full advantage taken of them by" members. Racing.— The race meeting was held on February 11 last. From .a racing point of view the sports were all that could be- desired, and S. R. Stedman lowered the three-mile record. Financially they were a success, there being a small credit balance as a result of the meeting. The club's representatives were Messrs Beckingsale, Begg, Borrie, Godward, Home, Inglis, Maw, M'Donald, M'Kenzie, Morgan, Stedman, Taylor, and Wilson. At the Timaru sports the club was represented by Mr Wilson, where he jwas fairly successful. At the championship meeting, held at Carisbrook in January, representing the 0.0.C. Mr S. R. Stedman was placed third in the Twenty-five Mile Championship— a very good performance considering that a few days before he met with a nasty accident that placed him at a great disadvantage, and as Mr Stedman lias-decided to retire from racing, this, as one of his last performances, will be remembered by all who were fortunate enough to see it. The club's thanks are due to the Dunedin Amateur Athletic Club for including threo bicycle events in their programme.! In conjunction with the Dunedin Cycling Club and the Dunedin Amateur Athletic Club, the club assisted in holding a combined sports meeting in aid of the Queensland Floods Relief Fund, which resulted in a credit balance of £14. Twenty-five Mile Handicap.Caledonian Grounds. —On the evening of February 2a. Twenty-five Mile, Handicap was run, 15 riders competing, the winner -being G/Wilo's'n (10min), v S. R. Stedman (scr) second, J. Buchanan (lOmin) third; Stedman lowering the New Zealand record. of lnr 18min 44sec to lhr 16min 19aec. Your committee are of opinion that evening races like the above do much to bring out racing men and keep alive 'the enthusiasm. } 'i ■ ' , The club has some promising riders, which with a little more experience should develop into first' class men. There is a vacancy, caused by the retirement of Mr Stedman that will require to be filled, and we trust to our young riders to fill it with credit. ■ Touring. — At the end of January Messrs M'Donald (captain) and Stedman rode to Naseby via Middlemarch. During the Easter holidays Messrs Maw and Home rode to ; Mataura, Messrs Taylor, Stedman, and Howlhon to- Kurow, Mr Currie to Invercargill (putting up a record), Messrs Fulton and Wilson to Balclutha, and Mr Begg to Timaru. - . Thanks.— The club beg to return thanks to the Caledonian , Society for the free use of their ground for the 25-mile Race and for the ,very liberal terms for the race meeting ; to the donors of prizes, to Messrs M'Donald and Oyendon for use of committee room, to the. Garrison Band for generously giving their services, to all those who kindly assisted in making the race meeting a success, and last, but not least,' the press, who gave much publicity to the club's affairs. Your committee regret the loss the club has sustained through Messrs Gamble, Ovendon and Aitken leaving the province. The 'season being nearly over, the vacancies' were not filled. Mr Milner was the club's delegate on the New Zealand Cyclists' Alliance, and the club's best thanks are due to him for the time" and trouble he ha 3 taken in looking after the'cliib's interests.