CYCLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2286, 23 December 1897, Page 41

CYCLING.

NOTES BY DEMON.

The members of' the D.C.C. held a club ion to O a tram on Saturday. About 20 members turned out, and despite the wind the outing was a pleasant one.

The last committee meeting of lhe Otsgo Cjcling Club was attended by Mr A. Aitchiscm, deputy-captain of the D.C.C., who was chosen by his club to act as a "sports delegate," in compliance with an invitation from the Otago Cycling Club for the co-operation of a delegate from the D C.C.

The Brighton road is bad just now, but it gives promise of improvement.

W. B. Bell returned from Christcburch on Monday evening. He was not successful at the Chri6tchurch Club : s meeting; but, neyer mind, better fortune next time.

W. Mol'io. is putting ia some good work on the track, and I anticipate that he will be heard of this season. Among others, Sullivan, Crawford, Maxwell, and Minn are daily doing a good share of training. The Caledonian and Carisbrook tr&cks are quite lively now of an evening, and there is always a large number of onlookers, who eagerly watch the training operattons.

J. Munro, the ex-captain of the 0.C.C., has returned to Dunedin from West Australia. He declares that New Zealand is, after all, as our New Zealand poet Thomas Bracken puts it, • • God's own country."

- .. Simon M 'Donald's chances as a racing man in Australia are well spoken of by cyclists who have seen him ride. It will be recollected that M'Donald, who is a native of Dunedin, was looked upon as one of the best men iv Canterbury and down here. In his time he was ex-ceedingly-fast. A Sydney cablegram states that PlattBettt has succeeded in out-recording himself, covering a mile from a standing start in lmin 52|sec and a mile from & flying start ia lmin 38faec. A New York cablegram states that Miller, of Chicago, won the sis days' cycling ■wotest, coreriojE 5093 mile%

At a meeting of the Sports Committee of the Otago Club on Thursday (Mr H. B. Courtis presiding) cfficials were appointed for the sports meeting, and satisfactory reports were received from sub-committees. It was decided to place two amateur athletic events on the programme. Arrangements were made in connection with medals for the championship and team race, and several entries were received for the Otago Wheel Race. Mt W. Melville has donated a trophy for the sports meeting.

The following members of the Invercargill Cycling Club took part last week in a fivemile test race : — Poole, G. Double, R. M'Kenzio, P. Muir, W. Jones, and Ei wards. There were Qtsb and second prizes for riders who won tne greatest number of laps. M'Kenzle, with six Up?, took first, and Muir second with four. The real purpose* of the race, however, was to decide the representative of the club in the inter- club race at the Christmas Day sports. Muir won by several lengths, and the responsibility falls on his shoulders.

Mr W. Melville, of George streat, sends me a copy of B scon's cycling map of the South Island of New Zealand. The map has been the subject of notice in my previous notes. Mr Melville sends it out as a reminder of the present festive season, and wishes cyclists many enjoyable rides on the "wheel. A bicycle was Btblen on Saturday evening while left standing outside Mr M'LeUan's tobacconist shop in George street. It has not yet been recovered.

A lady writes to me to know whon'the state of things can or wi'.l be altered regarding the presence of scorchers and novices on the cycling track. Both are a constant source of danger to thoEe who can ride, and one day this week a lady who had perfect mastery of her machine and understood the rule of road was run into by a man who could not guide his bicycle and was decidedly in his novitiate, and (he lady's machine was considerably damaged. On beiDg remonstrated with he calmly replied, "Oh, ycu are not hurt, you know," but en its being pointed out to him that the machine had been, he mounted and rode away as quickly as he could, leaving tho sufferer in total ignorance of his name or address.- Now this sort of thing ought not to be tolerated by the cyclists as a body, and the ladies particularly would be obliged to someone who could hit npon some plan whereby both novices and scorchers could be prevented from using the track. It is a usual thing to see people being taught on it, and men and boys racing at the lop of their speed is also a very common sight.

A Sydney cablegram states th&fc PlatfcBetts pub up ft half-mile in 473ec — the world's record. The first quarter occupied 23gsec, which beats his own record.

J. Woodrcff, represenfcaliTe of"tlje Royal Enfield C;clc Company, Las decided that the 75-guinea Challenge Cup sent out by the company for competition in New Zealand shall be competed for at the League of Wheelmen's Champion meeting at Dunedin in March.

A Melbourne cablo states that Gargursvitcb, p»eed by triplets, has established world's cycling graHs records from one to ten miles. He covered the mile in 2mia 11 3-ssec. five ruilss in lltain 39£iec, and 10 miles iv 23<nin 45§aec.

Bicycle stands will no doubt be a 9 common as cab stands some day. A firm in Berlin has one where bicycles are let out at a rate of Id for £0 minutes.

The gate receipts for the first day of the Melbourne Bicycle Club's Spring meeting were nearly £700. This, with programmes, privileges, entrance and acceptance fees, stands the club on velvet. The gate of the next day's meeting would be all profit.

The North Otago Cycling Club hold a road race in the second week of January, and give medals for records for road distance riding. The distance is not yet chosen, but it is anticipated that it will be either from Oarcaru to Dunedin or Oamaru to Timaru.

A lady friend of mine learnt to ride and bought a bicycle, and her husband, who had not yet learnt to love a wheel, always expected to hesr that it had cost her more at "the end of 12 months for repairs than the original cost of the machine. She has had it just one year, and was proud to be able to inform him that it had not cost her one sixpence during all that; time. This is a case in point, and it is, I hope, becoming an exploded idea that machines must always be in the repair shop, provided always that a good price is given at first and a reliable mount therefore obtained.

— — To remove a lamp Is sometimes a difficult proceeding, owing to the lamp bracket being too wide ; for while it may be comparatively easy to fix a lamp in position on such a bracket, it more often requires considerable force to remove it. To attempt to detach the lamp by pulling or pushing at one side only tbcowfl a rtrajA en th« l»«u?j in. addition to en-

tailing considerable muscular effort, yet by placing the fingers of both hands under and on either side of that part of the lamp fast to the bracket, it will be found that quite a gentle pull wll remove it, All arrangements for theeyejiog encampment promoted by the Dunedin Cycling Club are now complete. A beautiful site has been chosen at the Taieri Mouth, whore eereral duck tents will ba pitched, and as fully 30 names have been handed in, including those of several ladie-, the event promises to be a great success. Tha camp can be reached by boat leaving Henley at 9 o'clock on Friday evening next, or by the steamer which leaves Heuley on arrival there of the 8 o'clock train on Christmaß morning. Another routo is that via Brighton, and as the road ii in fairly good condition cyclists should have no difficulty in reaching the spot. Those taking part in the camp Bre reminded that all luggage mu«b be ia High street club room before noon un Thursday.

Although the cycle has always been recognised as f tater than the racehorse for distances over ft mile, it has remained for J. W. Stocks to prove that the bicycle can accomplish any time pub up by tho fastest of racdhorsea for a mile. The record for v ruile is held by the American horse Salvatcr in ltnin 35^sec, and Stocka's time (ridden on the Ciyslal Palsco track, London) is lmin 35§sec, so that thft cycle beats the racehorse by a email fraction of a s-coud.

The following are the existing English records up to date, the whole being ridden upon. Dunlop tyres : — 1-mile flying ... 23Jsec J. W. Stocks £-niile „ ... 47g3ec „

1 mile „ ... Imm aagsec ... „ 1 mile standing... Imin 41-cc ... „ 5 mites Savin 50 4-ssec ... „ 10 miles 17mm47isec ... „ 1 hour : 32mlO6Syds ... „ 50 kilometres ... 56min50£.«ec ... „ 50 miles lh 36min 23£j$ec JBonheura . 100 kilometres ... 2Uonnn3s3ec ... ,^ lUO miles 3h 25min21-{-5s Palmer 6 hours 165 m 1200 yds ... Cordang 12 hours 317 m 600 yds ... „ '24 hours 61(5m 340 yds ... „ 1000 kilometres . . . 24h 12min 21 4-5s „ -.

Should like* to again offer a few words of advice to our lady riders as to the absolute need of taking an extra wrap with them when going for a few days' or even » few hours' cycling. Over and over again I ace them calmly starting off with cotton blouses and no excra covering, and it get? very cool, not to say cold, in the evening, and they should therefore be prepared for the change of temperature. Many colds have been and will continue to be caught, aud perhaps end in something very serious for those who neglect these little precautions, and then, as usual, cycling will get all the blame, when it is only another case of the abase and not the use of it.

There are riders in plenty who, although vory particular about the general appearance of their machines, entirely forget the handles, which, especially if made of ork, become black and greasy-looking with use. An excellent way of cleaning handles is to scrub gently with a soft nail brush and a little soap, afterwards wiping eff the lather with a clean cloth dipped in cold water. It ia astonishing what a difference clean handles make both in the comfort of the rider and in the appearance of the wheel.

The path of the St. Petersburg wheelman is not strewn with roses. The Russian cyclist is hedged in with roles and regulations th&t make him a law-bccaker for the most trivial matter, and he is brought before tha court for the smallest offence. Bicycle riding in the streets of the city is allowed only on low, two-wheeled machines, or on bicycles of other types that are considered not dangeroui by tha authorities. O^ly those persons of proper age who have received a municipal permit cjxa ride. The permit must bear the name of-" the proprietor, and is given only to persons who know how to ride a bicyclo. The person who receives a permit, moreover, must give a photograph of himself, which is attached to the permit. He is then supplied with a number. He mu3t have on his bicycle a bell and, after dark, a lighted lantern. The kind of lamp and the lime and the way in which it must be attached to the bicycle are established by the governor. Each person riding a bicycle mu3t carry with him the permit, with the present regulations printed on it. Fast riding or racing in the city is not allowed. Riders must always keep to the right, as near to the side walk as possible. Riders must pass foot passengers and equipages on the left-hand side if possible. In overtaking a foot passenger or equipage, the bicycle rider must iv due time ring the bell and he must pass slowly. To ring without need is prohibited. No other signals except bells are allowed. In caise horses should take fright at a bicycle the rider must stop and alight. In turning a corner or in crossing a street the bicycle must be ridden very slowly and the bell rung. In localities where there is much public traffic and many equipages riders must alight and lead tkeir wheels. When several bicjele riders are together they nmsfc ride one after the other at a distance of sob less than 14ft between each bicycle. It is prohibited to ride or lead a bicycle on sidewalks, roads for pedestrians, boulevard*, squares, or parks. Riding a bicycle in the city in a racing costume, without a coat, or in such a costume as would attract special attention, is prohibited. The riding of bicycles can be stopped on some streets by order of the police in the following cases : Daring the time when their Imperial Majesties are expected to pass ; during the religious processions, and in places where there is a large gathering of people and equipages. The riding of bicycles is nob allowed in certain parks of the Nevski prospicfc nor in ,the Summer Park. The city governor has the right te prohibit the riding of bicycles in some of the streets of the city. A person violating these regulations may be deprived by the police of hio.eenait; he m&y also be .brought before

the coart. *^Up to February this year ladias were not allowed: to ride a bicycle in the streets of St. Petersburg, but siuca that time permission has been granted. Tbere are four cycling" clubs in the city, and tho number of registered wheels is 3 little over 7000. The total number of bicycles imported into Russia last year was 10,609.