CYCLING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2368, 20 July 1899, Page 41

CYCLING NOTES.

If New Zealand were a little nearer to Australia, I fancy, says " Philibuster " in the Australasian, our men and the men over there would measure wheels on the race track far oftener than they do now. Most of the "Victorians who have visited the islands speak of the riders as a fine lot of men, full of stamina and speed, and it seems to me, if they had the same facilities for training and as much racing as our men get in a season, the result would be a crop of Walnes, Jacksons, or Gordons. The New Zealand climate is undoubtedly a good one for athletes, but the warmer temperature of Victoria is certainly more suitable for record times. Our riders are usually credited with the possession of much head power, and not wrongly, I think, for when it comes to quick and lively racing when tight "comers have to be negotiated, the flashing instinct of the Victorian takes him through, and lands him near victory. Saturday after Saturday throughout the season we have seen exhibitions of this- fearless, dashing style of viding. ' Martin taught our men a lot. * A. A. Middleton, the Carpenters, Jackson, Walne, and a host of others have all provided good examples,

I should like to see an annual visit from a team of New Zealaflders — a team consisting of a dozen riders — who could spend at least a month racing here, and then a dozen of our best men to go over to New Zealand and meet them on their own soil. "The expense," I hear someone say. Well, this might easily be arranged. For instance, at the first appearance of the New Zealand team here all the money taken at the gates would be devoted to the expenses of the trip, and when our team went to New Zealand the same practice could be followed. The sport in both colonies would benefit largely by such interchanges, and I hope to see them brought about.

A rather novel petition was before the Gisborne Borough Council the other clay in the shape of a request from 207 persons, nearly all cyclists, asking permission. to ride on the footpaths in certain parts of the town under certain conditions. A deputation pointed out that several of the streets of Gisborne are at all times unfit to bo ridden on by cyclists, as they are unformed and unmetalled. Many of those that are formed and metalled are unfit to ride on through, being out of repair, and altogether the wheelmen deserved consideration as ' a long-suffering class. The request was referred to a committee to report upon

Mr John Bradley's tender for laying a cycling track in the Kaiapoi Park has been accepted, and the work has been commenced. The track will be oval in shape, and its measurement round will be 506 yds. It will be banked sft at the corners. When finished, it will, it is anticipated, be one of the fastest courses in the colony. The total cost of the track will be about £166.

Half-time races are still popular on the Sydney cricket ground during football matches. A mile run in three heats and a final brought 33 riders to the post. Amongst them were E. Payne, J. Megson, and the evergreen long-start man, James Buck. On this occasion Buck received 300 yds from Megson, scratch. Both were placed in their heats, and in the final Buck led all the way and won by 50yds. Megson rode a brilliant race, and beat H. S. Tucker by a wheel for second place.

[ The New South Wales League of Wheelmen are asking the Railway Commissioners to have hooks placed in the rear of the tram cars, so that cyclists using the cars might sling their machines on the rear. One may safely say that the cycling trade in Melbourne is in a healthier condition than it has been for many months past. Notwithstanding the fact that the weather this winter has been exceptionally bud for the pastime, still there is a general feeling of cheerfulness throughout the trade, and pleasant anticipations are being entertained that approaching spring will bring sound, expanding business. Prices of bicycles have pretty well recovered from the slump auction sales in the early parl of last season entailed. EngAish and American makers have now to compete in this market with small local makers, who build machines from imported parts to the buyer's specifications at a figure which arrests the attention of buyers, and very often leads up to a purchase. In this way machines can be built to order from £13 to £20. Still, until such machinec have received a thorough practical testing, a large proportion of buyers will prefer to purchase imported Englibli and American standard makes having a reputation of long standing, which many buyers declare is worth paying something extra for. The price of bicycles now ceri tajnly places them withia tixn .aiach of all.

] for, if one e*annot afford a new machine, ) second-hand ones, in first-rate order, can be obtained almost at the buyer's price. — Australasian. : Apropos of the visit of the eastern cracks to West Australia, there is a short drama in threo acts going round in the faraway western betting ring. At a recent race meeting W. C Jackson was the favourite, and the bookmakers, noticing that the public and others were going very strong, closed down the odds to prohibitive prices. A presumably half-drunk individual suddenly appeared among the "bookies," shouting out in beery tones " that ' he — his — wanted to — hie — I back Beauchamp — hie — for any money. Beaui champ Was his — hie — countryman, and he'd ! be chimed if he — hie — wouldn't have a bet on ; him." As Beauchamp was thought to have , no chance; the " bookies " simply rushed the " drunken backer, and by persuasion, and even threats in some instances, obtained various sums of money from him to back the Tasmanian rider. .When the supposed " mug " had been cleaned out, the "bookies" set up | a- loud laugh, as they thought of how well I they had succeeded in fleecing the " toff," as they called him. The .glee of the metallii cians was, however, very short-lived. Just before the race W. C. Jackson was scratched for the event, and of caurse, backers had to '. receive their money back- .This was not all, for Beauchamp won the race easily, and '. the supposed chump suddenly -became sober, ; and collected his wagers in a manner which loft nothing to be desired. \ — The amateur cycling clubs in Melbourne were recently merged into one metropolitan I body, "■ known as the Melbourne Amateur i Wheelers. This now club is making very satisfactory progress, the membership increas- . ing rapidly. The objects of^ the club are , touring and racing. Ample opportunity is given, for runs,, which take place every week." Twenty mile 3 in the hour was looked upon as a marvellous performance in the cycling day 3of the lateDr Cortis. Wridgway, an English cyclist, has now driven a • motor cycle 20 miles in. 35min- 27 l-ssec. . The Essendon District Cycling Club (Vie.) donates a guinea prize to the lady member attending most club runs in a season. Mrs Bennie and Miss Downton have scored ovenly. To get out of the- difficulty, each lady has to nominate a gentleman member to run in a mile race. The nominee's winner will gain the prize for her. Bourotte, Walters, Bouhours, Bor, Cissac; Bauge, and Taylor made their appearance on the track at Auteuil, France, for the second stage of the two days' race of £0 and 100 kilos. The race over the former distance was won by Taylor in new world's record time. After 80 kilos records commenced to fall and the riders woke up to their work for the' last 20 kilometres, Taylor having trouble with his pacing, but a fast tandem was put on for him, and then Walters and Taylor made desperate attempts to gain on each other, they being just half a lap apart, but Taylor gradually increased his lead, and covered 60 miles in lhr 52min 47 2-ssec ; shortly after lapping Walters. Finishing in fine style the leader succeeded in knocking 9sec off previous best, and won a hard fought race by a little over a lap from Walters. Second day's scores: 1, Taylor in lhr 57min 10 l-ssec; 2, Walters, in lhr 58min llsec ; 3. Bouhours, in lhr 59min 52 l-ssec. The final classification for the two days, added together (80 kilometres on Thursday and 100 911 Sunday), is therefore as follows: 1, Taylor, in 3hr 25min 10 4-ssee; 2, Walters, in 3hr 27min 50sec ; 3, Bauge, in 3hr 33min 44sec; 4, Bouhours, in 3hr 36min 57sec ; 5, Bor, in 3hr 37min 38 l-ssec ; 6, Bourotte, in 3hr' 48min 6sec. The legislators of the United States of America have passed a bill prohibiting all cycling races which extend over 12 hours at one time. Thic bill will prevent a recurrence of the sickening displays witnessed during the six days' contests run a few months back in New York and San Francisco, when several of the competitors went mad. whilst others only continued riding under the influence of narcotics.

"The English cycling press are making a fuss over A. A. Chase's (England) half-mile standing start English record in 54sec, established a few weeks back on the Crystal Palace track, London, and are claiming same as a new world's record, under the delusion that the world's record for this particular event was held by J. S. Johnson (the erstwhile American recdrd-breaker) in 54- 2-ssec, ridden in 1896. But they are " off the track," for this record is held by Don Walker he having ridden a half-mile from a standing slafl in 53 l-ssec on the Sydney cricket ground, in March, 1898. Other world's records held by Australian riders are J. Megson's quarter-mile paced flying start, in 21 3-ssec, and L. Park's amateur record of the same distance, in 25sec, the former accomplished in Sydney and the latter on the St. Kilda track, Melbourne.

C. W. Miller, the winner of the 100 hours' race at Eoubaix, undoubtedly uses his " head " with as much success as his " legs," for he has a very systematic way of riding -through his long-distance contests, taking short portions of rest at frequent intervals from the start, instead of entirely exhausting himself by continuing as long as: possible without rest in the first half of the contest (remarks an English paper). During his recent ride at lloubaix he left the track at regular intervals, and put himself under his trainer's care fox massage. His wife, whom he married

so sensationally on a New York track, looked after his refreshment. Miller, on the machine,; 1 has a very perfect style, and no doubt hia many successes are in 'the main due to hia perfect pedalling. Says he, " The more perfect the pedalling, the further will the lega travel without fatigue or cramp. Long-dis-tance riders cannot afford to have a bad style."Aspirants to distance honours would, there-, fore, do well to study Lacy Hillier's "Art and' Ease of Cycling." By Miller's latest success he has now won every important long-distanca contest organised since 1897, winning during 1 ; the last 10 months the 72 hours' race at Paris,, a six days' race at Madison Square Gardens,, one at San Francisco, and the 100 hours' at" Koubaix. Miller rides a comparatively lowf gear and short cranks, his machine being an' American make, very strongly built, in order to withstand the strains which a machine is subjected to in these long races, as the man who escapes without several falls is considered exceptionally lucky.' - — -The popularity of cycling in America may be judged from an estimate of the number of riders now in the United States. At the lowest computation they are put down at 3,500,000, whilst in the manufacture of bicycles and accessories some 90,000 persons are employed.

Edward Taylor, the French middledistftnee crack, who has recently shown such fine -form in Paris, and at present holds the world's 50 miles record "at lh 28min 34 l-ssec, covering over 34 miles in the hour en route, 18 now looked upon as the likely man to beat the wonderful world's hour record of Harry Elkes, and he (Taylor)lvil! attempt the same at the very earliest opportunity (says the Cyclist). Our representative had the pleasure of meeting Taylor when he passed through • London recently on hi way horn from' America, and found him a very unassuming young • rider, a little over 18 years of age, with nothing to deuo'-e the special speed powers he possesses. ■He said that- he had been rather unfortunate during his American trip, but hoped by deeds, and not by words, to put up some big ridea before long which would confirm what has already been said of him as regards his abilities as a paced rider. And he has kept hia word. Taylor's father is an Englishman, hismother French. He commenced his racing career in 1896, and since that period he haa met and defeated the pick of the Continental cracks, including, in 1897, -Bouhours thrice. Linton twice, and Clwmpion, Lartigue, and - Bourotte each time they'met. 'He rode nina races in 1897, winning seven, including th» Grand Prix at' so kilometres. At the end of the 1897 season hoAvent over to America, where ho won four important matches,- although he did not show up as conspiciously as was expected, on account of not beingsufficiently paced. Taylor rode against Harry Elkes, the American record holder, in an hour's match, and was only just beaten, and on August 6 he reduced the world's mile record to lmin 32 3-ssec, which has since been, beaten by his namesake, " Major " Taylor. The young Frenchman stands about sft Bin, and scales about 9st, when in condition. He is not very fond of training, but is a- born rider.

-r— A Fremanlle cyclist, named W. .Kerr, has just succeeded in establishing a meritorioua record, having covered the distance from - Albany (West Australia)' to Fremantle, some2cs.miles in 49hr 55min. The wliole ride was unpaced, and'as the country passed through is almost unridable' in parts the performanceis a good one. - . ■'.",, — — The following figures will tend to convey to readers the enormous stride's made in autb« mobilisin in Franco during the last few years : : A year or' two 'back there were only a 'dozen, automobile constructors in • France, whereaa it is now computed that there are 600 manufacturers who have produced 3250 motor carriages and some 10,000 motor cycles. Auto« mobilisin is gradually awakening interest amongst Australians, although only tbj merest inkling of what is transpiring in England and Europe in this direction succeeds in reaching the colonies. At the present time there is no imported motor carriage running in New Zealand, although one or two colonialmade ones are now being experimented with. — — A few motor tricycles are gradually ap» pearing on the Australian roads ; and from tha growing interest in motoring, next summershould sea a fair number of motor cyoles in use throughout the colonies.

During a recent motor race at tin Crystal Palace track, London, the winning motor, controlled by Wridgway, the wellknown English cyclist, succeeded in covering ' 20 miles in the remarkable time of 35min 27 l-ssec. This performance serves to show the marvellous manner in, which the motot cycle is being brought to perfection, and the, far- reaching possibilities of this mode of tra> veiling in the near future.

At Montreal, Canada, on August 7, th« contests for the world's championship cy^lt race 3 will commence. Apart from the 'races, special entertainments have been arranged fot the visitors daily, so that tlie week should b'» very pleasantly spent. The official face programme has been compiled. There are IS events altogether. The chief races will be : One Mile Professional Championship, purses ZOOclol, ]25d01, 50dol. 25d01 ; One Hundred Kilometre Professional Championship, 250d01, 125d01, 75d01, 25d01; One Mile Amateur Championship, I.C.A. medals; One Hundred Kilometre Amateur Championship, I.C.A. medals ; I.C.A. Amateur Team Championship, four men per team, I.C.A. medals and prizes ; competition between one mile amateur and professional champjons, which decides the world's championship. Then there are a number of other events for amateurs and also for professional riders. The citizens of Montreal have collected a sum to provide prizes for a big road race, which will start and finish on the track.

It is stated that at . Brooklyn (New York), on July 1, Murphy, the American cyclist, rode a mile in 57 4-ssec. The previous best was lmjn 31 4-ssec, made by Major Taylor on November 14 of last year. To those afflicted with the annoyance of finding their tyres slowly but surely running down, and unable to find any sign of puncture, a correspondent in the Australian Cyclist recommends the following, which he has used with perfect success.: — Take three spoonfuls of sugar and thoroughly dissolve in a wineglass of water. Unscrew valve cover and take va've stem out. Pour, or eject by means of a pump or otherwise, tfcia ' solution into inner tube (the valve seat being on lower side at time of injection, so that fluid falls against opposite side of tube). Then replace valve and inflate, and thoroughly revolve wheel in every direction, so that solu- ' tion runs over each square inch of tube, and the leaky fiend is then vanquished. The principle of the matter is that the saccharine solu- - tion closes the pores of the rubber, thus preventing the escape of air, and, as far as I can find out, the rubber is Quite unharmed by its application. Thick treacle can be used and is equally efficacious.

An English rider, Mr F. T. Bidlake, relates one of his experiences, which goes to .prove how reliable good rim brakes are... He writes: — " I visited some Oxford friends,, on«^ of whom, waa at first sufficiently contemptux

ous in his reference to my free- wheel' machine %3 a freak, and I was led to the wor3t hill that could be found. One known as theWhite Leaf Cross, a slope on the Chilterns, above Monk's, Risborough, was our first experimenting ground. ' Nearly a mile of steep grade,, with several sharp turns, with an ap-_ palling last corner, with a gradient of 1 in 6 at the very least; this was the slope down ■which my friends' walked, and warned me they would make no provision for the widow and orphan of any man who chose to ride down. iiad I been like them, dependent on a tyre plunger, I should, with them, have ■walked. My foot-worked rear rim brake .kept my speed down to any limit 1 chose, and, .with it alone, I absolutely came to a standstill in the worst part of the 1 in '6 corner ,. and had a second rim-brake worked by hand on the front rim in' reserve unused. Next day we rode across/the Berkshire Downs, and clambered ' the grassy slopes of the White Horse Hill, the highest point of the range, something well over 800 ft Thence by a turf. road on the Ridgeway to the Blowingstone Hill, another dangerous declivity, straight, but of exceeding steepness. Again my friends ' had to walk, while I could keep mounted beside them at walking pace, without the least trouble or strain, and anyone who has visited *he place, and raised the echoes by blowing the pierced stone, as chronicled in lorn ■Brown's Schooldays,' knows the slope as one of the steepest on which road metal can be •made to stand. After these demonstrations ,1 heard no more of the word ' freak,' but one 'of my friends volunteered the remark that he supposed every decent maker would be fitting - free wheels .and rim brakes soon. They will. -. The term "cyclist" is taken from " sick list," owing to the number of them constantly in the' hospital through accidepts: The tricycle' is "the kind you try, and the " bicycle" is the kind you buy when you've had a try. The pneumatic tyre is round the wheel, and the rheumatic tyre is all over the body. Some riders of cycles hang over the 3>ar of their bicycles, others hang around the bar of a roadside pub. It is difficult to ride a tricycle straight, because the wheels go round. You can hire the low bicycles, but you cannot lower the high ones. It is well to have cotton waste and a spanner in your wallet, except when you ride out with your • girl on a tandem ; then you use your arm, span 'er, and she supplies the waist.- — Exchange. The white man's burden in the future ■will, says the Melbourne Sportsman, .probably be keeping pace with the multicoloured athletic aspirants from all over the world. . The success of Ranji md Peter Jackson and Major Taylor has reached South Africa, and to-day Bees Zulus and Matabelea and Kaffirs wheeling over the kloops where their fathers and big brothers slaughtered the white man andfought lions with- assegais. Recent races at Johannesburg brought to the post no less /than 15 dusky braves, one of whom turned oft a competition mile in 2min lOsec. Where is 'the coloured man who will uphold the honour •of Australia? Surely King Billy, of Coran-" derrk, is not to be left standing like this. An English cycle manufacturing company have just introduced a splendid and much-needed emergency chain link, for repairing wayside chain -breaks. The link con- " sists of a- toughened steel band, which holds . the. fractured link together, and is then held on. the" outside of the chain by means of.aemail bolt and nut, the contrivance being Simplicity itself, besides having the.additional 'advantage of cheapness. In the border towns pf Cape Colony,' cays the Cycle Age, Africans have for some years taken their share in all branches of athletic 3, but it is only recently that they Slave' added cycling to their other accomplishments, and the first native who had sufficient nerve to ride through the town on his wheel created a. big sensation. When, however, the same fellow, faultlessly attired in regulation knickers, made his second appearance, and this time accompanied by a native lady, excitement became intense, and the local paper devoted a column to the 'incident. The Kaffirs in King William's Town and Grahamstown now have their own cycling clubs, and on Saturdays and Sundays they may be seen taking jaunts into the neighbouring country. In Natal there are three native clubs, iln Zululand many of the missionaries own machines, and several of the native teachers visit the members of their congregations on bicycles. A speculativt Australian is said to , jbe responsible for this, as lie travelled the ' 'country on a_ bicycle, and took orders at the 6tores and mission stations. The South African native is of a thrifty disposition, and puts iby every penny he earns, so that when the opportunity offered he was able to purchase a bicycle, and it would take a lot of persuasion to make him give up his machine. It often happens that one cannot locate a puncture in one's tyre, and there is no •water at hand with which to test the tube. Tn such, a case the smoker can fall back on his cigarette, cigar, or pipe by puffing as much" smoke as possible through the valve. .Then pump up, and the smoke will be forced through the puncture — and there you are. - The English. Cyclist, usually regarded as a first-rate authority on cycling matters, says:— "The .ire'e pedal is undoubtedly a. glorious institution in the open country on a fine day when the rider has mastered its peculiarities, but with whatever form of brake or brakes it may be combined, it is not so safe as fixed pedals for town riding." The Cyclist consider two brakes necessary tc free ■wheel machines, both, to be worked by hand. The right hand lever to act on the rear wheel brake, and the left hand lever to work the front wheel brake.