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Otago Witness, Issue 2397, 8 February 1900, Page 45

CYCLING NOTES.

BY DEMON.

The Dunedin Cycling Club, not to be behind hand in the enthusiasm and public spirit that has been already displayed in connection with the equipment of the Otago and Southland Scouts for service in South Africa, decided on Monday evening to run their annual race meeting fixed for Saturday, 17th inst., wholly for the benefit of the fund now being raised in Otago and Southland. The committee's action in thus coming forward at once to help what is a provincial affah", and near to ourselves, must meet with the approval of all sports, and I trust that when a final settling comes there will be a handsome surplus to hand over to those who arc working so enthusiastically to help the Empire. No doubt special trains will be arranged for, so that cauntry residents may have an opportunity of seeing what promises to be a" splendid meeting, and of helping in the equipment of our contribution, the Otago and Southland Scouts. The New Zealand Championship meeting, held under the control of the New Zealand League of Wheelmen, was run at Wellington on Wednesday and Saturday of last week. Wind seems to have been the cause of no brilliant performances being made, and the attendance on the first day was poor, but improved on the second day. E. Rej-nolds secured three championships — One Mile (2min 19 3-ssec), Three Miles (7min 2 4-ssec), Five Miles (12min). Tierney captured the Half and Ten Miles championships. Times, lmin 5 l-ssec, and 24min 58 3-ssec respectively. All of the amateur championships were won by \V. Reynolds, a brother to E, Reynolds, who took the majority of the cash championships. He won the Half-mile, One Mile, Three Miles, Five Miles, and had a walk over for the Ten Miles. His times were — Halfmile, lmin 9 3-s^ec ; One Mile, 2min 57sec ; Three Miles, 7min 47sec; Ten Miles, 27min 4-ssec. No time was taken in the Five Miles race. A. Ralston secured a splendid victory in tho Royal Enfield Cup race, five miles. Time, 12min 1 4-ssec. Several handicap races were run during the, meeting. Details of the racing will be found below. Instructions have been given from Melbourne by George Sutherland to enter himself arid H. H. Walne, the Australian champion, for the events to be run at the* Dunedin Cycling Club's meeting on Saturday, 17th inst. We all know how George Sutherland can ride, and will be glad to see him again after his visit to Australia. Walre's appearance will be the making of the meeting. 'Tis not often we have a chance of seeing an Australian champion racing, and I'm looking forward to a treat in the racing line when he makes, his appearance on our track. — The Melbourne Cricket Club charge the League of Victorian Wheelmen £70 for the use of their ground for the sports meeting: to be held on 17th inst. in aid of the cyclists' portion of the patriotic fund. This is the Cricket Club's usual charge for the use of their ground, but on this occasion they take the mpney only to hand it back as their donation to this particular branch of the fund. The Dunlop Tyre Company have had executed at the New Zealand Wheelman Office, Christchurch, a very neat folding photographic album of the leading bicycle champions of the colony. This album is intended as a souvenir of the championship meeting held last week, and it is the intention of the company to distribute copies over New Zealand. The work is a credit to the staff of the New Zealand Wheelman. Something like a record in cycle building was accomplished by Messrs Smith and Boardinan, of Melbourne, during the holidays. On the Thursday before New Year

a customer called and said: "I want a cycle built of B.S.A. parts, with gear case fitted." "Yes," said Mr Smith, "when do you want it?" "On Satitrda3 r ," replied the customer, "because it is to be a New Year's gift. I know the time is very short, but, if it can be done, yours is the only firm able to do it." "Well, it is something out of the common,' remarked the senior partner, somewhat softened by the delicate compliment of his customer, "especially as we are full of work just now ; but you shall have it on the date required." It was 2 p.m. on Thursday when the order was received, and the only parts in stock required cutting .flown to suit the specification, . given, but. on. Saturday at the same hour the machine was handed over to the delighted customer, ena.nelled, plated, ' gear case fitted, and complete from stem to stern. — Melbourne Punch. After a season's hard riding, no matter how much care you may endeavour to take of your machine, there are nearly sure to be some parts of the enamel which have become scratched and chipped. The winter is a good opportunity to renovate this, and it is quite a simple matter. Having obtained a good cycle enamel, place a small quantity in a dish and warm it. If applied to the necessary places with a bit of soft rag it will afterwards look well, and especially if rubbed on at right angles to the direction of the tubing to which it fe applied. An example to our boys. ''Practical patriotism was "seen at the Reading (Eng.) Cycle Club dinner last week (says an exchange), when, out of an attendance of 70, £50 was collected for the Reservists' fund, an average of nearly 15s per head." Can a hirer pawn a bicycle ? The recent decision of the Exmouth magistrates would seem to imply that, under certain circumstances, it is not illegal . to do so. A lady cyclist had obtained a Bicycle on the hire system, and, being pressed for cash, pawned it. The bench held that it must be proved she did so without the intention of redeeming it to render the act illegal ! The point is a serious one for those who make a business of the hire system, and we fear, says tho Cycle, if this decision were backed by a higher court, many hirers of bicycles wovud be found who would pawn the machines •'with the intention of redeeming." The question is one worth testing fully. In view of the present talk of military cycling, it is of interest to note (remarks an English cycling paper), that a troop of Italian Bsr-aglieri have jiiit concluded a forced cycling march of some 1800 miles. Only three men fell out and did not finish. The War Ministry is now engaged in examining various types of cycles, with a view to selecting the most serviceable for use in the army. Sugar and water, of tho consistency of molasses, has been frequently recommended as a cure for leaky or slightly porous lubes. For a makeshift it is passable, but it ruins the tyre for all further repairs. More than that, sugar and water, once it has penetrated the tyres, ruins the cam as backing of the covers. A far better puncture cure is common yellow soap, mixed to a thin paste by means of warm water. A spoonful injected, after the valve has been removed, will cure a leaky tyre for practically all time, while it possesses the added virtue of being clean and harmle°s. After a while it dries up of course, but when tioubled with a tyre far away from town or village, the roadiide cottage will provide plenty of material to render the ride home enjoyable. One of the steam motors used to pace Taylor and M'Duffee in America is said to have done the mile in lmin 16sec ! A kind of preliminary canter for the i six days' race at Madison Square Gardens was \ just recently decided at Kansas (U.S.A.) in the shape of a six days' race of eight hours per day, when several of the more prominent American long-distance specialists competed, reports an exchange. The following was tho result : Repine, 961 miles 4 laps, 1 ; Julius, 961 miles S laps, 2 - r .Miller, 561 -miles, 3 ; Lawson, 960 miles, 4 ; Waller, 959 miles, 5. The race provided some very good sport, particularly during the last two days, when the leading division, who kept in very close company over the first part of the journey, commenced the getting-away tactics. Unfortunately for Miller, his machine went wrong at a critical moment, and this, coupled with a spill, ruined whatever chance he may have had of .winning. Autoniobilism must have reached an

acute stage in Paris if the 'following- is a true and faithful account. Relating an accident, an exchange goes on to say that cue of tha latest fashions of the antomobilists, motocyclists, and various "chaff eurs" of the auto kind in Paris, is to tear through space with the escape pipe wide open, emittirg a succession of explosions that for frightful noise can discount the switcli engine. They are not obliged to leave the escape open and make all the noise, but "it sounds big," and they do it. Recently a mototricyclist, going nearly 50 miles an hour in the heart of Paris, tcared a cab horse into running away, and the cabby is now in bed. " A noise that will scare a Paris cab horse imifet be something more than the rattle of a boy's hoop or a nurse-girl with the baby carriage. But what about the city ordinance? Oh, pshaw! that's only a joke m Paris ! — Australasian. Our impression, on the whole, of the past season's cycles is that there is a distinct' falling off, in many instances, in the quality of the enamel and plating — particularly the former — compared with what it used to be. As we have said, the enamelling is, according to our experience, a particularly great offender, chipping and falling off in a. manner in no way conducive to the appearance of the cycle, or calculated to increase its Felling value when in the new year the owner's thoughts lightly turn to procuring a newbicycle. Some samples of nickelling proved also very poor, showing a thkaness Qf coating and porosity, which indicates a desire for economy in the factory where it was turned out. We seriously hope matters will be improved during the coming season, but we have our doubts. — Irish Field. Dr Edward Phillips eontribi'tes an excellent letter on the subject of ''Motor Cars for Medical Men," to the British Medical Journal. He reminds his readers that long journeys can be undertaken, and no questions - asked as to whether the horse will be too tired to undertake more work ; all that is necessary being a supply of petrol, a very elementary knowledge of mechanism, and an efficient and reliable car. He points out that a car can be bought for from lsogs to 180gs, which is capable of climbing the steepest of hills with two or three people on board, and that this prica includes pneumatic tyres and all that is required to make a car comfortable for road work. However, the great point in his letter i= the comparison he makes between this and the outlay required to provide a decent fourwheeled carriage with pneumatic or cushion tyres, a horse, harness and stable fittings, ofi which the initial cost is about the same as for • an auto-car. But then the horse has to be fed, and can only travel a limited number of miles a day. Besides this, the doctor points out that the machine can be used as a holiday vehicle, and that tours of any distance can ba undertaken. He finishes up by saying: "I shall purchase one of the machines as soon aa I can dispose of my ponie=, carts, and stable accessories." — — • In the Militar Wochenblatt, the subject of military cycling is again brought forv ard in connection with the recent issue of bicycles to cavalry regiments for service. Ifc is pointed out that in innumerable ways the employment of military cyclists in carrying messages and reports, going for orders," etc. , spares much unnecessary fatigue to the horses which would otherwise have had to be used for the purpose, and that, whether in peace or war, the services of the cyclist are invaluable. In night marches, for instance, the cavalryman may ride in perfect security through the darkest night if preceded on tha road by the lantern-bearing cyclist to clear the way and to give him notice of all obstacles. — • — The ordinary cycle oils, proposed as lubricants, do not invariably give entire satisfaction. Many riders do not care for a thin oil, and it is generally admitted by practical riders that a thick solution provides the best; running medium in the bearings. Vaseline, however, is of too great a consistency, even when thinned down by warmth, as it goes back to a tacky state after it has stood for a. while. If treated as recommended by a correspondent, though, no fault will be found with it. Take the ordinary vaseline, warm ifc until it runs clearly, and then add a few drops of methylated spirit. Once in the bearings, ifc runs as easily as can be desired, and if stiffness is felt at any time, a few additional dropa of the spirit puts matters right. One of the early morning amusements of the Kaiser during his stay at Windsor,' before he worried the woods and dales, was a ride upon a motor-car round the quiet country lanes that are to be found within a few, minutes' walk of the little Berkshire town. The Kaiser is an early bird, and before the average inhabitant had rubbed his sleepy eyea open, the Emperor had put in a couple of hours rushing about in the morning air. Snapshotists, however, were not long before they were upon his track, although their task was by no .means an easy one. With coat collar* turned up to the ears, and cap pulled well down over his forehead, Wilhelm was enabled to defeat their wills. At home he possesses three motorc-. Although i* is not recommended fotf the cyclist to be perpetually pulling his machine to pieces any more than he would lua, watch, yet there are certain small matters which any cyclist possessed of the average in-, talligence should always be capable of seainj*.

\o himself, such as, for instance, the cleaning And adjusting of bearings, adjusting saddles or handle bars, or a slack chain, and so on. However, when doing anything of this sort, Snuch ultimate bother may be saved by being 'methodical in going about the task that is to say, put any parts you remove in such a place that you can easily find them, as it is awkward to be unable to find perhaps some small but important thing when you want it again. A (little method in the whole thing will save no (end of trouble. — — E. Hale, the English cyclist, who unVlertook to cycle 100 miles a day on the road ior 12 months (Sundays excepted), had, when )the last English mail left, ridden over 10,000 '•miles, and had up till then found no difficulty in getting through his 100 miles a day. ' Amongst the latest interesting manufacturers' items are the following: — The Cle-ment-Gladiator Company, the largest cycle firm in France, have on hand orders for motor cara the aggregate cost of which will run into 'the enormous sum of £700,000, a large proportion of which has been already paid in advance. • The English Dunlop Tyre Company "uses over 39 miles of wire daily in the manufacture of multiflex Dunlop tyres, this length of wire representing 5000 tyres, which is the daily output of the big tyre company. • There is a difference ju buying a dogcart or a brougham compared with a bicycle. Here it is, according to a writer in an American paper: — "When. you buy that' dogcart you can't come and sit on my doorstep every ■day till I'm dead or mad, asking me to change the axles, or the huts, or the spokes, or the body shafts. And I'm not going to paint it another colour a week to-day. And I'm not going to f giv.e you a guarantee in writing that "you may fleece me for heavy damages if the concern collapses or" crumbles away because of your recklessness or neglect or ignorance." 'And the seller of hats or socks says just about the same thing. And the customer, not being drunk, or insane, or spoilt by lavish generosity, accepts the conditions and buys the .goods. — ;—; — Platt-Betts informed the Cyclist that flic intended doing more racing than ever next season, and as he has now thoroughly got over this unfortunate accident, taking matters rather easily during the past year, he intends ,to devote more time to sprint racing, and also to regaining his favourite record, the mile* 'both with and without shield pace. E. H. 'Ainsworth, the Essex crack, who accompanied EBetts to Australia, is now the partner in a ( "very flourishing little cycle business at Chelmsford, having abandoned racing altogether. ,", The new Christchurah. by-laws with regard to the conduct of cycle traffic came into operation on Monday. ( Oyclists have taken umbrage at the provision with regard to the ringing of bells when approaching a street or passing pedestrians or vehicles, and the principal streets were pandemonium at night with the incessant ringing of all )sorts of ibells, from large hand bells to the ordinary cycle alarm, by indignant vheelmen. CYCLING CHALLENGES. CHRISTCHURCH, February 5. At a meeting of the Council of the League bf New Zealand Wheelmen, held to-night, challenges against the right of E. Reynolds to represent the league in the World's Chamtpionships, to be held in Paris in August or September, were received from J. Chalmers, Ken Lewis, G. Sutherland, and H. C. Forbes. .The cccuncil declined to accept Lewis's challenge on the ground that he is not a New Zea■lander, and that of Forbes as he has been -so long absent from the colony as to debar him .from representing it. It was stated that Sutherland is now on his wav over from Australia. A test meeting in Ohristchurch will prdbably be held about the end of this month. Sutherland and Chalmers will first compete against each other, and Reynolds, the council's nominee,. will meet the victor.