A DUPLEX GEAR AND FREEWHEEL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2429, 3 October 1900, Page 49

A DUPLEX GEAR AND FREEWHEEL.

A device fitted to one's machine by which he is enabled to alter the gear instantaneously, and io have an automatic coaster at pleature, constitutes, that machine as being an ideal mount for touring. Apart from the freewheel, and before that feature of wheeling became so popular, it had long be3ii my xvifh (bays ""Fortis" in the Australasian) to procure some easy, light, safe, and jjresentable meanp whereby the gear oi the cycle could be altered at will. Already had one patent possessing this facility been tried, and it served to strengthen my belief in the value of such a device for touring and general riding, because it rendered a machine so fitted a more effective instrument — the rider had two average gears, so to speak, as against one. As an adjunct to the wheel of the future it should prove most valuable, for by its use the rider is enabled to obtain the maximum amount of pleasure from cycling with the minimum amount of exertion. The name usually ghen to this particular kind of gear i.= "two-speed," but, in reality, it is a inisr.omer, as the matter of speed is generally of the lepat importance wheiA riding for pleasure. The term "duplex gear" is. I think, more appropriate, as it explains exactly the objects of the device : hence p machine so fitted would be "dupiicately-gc-area" — a more rational definition than "two-speeded." A*, a matter of fact, however, the speed of the machine is materially altered with the change of gears, although the actual proore^ — i.0.,^ distance covered — may be greater in a sjiven time than with a singlegeared machine. In choosing a gear the ricVr adopts one tLat eaa be comfortably ridden undpr most condition-!. There are tinier at which a lower gear would bp of im-men-'O comfort, v, hile c ir other- a biarl'cr one would prove advantageous and pleasurable, hence i> mean is ehosMi as the best all-round average. Tt must be admitted that there is generally a leaning to the higher bide, and a rider choose a gear vMoh i« the limit of hi? capacity (taken ria'ht through), consequently he tires more rabidly, not only in individual ride?, but of cycHiiq n<, an exei'cipe : with him it becorper an exertion. Thi«, to my mind, explain* the reason why so many relinquish the wheel a° a pn=(ime and recreation, or indulge in ouirnqfc under tlip most favourable conditions only. Thr result, however, ip the same ; the number of those who tour long and far does not increase in a i^ropoi-tionate ratio with the general development of the Avheel, and while there is no falling off in tlie ranks of those who habitually use the cycle for but-i-ness, pleasure, or health, "the average daily iournev nf to-day is. if nnyHime. lower tlipv. that of the tourist on the high machine? in f he early eighties--. Thr> dfidnction in plain ; the labour of propulsion ha« been increased (notwithstanding the Ivemendou 1 ? reduction of vriglit,, nnd the speed and resilience of the pneumatic) b,y the abnormal gears ;ulop f ed. Whilst the lightness of thr> machines and the speed of the tyres enabled the rider to raise his gear, they also afforded him a more comfortable machine* but instead of retaining a

portion of the advantage, and placing it,_ id credit of comfort, it all went to pace. It iff' the pace that kills. Speed, however, is nob' progress, and though the user of a high geattj may go faster for a time than one using a? 1 more rational gearing, the total oi the daily; mileage and the condition of the rider in.4 variably shows in favour of the latter. j '

The patent under notice is one of English' design and construction, and is a model of compactness and strength. The difference between the two gears is about 22£ per cent. ;| that is, the lower is 22£ per cent, below tha higher. My customary gear is 68^in (22 x 9 x 28), which is retained even with the double gear as the higher one, simply because witlt that gear I can travel as quickly as is desired! while there have been occasions upon which a much lower gear has been ardently wished! for. Hence, the two in operation are 63iini and 54in. At first sight sfon appears absurdly low, but as extra power was required! for heavy country and other adverse conditions, it has been found to answer admirably: II is admitted that on a- preliminary spin the impression that 1 was pedalling a home^ trainer, so tardy was the progress by cpmparisoii with tjie luual geav. I was prepgredl for this, and d;d iioi allow any'niensal ofiec'tV to obtrude. It was, not until the third week! that i beg?n to pick up the easy, light pedalling with 54iu, and before a month was out I had acquired the knack of the rtvpid move} ment, practically untiring if compared with the heavy driving of gears in the neighbourhood of the eighties. More than once was it found necessau-y to glance down on the changing lever in order to "determine -the gear in. use, so accustomed had my limbs become to the light and rapid movement. On' changing from low to high, the difference was'quJte as marked, the moderate 63iin giving the resi&tance seemingly of SOin or more. The same slow, sweeping movement of a high gear was also appreciable, and it seemed to me thai, the question of gears is merely a matter of comparison more than anything else, only with the higher the figure* tho less effective i& the rider both as regard^ the actual effort and its.jiuration. What I mean is, that a rider may start with a moderate gearing, and gradually increase it from week to week until it has reached lOQin or even 120 in, but an additional two or three inches may i«sult in- a. collapse. Some riders will find their extreme limit much sooner than will others, but in e\ery case it is another illustration of the last straw. As a matter of course, the higher gea\* was the normal one, the lower being used' whenever a stiff grade -hr.d to be scaled, or being used alternately with the higher when riding against a' head wind. On many occasions iteep hillp were ridden with 6"^in, while on others the 54-in was used over the same gradients — the difference being in the physical condition of the rider. Such hills as "Melbourne" or "Eternity," on the Warrandyte road, "Anthony's cutting," near Bacchus Marsh, Bulla, and Heidelberg bilk, were ridden with comparative ease, for the reason thf.fc I had been accustomed to pushing 62iin, and the immediate change to 54in nullified the grades in a great degree. ' ' It must not be forgotten tbtit in add'ticn to the two gears there was also a fiee-whcel incorporated. The entire mechanism is contained in the rear hub, and by a simple movement of lever affixed to the top tube of the •frame, the changes desired were effected, a fine wire cable being the connecting link between the lever and the mechanism. The change from fixed to free-wheel is intermediate between 'the two gears, but the - opsi'atoi may go from high to low, and vicevevsa, without throwing the driving gear out of working. The rider is enabled to backpedal with either gear in a simikr manner as with a fixed wheel, but in the case of the free wheel it differed essentially from the ordinary pattern. "When in - operation the rider can neither drive nor retard the machine; it was thrown out of gearing altogether — a free wheel in both directions. This did not admit of coasting on every available decline, because it was scarcely worth while alter'ine; the lever, but upon opportunities more favourable than usual free wheeling could be indulged in at pleasure, while the feet need' not be absolutely motionless unless desired; Ja alt cases the machine had to be in motion to effect any change, and this was the only feature which may lead to trouble; it was the main thing to remember. After a trial test of 1750 miles in a period of eight weeks, through all kinds of weather and over all classes of road and country, there ii nothing whatever to be paid against it.. An examination of the parts after the test revealed no signs of wesr; every portion ■was clean and perfect. " The internal gearing is only at work when driven at low g-ear;~when the opposite is being used the entire mechanism lz locked together, and it revolves around the axle as a solid hub. "Wlipu. U3ed for power the chain-ring runs faster than- tho hub ; that is to say, the hub is geared down — a distinct advantage. There is a row of balls between the chain-ring and hub, so that there will be no uudus friction, either .w hen driving with a low gear or while coasting. Of its value as an adjunct to the wheel it is difficult to determine, but I consider the duplex gearing to be further in advance of "the free wheel than the free wheel is in advance of the fixed gear. _ By having both its advantages are unquestionable.