CYCLING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2433, 31 October 1900, Page 49

CYCLING NOTES.

BY DEMON.

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT. Constant Reader. — See that the tyres are wiped clean and free from dirt, fill up all holes in the outer cover with wadding and solution, then hang the bicycle in a dry place.

Some time last week Mr and Mrs Wallace, of Gore, were cycling to Dunedin, and all went well with them till Stony Creek Hill, this side of Balolutha, was reached. Descending the hill, which is well known to local cyclists, and Dunedin riders who have gone as far south as Balclutha, to be dangerous, Mrs Wallace's machine ran away, and all her efforts to brake it were fruitless. As a result she was very badly shaken, and narrowly escaped severe injuries, while the bicycle be-came-a wreck. Until hearing of this accident I was under the impression that a danger board had been erected, to warn strangers of the hill being dangerous, but such, I learn, is not the case. The hill is marked on the Otago road map issued by the New Zealand Cyclists' Touring Club as being dangerous, but a board also is necessary to warn cyclists, especially those who are unacquainted with the road. Had a board been in position, Mrs Wallace's accident would not have happened. The Cyclists' Touring Club notice boards that have been placed on hills that are dangerous to cyclists have proved to be a boon in many instances, and riders have blessed the forethought of the club in giving warning where possible danger exists. It is extremely annoying that these boards should receive such treatment as the Saddle Hill board has received at the hands of some larrikins, for the board is not the only board that has been defaced, and it is a pity that these who take pleasure in defacing them could not be caught red-handed and receive a w arm lesson at the hands of some cyclists. An Auckland telegram says : — The Auckland Cycling Club's spring carnival was held at the Domain on Saturday afternoon in fine weather, and in the presence of about 1500 persons. The racing was fairly interesting, but the local men were not in the same class as D. J. Plunkett, of Wellington, who won the Auckland Wheel Race, of two miles, from scratch, with P. Beaver (130 yds) second, and R. H. Davis (30yds) third. Plunkett was rehandicapped in the Kitohener Handicap, one mile, but again demonstrated his superiority by vanning from 30yds behind scratch in 2min 33 2-ssec. The principal amateur race, the Baden-Powell Handicap, of two milei; was won by E.A. Thomas (210 yds), with A: Green (240 yds) second, and P. R. Allan (240yd3) third. The winner's time was smin 7 2-ssec. W. Reynolds, amateur champion, however, easily defeated opposition in the events in which he appeared, carrying off the Half-mile Handicap from scratch, and running away from the field in the One-mile Scratch Race, getting a eloar break on everything half a mile from home.

A 'Christclrurch telegram says : — As there is a probability of J. Green, a well-known English cyclist, calling at Auckland on the way to Australia, the Christchurch Cycling Club intend to make strenuous efforts to secure his presence at its December meeting.

A Wellington telegram states that the cycling season was opened on Saturday by a procession, but was entirely spoiled by the boisterous weather.

The Dunedin C.C. holds its first club run of the se.a?on (postponed from the previous Saturday) on Saturday afternoon, the destination being Mosgiel. After the recent rain the roads should be in good condition, and a large muster is expected. An Auckland telegram says:— E Reynolds, of Auckland, who went to represent New Zealand at the world's cycling championships at Paris, returned by the Moana. He did not ride at Paris, owing to the French authorities not running the meeting under the National Cyclists' Union rules. Owing to this the U.C.U. ruled that no English rider or cyclist belonging to a club affiliated with the TJ.C.U.' could compete. Reynolds was advised by the English authorities not to ride, as it would mean that the League of New Zealand Wheelmen would cease to be affiliated with the English governing body. Only one English eycli&t competed, and he had ceased to belong to the English union. Sutherland, the first representative from Now Zealand, started in one championship.

— — An Auckland telegram states that the N.Z. Cyclists' AlUar.ce has decided to amalgamate with tho New Zealand League of Wheelman on the terms suggested by the conference of delegates representing the Alliance, the Lengue, and the Amateur Athletic Association.

A young lady met with a painful accident in Invcrcargill on the 22nd inst. When dismounting from her bicycle she slipped and fell on the road, and on rising fovmd her leg broken between the knee ard ankle. She attempted to walk away, but, of course, could not, and a result of the effort was that the bone projected through the flesh.

A Ciristchurch tplcjram says: — The North Canterbury Centre League of "Wheel-' 1 men has decided to hold the firf-t contest in the fifty mile distance on November 22, and the twenty mile distance on December 1.

Tho first meeting of the new council, and the last council meeting of the League ot "Victorian Wheelmen, took place on Friday evening, 12 th inst. The business -was of a spcci.il charade:' — to elect the cycling clubs' repreientatives on the executive committee of tho newly-constituted league. This committed ia to consist of 15 members, t\\ othirds of which are composed of the following gentlemen, elected at the abo\e meeting: — Messrs Uleeson, Salter, Michael, Barnett, Jenkinson, Dangars, Shave, Barrio, Mountain, and Dillon. The remaining; third will be composed of reorefentaliycs of the sports promoters, a meeting of which will be called at an early date. Tn answer to questions, the secrctaiy atitcd that up to ths pre& c ;nt no promoters had been written to, nor had any communicated with the league, re the representation ; and at present 14 clubs were each entitled to have a delegate on the council ; and that the present strength of the council was 29, the balance being made ut) of elective member?. A lelte" from the St. Kilda CO. regarding the league's action with reference to the track was read, in which its secretary staled that his club "thought that

sufficient punishment had been inflicted, and in the interests of the sport and of the many riders who used the track, as well as of the several race meetings which probably would have their locale on the St. Kilda track if the proscription were raised, he a&ked for a remission of further punishment. The letter was not discussed, as a motion was moved to the effect that it be received, and referred to the executive of the new league to be dealt with. A communication from the secretary of the Melbourne Bicycle Club was also read, being an answer to a letter from the league asking whether it was the intention of the club to conduct their big meeting under L.Y.W. rules. It ran as follows: — "M.B.C. Rooms, October 12, 1900. — Mr B. Garnet, secretary L.V. W. — Dear Sir, — In reply to your favour of the 9th inst., I am directed to inform you that -the Austral meeting will be held on Saturdays Ist, Bth, and 15th Decenibei on the M.C. ground: I have further to advise you that a special meeting of the club has been convened for the 18th inst., at 8 p.m., .to deal with the whole question of continuing to support the L.V.W. or otherwise. Therefore, .until the club at this special meeting decides the matter, I am not in a positon to definitely reply to your inquiry re registration of meeting. — Yours faithfully, Robert M'Oullagh, secretary M.8.C." The letter was merely received.

The question, "Is cycling beneficial to health?" has been satisfactorily answered by a. Coolgardie (W.A.) cyclist named D. Lorimer, who, accompanied by G. Perry, another Coolgardie cyclist, left the latter place to ride to Sydney, via Adelaide and Melbourne, on September 13 last. Lorimer left "West Australia under doctor's orders, the local medico having told him that he was suffering from a complication of lung troubles, and suggesting a long cycle tour, with the result that Lorimer set out for the east, as stated. On leaving Coolgardie Lorimer scaled 9st 81b. The route selected by Lorimer and Perry was the same as that taken by all the overlanders — viz., via "Eraser's Range down to Eyre's Sandpatch and Eucla, and thence to Adelaide via Port Augusta. Adelaide was reached on Saturday. October 6, the trip from Coolgardie (some 2000 miles) taking 23 days. No startling adventure befell the cyclists throughout the dangerous sand stretches found near Eyre, water being plentiful along the route owing to the late heavy rains. The ride we« continued on Sunday morning, October 7, the cyclists leaving for Melbourne, which was reached in good style on Friday, October 12, just a month from leaving Coolgardie, the distance travelled being some 2545 miles. During the trip Lorimer put on some 121b in weight, he scaling ICtet 6lb upon arrival in Melbourne — clear proof that the steady road riding had succeeded in adding weight where the doctor failed. Lorimer continued his ride on to Sydney on Sunday. October 14.

"W. C. Jackson, the popular Australian racer, has been recommended a 12 months' respite from racing, owing to injuries to the knee, received wKile playing football.

Here is a suggestion to race-meet committees whereby they may be able to lighten their programmes, and provide some innovation by which to relieve the monotony of the preliminary heats and semi-finals.- It is an excerpt from an American paper, but applies none the less to our race meets : — "Put a free-wheel competition on your programme. At a lap from home have a man stationed with a pistol, and when the first man reaches him, let it warn him and others following that pedalling must cease from that paint, the man who coasts farthest from the post beinfe adjudged the winner, providing no violation of the rules of the race took place. Have officials along the track to see that each man conforms with the conditions, etc."

The Romans knew how to build roads. There is one still in existence near Lyons, of which the foundation is formed of broken stone, tiles, and mortar, with the pa,ved surface of the road on top. The whole mass reaches a depth of almost 15ft. Roads like these were evidently mads for all time. The popularity of the cycle in France is illustrated by the fact that no less than 838,856 cycle taxes were paid in 1899, being an enormous advance on those of 1898, when 483 .4-14- machines were accounted for. In 1897 a tax was paid on 403,869; in 1896, 329,816; in 1895, 256,084; while in 1894, the first year that the tax was imposed, the total was 203,026. It would be interesting to know if the expansion of the use of the wheel would have been greater without any taxation, but in view of the above figures, especially the substantial increase of last year's returns, speculation on that head is well nigh superfluous.

Mr George Burston, of Melbourne, well known as a touring wheelman, writes to a friend regarding the Passion Play recently enacted at Oberammergau : "But for any detailed account of the great ' Paspion ' play you will have to I couldn't attempt to de- ' scribe it, but you can perhaps gather some -idea of it when it held 4000 people spellbound for eight hours! Half that number were Americans. It is the only thing on earth that coiild do it— it brought tcsrs to the eyes of all the ladies, and made a huge lump rise in the throats of the men. It carried me back *fco my vi=it to Jerusalem, and made me feel I was actually witnessing the life of Christ on earth. In a word, ths whole thing seemed to have drooped from smother world; it was so beautifully" pathetic. <o marvellously mounted, and so 'faithfully acted, that I couldn't connect it with 1900 at all." There may be some significance m the fact that there was a greater value of cycles shipped to Capetown from London in August than to any other place mentioned in the list. Melbourie ran it a good second, however. The figures foi the four highest sum* are:-— Capetown. £1778; Melbourne, £1663; 'Wellington, £524; and Sydney, £512. Particulars of a new fcelf-inflatmp: tyre are given, in the latest number of the Cycle Trader. The principle of this differs from other methods adopted to obtain a similar result. The idea, which has been exploited so frequently before, was to have a kind of inflator filted within the tyre itself, so that when the necessity for a iurther stiupry of air arose, the tyre (of course being softer than desired) allowed the rim to gel closer to the roadsurface, and so manipulated the inflator at evcy revolution of the wheel by bumping afaiiiH the road, becoming less pronounced at each turn, until it ceased altogether by reason of being pufficiently inflated. The new patent has, instead, a supplementary tube, but'&horter and smaller than the air chamber it3elf , and connected with it by means of a valvo of suecial construction. The modus operandi of forcinc; the air into the inner tube is by the rolline motion of the wheel, which, catching the disconnected end of the short tube, forces the air along until it finds its way through the valve and into the chamber proper. It has been found to supply sufficent air to make up the loss sustained by rmv.cturea piu'pos&y made by a 3-16 bradawl,-

until there were no less than four such orifices but merely riding the machine kept the aiij! pressure above 301b to the square inch (jus(\ above the minimum required), even thouglA air could be heard issuing from the puno{ tures, and the tyre went" down immediately on riding being discontinued.

Mr Ben Garnet has formally handed iif his resignation to the Leage of Victoriaiji* Wheelmen, and it has been accepted with regret. Mr Garnet will then, have mofiji time to devote to the touring organisa>' tion lie is forming. Mi Garnet has beeijl closely identified with cycling for many years', and was one of the four founders of tha " League in 1893. For some years he acted aa^ honorary secretary, and in 1896 was permanently appointed tc the position. It is* intended to present him with an illuminated address.

If you come home with your wheei in a wet, muddy state, and ha\e not the timai to clean it, throw sawdust over it, which will absorb the moisture^ and the mud will easily, come off with the sawdust, even when per>* fectly*dry. \

The la-test return of the number of automobiles in Europe is said to be 9000; of these France has more than 7000 ; Belgium, ' 4-78 ; Germany, 434 ; Great Britain, 412 ; and Austria, 403. The number of autos. 'in America is under 700.

Russia evidently requires revenues, and to procure it has raised import duties all along the line, but bicycles and their spare parts have come in for the hardest knock o£ all, and must pay an increase of- 50 per cent.' The Prince of "Wales is well satisfied! with the motor which he has been using for some months past. For the' shooting season he has ordered a sportsman's car to be propelled by the same method, as well as a motor waggonette for ordinary travelling. The adoption of the new .vehicle by H.R.H. should go a long way to popularise -the motor in England, and give the trade a muclidesired imj)etup. Cyclists who use the free wheel clutch and back pedalling brake fitted to the bottom bracket of their machines will read with interest the following article written by R. J. Meeredy, the well-known cyclist authority and editor of the Irish Cyclist: —

"I cannot help thinking that a large proportion of the cyclists who purchased free wheels this year will discard them at the earliest opportunity. It is not "because I have changed my mind as to the advantages of the free wheel that I am of this opinion. It is due to the belief that the majority of the free wheel cycles sent out are defective. In the cheaper types the parts are so poorly made that they will not withstand wear for any time. The rollers become flattened and slip, the rings burst or get_ distorted, and troubles arise in other directions also.

" Ever, amongst high grade free wheels, however, great dissatisfaction prevails in the case of those that have a back pedalling braks actuated by the clutch in the bracket. Such an arrangemnt means that the cyclist is always pedalling against the friction of this clutch. Personally, I have rarely ridden a machine of this description which ran really well, and" I have heard bitter complaints from people who have tried them.

" The free wheel, to be successful, must be made of the best material, with the most skilled workmanship, and there should be no clutch on the bracket to interfere with its ' free ' running when the cyclist is pedalling. Personally, after an extended trial of the two-speed hub, I think that this excellent contrivance comes nearest to solving the difficulty. It is a genuine free wheel, for when, running free its freedom is absolute, either backwards or forwards there is no friction whatever set up. It also possesses this very great advantage, that it can be used either as a fixed wheel or a free wheel at the option of the rider. There are- many people who never get used to the free wheel in traffic or in trying circumstances. These people can use the machine as a fixed wheel when they are so disposed, and they need only fiee wheel on it when they consider the hill which they desire to negotiate suitable. The contrivance, too, possesses one striking peculiarity. " Most cyclists have experienced the difficulty met with in changing f'om a fixed wheel on to a- free, or vice versa. In some cases accidents have occurred, and m every case one has, to ride a considerable distance before setiling down on the maohine. With a two-speed hub this trouble disappear?. The rider, from habitual use, becomes so accustomed to the altered conditions that when he touches the lever to transfer his^machine into a fixed or freo wheel, he experiences no inconvenience

"Then, again, therVis, the inestimable advantage of the two speeds. Cyclists can. have no conception of what an advantage they prove. The extra weight is only about Boz. . In my case I favour 53in and 72in gears. On the low speed I can surmount hills with a minimum of exertfon, provided I do not attempt to rush them, while on the high speed the long steady swing is positively de- t lightful, especially to a rider who has heretofore noyer been able to drive a high gear advantageously." Infringers of the Dunlop Tyre Company's patents in England are getting a warm time. One tyre manufacturer who persists in making i-yres on the Dunlop principla recently epent 14 days in prison. Upon his release he resumed his old game, with_ the result that he has again beea committed to prison, this time for an indefinite period. , The free wheel device will prove the salvation of the chain. The risk of one beingbroken on a machine thus fitted is practically nil. Very rarely indeed is it that chains break through an effort of the rider alone. Unless a chain gets mounted on the teeth, or the chain-wheel becomes increased from its normal size by the presence of mud or other obstruction underneath the chain, it cannot ' possibly be broken. Should accidents or mis- * fortunes like these happen to a free wheeled machine, the pedals become stationary immediately.

A device has recently been placed on the market, whereby the inventor, Mr G. B. Austin, seeks to utilise the cyclist's weight to assist in the propulsion of the machine. It is claimed for it that, however slight the downward movement of the rider's body, the mechanism, which operates from the saddle, causes the pedals to work independently of the feet. Thus every bump caused by the uneven surface of the road, or the rise and fall of the body between each push of tho pedals in ascending a hill, are aids to thd power of sending the bicycle along-, and helping the pedals over that position known. A3 the dead centre. The inventor pays that the contrivance can be fitted to existing machines at only nominal cost, and can also b* <rm- > ployed in ordinary horse vehicle*, *| There is to be a permanent motor show, , at Berlin, and to avoid the expense and pro-jj bable inconvenience which the manufacturer^] would incur by having salesmen oonsttot<ly itxjj

attendance, they intend utilising a particularly novel adaptation o£ tho phonograph, and by which they obtain representation. It is recognised that the public cares little about perusing * catalogues, explanations, andpamphlets, preferring rathei direct instructions or explanations by word of mouth regarding the speed, horse-power, handling, construction, and other matters of detail. The case has been met by an improved phonograph, and an> visitor requiring information on any particular point merely picks out the fcylinder (properly labelled, of course), inserts it in the machine, and sets it going. If the jprospective purchaser desires to note down any special direction or explanation, the inslrumenfe maj be stopped at will, and again set going when required. The charge for the use of the phonographs is to be very small, ' but from its novelty alone it will be taken advantage of by the visitors to a very great 'extent.

-About the latest thing in sweaters is the elongation of the arms until they reach half-way over the hands. An opening is provided for the thumb, and another for the four fingers^ while the appeaiance of one in use is not different to the ordinary, excepting that the wisarer has, apparently, in addition to the sweater, a pair ot mits o\er his hands of the game colour.

It has been found in several countries, ihat if the free-wheel device could have been restricted to new machine.-;, the year's sales .would have shown a- much greater increase. .This, doubtlessly, accounts for the absence of a boom which the free-wheel was expected to bring. It does not prove, as some pessimists would have us believe, that the auto- ' matie coaster is a failure. No, the free.ivheel device is being largely used, bnt^has ifeeen iueorporafasd into the machines the liners already possessed. „ It is worthy of note to record the unmistakable passing of the roller chain. A prominent manufacturer observed that not only was its construction more difficult, but r it contained too many email vital parts, boisides being dearer, ever to think of ifc ousting ths old-established block pattern.

The following diatribe is by the late John Suckin, ever a foe to cycles and cycling ; " Some time since I put myself on record as an. antagonist . of the devil's own toy, the bicycle. I want to reiterate, with all the emphasis of strong language, that I condemn" all - -manner of bi-, tri-, and four-, five-, six-, or >even-eyele3. Any contrivance or invention 1 ■intended to supersede the use of human feet on God's own ground is damnable. Walking, running, leaping, and dajiciug- aie the legitimate and natural joys of the body, and every attempt to stride on stilt?, dangle on ropes, or wriggle on wheels is an affront to the Almighty. You can't improve on God's appointed way of walking by substituting an improved cartwheel."