CYCLING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2505, 26 March 1902, Page 51

CYCLING NOTES.

BY DEMON.

I am given to undei stand that there is 0 piobabiht> of the Dunedin and Kaikorai ! Tramwaj Company putting on a motor car ] as an adjunct to their tram service At present a 'bus takes passengers from the (able terminus at Kaikorai Valley up to Bunting's store at Halfway Bush, and it has | been thought that a motoi cai would serve ( the nui pose, and be more economical than , the 'bus drawn by horses. I trust to hear j that the probability has become a matter of fact, and that the motor ser\ice will soon be inaugurated. I had a chat with George Sutherland just prior to his going to Chnstchurch, and he informs me that when he reaches the City of the Plains he enters into business as a hairdresser and tobacconist, devoting his time mainly to his business, and taking on cycle racing only as the spint moves him. 1 wish him all success in his new sphere of life. Exception having been taken to the Clyde Sport.s Club charging an entiy fee of 15s for the Wheel Race, the matter has been leferred to the League of New Zealand Wheelmen, and Mr Geo. Capstick, the secretary to 'the local centre, informs me that the charge made is correct, as the rule pre- \ iously in .vogue whereby a club could charge only 2£ per cent of the total amount of the prize money has been rescinded, and on December 23 last the following rule substi-tuted-.—"That the entrance money shall be not more than 5 per cent, on the total prize money." The new rule is not generally well known, and this note is made for the benefit of clubs and racing men generally. Two bic-yclt* races were run off at the Irish Athletic Society's gathering at Imnrcargill on Wednesday afternoon last. Both events were won by George Sutherland. In the One Mile Hnndicap A. Ralston pushed Sutherland in the final event, but he was not strong enough, and had to be concent with a good second place after a tough struggle. M. Summers (100 yds) ran a good third. Time, 2min lOsec. In the Three Milt Handicap Ralston and Sutherland again made a good fight for places, and it ended in Ralston being beaten by only a few inches. J. Dowhng (245 yds) ran third. Time, 7min 6sec. A spill occurred in this race, but there were no serious results. A new quarter-mile standing start rei cord for New Zealand • has been established by Bill Martin, who covered the distance last Friday at Lancaster Park in 30 2-ssec. The picvious best time was made by J. Barker, who made it 31 2-s=ec The record for the New Zealand half mile, standing start, aUo fell to Mai tin, who took limn 3 4-ssec to io\t-r the distance. He cubsequeutly made an attempt at the one mile record, but gave up the attempt a lap from home, on ing to rain coming on and making the track too heavy. Paced by his now famous motor tandem, which it i.s to be hoped will be in a working mood, Bill Martin will attack the New Zealand flying start records at the Christchiirch Cycling Clul>\ meeting on Good Triday. The Melbourne Bicycle Club* new roomo in Collins street will cost £20.000, this amount including £12,500 'which was paid for the land in Collins street opposite the .Scot*' Church. R. M. K. Gollan. "Wanderer." of the Melbourne Sportsman, and one of the mo<-t prominent men in Yictonai' cycling emle-. he always acting a-? leferee at the Au-tral Wheel Race meetings, had a clo=e call thp week L>(*foio la^t. Gollan. with <-e\eral friends was out in a '•team launch on the Nagambie Lake on Saturday. w lion the launch struck a submerged stum]) and >-ank immediately, leaving the s=ix occupants >-trugijhnK in B*ft of water. The accident wa» witnc-ed by a boy on the shore of the lake, who immediately put out in a boat, and, with the assistance of Mr Leyden, the only swimmer of the party, succeeded in rescuing all, with the exception of a Melbourne architect. Mr F Fitts. who sank before the boat armed. Mi Gollan is to bo congratulated on hi-> uanow escape-. Tliu Goulburu to Sydney road record, j which was e-tabhshed by one Ali'-off i-ome little time back, ha-, on the -ccond attempt, been lowered by C. Melro^p. who rod<« the distance in lOlir* 22J,min. The distance hotween ihp two places is 136 mile-, and Alisoff's time was lOhr 28min J Ashdown, the Syduny rider, who recently put up now figure for the SydneyMelbourne record, '■tates that he had no sleep for three day and four nights which he spent on the load. He is 27 years of age, and weigh* lO^t. being sft 7in in height. He .-ode a machine fitted with 74in gear and 7m crank*. It i-, now reported $hat tho German cyclist, W. ScliweigerhaiiM?n, who i« at j ri"=ent in Melbourne, on ! a tour round the world, intend? making an attempt on A'hdo«n's lecord in the^course of a few we f ks. — —Tho date- of the world's championship meeting at Rome have been altnicd. lTh«jaee{*»£ fixed, fox gmg Utti

in July has beea i.oiv fixed for the Bth. I2th, and 15th June, owing to the fact that society people leave Rome in July and August. ■ From Capetown comes word that fine service is being rendered the Cape Colony authorities by the number of motor quads which have been specially constructed for use on railway lines. The quads are built ■very light, seating six people, and they can travel at 30 miles an hour. They are fitted with Dunlop motor tyres, which run on the rails, side flanges being provided to keep the wheels on the rails. The quads are ptoving imaluable for patrolling and rapid scouting, and as they carry petrol for three days they are splendidly adapted for this work Further, they weigh only 1501b, so that a couple of men ecu lift the quad off the rails should^ a break in the line render it neces-aij. Moreover, a quad, if used for scouting purposes, affords a much less conspicuous target to the enemy's fire than a railway engine, which cannot on many portions of the' Cape lines safely travel at 30 milee an hour. It is now proposed to supply every section of the Cape railroads with these motor quads. — — The managers of ths recent six-days' cycling contest held in New York are said to ha\e cleared £10,000 over the meeting. Some £15,000 was taken at the gates, and out of thi« the competitors received £1000, the remaining £14,000 going to defray expenses'. It looks as if the motor car is to play an important part in the race for the North Pole. Professor Baldwin, »vho left Europe on an expedition in search of the North Pole some months back, took an automobile with him, from which he expected great things in the arctic regions. An American explorer, Captain J. E. Bernier, who shortly leaves on an expedition to the north, now announces that it is by the aid of two five horse-power motor car*, that he expects to make his final dash for the earth's axis. Captain Bernier intends to drift north for a couple of years, 'by which time he expects to be within 150 miles from the Pole. It is over this stretch of ice that the motor cars will be used. The following description of a wondeifnl cycle invention by A. Rieber, of Germany, is at least interesting. He has | invented a bicycle which is propelled only by the weight of the rider's body. No pedal, chain, or »uch parts are required, and a great variety of speeds on level roads and uphill are possible. The cycle has been shown to several riders, who are said to he " favourably impressed." Its appearance is described a 1 - that of an ordinary safety with saddle, and can be used by either lady or gentleman. , It reqn.red tio profound knowledge of tho principles of free versus fair trade (says a leading English cycle trades journal) to i stigmatise the new tariff of the Australian Commonwealth as one which will bear especially hard on the Mother Country It is true that tho tax will equally affect foreign importations, biw the greater part of the , revenue will be derived from England, and therefore the levy can neither be descried as "fair" nor "free.' 1 The duty on bicvele-. has been raided from 10 r>er cent, to 20 per cent. : parts and fitting 1 -, hitherto lmpoited free, will be taxed 20 per cent. ; and tyres 'have advanced from 10 per cent to 15 per cent. The only bright spot in the a°pfot is that the imposition on motor \ehirlpp has been reduced from 25 per '•cnt. to 20 per cent. A few yean: back cyclists paid considerable attention to the class of sadd'o fitted to their machine, ibut nowadays threequarters of the cycla sold appear to be fitted with light saddles, devoid of any comfort, and fit only for riding on good roads. Cyclists if they "want to derive full enjoyment from riding should be just as particular about their cycle saddle as they wou'd be in having good tyres fitted to thcii n.ach 'IPs. The be«t and most comfoi Cable saddles for load work are undoubtedly Brooks 891, 822. and 828. the latter saddle being quite lijrlif enough for any ordinary load riding, wh^rea- Brooke 891 and 22 are. ppifcrt '■addict, for u-o on any (Lt-s of road, and at tln> <-ame tiinp save the machine a conmcleiab'.r amount of janing and jolting that :n tho end knot ks all the life and ?o out of a bicycle — In foimor day* tho question of food and dunk whiK- eve big. especially if on tour, wan mo-t ab-oibing one. A 1 - a geoeial rule the bi-gmiK-r d^\elo|>pd in abnormal thirst. hc.cjm-f If R.ivf Inm^lf more work than wa« roulU ne<P!-ary. with a result that a pi of Use peivpir.ation was always induced Giadually. however, as further practice ennil red greater perfection, 1p c s effort m\is expended, and. coupled with some re^rp.inr, on tho lider'c part, the thirst was kept well in hand In the very great majority cf ca-es it was proved had practice to dnnk wine or spirits, beer, or ail\ thing of a stimulating nature while actually on a journey, as it goncr.illv left cip worse off within an hour after Tiie popularity of tea as a beverage with tlio cycling tourist has become almost proveibial. simply from ita inherent good qualities Tho>.e drinks which are of the "soft" \ariety are always much used, particular^ ginger-ale, while ale or beet is more commonly taken at the end of the day's ride, oi with lunch. In regard to food, nothing seems to come amiss to the wheelman, but at the same time, he likes it good and wholesome. Provided one is in good health, and hae sufficient exercise daily, edibles of all dopcriptions may be ionpuniod according to individual desires and taHte a Lack of oxeici&c is le-ponsible for many of our ailment". 1 li. is reported from Paris that the i 6f Marseilles have made ar- J

raongements for *-ne comVuctioo «* v Jb miles straigKt-away autoefror.t on a level track krown as La Craux. The_ drovis will be used for motor racing and tuue ti'als. Ihe K,otor bicycle is air»iciy being used for pacing purpo.«s on fc-ie Amtrinan racing tracss. — • The main trouble with th motor,, bicycle up to date has arised from taie driving belt slippisg or snapping. Previo';.: ex-. pe-rimente witn chain driviuf have^ not been, a success owing t-i the chai« puU being too direct and s^nsiti.e, tl.-is straining the engine and cycle when smarting and eaeiiig-itp.' This difficulty, it is reported, has now been overcome by the Bowden Brake Syndicate (London), who have dedgned a clutch that will permit of chaici-drivmg Tifchout any of its Ul effects. Sho«ul Ifcis clutch prove a success the Bowden Syndicate should find it almost a» valuable an asset as their .Bodden brake, which is now so populf ariiongst cyclists. What's in a name? Fournier, the crack chaffeur of Europ\ and wr.»et of the. two most important motor rarea yet held on the Continent, has just received the sum of £10,000 for the use of his name. This transaction was in connection with tli6 flotation of a big motor company in New York with a capital of £400,000, which Fournier has just exploited. Fournier announce! his intention of competing in the bigParift' 1 Vienna Race which is to be held this winter, and which has attracted an entry from all the fastest motors and drivers in tb . world. BREAKING CYCLING RECORDS. CHRISTCHURCH, March 21. W. Martin established a new record foi New Zealand for the quarter-mile, standing start, unpaced, yesterday at Lancaster Park; covering the distance in 30 3-68ec. The best time was held previously by J. Barker (81 2-seec)-Martin also made a record for the New Zealand half-mile, standing start, doing the distance in, lmin 3 4-ssec. He then attempted the mil* record, but owing to rain coming on and th«£ track being wet he pulled up after going one lap. He will attempt to lower all records up; to an hour's riding before leaving Christchurch. and will attempt the flying start records, paced with a motor tandem, at Good Friday's meeting of the Christchurch Cycling Club. .