CYCLING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2524, 30 July 1902, Page 51

CYCLING NOTES.

BY DEMON.

1 have had a look at a patent cycle rest, invented by Messrs G. and T. Gubbms, of South Dunedm. Tho patent, which is on view at the Canadian Cycle Company's premises at the Grand Hotel, do^a away with the inconvenience of having to stand one's wheel in a passage, where it becomes a nui-ance, or in a shed, where it is liable to be injured; all that is necessary to be done with the patent under notice ie to fasten, by means of screws, the rost to th© wall, and hang the bicycle to it There it is out of the way, easily reachable, and safe from being knocked down. The rest consists of a brass plate about 9in by 6in, from which, about liin from tho top, run two thin bars of brass, about lOin long. These are joined at their ends by two others coming from the bottom of the plate, the fo*ir being cut in slipa from one piece, and held together by a cross slip, ou top of which is screwed a piece of grooved wood. On this latter tho cross-bar of the oycle rests. A broad slip of very thin, leatherlined brass, which is attached to the bar, is then drawn over and screwed down, thus keeping the machine secure. The patent is of further advantage, in that it is easily detachable from position,' and can be taken out to the back yard or to a fence, where two screws only are necessary to complete tho outfit, and allow of the bicycle being hung on the rest for cleaning purposes. From what I can gather, there reems to be a good prospect of cycling- booming this season Dealers are satisfied *hat in"dioations chow that, if the weather conditions arc any way favourable, there will bo a good season, and that, as far as roadriding is concerned, a revival may be looked for.

At a meeting of the committee of the "Fallen Soldiers' Memorial" ■•novemeixt Messrs David M. Adams, A. Menzies. J C. White, W. Wikon, J. Gordon. J. Clark, W. J. Pearse, A. Russell, John Craig, Jclm R. Roxburgh, and E. Churchill, cyclists, residing in Dunedin, wrote that if the committee were going to promote sports in aid of the funds, they would be very pleased to ride and give euoh assistance as they could to ensure the success of a meeting. — It was resolved to accept the offer with thanks. Tho cyclists mentioned in the foregoing paragraph are the majority of a small band of riders who make novel week-end excursions. They meet to arrange little cycling excursions, and make a point of endeavouring to carry out their arrangements in. as much a picnic style as possible On arrival at the destination fixed, a start is mad© to boil the billy and cook the eatables carried fr<Jm town ; and the f e-w exoursions made — to Maungatua, Maori Kaik, and the Springs — have proved to bft most enjoyable. It is somewhat amusing to see the riders depart from town, on© laden with loaves, another with eteak or chops, another carrying tho billy, and other ridors laden with tho various necessary articles that go to complete a picnic outfit. The picnickers arc mostly men who ride a Red Bird cycle, and they have styled themselves the "Red Bird Coronation Club." — — The two American cracks, Kramer and MacFarland, who are at present racing on tho Continent, are in splendid form, and promise to give their compatriot, "Plugger Bill" Martin, a warm time when tliev meet him on th© European racing circuit. No word is yet to hand as to the doings of Martin and Beauchamp, so that it is evident they have accomplished nothing startling, otherwise we should have had word by cable. One of the most important middledistance race fixtures in Germany is the annual contest for La Roue d'Or. which is decided during the month of May at the Friedenau track. Berlin English cracks have figured orominentlv in this contest, as v.-i'l be seen from the following list of placed riders since the inauguration In 1898 Bouhourv was first, Clnf second, Kopcher third 1899 saw Walters first, Bouhours second, and Robl third. 1900, Taylor secured first honours. Walters second, Bouhonrs third, and but for the reduction in the original distance, Walters would undoubtedly liav*> scored a second time. Last year Bouhours won again. Robl being second, and Lmton third, while this month Robl secured his first win in this raoe. Dickontmaun being second and Rvser third. A record ontrv was secured for the 1902 contest, the cmam of the paced specialists not only entering, but faring the starter. Thov were Tom Linton. Tit.' Robl, Eniiio. Bouhours, Piet Diclcenfcmann. Sifters, and Ry-cr honoe a record attend-mce of some 1° 000 spectator'; Unfortunately, Tom LintonV pao'ii? motor cvolelte wont wrong soon after tht> start, while Bouhours was far from his br>?t form. Rob jrot in=ide world's record at kPoma.. while he covered the full distance (100 kiloms.) in tho now world's record time of lhr 2Pmin 19 2-s=oc. as against Bailee's previous best of lhr 32min 53sec. Dickontmann was second 10 laps away. Ryspr third, and Linton fourth. Rutf won tho international sprint race from Schilling and Arend. and. with the latter, also secured the tandt>m race At a race meeting held in France. Linton won the paced race, with another Englishman, C'har.e. second Chase objected to Linton's sort of wind shield pacing, but it ims o\er-rulcd by the committee, and what, should liavo proved a good race was spoilod by unequal pacing At the same meet Lcwna bp.it Garin in a rmrsuit race. ! Victor Emanuel 111 took great intrre*t in tho world's championship?, decided al Rome on June 8, 12, and 15. Ho donated oiip of the prizes — a gold watch and < ham. The figures on the former were set in brilliants. Linton, Robl, and Bouhours mot in a tlircpi-oornered match over one hour at the Bufia'o Velodrome. A good race was oxpreted, especially as Bouhoura had done work at the rate of 48 miles an hour Every tiouble, however, presented itself — tyres punctured, chains broke, pacing wotft wrong, and there was a high wind. Bouhours could not get going at all. Linton and Robl went to the fiout RoU's tyre- punctured and Linton hailed away. At 31 kilometres th« 1 ilftor .nuucburedj and he got ft freeh 'mount,

then his chain broke, and, not having another mount, he had to retire. Robl then came along and won easily. Th© distance covered was just over 37 miles.

The \ery satisfactory entry of 135 was received by the Dunlop Tyr© Company. 'Sydney, for their big road race from. Goiil'burn to Sydney (130 miles), which is to be "held on the 9th August. It has been suggested that as the race offers a splendid opportunity for holding a motor run, that tho New South 'Wales motorists arrange for an endurance test, and thus see what the motors are capable of doing over this course.

LONG CRANKS AND HIGH GEARS.

The salary of the secretary to the Victorian Loague of Wheelmen has beon raised to £300 per annum

Particulars are to hand of ■•he Bor-deaux-Paris road race, usually regarded as the most classic road event in th© world. Notwithstanding its history and the way it was boomed, this year's raoe was a failure as regards the quality of the field. Most of the men were second-raters, the only exceptions being Huret, Fischer, Georget, and Wattelier. Lesna was an absentee. Wattelier won by over an hour, and finished on the Buffalo track quite fresh. His time was 22hr 43min lsec, Lesna's time last year being 2ihr 53min 40sec. Frederic, A. Garin, Georget, and Pagie filled tho other four places. Tho distance is 349 miles, and the first prize amounted to £120. "There were 29 starters out of 42 entrants.

The piece de resistance in the programme at the Pare dcs Princes track, Paris, on a recent Sunday was th* Prix Zimmerman, an invitation race over one lap, with human pacing. As it turned out, however, the latter cause might have well been omitted, for the teams were not nearly fast enough for the cracks engaged, and it was a general thing for each rider to leave his paco when ne-aring tho finishing line. Th© eight men selected to rid-e in four heats were EUegaard, Jue, Lawson, Van den Born, Jacquefin, Gentel, Gongoltz, and Bourotte. The old rivals, Ellegaard and Jacqueliu, fought out the final, the result being an easy win for the former.

Ellegaard. the world's champion, recently won a final in which Jacquelin and Van den Born also started. The latter'B tyre burst, and Jacquolin stopped for the accident to be repaired. Ellegaard showed bad form by running away and winning. He refused to ride again, but th© immense crowd got so demonstrative that he came out, and won the event by a few inches. — — Appleton, the English rider, recently carried off the 80 guineas challenge cup offered for the five-mile raoe at the Bath C.C. festival. He won it in 1897 and 1898, and now it becomes his property.

An impression as to the decline in cycling would have been at once dispelled by an observer of the meeting held at th© Crystal Palace on Saturday (says tho London Sportsman of June 2). With the pick of tho riders competing, it was not 'surprising that many thousands were present at tho Polyteclmio Club's fixture. Apart from the match over one mile and the "Cycling" Cup contest, the One-lap Scratch Race and the Half-mile Handicap attracted 74 and 109 entries respectively of our best amateurs, and in these contests some fine racing was witnessed. Respecting the chief fixture, the Polytechnic contingent, as was generally expected, again proved their superiority, and the fact that they are always in touch with one another must give them an advantage — anyway, their win by eight points was a most popular one. Although not so important, the contest for the "Cycling" Cup is a classic evont, and since 1892, when tho cup was first competed for at Catford, the trophy, like the changes of racing conditions (team events, etc.), has had many owners, and this year H. W. Payne again retained his title to the holdership. As 52 riders had entered for this five-mile scratch event, it was necessary to have preliminary heats of two miles, and an additional incentive was two half-lap prizes, which prevented any loafing. Amongst the interested spectators in the enolom' -« r-nr'r -nr' Kinnaird, Mr Oiuntiu Hogg, Mr Edmund Payne, and many of our famoub o, .^ nclors.

An interesting free-wheel contest was held in New York recently. About 50 competitors entered to determine v/ho would run the farthest over a course composed of a descent of about 3 per cent., followed by a gentle uprise, on which the machines came to a stop. The hill measures about 2549 ft. The contest in the preliminary heats was divided into two classes, for fixed wheels and free wheels, and the men were run off in pairs, no pedalling of course being allowed. The final was reserved to the best pair of free wheelers and the best pair of fixed wheelers. It ended in a win for a rider of a coaster hub, and ho weighed but 1521b. He beat the second man, a fixed wheeler, by 22ft, though this man weighed 2251b. Thiss result goes far to disprove the general belief that a fixed wheel can usually beat the free wheel in coasting, for hero a lightweight on a free wheel won the event from 49 other rnr-u, a large proportion of whom had fixed wheels. In the first ten five were fixed wheels and five free wheels, so that tho mults wre pretty even. Major Taylor's Matches. — Since writing our paragraph of last week, the negro has suffered more reverses, but in our opinion uo (Cyclist of Juno 1) think he would lie g!\c»n a fairer chance were he to meet the Eutopean cracks singly. Even at his own home laot year sovc-ral riders worked together to prevent the "Major" from snoring, and we hear from one of our foreign < orrespomlents who has witnessed tho negro ride in Germany that the same remark applies. Anyway, we do not wish to belittle the -victories of tho European cracks who have .--cored over the "Major." but at the same time wo fancy his chance against any rider in the world, man to man, on an up-to-date tracks. Herewith matches not already reported in our columns: — Hanover, Rutt, Taylor. Arend— Match 1 : Kutt first, Taylor second. Arend third. Match 2: Taylor first, Rutt second, Arend third. Match 3: Rutt first, Taylor second, Arend third. Brunswick, Huber, Arend, Taylor— Match 1 : Taylor first, Huber second, Arend third. Match 2: Huber first, Taylor second, Arend third. Match 3: Huber first, Taylor second, Arend third. Antwerp, May 26— Meyers, Taylor, Grogna. This proved a very exciting match, as at the end of the three trials points were even, bo a decider had to be run, which resulted in favour of Meyers. Match 1 : Meyers first, Taylor second, Grogna third Match 2 : Taylor first, Grogna second, Meyers third. Match 3 : Grogna first, Meyers second, Taylor third. Deciding match: Meyers first, Taylor second, Grogna third. Veviers, May 27— Taylor, Grogna. # The negro easily disposed of Grogna twice in. succession. May 29, at Cologne—Taylor, Rutt Ellegaard— Match 1: Taylor first, Rutt second, Ellegaard third. Match 2: Rutt first, Taylor second, Ellegaard third. Taylor missed his pedal in the finishing straight, or ha would hAVft. won. Match 3:. Rutt first,

Taylor second, Ellegaard third. Although' the judge gave the third match in Rutt's favour, it was the opinion of the press and other officials present that Taylor had won by half a wheel.

A correspondent in an English daily draws attention tp gradually approaching changes in the traffic of the great cities. He is undecided a 9 to whether the elimination o( dust or noise would bo the greater blessing, but as the adoption of mechanical traction — • motors and the like — and the rapidly growing use of rubbor-tyred vehicles will act as a preventive of both, he is not concerned 1 about it. He is of opinion, however, thati within the present decade there will be a more general use of bicycles, motor and man-driven, motor cars, motor waggons for merchandise, and the common use of rubbertyred vehicles, which will at once solve the duet, noise, and road maintenance problems for all time.

In an interesting article dealing with "Long Cranks." "The Magpie," in Cycling, is a strong advocate of Bin cranks. He is the possessor of several machines, and writes: — "One machine has Bin cranks, one has 7iin, one has 7in, and two have 6zin. All of these are ridden pretty regularly, but not very much work has been done on the 7in so far. Now, in chopping and changing about in this way, nnft gets no opportunity of becoming 'set' to one style; but, onr the other hand, after a lengthy course of changing like this, one can without hesitation say which length provesjthe most comfortable. And I say at onco, without the suspicion of a doubt, that tho Sin crank machine is tho pick of tho basket, whilst very close to it comes the 7£iu. An<? another very valuable deduction has been rendered possible by the constant change. It ueed to be argued that in riding a longcranked machino tho koiee angle must be flexed unduly. One might get used to this, admitted the supporters of this line of argument, but it would be at the expense of Btyle and everything else. Now, as a mntter of solid, simple fact, I can scarcely tell from the mere feel what length of crank I am riding. I notice very little difference except that with the long cranks the rate of pedalling is slower and power can be applied during a noticeably longer period in each revolution, and, as a consequence, thero is less fatigue at tho end of a day's riding, whilst hills are surmounted with greater ease. I can give a very close analogy to this ab- ( senco of knowledge of change. I can go from a bicycle to a tricycle,- thence to ft tandem and then to a motor-bicycle, and never once notice any chance in the method! of steering, and yet no two are really alike, whilst the steering of a tricycle is so vastly different to the steering of a two-wheeler that not one bicycle rider in a thousand can steer a tricyole. In changing from a bicycle to a tricycle tho change of steering method is instinctive, and the mind is equally oblivious of any change from one length of crank to another. I regard this as a most important contribution to tho subject, because it entirely disproves the assertion that the increased diameter of the Btroke would have injurious effects." As to which is the best metnod 'if transmitting the power from the engine to the driving-wheel of the motor bicycle is * problem which is providing much thought for the motor-mechanist to-day. The usual method is a band circling the small pmler of the motor, and driving the rear wacel ?f the machine by means .of a channel or *upprementary rim fitted to within a few- mohesi of tho rim proper, around which tho Dnnc? passes. The pulley on the motor is very much smaller then tho channel referred to, and consequently has to revolve much more rapidly to produco anything like a decent speed, and as about only one-third of the circumference of the pulley is in contact with the band, there is a great loss of power in the transmission; besides, to obtain anything like a "bite," the tension of the band has to be very great, which has the effect of "binding" the pulley and the channel. To avoid these drawbacks a French manufacturer has conceived tho idea of using two small pulleys, ono ,on the engine and the other attached to the backstays and forks of the frame, around which a much shorter band passes, being crossed midway. I his cives a larger biting surface with a muen lessened tension. Attached to the rear pulley is a toothed wheel, engaging with a similar toothed wheel, fitted on the hub of the driving wheel, and by these means an effective method of power transmission is oba l!l_\n American firm has succeeded in manufacturing a motor bicycle that has covered a mile on the road in the remarkaV.v fast time of lmin 10 2-sscc. which jb afe the rate of 51 miles an hour. This performance is official, and was a .£S°™P J j sU *f o *J the recent Staten Island (U.S.A ) motor tri !l!lln New Jersey (U.S.A.) a cyclist recently lost his .arm through a fall from his cycle owing to faulty material. He iccovored £700 from the manufactui«v-. Tim best time for n mil© in the United State* by a motor bicycle is lm.a 10 Msec, secured by an American majm., and made at the Slaf.en Island .motor tn*h, Tn connection wibh the meet of tho Automobile Club of America.

Much has been said and written as to the superiority of long crank* and a high gear ovm- a short crank and a moderate £ear and tho matter is still being thrashed out 'in tho Old Country, but without any appreciable approach to its more general adoption. The general rule of the exponent., of tho long crank and high gear boliei U that the crank should be in the ratio of one-tenth of tho gear in inches Thus a ridei- using 6iin cranks should be geared! to 65in. or with a 9in crank for a gear of 90in. Two or three inches in the gear either way is. of course, immaterial; the mathematically exact gear may not be obtainable with the pprocket-wheek on the machine. In expounding their theories as to why a long crank and a high gear is most effective, usor3 of this combination habitually ignore the almost universal use of a 6ii» crank by racing men, whether on road or track, and who use it regardless of tho gear driven This is a notable- fact. I cannot recall (says 'Fortis," in the Australasian) a «n-gle pathracer who has secured fame and reputation by using a crank longer than 7in. Martin has done well with that, length, but better with 6Jin, -which, I believe, he prefers. He, however, is one man in a thousand, and has proved himself so, and what may suit him has proved disastrous to those who have endeavoured to copy him) in detail. A crank length of 6£in, nowi acknowledged by general use by the very; large majority of racing and other wheel;-,, men to be the most effective all round, was not found by accident. This, I think, ia logical. A curious thing about the long crank is that while tho user can make it. effective ou the level or uphill, he hut .

found it disadvantageous on the down grade, where users of shorter cranks and proportionately lower gears have acquired greater pace. This would teem to show that the larger circle described by the pedal was preventive of a sufficiently rapid movement of the feet.

The reason why co much, ie heard of the advantages (so culed) of the long crank and iiigh gear combination is probably due to the publicity giTen to the experiences of every rider who has- used it and found it advantageous to him. The proportion of these wheelmen to the general mass is infinitesimal. If such a combination possessed the advantages ascribed to it by tho=e whom it happens to suit, it- wousd hate worked its -way inco more general use, as did the pneumatic tyre, the free-wheel, and as the changeable gear is now doing, solely by reason of the virtues they possess. I have always understood that where a long-con-tinued effort is to be made, such as lengthy eyele rides, a conservation of movement within easy limits is essential. The- longer one has his crank the more nearly he approaches the effective limit of his leg mo\ement. and, consequently, under ordinary conditions, reaches the tiring point in shorter time. It also pcems a- rational supposition that, with the log forced up to the extent which the long crank induces, the limb in that position caunot be u^ed to the full limit of its power, but which is only developed when about one-third of its down.•rard movement is effected, or at about a point when the leg is straightened corrc•ponding to the highest point attained by % crank of a rational length. An English rider stated that in riding a certain hill (a mile in length), he climbed it ea&ier on a. machine with 96' n gear x 9in crunks, and 451b in weight, than with one fitted with 62£ in gear x 6iin cranks. Mid weighing only 521b; and in explaining •scribed it to the fewer number of dead centres to be overcome with the high gear. Apart from the fact that there is practically no dead centre in the propulsion of a bicycle, his argument may be discounted when it is remembered that, with the low^r gear, he was able to utilise his full strength more frequently, and. as 1 am of opinion, to greater advantage, because of the mori* effective flexion of the knee. The same rider appears to believe that becpuse a rider moves his feet rapidly he is bound to tire sooner, and quotes an instance- of a readracer of his acquaintance who, after te-t ing the long cranks over a 50 mile cour=e, returned to his own machine with Djin cranks, and covered the distance in shorter time. He the-n compares a count of the crank revolutions of the two gears, which necessarily arc fewer with the long crank and high gear, and urges a point in their favour. As, however, it is not the rapidity of movement which tires a man so much as the nearer approach towards tho limit of his capacity for strength and range of movement, his argument carries no weight. The performance of his friend showed that This points to the axiom that it i* easier to acquire pace tlian power