Untitled

Otago Witness, Issue 2676, 28 June 1905, Page 55

Cycling and Motor Notes.

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT. Inverobgill. — Thanks for acknowledgment. Pleased to bo of service.

MOTES BY DEMON.

1 have to thank Mr George Sise, the captain of the Duuedin Cycling Club, for th<i following interesting account of his tour through New Zealand:— " Dear Demon,— l left Dunedin on the Ist of May, and rode to Christchurch on my Brown, and got through without a hitch of any sort. Found the roads in splendid condition for this time of the year. Took steamer to Wellington and have been in all the large towns of the North Island. I think we are very much better off in the South Island than in the North in regard to our roads. They have nothing to come up to oui Main South road. I was the guest of the Auckland Motor Car Club at their midwinter run on Saturday, the 10th June. Sixteen cars took part m this run, and I was surprised at the number of high-power cars out : from 20 horse-power Olds to 5 horse-power De Dions. Most of the North Island motorists use cars of about 15 horse-power. Motoring is becoming more popular every day in this island, but I think with our advantage of roads, the South Island in a short time must take pride of place in the New Zealand motor world. lam surim-ised how very few motor cycles one se&s in the North Island. This, I think, is due to the rough surface of the roads. I have read your notes in the Witness with interest during my tour, and am glad to. see that the south 'boys' are still braving the elements of midwinter in their week-end runs."

A rough but fairly approximate rule to determine the horse-power of motor engines is to take th© bore of the cylinder in inches and square it, then divide the result by three-. Thus bore of cylinder equals 22in— 2% x2\ equals ~; divided by 3 10 „••„ 121 _„ „ 25 which Is a shade over 2i equals — or 2^ horse-power. *

I Mr George Sievwri&ht took a run last -week on his Zedel motor from Kokonga to Palmerston S., via Naseby, but struck bad weather. Some parts of the road were so heavy that it was almost impossible to wheel the machine owing to the wheels clogging, but when the wheels would move at all the engine did its work splendidly, and eventually Palmerston was reached after a rath&r trying and lonely journey. ■ My preference for the outside flywheel, mentioned in last week's notes in the Witness, when I stated my ideas re a suitable motor oycle for Dunedin, is questioned by "a correspondent, thus: While admitting that internal flywheels, through being as a rule smaller in diameter, have to b& made heavier to acquire the same efficiency, thus adding to the total weight, is not the large outside flywheel in a dangerously prominent position should! a spill occur? and the broken crank chambers and bent crank shafts of some local machines testify to theseriousness of this point. Then, again, my correspondent goes on to say, the outside ' a"wheela "wheel usually has only one bearing, and

though long, can hardly be so rigid as the two fitted to internal flywheels. In reply,' l have to say that the first point raised against the outside flywheel is a fairly strong one, as the engine is certainly safer in the case of spills' with inside flywheels. My strongest objection to the inside flywheel has been that sometimes the flywheels came loose, and to mend this meant dismantling the whole engine; but now the best makers are fixing them so securely that there is less risk of this trouble than formerly. Of course, a two-cylinder engine does not need such a large flywheel as a single-cylindered engine of same power, and other things being equal, I would not make a great point of where the flywheel is fitted.

On Sunday the roads were very dirty and greasy between the top of Look-out Point and the bottom ofLFairfield Hill, but the rest of the road to Henley was in splendid ord&r ; still, there seemed to be only two motor cyclists out for a spin. The weather was splendid, and I was surprised that more did not venture out, especially as from Normanby to Caversham is asphalted, and in the past this used to be the dirtiest part to negotiate when venturing out of the city in the winter, but it is now almost perfect. One of the motorists whom I saw was. mouted on a, twin Clement, and on interviewing the rider I found that he had his machine geared as low as 1 in 6, which, he said, did not overheat the engine in the least, and made the machine a treat to handle on slippery roads. "You see," the motorist said, ''I can toot along as slow as three miles an hour with the engine pulling strongly, and yet gently, and the machine is a regular hill-eater with this

The other motorist out on the south road on Sunday seemed to prefer mixing his motoring with a deal of the company of the fair sex, and is a noted "goer" in both departments. Though a discarder of the niulticylinder in motors, he seems to be a strong believer in the multi-maiden principle—perhaps for safety. The prize list in connection with the Dunlop Timaru-Christchurch Road Race is being added to daily. Mr J. B. Clarkson, of Palmerston North, has donated a Centaur eye la. The Adams Star Cycle Co. Ltd., has also donated a Swift Royal cycle to the competitor receiving half the limit handicap or over who establishes the f astest time. Messrs Manning aud Co., Ltd.. have offered a prize of £5 ss. The entrance fee has be&n fixed at ss, and entries close on sfch August. Acceptances (2s 6d) close on 19th August. It has been decided' that the whole of _ the entrance and acceptance moneys received will be added to the prize list.

The greatest of all road races in Australasia — in fact, the world — is the Dunlop Road Race annually held from Warrnambool to Melbourne, a distance of 165 miles. Last year t'liis premier event drew a record acceptance of Ib 3 riders, including the road cracks of New Zealand and the Commonwealth. One hundred an(? tweaefcy-three cyclists started from Warmambool, and 75 reached Melbourne within the time allowance of 11 hours — a wonderful result, considering that 70 miles of the road was a sea of slush and mud. The promoters, the Uunlop Tyre Co., have now issued the prize list and conditions for this year's contest, which is being held a month later than usual. The event will be- held under the patronage and rules of the Leage of Victorian Wheelmen. No outside pacing allowed. Contestants must ride the machine they start on throughout the race, changing of machine will disqualify. Certificates of merit will be presented' to all competitors who o&vetr the course in 11 hours and under. The race will starfc about 6 a.m. Special arrangements will be made by the promoters for providing contestants with suitable food gratis at Camperdown (45 miles), Winohelsea (96 milce), and Goelong (119 miles). Cheap railway fares and hotel tariffs will also be arranged for competitor's Nominations will be received by the Dunlop Tyre Co., 108 Flinders street, Melbourne, tip to Friday, 25th August.

• A somewhat noteworthy coincidence has been pointed out in connection with tha distinguishing numbers carried by the Gordon Bennett racers since the institution of the event. The numbers carried by the winning cars for each of the years, commencing 1 with 1900, up to last year, were as follows : — 1900, Charron, No. 1 ; 1901, Girardot, No. 2; 1902. Edge, No. 3; 1903, Jenatzy, No. 4; and) 1904-, Thery, No. 5. Th© car securing No. 6 this year should, therefore, be a favourite. Arrangements are being made for no less than 7500 soldiers and 1500 policemen to guard the coui&e on the day of the Cup race.

The Touring Committee of the A.C.F. 13 endeavouring to induce the French Customs to make arrangements for the easy entry iirto France of oars belonging to motorists wishing: to attend the Gordon Bennett race. The German Automobile Club is organising a tour from Berlin to Jlermoni-Ferrand on the occasion of the Cup race. The distance is about 880 miles, which is tc be covered in six days.

Frank Kramer was to race in London on May 20 at Crystal Palace. On the Continent he was regarded as the best man since A A. Zimmermann. He is not yet 24, yet has bson racing seven years Kramer mane up for his defeat by Sydney Jenkins in the semi-final of the Grand Prix de Paques at Paris on Easter Monday by winning a thiee -cornered match against Emile Friol and W'lly Bader at Bordeaux last month. In the first match Kramer cvi; cut the whole of the pace during the last lap, and travelled at such a speed that both Friol and Bader were dropped, they finishing in- the order named. In tho second match Bader put in one of his famous iong sprints, but this had no effocfc upon the American, who went to the fronfc 200 yards from home, and won by a good! length from Friol. Tn the tbird match Bader got a five-length lead just before the bell, but Kramer, catching the German 100 yards from tl»3 winning line and pacing Fiiol all the way, passed the line first for the third time in succession. Naturally, he came in for a very enthusiastic recaption.

It has been found necessary to provide accommodation for motors at many of the large hotels in London, the Hotel Cecil being the most recent establishment to conform to present-day requirements. At this house a new garage was opened at Eastor.^ Another dust-preventer, ailed "I'ulveranto," has been tried at Paris with; seme success, and a portion of the Gordon •Bennett course, will be treated with tin substance, in order to give it an exhaustive test.

It is said that Germany more than doubled her export trade in automobiles and accessories last year. This month is the anniversary of the first long-distance motor race, and in that period the speed of automobile racing has been quadrupled. Aimosfc without exception the English motor papers have full repoits of the reliability run from Sydney to Melbourne, and the deciding test to Ballarat and back. - -The Engl'sn Dunlop Tyre Companyhas, in consequence of the continued and sustained advance in the market price of crude rubber, been compelled to declare an advance of 7^ per cent, in the price of its tyres.

The first principle of training 's t» bring the internal organs to a sound and healthy condition. No cyclist physically unsound should droarn of competing in a long road race, as injurious results may accrue from 'putting a big s+rain on a weak constitution. Granted that the intending competitor is~in a fit condition tc undergo a solid preparation, we suggest a few general lules that, if followed cannot fan' to give beneficial results. Assuming that a fail- amount of steady road wort, has beendone during the past few months, tho cyclist should commenco with long, steady, country rides, not fast, bin, at an easy and comfortable 12-iuiles-an-hcrar pace. A few such rides for about two months over a 25 miles out and home cour&e, and the rider will find that in -time he can accomplish this distance without feeling any fatio-ue The distance should then bo gradually extended up to 100 miles ride <?acii week-end, but don't lorce your riding. If you tire, ease and take a spall. xo« don't want to cat up your vitality ; it is the other way about— you want to build up your system. By indulging in plenty of steady distance road riding you will gradually find yourself getting "fit." Eat plenty of everything lhat suits you. Take seven or eight hours' sleep nightly. Ii you find you want more sleep, too much work is bein°- done, and you must ease your ridmg a little. Always have a brisk rub down after returning from a ride, and chans* into dry clothing. A little fast work can now be indulged in. Nothing higher than 84in gear and 6£in crank should be used, although as regards the latter there is adiversity of opinion, some riders preferring a higher gear and longer cranks. A few speedy trips should now be taken over a 25 miles' course, finishing the last few mile 3 fast. These trips can be gradually extended over a longer distance, and shouldleave no ill effects. If they 10, ease off your riding and take things quietly for a week or so. Riding should be eased off during the last two or three days previous to the event. Whilst training never allow a feeling of weaknes to go unsatisfied; always carry a few biscuits, chocolate, or raisins with you, and eat wheD you feel a sense of emptiness coming on. Lastly, don't forget that steady and long spins are the correct thing, rather than fast ones: riding long stretches without dismounting so as to accustom yourself to the long-sus-tained effort in the saddle which, is absolutely necessary. "TT^Mr Grimwade's motor drive from Melbourne to Adelaide calls to memory several memorable bicycle rides accomplished years baok over this uninviting route. The first cyclist to officially make the complete trip was T. D. Scott, now secretary to the Summer Nights Amusements Company, Sydney. Following on Scott's pioneer ride, rider after rider mad© successful and unsuccessful attempts on therecord, until it was eventually reduced to 51hr 48min by W. Kux in November, 1897, at which figure it has stood ever since, despite several attempts to reduce th© German's figures. Kux's time was established from the G.P.0.. Adelaide, to tho G P 0 . Melbourne, and is not riding time as is the case of the motorists who have made the trip, but actual time from time of leaving Adelaide to arrival in Melbourne —a werformance which no motorists have yet approached nor are likely to approach. The latest English and Amotiian automobile jo'.unak to hand gn -> considerable and prominent space to the reporting nnd illustrating of the successful Dunlop teliability motor contost held from Sydney to Melbourne last February;. The overland contest — which promises, by the way, to become the Gordoa Bennett e\ent of Australia — has received great publicity, and should afford valuable data to the European and Anisricxn motor manufacturers who desire to cater for the Australian motor trade. Last February's contest proved that stronger axles, differential gears, and particularly springs wore necessary to several 1 of the contesting cars, the incessant vibration and bumping over deep ruts proving

that the narts named needed strengthening for Australian conditions. No doubt these weaknesses have already been made known to the makers' of the respective cars, and the result should be a gain to motorists in this part of the world. It will be interesting to watch in the November contest from Melbourne to Sydney the* behaviour of the different cars that had minor troubles last February to see if the then apparent weaknesses have been eradicated. The Dunlop Tyre Company, which spent -JBSOO over the last contest with a view of .bringing before the public the capabilities of the automobile for Australian use, has jilready received promise of support from several private Sydney, Adelaide, and Melbourne motorists who intend taking part in this big snorting event, which will be held on the 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th November next. A recent inspection of the Victorian Automobile racing track which Mr J. R. Drooke has 'laid down at Aspendale Park Shows what an enormous amount o£ work and money Mr Crooke has put into the undertaking. The track, which is about a mile in circumference, and of splendid is now settling down, and only requires a few weeks of warm weather to be tmt in racing shape. Even after the recentheavy rains a mile in" lmin 37seo was covered by a motor cyclist, who found the tanked corners very ease to negotiate. 43nce the wintei is over, nc doubt the track .will receive plenty of attention from motorists who want to "try out" the speed capabilities of their cars. The 'track, which is one of the first automobile Tacing tracks laid down in the world, will probably be _ officially opened by a big automobile race "; meeting and gymkhana during Melbourne week. j : -" Mr Rudyard Kipling, who is an en- ' ( ihusiastio motorist* made an amusing speech , -' It the recent 'annual banquet of the South ( African Automobile Club. Amongst a host of good things he said it seemed only yes- ; terday that they were semi-offioialry described as children of Belial urging Jugger- j aaaut • oars over the prostrate forms of a paralysed population. To-day they were no ( Qonger a stench in. the nostrils of -their , fellowmsn; to-day they moved in the odour I ,of sanctity. Their very cars, thanks to the .-extended mechanical knowledge on the part of the maker and purchaser — Ihe spoke with a sad heart — were scarcely more difficult to manipulate than a case of razors. When they went out they proceeded, when they came back- they returned. \ -n— The French Eliminating Motor Race, _ to select the French team for the forth- j Gordon Bennett Motor Contest, was . feet down for decision on -'Friday, the 16th, \ &Uiie. Some 20 odd huge racing cars have jbeen constructed by the leading French motor manufacturers with a view of competing for the honour of representing aTrance ,in the classic Gord«n Bennett con- < test, and the chance of winning the cup . ior the year 1905-6. When the last JTrench j snail left, young Clement, a youth hardly . out of his teens, and the runner-up in the \ iVanderbilt Cup aaid Ardennes Circuit races, .was favourite at even- money for the French tesfc. with Tfeery and Gabriel at 2 to 1, and numerous other candidates are well backed, j for they befc heavily on" Baotor "races on the ! Fast year's French race resulted ! - Jis follows:— M. Thcry (Richard Brazier), 1; , "palleron (Mors),- 2; and Rougier (ITurcat- : Mery), 3. The distance (340' miles) was"' - covered by the winner {who subsequently Won the Gordon Bennett Cup) in shr 30min j Efeec, an average speed of 62 miles an hour, j \ tChe distance of this year's French race is J4+ miles, over th© Auvergne Circuit. | The following paragraph, taken from ffhe Motor, England, while quite correct rs regards*, the good condition of our main roads, is pcmewhat astrayas regards motor cycles mounting hills, as anyone who so

desires can see on Saturday and Sunday afternoons Dunedin motorists riding Lookout Point without the slightest difficulty, while some other of our motorists have bidden all the steep hills from Dunedin to

Boslyn, which test should be quite sufficient. *The paragraph referred to is ac follows: — "Sir, — A correspondent, Mr S. Wilkinson,

makes an inquiry in O.P.V. about New Zealand roads. I note he is going to Dunedin—my native town. Of course, he must take his motor cycle oui with him. The main roads are quite good, equal to most English ones. Nciv, in the backblocks there are come bad bits, but even there one strikes long sferetohes of fine smooth surface. There are some terrible hills in Otago, the pro,vince of which Dunedin is chief city, and: 'I fear no motor cycle will ever face them. 'I can recommend the rids from Dunedin to Christohurch, about 250 miles, and to Invercargiil, about 110. Ea customs duty: I don't think there will be any for one machine if once ridden. — Yours faithfully, jW, G. S." ■

,• - — An English motor car firm writes as follows io~ The /Motor:— We have noticed "lately that many of your readers are asking if the air-cooled engine can be relied upon. iWe are making a email car, with air-cooled •twin-cylinder engine. These we have supplied to India, South Africa, and Australia. ,The reports are that the engines are workSng satisfactorily in these hot climates. The reason that air-cooled engines over-heat is that the bore isv large or the engine is overloaded, and a fault with many makers is Ithat the fins are not deep enough. A light ear requires a 5 horse-power engine, and *he only way to make an efficient air-cooled .engine of this power is to have two cylinders. The following ie one of the tests to ■which we have put the twin-cylinder air•cooled engine. We took out two cars, each carrying two passengers, the one fitted with $. 6 horse-power water-cooled single-cylinder engine, of a make which is familiar to all motorists, and the other fitted with twincylinder air-cooled engine. The object was ito run until one failed, that is, overheated. The day was hot, and to makt the trial short, we chose a very hilly district. The result of his trial was that the air-cooled

engine came out on top. We then, as a - further test, ran the air-cooled engine a non-stop of 40 miles, and this was without allowing any time for cooling down. We snight give many reasons why we prefer the air-cooled motor for very light cars, say, of ficwt to 7cwt, but will not trespass too much upon your space. An important point is the great saving of weight, fewer working toarte, and lower cost of production. It has been decided that the five cars which do best in the French Gordon Bennett eeleotion race shall represent JPrance in the Vanderbilt Cup race. Perhaps in no previous race have pneumatic tyres played such an important- part as ihey will in the forthcoming Gordon Bennett race in the Auvergne. In most cases the cars entered are of a higher horse-power than before, and this means a far greater strain on the tyres each time the cars start from, the different controls* The course is

one of the most difficult ever chosen for a race, requiring the use of powerful brakes at the various corners and on the steep hills. The choice of tyres, therefore, is one of the most important points which manufacturers entering cars will have to consider.. It is not yet known which tyres will be used by the different countries repreeented, 6 but the British competitors will have the choice of' Clincher, Palmer, Dunlop, and possibly Continentals. France has the choice of Michclin and Continental. Germany will certainly use Continentals again, and so will probably Austria, owing to the good experience made with them in last season's race.

Judging from the import returns just issued, business in motor cars is at present in a brisk condition. No fewer than 560 foreign cars were imported into Britain during April, their value being returned at £225,012, which, added to £68,891 of parts, gives an aggregate of £293,903 for April, 1905, as compared with only £202.499 in April of last year. During the first four laonths of tho year the imports of automobiles have attained a, value of just over a million sterling— £l,o47,394-, to give tho exact figures, representing close upon 2000 cars. As regards the exports of British motor cars, these show a slight increase. The number shipped in April, 1905, was 55, of a value of £16,590. To this have to be , added £9635 of parts, giving a total of £26,225, as against £20,391 in April, 1904. j It takes very little hard work when ■ the pedal fits badly to cause discomfort, | and then numbness in the feet and legs speedily follows. I (says a writer in Athletic News) have always been a strong advocate of j pedals made sufficiently wide to take shoes made wide and strong enough to be utili^d I for walking. But it is still more necessary to j have a wide pedal when the things which j are designated as cycling shoes, the soles of which are generally innocent of leather, are worn. Good and substantial footgear must minimise the effects of an unsuitable pedal but the average cycle shoe which is retailed at ss, or under, must be, after a certain distance, an instrument of torture. — —It is the same with cycling as with every form of physical, exercise. Some preliminary preparation is necessary if one is to find" pleasure in it. How often do we come acroes men who will tell us they can't see any fun in the fag of distance riding, but if the truth could be ascertained'it is a hundred to one that in their early days they have ventured too far afield, and i?ot dead beaten. It is the fear of repeating this experience which prevents many ridters, both male and female, from doing aught else than mere "pottering,' which is about the mildest form of exercise it is possible to indulge in, An exceedingly interesting article appeared in the columns of the London Daily Chronicle recently nnder the heading; "Motoring as. an Aid to Health." The writer — 3 physician — tackled his subject in a way which proved that his knowledge was based on, the surest of all foundations — practical experience. He commenced by remarking that the motor car is of especial value to medical men for two main reasons, one of which is that motoring is a useful and curative measure in certain circumstances, and that the possession of a ear Tenders a doctor's service more efficient. In other, words, a motor is reciprocal in its benefits — it helps both physician and patient. As a curative agent, our authority went oq to say, the automobile has a peculiar value in certain abnormal conditions of the nervous system. In cases of nervous depression, the exhilaration produced by a run in a motor car is most beneficial ; the circulation is improved, the blood purified by the more rapid respiration of fresh air, and even in ctses of pronounced insomnia, regular and refreshing sleep is obtained. Jn a word, the effects of motoring are stimulative and tonic. This is the striking pronouncement of an eminent physician, well qualified to speak with authority on this most important matter, and it should do much to reassure any timorous individual who. through ignorance, prejudice, or any other cause, still clings to the belief that the automobile is a nerve-shaking and highly dangerous (intrusion into modern civilisation. Sydney and Melbourne motorists K-cently interviewed for The Referee confirm the physician on all points. A correspondent sends an English contemporary a story that Persia is not a desirable country for motoring or cycling. An American, who was exploring the land in this fashion, thought one evening it would be pleasant to continue his journey by night, so lit up and proceeded on his way. Some shepherds tex'Jing their floc»s near by suddenly observed a mysterious light travelling in uncanny fashion along the ground. Taking it for one of their dreaded "djinns," they hastily got out a musket, and after aiming carefully at the evil thing, a shot was fired. A faint tinkle was heard, and the "djinn" disappeared. As soon as it was li^ht theiy went to inve&tigate, and found the dead body of a white man lying beside a strange machine on the road. In terror of the consequences attending the killing of a white man, they hastily buried the corpse and disappeared. It was only after several months that another explorer, camping out in a tent, rotioed the spoke of a bicycle being used as a. peg, and made inquiries, reporting the crime at Teheran. The sequel is interesting and symbolic. The Shah sent forth several ' companies of soldiers and wiped" out the nearest three or four villages.