Cycling & Motor Notes

Otago Witness, Issue 3327, 19 December 1917, Page 50

Cycling & Motor Notes

by demon. .

Despite the war activities in France, road-racing is still carried on to a limited degree. Some' of the .big' classics have had to bo abandoned, owing to tno routes being within the fighting zone, out still several of the most important events have been decided, but not with all the old-time cracks competing, for many have made the supremo sacrifice. One of the long-distance events recently decided was the TrouvnleParis race, over a distance of 124 1-5 miles. H. Pelisscr, the French road champion, proved the victor, in the good time of ohr 23min 29 4-ssec. train 10,000 motor-cyclists for service with her army in France. Presumably not an ounce of new rubber gets into Germany from overseas, vet somonow, so far as military requirements are" concerned, there seem to bo supplies of jf— or else of a substitute —available. Has Germany solved the artificial rubber question? Circumstantial reports from America some months ago stated definitely that it had been solved, and as satisfactorily as the cotton problem. A very fine motor-cycle performance has been recorded in South Africa by Messrs M‘Keag and Wright on a Royal Enfield side-car combination. The rough journey from Johannesburg to Durban, some 421 miles, was negotiated in 14hr 12min. Seven attempts have 0 since been made to cut those figures, but all failed. After a careful investigation of the petrol situation in America, the Director of the Bureau of Mines of the Department of the Interior has issued the following statement One-half of the petrol used in the United States (1,250,000.000 gallons) is used in pleasure-riding. It is estimated that the United States Army will need 350,000.000 gallons for aeroplanes, trucks, automobile tractors, and other machines. There is no way of obtaining this in the country except by saving from the existing supply, and this economy may be procured by voluntary cutting down of pleasure-riding (for instance, the man who takes his family out on Sunday for a 50-milo ride can cut this in half). It" has been estimated that by economical use enough gasoline can be saved to supply not only the United States, but also its Allies, for war purposes. The following suggestions should bo observed by automobile owners:—Do not allow engines to run idle. Use kerosene, not petrol, forcleaning purposes in the garage. Form the habit of shutting off the petrol at the tank. By judicious regulation of 'the mixture of petrol and air in the motor, both greater Xiower and economy of fuel may bo obtained. The statement is often heard that braking action has a deleterious effect upon cycle tyres, the idea being somewhat prevalent that in some way the braking strain is taken at the point of the tyre’s contact with the road. A little reflection, however, should make it obvious that this can only

be true when the wheel is actually locked and skidded. So long as this does not occur, the only effect of the . brake is to cause the wheel to revolve more slowly, and eventually com© to a standstill. The rim and spokes take the strain, and the contact of the tyre with the road remains perfectly normal. Australian racing cyclists are still to the fore in America. The latest returns for the all-round championship of America, which is decided on points for wins and places "for all important events decided during the season, show that out of the first five leaders three are Australians—viz: Goullet, 112 points, for 15 wins. 7 seconds, 6 thirds, and 4 fourths; McNamara, _76 point 3, for 6 wins, 9 seconds, 6 thirds, and 7 fourths; Kramer (U.S.A.), 46 pointsfor 5 wins, 4 seconds, and 5 thirds; Spears (Australia), 39 points, for 4 firsts, 4 seconds, 5 thirds, and 1 fourth; Spencer (Canada), %i points, for 5 firsts, 1 second. 2 thirds, and 2 fourths. Another Australian in Grenda is seventh on the list; while Piercey, who won the onetime groat Dunlop road race from Warrnambool to Melbourne, in 1910, # is fifteenth, with only one win to his credit. The great schemo of standardisation of the parts for the 100,000 American aeroplanes is now in full swing. The United States Government has obtained the service of thousands of firms engaged in the manufacture of the lighter class of metal work, such as typewriters, cash registers, and sewing machines. All these firms are now at work, day and night, in turning out the millions of parts required. An army of 150,000 aviation officers and men are to bo trained to handle and look after these machines.

motorists fill the radiator or tank hurriedly, the fdler cap is not properly replaced, and, becoming loosened by vibration, it falls off and is lost. A simple device to prevent this consist? of a short length of brass chain attached to the filler cap by a screw or small bolt, and also in a like manner to the radiator or petrol tank, as the case may be. If it is not easy to attach the chain to the radiator or tank by a screw, it may bs sufficient to pass a loop of the chain round the projecting lip of the filler orifice, or to solder - the chain to the radiator. Another device is to fix the chain to the filler-cap on the inside, and to attach to the free end of the chain a stout piece of brass who or rod of greater length than the diameter of the filler orifice. The chain and rod are then allowed to hang inside the tank, and in the event of the cap becoming detached, the rod is pulled across *'•>" filler orifice, and the cap saved from falling off the car.

There is no doubt that many carhoods wear quickly through being folded down carelessly. The chief point is to get tho hood-folds as far back as possible, and to seo that nono of the fabric is nipped by any extension clip. Most hoods are the better for being strapped down firmly when not in use.

Members of tho trade are becoming perturbed at the scarcity of parts, and have had meetings at which, among other things, methods for combating the serious shortage' of stocks were discussed (says tho Aus-

tralasian). No lino of action lias yet been decided upon. It may here be mentioned that, included in a list (published last week by the Government) of goods which may not now be imported, was "cycles" (not including' motor cycles). While parts may bo imported, the difficulty is to obtain them in England; hence, it is possible that bicycles and parts will become good property, c&pceially, too, if from reasons of economy, the wheel is more generally adopted. Alter the war Canada is to have two largo factories subsidised by tho Imperial Government for tho - production of lowprices cars, in competition with the popularpriced machines now imported from the United States. It is further stated that Canada will not merely strive to supply her own requirements, but will also make a strong bid for overseas trade. —— From tho experience of British motorists it would seem that there is less trouble from carbonisation and valve-pitting when using coal-gas than with tho presentday liquid fuel, which is somewhat heavier than in pre-war times. The explanation is that complete combustion is obtained as tho result of the uniformly gaseous nature of tho fuel, whereas, with heavy and not readily volatile liquid fuel, there is bound to be somo variation in the mixture, which causes the formation of carbon, small particles of which collect on tho valves and cause pitting. "English motorists who have used keroseno with petrol, to reduce the cost of tho fuel, have found that their engines are prone to overheat, and tho solution was that they unduly increased tho proportion of kerosene. The effect of kerosenOj or paraffin, which is not properly vaporised, but enters tho cylinders in really a wet state, is to retard the rate of combustion. It is important not to exceed the precise amount of kerosene that experience proves will give, or has given, satisfactory results. In any case, -it must be expected that tho admixture of any kerosene at all will cause the engine to run rather hotter, taking into consideration also the heavier petrol that is marketed to-day. —— Since the battle of the Marne armoured cars have not been used on the western front to anything like the extent popularly imagined by most people. A little reflection, indeed, would have shown that, with troops deeply entrenched, and a practically immovable line, there would bo very little opportunity for using vehicles of this nature. It is only when one side gets the ascendency and the enemy is actually on tho run, that the usual typo of armoured car can do really -effective work. A Canadian motorist, A. Mathers, of Saskatoon, thought by using his car he could lighten tho labour on the farm, so ho removed tho rear wheels and substituted a pair from an old binder. The total cost for tho transformation was £3, but. it enabled Mr Mathers to do the whole farm work without horses and with little labour. During tho year the machine ploughed 50 acres, sowed 175 acres, cut 175 acres, fallowed 40 acres, and broke 10 acres. It will draw 125 bushels of wheat to tho elevator at four m.p.m. and a Win gang plough and harrow at the same speed. The cost of operation during the season was £3B, and it performed tho work of six horses and several extra men.

——Your tyres will well repay a moro intimate acquaintance. Provide hot water, soap, and rags, jack up ono wheel, sit down on a low seat, wash off the tread, and look it over carefully. Dig out all particles of grit with a screwdriver. Clean out small cuts with gasolene and fill with repair putty _. Note if tread is worn by car tracks, too suddenly, skidding, or wheels out of line. Sometimes a cut will develop which _ should be seen and given immediate attention so as to avoid a troublesome blowout later. OTACO MOTOR CLUB. The ordinary meeting of the Otago Motor Olub was held on the 11th. The President (Mr J. W. Roberts) occupied the chair, and thero was a largo attendance of members. The Roads Committee's recommendation that the club offer to contribute £SO towards the extra cost of expenditure on the Main North road, on condition that ono surfaceman be employed for threo months to look after the road until the metal was well set, was adopted. The Roads Committee's recommendation that the club do not support the erection of a light traffic bridge over Sweetwater Creek, above Dunback, was adopted. The committee recommended that signs be got for the Brighton road, showing "Six miles per hour" on the corners and "15 miles per hour" on other portions, as requested by the Taieri County Council. — The recommendation was agreed to.

Mr F. J. O'Neill wrote stating that he had railed from Ashbufton a motor cycle and side car, to bo delivered at the Duncdin railway station. Before the authorities would allow him to remove the outfit they demanded payment of freight, which amounted to £3 4s. He paid this under protest, and had sent a letter to the traffio manager, complaining of this exorbitant charge, as he considered it a case of exploiting. Had ho travelled with the machino the charge would have been 7s 10d. He asked the club to take up the matter.— It was decided that the Roads Committee go into the matter and endeavour to secure a rebate.—A letter was read from Mr W. Bowles, district traffic* manager, in which he stated that he had inquired, into the charge and found that the charge collected was correct according to the gazetted railway tariff, and he regretted there was no authority for any reduction thereon. One member explained that the amount charged was probably the result of a truck being required to bring down the cyclo and side-car.

Tho Chairman stated thnt the club had a credit balance of £204 10s sd. Out of that, amount £125 would have to be paid to tho Clutha County Council, the club's contribution towards the cost of repairing the Wnipahi —Pukerau road.