CYCLING AND MOTORING NOTES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 113, 4 July 1911, Page 2

CYCLING AND MOTORING NOTES.

From recent, investigations made amongst twenty-six of the leading British motor ear linns—as regards replacements and repairs—it appears that the mechanical parts of a car that require the most frequent attention, and consequently give trouble—more or less—to owners a cars, are gear wheels (particularly the second speed of three-speed ; irs.', hr.it e blocks or liners, brake drums, hall bearings and piston rings. 01 car that have to do the major part of the work, and it is apparently in these directions that car manufacturers will now have to set f bout and endeavour to improve and remedy The present day motor car \s without doubt a wonderful piece of mechanism, but any improvements that can be brought about to eliminate the occasional, troubles in tire directions mentioned , will tend to make motoring even more reliable and more economical than it is to-day. Now that wire motor wheels are becoming popular, the one principal objection—difficulty in clean — becomes more apparent. The man who cleans his own car finds wire wheel cleaning a nuisance that lie would like to avoid—a remark equally applicable to chauffeurs—and any device that will remedy this objection will no doubt readily become popular with motorists, who prefer wire wheels. One suggestion made is that light aluminium discs should be fitted to both the inside and outside of wheels "in such a way as to prevent mud and grit working through. The idea appears feasible, at all events,, any device that will overcome the tediousness of cleaning the interstices of a wire wheel will be appreciated by those ; vyho have experienced the nuisance. F. D. Walcott, one of the best road riders in New South Wales, has announced his intention of trying to win the £2O and £5 os gold medal offered by the Dunlop Rubber Co. to the first Australasian road rider who betters Leon Meredith’s English out and home unpaced road .record of 4 hours 52 minutes 51 4-5 seconds. Walcott, who has been recently showing very good form on the road, will bo well advised if he leaves his attempt until later in. the season when the atmospheric and road conditions will be more favourable to fast unpaced road work. To beat Meredith’s record, everything wants to be in the rider’s favour, and at this time of the year one is not likely to be well served as regards wind, warmth, and road. Particulars of a very fine endurance motor cycle record are to hand from England, where a motor cyclist named A. E. Cutt has ridden 2557 miles on the road in six consecutive days. Despite a deal of wet weather 461 miles were covered the first day, 412 the second, 428 the third, 407 the fourth, 423 the fifth, and 426 on the sixth day. A wonderful piece of consistent riding, i The now figures are 657 miles better than the previous record.

Driving solely on the foot accelerator seems to have become - almost universal with motorists, and yet, as one who has traversed many thousands of miles depending on a suitably placed lever on the steering wheel, the writer is of opinion that both systems have their advantages and should bo cultivated. In an emergency the interval of time between moving the foot from the accelerator pedal to apply the brake is appreciable and may make all the difference in avoiding an accident. On a very rough road also it is by no means easy to maintain regular and unvarying pressure on the pedal. During a long drive the ankle may tire, for the resistance, when applying the pedal, is. not sufficient to provide a i.seful foot rest. For traffic driving, dangerous roads, or rough surface, it is an ads vantage to have both systems. To this end it would lie necessary to have the throttle lever conveniently arranged to the left of the steering wheel so that the thumb would come naturally on the end of it. The notches should bo shallow and close together, so that the lever would respond quickly to the slightest touch and give a very gradual and ample range. The greatest objection urged to driving in this manner is that on suddenly withdrawing the clutch, as in an emergency, or for gear changing, (lie engine would race. This is not necessarily so, however. The man who practices both systems would, as a nde, resei ve the hand control for traffic and for very tricky roads, where he would be constantly on the qni vive with his thumb at the o«d of the lever. When the necessity arose for declutching be would naturally retard the throttle lever at the moment ha applied the foot brake and declutched. In the case of gear changing, lie could do the same, and as he gradually let in the clutch there would be time to shift the foot on to the accelerator pedal. As a matter of fact, probably more than threofonrths of the total driving would be done on the accelerator pedal, but the ability to drive well on the throttle lever alone would make for safety and afford a decided rest. The writer speaks from a lengthy experience of both systems used either together or separately. The question of large or small tyros is very important to motorists from an economical point of view. A small tyre on any particular weight of car has to be pumped lander than a largo one, hence there is more bouncing and less adhesion. For the same reason a larger tyre moderately _ inflated will side-slip less than a similar one pumped hard, notwithstanding the fact that a smaller tyre would penetrate more deeply into the soft surface of a muddy road than the larger tyre; the bala .ee of stability however ,is certainly in favour of a comparatively large tyre. Standard tyres arc generally too small on cars imported into this country foi the reason that the price of the car is quoted to the importer or agent with the tyres, and the manufacturers are necessarily anxious that the figures should come out low for comparison purposes. At the same time it is possible to err in the opposite direction. The price of a 120 nun. tyre is very much greater than that of a 90. The latter is too small for any car exceeding IS or 19 cwt, whereas the larger tyre would be hardly necessary, except for vehicles of 25 cwt or upwards; 105 mm. is a very good medium size for cars not. exceeding 20 cwt. The Australian amateur track champion, Schneider, made his second appearance on English racing tracks at the Festival of Empire gathering at the Crystal Palace track (London). Ho again showed fair form, although he did not succeed in winning any of the several events he competed in. The N.S.W. crack finished a close third in a five miles scratch race (after defeating Leon Meredith — world’s champion—and other crack riders in a qualifying heat), and fourth in a one-lap race; but Lis best ride was in a one-mile handicap, ho starting fr»m scratch and being only beaten by a small margin by a rider to whom he was conceding I GO yards’ start, in the good time of 2 minutes 8 -1-5 seconds. Schneider, with a bit more racing, should soon bo holding his own with the best of

the English amateur cracks'. i At last ’something is being clone towards including some of onr crack printers (including Clarke, Coullot, Jieliir, Walker, and others), and two or three American and European celebrities to pay a racing visit to Australia, a provisional application having been made to the League of New South Wales Wheelmen tor patronage and permission to hold a big race meeting in Sydney next November. Sanction was granted. Following is the proposed programme, which will be held on two nights:—One-mile handicap of Cl 00; first £7O, second CIO, third £5, and £ls for heat winners# Half-mile championship of Australia, of £SO; first £25, second £5. third £2, and £lB for heat winners. Three-miles tandem race, of £00; first. 020, second £5, and £5; lor heat u Miners. Three-miles tandem paced race ,of £00;, first £OO, second £5, and £ls for heat winners and £lO for the pacers. Handicap teams ■ ace (open to teams of three riders), of £45; first £25, second avid £lO for heat winners. llalf-mile handicap, of £00; first £!•», second £O, third £2 and £lO for neat winners, Five-miles scratch race, ol £6O; first £25, second £lO, third £5, and £2O for pacing (£1 per lapV Novelty and other events will bring the total value of the prize money up to about £SOO. This is the best prize list submitted in Australia for many a long day, and it is to be sincerely hoped that this meeting, together with others, that may be organised in the Eastern States, will be the means of inducing’ Kramer Clarke, Lawson, MacFarland and other cracks to visit these shores curing their own off season.