SENSATIONAL BICYCLE PERFORMANCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6704, 18 November 1889, Page 3

SENSATIONAL BICYCLE PERFORMANCE.

-♦ 323| Miles in 24 Hours. Without doubt the most extraordinary exhibition of the capabilities of the bicycle combined with human endurance which the world has yet Been, took place in England on Sept. 7, when a renowned rider, named Holbein, succeeded in riding in twenty-four hours the snrpriaig distance of 323? miles. This asronishing feat has not only been the theme of enthusiastic i articles in both cycling and athletic papers, J but has been largely dwelt upon by the English daily press, whilst Continental journals have not been backward in their expressions of surprise and admiration. The event took place at Hitchin, under the auspices o£ the North Eoad Olub, who planned an excellent route, avoiding all hilly pieces of road, substituting stretches of level ground, the distancea in every case being scrupulously calculated to avoid the probability of error. Very elaborate and perfect arrangements were made for checking, no less than eighteen signatures being requisite. Printed sheets were deposited at hotels, wherever turning points were so Bituated, for the riders to sign; and at various outo£ - the * way plac«3 marshals were Etationed to check the tiders. Two fine moonlit nights and a calm 0 cool day, favouring fast riding, were experienced, the weather being, in fact, perfect, except for about an hour just before noon, when a tremendous downpour of rain fell in the Wisbeach district, causing many of the Blow men to retire from the contest. The total number of competitors reached thirty-five,twenty-threebeing mounted onsafeties, six on tricycles, four on ordinaries, and two on a tandem tricycle ; the significant fact that only four riders of the ordinary or high bicycle ventured to compete against the twenty-three safeties, although a gold medal was offered to the first rider of the ordinary bicycle, shows conclusively that for road-racing purposes, the ordinary bicycle is a thing of the past. At midnight exactly a careful start was effected. The tricyclists, having the advantage of starting ready mounted, sprinted to the front, their pace in particular being remarkable, the first eleven miles and a quarter being done inside thirty-three minutes, but Holbein reached Buckden (forty-two milcß) at 2.34, first, having sprinted away from the tricyclists. , Here he was taken in hand by successive relays of pacemakers and never left without a lead throughout the day. It is unnecessary for us to detail all the varied incidents of the contest ; suffice it to say, that Holbein proved far and away the winner, with the phenomenal record of 323 i mileß. 1 He took his meals comfortably, devoting two precious hours to stoppages, thia making his net average riding pace fourteen miles and a half per hour. He rode a .Rover type machine, by no means new, which displayed no signs of injury the following day. Nor was the rider much the worse for his exertions, for, although he did not retire till 2 %joa., at seven o'clock, the nest morning he was strolling about fresh and smiling. The following Hat Bhowa the respective distances accomplished by each man who actually rode throughout the twenty-four hours : — Miles. Miles. Holbein (safety) ... 32S* Sternwhite(aTty) 210 Shoriand (safety; 294 Butterfialds' (tanGonldin(f(tricTcle) iBO dem) 20H Bae (ordinary) ... 260 Jones (nnf,jty) ... 200 Drnott (safety) ... 2SO Whorlow (tricycle) ISO Spencer (tricycle) 238 Nixon (safety) ... 153 Spencer (safety)... 238 HoduHon(ordinary) 153 Lmford (safety)... 211* Pritchard (safety) 153 Yonngr (safety) ... 210