CYCLING NOTES

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18465, 17 May 1928, Page 3

CYCLING NOTES

ON TRACK AND ROAD.

By

“WHEEL.”

FIXTURES. May 19—Halswell Amateur Club's Road Race. M,ay 26—Christchurch Amateur Club’s Road Race. June 9—Christchurch Amateur Club’s Road Race. June 9—Clarkeville Cycling Club’s Road Race. June 20—Christchurch Amateur Club’s Road Race. July 7—Christchurch Amateur Club’s Road Race. k x The .Shirley Amateur Cycling Club held an open road race at Papanui on Saturday afternoon, under perfect weathe conditions, the roads being in excelent order for racing. The course was four times around a block, starting and finishing, at the corner of Ilarewood and Bishop’s Roads, a distance of approximately twelve miles. Thirtyseven started. L. G. Luke3\ the Amberley rider, and S. Campbell, on the scratch mark, were faced with a hopeless task, as the limit was 7imin. The limit men had completed one lap before the scratch men had left their marks.

R. Iloman from the front mark took the lead early in the race, and maintained it to the end, winning comfortably by nearly a minute. J. C. Duggan (71) led a batch of five riders home for second place, with J. Campbell (71) well back third. A great sprint took place between Lukey and Campbell for fastest time honours, the former gaining the verdict b3' the narrowest of margins. Luke3 r finished srain 35sec behind the winner, a fart which proved that a great deal

of tightening up is necessary before a close finish can be assured. The winner, R. Iloman, rode the distance in 36min 29Sec, and Luke\ f ’s time was 34min 34sec.

The amateur road races are proving.a great training ground for the p*oung riders. Each week several new , riders make their debut. So much new material is giving the handicappers an anxious time, as until the riders’ powers are known it is a very difficult matter to frame a satisfactory handicap.

Mr T. Grose, father of Frank Grose, the amateur champion, who was severely injured at English Park a few months ago, requested the writer to contradict the report that Frank was again training for racing. Mr Grose says that since his spill Fank has not attempted to ride a bicycle, and it will be at least six weeks before he is likeh’ to commence.

A cycling club has been formed at Clarkeville, and has applied to the North Canterbury Centre of the New Zealand Athletic and Cycling Union for affiliation. Mr, Frank (Bunny) Vaughan has been appointed secretary and is full of enthusiasm for the new venture. The club will commence activities on Saturdat’, June 9, when a club race will be held over a ten mil as course. Entries for the event close on Thursday, June 7. Judging from the enthusiasm shown at the meeting, which was attended by Messrs W. J. Walter and P. C. Lucas, the club promises to be very successful. The club membership fee is 5s for senior members and 3s for members Under the age of eighteen 3'cars. It is the aim of the club to promote races for local riders as far as possible. So far nothing been announced* regarding the Brookside road race for 5 the Canterbury road championship. It is a pity if the club has decided to drop this popular fixture, which it has conducted successfully for the past two years. Racing C3 r clists who wish to take part in the jubilee celebration procession are requested to assemble on Moorhouse Avenue, between Colombo and Antigua Streets, at 1.15 p.m. on Monday, May 28. Marshals will be on duty to direct riders to their right position. It is to be hoped that riders will be prsent in large numbers.

Delegates to the North Centre of the New Zealand Athletic and Cycling Union were in a lenient mood at last night’s meeting.. when, after a motion and several amendments, they passed a resolution disqualifying W. T. Weir and W. Mackie until July 31. The

fine of £1 imposed by the Kowai Club However, still stands, and the riders are automatically disqualified until that fine is paid. In view of the nature of the offence the punishment is extremely light. If the centre wishes to stop breaches of the rules the only wa> r tp do it is to deal severely with offenders .and impose a stiff fine or a lengthy term of disqualification. The sooner the centre realises this the better. Long distance riders will be pleased to note that the North Canterbur>Centre of the New Zealand Athletic and Cycling Union decided at a meeting last night to hold the Timaru to Christchurch road race this 3-ear. The actual date will lie arranged as soon as the dates of the big football fixtures have been ascertained. The probable date will be late in September or early in October. The Christchurch Cycling and Athletic Club will hold an open road race on Saturdav, June 30. The distance will be twenty miles. Mr J. M. Coffey, a vice-president of the North Canterbury Centre of the New Zealand Athletic and Cycling Union, leaves on Saturday night en route to Australia, where he will spend a few weeks. Members of the centre last night wished him bon voyage. Items of interest, amateur or professional, and photographs of riders are invited for this column. Communications should be addressed “ Wheel, ’ care of this paper. Tour de France. Realising the great ordeal that is ahead of them in the Tour de France, the Australasian cyclists (Hubert Opperman, Ilarry Watson, Ern Bainbridge and Percy Osborn) are leaving nothing to chance (says the Melbourne “Sporting Globe”). Cable advice indicates that they are training assiduously at the quarters, Les Loges, in josas, owned the Le Vallois Cycling Club t —one of the foremost in France, which has produced many champions during the past fifteen \*ears. The big event begins on June 17, and the competitors have to ride one section (or stage) of the journey every dav until July 15, when the race ends. The total distance to be covered is 333 S miles. Last y6ar there were 245 starters, and this year the number is expected to be greater. The course leads around the French coast—along the north, down the west, along the south, and then turn northerly home. The riders meet every type of road and many steep grades. The going in the Pyrenees is very solid. On various stages snow is sometimes cnGear Ratios. Though the matter of gears and gear ratios is an involved on ~ every cyclist should be able to calculate the ' gear he rides. The simple formula in calculating the gear is to multiply the diameter of the rear wheel in inches by the number of teeth in the main driving sprocket, and divide by the number of teeth on rear hub wheel. An 81 gear is arrived at in this way 28 inches (diameter of rear wheel) multiplied by 24 teeth on mam driving wheel) and divided l»v 8 (teeth on rear wheel). There are many carefully planned variations of gear arrived at by variations in the spacing of teeth on the hub wheel and the pitch on the main driving sprocket, f’vcle builders and mechanics can give advice on these finer points of gear ratios. Carried a Champion.

Probably no other cyclist has had as much attention given to the gears lie used in his various races as Hubert Opperman (says Melbourne “Sporting Globe ”). To a great extent the careful study of the question of gears has been responsible forffiis successes. Here is a list of gears used in his noted rides:--A run to Horsham on business 71 (with a double-sided hub giving a 78 gear, if needed): the Grand Prix, Melbourne to Wangaratta, 68 (probably the lowest used in the race), Wangaratta to Bendigo 72, Bendigo to Warrnambool 68. Warrnambool to Melbourne 74 (favourable wind following) ; Ballarat to Mel--13 ourrie (last race held, 84; Warrnambool to'Melbourne (last ride), 79. The bike Opperman took to France has a 78 gear, but it is for use on the home trainers. He will ride a French made bike (with special gears to suit him) in the Tour de France.