BACK TO THE BIKE

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXIV, Issue 3208, 18 September 1934, Page 8

BACK TO THE BIKE

NEW SPEED SPORT. Thousands, of pounds are being in an attempt to- introduce a new national sport to Britain. Soon the craze Which has swept America and France off their feet will be intro- ''■ duced at Olympia, London. It is the Six Days Marathon bicycle race with its 1 thrills and crashes, where cyclists, racing at 50 miles' an hour, are frequently hurled across the track and men and machines are piled up in indescribable confusion. ' , This sport has e-utrivalled dint track and (greyhound racing in America. Fabulous 'salaries are earned by the star perfcrmers, salaries which compare with those of film stars, crooners and saxophone players. ■• • Pict van Kempen, the world champion, who hails from 'Holland, frequently blanks £3OO or £4OO for a week's work. Already large sums have been poured out on the enterprise. .Seven thousand pounds has gone in preliminary arrangements. "Here is a new craze giving employment to hundreds-—it's the most exciting sport you've ever seen,' said Willie Spencer, the 17-stone sports magnate, Who is running the show. "I believe it will sweep Britain like greyhound racing did. lam contemplating opening at Leeds and Manchester. In fact, lam ready to open anywhere in the provinces! where I can find a suitable hall." Each track costs about £IOOO in installing special banking, sometimes to an angle of 52 degrees. It is this enormous- angle that enables the 'bicycles to reach the fantastic speeds of 48 or even 58 miles an hour. " These terrific bursts of speed make the sport a hair-raising one to. watch. A' burst tire frequently brings the Whole of the competitors crashing to the track. The tires are made of silk and have a pressure of 150 'lb.—sothe noise of a tire 'bursting is like a revolver going off ! "I have known 20 big crashes in one evening," 'explained Willie Spencer. "A man cannot possibly stay on the banking with a hurst tire and he usually falls down like a stone. But the sport is not brutal, the men are very rarely badly hurt. "The reason why the boys develop such high speeds is partly due to the banking of the tracks, and' partly to the comparative lack of wind resistance indoors."