CYCLING.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIX, Issue IV, 17 July 1897, Page 111

CYCLING.

BICYCLISTS are often seen riding with open mouths. The evils of mouth-breeding are accentuated under such conditions, and it is well to note the cause. With some, this pernicious habit was fixed in childhood. But* when it is observed only after exercise, such as bicycling, it indicates that the heart and lungs have been subjected to undue strain, which should not be repeated. City rulers are at length becoming awake to the fact that cyclists have votes, and know how to use them. The Brooklyn Board of Aidermen are now working bard to satisfy those of their constituents who are wheelmen by having as many of the city streets as is possible either paved with asphalt or placed upon the list of those streets to be paved.

An exhaustive report has just been issued by Consul Chancellor at Havre, giving a detailed statement of the bicycle rules and regulations now prevailing in the various European countries regarding cycles and cyclists. In France there is an annual tax of 8s for every wheel. Bicycles go as baggage on railways. In Austria a deposit of £2 must be made. In Belgium 12 per cent, ad valorem duty must be deposited. No deposit is required in Germany. England charges no duty, but compels a deposit to guarantee against sale of bicycle. In nearly all the remaining countries deposits are required, and in Spain a six months’ license, costing 20 cents, is required. Consul Chancellor points out that membership in cycling organizations abroad, as at Home, carries great 'advantages, reduced hotel rates and repairs, with courteous treatment generally.

The • mourning bicycle ’ is the latest craze, and has already been seen in the streets of New York. The machine is black throughout, unrelieved by nickel or colour. A fashionable widow recently appeared on one of these machines in New York, wearing a black sailor hat with a black crape band instead of a ribbon, and a large black rosette in front. Her black tailor-made suit was relieved only by the shirt front, which was striped black, as also was her high linen collar. A black poodle was her escort. Only the whites of her eyes and her teeth were left undraped.

As nearly everyone is riding a bicycle now a few hints on their cleansing will sure to be appreciated, whether the knowledge is to be used for themselves or for directing others. At least once a week the machine should receive a thorough overhaul and be completely cleaned and oiled. It should be done by turning the machine upside down, having first removed the lamp and placed underneath a piece of linoleum or sacking. A dry brush is the best to begin with to remove as much of the dust as possible, then take a duster and dip it into common vaseline and rub off all the mud that has not come away with the dry brush. Then polish with a piece of chamois leather or selvyt. Water must on no consideration be used, as it would ouly get into all the joints and rust them. Once a month the chain should be thoroughly cleaned, and the best plan to do this is to soak it in turpentine, afterwards giving it a bath in kerosene oil, then it requires to be thoroughly cleaned. If a bicycle is put away for some length of time without being used it never should be allowed to stand upon the floor, it should be hung up with the tyres only partially blown out. The following is a good recipe for glossy black paint when the machine requires to be touched up. Amber 4ozs, boiling linseed oil 3ozs, asphalte X oz , resin Xoz, oil of turpentine 50ZS, the asphalte and the resin should be added to the remainder after it has been melted in the boiling oil and then the turpentine abould be added gradually. The easiest way is to get a colour-

man to do it for you, but some people love to mess about these things themselves, not always with the moot desirable results. The cycle boom in the Midland counties of England has enabled many small cycle makers to make their fortunes. They have suddenly risen to such an unexpected height of affluence that they ‘ don't know where they are.* According to the Birmingham Post, one of these spoiled children of fortune, having recently ‘gone to allotment ’ with the pleasantest results to himself, felt justified in exchanging the humble manage of an artisan for a large house with several servants—quite an establishment, in fact. A tradesman who had known the gentleman in the lowlier stages of his career remarked to one of the servants, ‘Your master has got on, and no mistake. I suppose he’s getting quite refined now ?’ ‘Oh, yes, that ’e is,’ replied the girl, ‘he washes hisself in the ’ouse now.’

A South Wales correspondent of the Sportsman writes : ‘ I was favoured on Saturday morning with a view of a private trial at Cardiff of a patent cycling gear, the inventor of which claims for it an extraordinary advantage over any gear now in use. He contends that his machine, geared up to 140, not only requires less exertion on the part of the rider than the ordinary gear of s eventy or seventy-five, but, moreover, • with this less exertion double the speed can be attained. From what I saw of the trial, I should imagine that much of the merit the patentee claims for his invention is perfectly true. The first trial was that of the maker, who bestrode a 26-pound machine with the new gear fitted to it, against a well-known local rider on a light-made machine of a well-known firm of makers. The result was very much like what it would be between a thoroughbred and a cart horse, the patentee — a man of over forty years of age — simply flying away from the other rider. Changing machines, the amateur simply ran away from the patentee. Several tests were applied, but the results of them all were completely in favour of the new invention. The statement that the machine was geared up to 140 is in itself a difficult pill to swallow, but when I point out, moreover, that a stiff hurricane—a twelve knot breeze — prevailed and had to be faced on the latter half of the trial course, practical cyclists will do a gentle smile at the idea of a rider on a machine geared to 140 getting through it, and yet I assure you such was the case, and the rider of the new gear pedalled against it with apparently the minimum amount of exertion. Lord Dunraven’s representative had travelled down from London overnight to witness the trial, and, together with the one other gentleman present, professed the utmost wonder, satisfaction, and delight. A mile a minute seems a terrific speed, but from what I saw this morning I feel convinced that will be nearer the minimum than the maximum result.’ An inscription has been put on the Matterhorn reading : ‘ Notice—This hill is dangerous for bicycles ’ Wheelmen of England and France now fight mock duels on bicycles. It is not a mere imitation, but a genuine contest with the foils, which calls for as much skill as the combats which take place on foot. The first qualification for a duellist of this sort is to be an expert cyclist. Whoever attempts one of these combats on wheels must be able to perfectly manage his machine without the assistance of his hands. One of the first principles of exercise with the foils is to keep constant watch of one’s opponent. The slightest negligence of this sort may give a fencer tremendous advantage. If his wheel distracts his mind from the object he is trying to attain, he gives his opponent just so much advantage which he otherwise would not have. So what it really amounts to is that the man who wishes to fight his duel on a bicycle must leave the management of his wheel to his feet and knees. The combatants in a mock duel of this nature are dressed in the ordinary outing costume of the cyclist. Their hands are clothed in gauntlets. The stockings worn are usually faced with a very fine quality of chamois skins. The shoes are of the regulation bicycle fashion, with rubber soles. On the inner side of the trousers, just above the point where the leggings and the bottoms of the trousers meet, is a round piece of rubber about an eighth of an inch thick and seven and one-half inches in circumference. The object of this rubber is to give the knee of the rider a firm pressure upon the machine, just as the rubber soles of his shoes act as a safeguard against his feet slipping on the pedals. Each duellist wears a mask which has over each eye a projection of wire, similar in form to a small inverted tea cup. This gives absolute freedom of vision.

A short time ago I was fortunate enough to witness a contest with foils between two of the most expert riders in the United Kingdom. Both were mounted on American wheels, twenty-eight pounds each. The wheels were of what is called the new folding pattern. That is, the frame is so constructed that it is possible to fold the wheels so that they come side by side, the centre of the

frame working on a hinge. It is claimed that a wheel of this sort enables the rider to turn more quickly, and thus forms the best possible wheel for the mock duellist. Each man took up a position about 15 feet from his antagonist. At a given signal both mounted their steeds of steel and slowly circled about one another just as we have seen men fighting with knives seek an opening in which to make an attack. The left hand rests lightly on the handlebar. The right hand grasps firmly the foil, held at an angle of 45 degrees. Slowly the two circle about, until suddenly one rider dashes forward as if from a catapult ; there is a clash, clash of steel, and the first passes are over. The circling movement is continued by both men, who grow more and more wary as the circle narrows. ‘Lookout!’ calls the director. ‘Gentlemen, no foul if you please.’ This makes the duellist more wary, for a foul by either means the loss of the honour of the conflict. ‘ ’Ware!’ cries one of the combatants, and a thrust is aimed at his opponent’s helmet with a force that would seem sufficient to throw him from the saddle. He sustains the shock gallantly, and the sparks fly as the foils beat upon one another. Neither cyclist has lost his equilibrium for a moment. The bicycles seemed almost endowed with life. The riders evidently have forgotten that they are not on steeds of flesh and blood. Parry and thrust, clever defence, blows that seem powerful enough to cleave the mask in twain —all these occur with lightning-like rapidity. Then like a flash of light one cyclist whirls and circles about the other, and before the latter can fairly place himself in a position of defence the more active wheelman has touched his antagonist over the heart with the button that protects the point of his weapon. The cyclist who is thus touched is forced to dismount his wheel, and his opponent has scored a point. This is the method that is generally followed, and as may be seen from the description given, is exciting in the extreme. One interesting result in France is that it is likely to become something more serious than mere pastime. Duelling is the vogue there. At the same time a duel about which there is a novelty is something to be cultivated. Therefore, the mock duel on wheels, which the fencing exercise is called, has suggested to the volatile Frenchman a chance to furnish wheelmen with a method of his own of resenting insult.