CYCLING.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIX, Issue XIV, 25 September 1897, Page 428

CYCLING.

THE first runs in the country, after confining one’s bicycle rides to academy floors or asphalt avenues, come like a revelation to the astonished novice. She discovers gradually the innumerable things over»which this wonderful wheel can revolve without upsetting, if she will but have the courage to press forward. Accustomed to no obstacle in the path she will at first avoid the slightest unevenness in the road, but after a time learns to control her wheel and ride firmly and perseveringly over ruts and even up and down abrupt gullies. There are parts of the country where the inhabitants use their wheels with immense enjoyment, but where a city wheeler would consider bicycling an impossibility. A little less sensitiveness to roads on the part of the rider seems to develop intelligence on the part of the machine, so sensitively does it respond to the mind. Even though roads are invariably smooth, it is not a bad idea to practise a little rough riding to be prepared for any emergency that might at some future time present itself. This may sound to the inexperienced a little like the small boy’s recommendation to his sister to eat raw carrots, which she disliked, because of the possibility of her being some day cast on a desert island where raw carrots were the only-obtainable food.

On Wednesday a party of Wellington cyclists, consisting of Mrs Adams, the Misses Coleridge, and some of the officers of H.M.S. ‘Pylades,’ rode to Featherston, being met en route by some Featherston cyclists. Staying the night at Featherston, where they were the guests of Mr and Mrs W. Barton, at Fareham, the party returned to Wellington next day, having thoroughly enjoyed their ride in spite of a cold southerly wind and rain, which necessitated their coming part of the way home by train. ‘You may be surprised,’ said a shipping agent, ‘to learn that the indiarubber dolls, animals, and other toys used by children in many cases began their commercial existence in the form of bicycle tyres.’ All our indiarubber toys come from Germany (says 7 Rambler), and several enterprising English shippers have found that the shipment of old worn-out rubber tyres to the German factories is a very profitable business. During the past two years, tons of old rubber that used formerly to be thrown away or re-made into cheap doormats has been shipped to Germany, and sent back transformed into elaborate and gaudy squeaking dolls, elephants, and other toys. Though rubber is used for a wider variety of articles than any other material, more rubber was used last year in the manufacture of bicycle tyres than for any other purpose, and the demand for rubber is now permanently in excess of the supply. More than 800,000 pairs of tyres were made in England during the last season, and it is impossible to make them out of any but the very best rubber.

A handy little cycle stand has been patented. It takes the form of a triangular wire arrangement, ingeniously twisted up to clip on the outside plate of the pedal, and gives sufficient support to hold the machine in an upright position in any convenient spot.

Artists, like authors, publishers, and bicycle-makers, have been hit rather hard by the Jubilee. But one or two portrait-painters have done very well indeed. It is said that Mr Lavery, the Scottish artist, for instance, has his hands more than full with commissions to paint Colonial and other distinguished Jubilee visitors. People indeed, who have made the Jubilee their province seem to have scored all round.

Cyclists cannot be too careful in crossing wet tram lines and greasy setts (says the Scottish Cyclist). The danger is much increased when the adjoining causeway is worn, and the rails stand high. There is a momentary pause, the machine slews round, and ‘over goes the

show? We desire to alarm no one, but merely to put riders on their guard. These mishaps occur even with the most experienced cyclists, and they generally come when least expected. Cyclists will welcome the electric lamp which has just been brought out by Mr Archibald J. Wright, electrical engineer, of Islington, London. The accumulator is carried in a leather case, at the front of which is a bull’seye lantern containing the lamp. To project the light at any angle the lantern is fitted with an adjustment whereby it is raised or lowered in the vertical plane. The convenience of this method of adjustment will commend it to the attention of cyclists, who in the ordinary way experience difficulty in deflecting the light as desired. At the back of lamp is a spring-clip, which adapts itself to the lamp-bracket common to all cycles. There are no loose wires, nor any details likely to get out of order. The lamp is made in two—No. i, weight, and No. 2. 2%lbs. It is stated that the smaller lamp will with one charge give a light from 7 to 9 hours, and the larger one from 10 to 14 hours. Unfortunately for comfort and safety of lady cyclists, bicycle skirts are worn a little longer than they were a year ago. The conservative considered the length a little abbreviated, and as no woman can admit that she is less modest than her neighbour, all others must fain lengthen their skirts. The objections to long drapery are well known, the resistance from the wind being the least of them. In coasting or pedalling rapidly down hill, the lengthened skirt will tangle itself in the back uprights of the frame. If the rider is sure of her balance she can let go the handle bar and release the skirt by vigorous pulling, but the predicament is a dangerous one. The advantages of the lengthened skirt are that it can be used in golf playing, and it also makes a less conspicuous dress lor wearing all day at quiet summer resorts where athletics are the rule.

In consequence of the largely increased use of indiarubber in electrical science, and its applications to the manufacture of tyres for bicycles and carriages, fears have been entertained lest the supply should prove unequal to the demand. That such fears are groundless is shown by a recent communication from Mr J. R. Jackson, of the Kew Museum, describing the growth of the industry and the various trees from which rubber is at present obtained. (Nature, Vol. 55, p. 610.) Para rubber first appeared in London in 1770, as a new discovery for removing pencil marks from paper, and realised about three shillings per cubic inch. Its use was soon extended to the manufacture of air-tight and waterproof articles, and in 1837 the imports amounted to 141,7351 b. Twenty years later they had increased to 3,477.4451 b., while last year the total imports of rubber from all sources were 431.i64cwt., valued at 993,186. Para still continues to supply the best rubber, but it is more difficult to obtain than formerly, as the collectors have to penetrate much further into the forest in search of the trees. There is little fear, however, of any stoppage in the supply from this source. Considerable quantities of rubber are also obtained from tropical Africa, India, and the Far Bast. Central Africa undoubedly possesses considerable undeveloped resources in this respect, and quite recently a new rubber of excellent quality was discovered at Lagos. In January, 1895, when the supply from this new source commenced, the exports were 21,1311 b., valued at /'i,2i4, while the total exports for the year were 5,069,5041 b., valued at l3s rod. It appears, therefore, that there is little probability of any general failure in the supplies of crude rubber.