’CYCLING.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXII, Issue XV, 15 April 1899, Page 479

’CYCLING.

\V. B. Hell, the Dunedin cyclist, made a successful attempt to lower the fifty miles New Zealand road record recently. The course was from Riccarton to Milton ami back. Bell, paced by two triplets and two tandems, shirted from Riccarton at 3.15 p.m., and despite two punctures completed the distance in two hours twenty-three minutes twenty-nine seconds, which is two minutes better than the previous record. Not satisfied with this performance. Bell made another trial on Saturday to still further reduce the record. The course was the same as before. He kept urging on his pace makers, and with such good effect that he completed the fifty miles in the very smart time of two hours eight minutes 49 seconds, breaking the previous best (his own) by 14 minutes 40 seconds, and breaking the Australian record as well reducing it by no less than 12 minutes 11 seconds. The roads were in fair order.

Some of our local riders have been ex fieri men ting with long cranks during the season with varying success. The following letter on the question, contributed to ‘Scottish Sport.' will be of interest to racing men: ‘lf you lengthen your crank without proper' fionately increasing your gear, you are merely making your work easier

or your pace slower for the same expenditure of effort. To urge that there is some occult influence at work in an eight inch crank that is absent in a six inch or seven inch is simply rot. There is a certain length ol leverage best suited to every rider according to his locality, but the benefits accruing from that successful means are not prodigious and scarcely induce me to advise you to experiment in order to find it. Use is second nature in such matters, and to a man who has all his cycling career ridden comfortably on a six and a half inch crank 1 would say, “Throw physic to the dogs"—otherwise let well alone, for nothing is so upsetting to the comfort of a cyclist as an alteration of crank length, saddle or handle bat position. You will doubtless wear into it. but as likely as not you won’t have the patience, or having it will find tit best that you are not a whit better oIT than you were before, if not actually worse.* I was much amused, writes our London correspondent, by the proposed and preposterous regulations of the Christchurch City Council for the regulation of the cycle traffic in the City of the Plains. I doubt if even the City Corporation here would piopose such drastic measures for its crowded thoroughfares. At the same time Chrustchurch eyelists seem to attach less importance to the bell than do English wheelmen. Our Local Government Act. ISSS, makes it compulsory on a cyclist to give warning of his approach when overtaking veliicles.animals, or pedestrians, by sounding a bell or whistle, or otherwise giving audible ami sufficient warning. The rule is on the whole religiously observed, and makes for the safety of both pedestrian and cyclist. Of course there are some nervous fools who. as soon as they heal a bell behind them, begin to tack wildly about the road, and end by missing stays ami causing a wreck, but a strict observance of the

bell rule gradually accustoms the man in the street, and the woman, which is more important, to regard it merely as a warning, and to hold on his or her course. Every careful cyclist too makes a special point of ringing his bell when turning a corner, an absolutely essential precaution for the avoidance of collisions.

The veteran English rider, Mr A. .1. Wilson, characterises 1898 as ‘the brake year,’ on account of the general attention ami popular use of this most important of cycling accessories during that year. Even the reckless ‘scorcher’ now finds that the use of a brake adds speed to his movements awheel, because instead of having Io exercise some caution on approaching unknown steep hills he goes ahead confident in the knowledge that by the aid of his brake he can control speed at his own sweet will.

If you want to make a really firstclass cycle lamp oil, you can obtain it by using the following formula: 'Take one pint of colza oil, half a pint of paraffin, and half an ounce of camphor. 'This mixture will give a perfect oil for cycle lamps. A cablegram from London last week announced that the Cyclists' Touring Club, which brought nn action against tin* landlady of an hotel at Oakham for refusing to serve Viscountess liar berton with lunch except in the bar parlour, when* a number of smokers were congregated, because the viscountess wore rational costume, had lost, the ease.

A short time ago a conviction was recorded by a Bristol Bench against a cyclist who had not his lamp lighted one hour after sunset, regulated b\ Greenwich time. The Cyclists’ 'Touring Club have given notice of appeal, in order io settle whether lhe Local Government Act refers to Greenwich time, or if deductions are to be made according to the longitude and latitude of the different towns. Counsel, who is regarded as an authority on highway law. has been consulted by the Cyclists' 'Touring Chib, and his opinion is that the period between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise referred to in the Act must be calculated with reference to tin* actual times of sunset and sunrise in each locality, and not with reference to the Greenwich time.

Clarke’s R 11 Pills are warranted to cure Gravel, Pains in the back, and all kindred complaints. Free from Mcnairy. Established upwards of vears. In boxes Is Cm I each. of all Clicinists and Patent Medicine Vendors throughout the World. Proprietors, The Lincoln ami Midland Counties Drug < ’ompuny. Lincoln. England.