CYCLING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VI, Issue 289, 6 February 1896, Page 4

CYCLING.

Lord Brassey and suite are on a cycling tour through Tasmania Six thousand pounds in six months is the amount paid out in Australia for recent cash cycling events. Several amateurs who assisted to pace Zimmerman at Brisbane lately have been suspended for six months. Shoreland’s Dunedin to Invercargill record of 10hrs 50min was lowered recently by R. McKenzie, of the Ihvercargill C.C., whose time was lOhrs 3-lmin, He afterwards lowered it to 9hrs A W. Harris, the English professional cyclist, and H. J. Pither, the well-known New Zealand rider who recently defeated Zimmerman, arrived at the Bluff on Monday of last week. It is said that Chris. Wilson will not pilot the visitors through Maoriland. No rider who has riden before the Melbourne public (says a Melbourne paper) has been so handsomely received as C. Porta, the Italian. Of sturdy form, good-natured countenance, strong head covered with a mass of thick closelycropped black hair, he invariably receives a hearty reception when he comes out from the dressing-rooms.

There are now no less than a dozen women of the wheel in Auckland, and it is said that a local manufacturer has a machine in order for a fair devotee on the shady side of fifty years of age. The South African 50-mile road record was recently broken by E. E. Boddington, whose time on the Raleigh machine was 2hrs 44min 37sec.

Miss Reynolds recently rode through the Waikato district, returning rode a portion of the distance in company with Selby, the road scorcher, who says she will take a lot of beating as a lady exponent of the popular pastime. That cycling agrees with the ladies may be gathered from the fact that Miss Reynolds gained eight pounds in weight during the journey. There seems to be some probability of the North Shore Amateur Athletic and Cycle Club holding a meeting at the end of the month; therefore it is quite time tho “ hum of the wheel ” was heard on the training track. By the way, what about the new track that the Shore people propose laying out. It seems to have blown over.

The South Pacific Railway Company propose to make a cycle path of cement along their line from Los Angeles to Santa Monica, a distance of 18 miles, and charge cyclists a small toll for the use of same. The idea is that racing men can be paced by engines, and also that observation trains can accompany the riders on the occasion of races or record attempts. Something quite novel in pumps comes from America. It is a crank pump, which is attached to the forks when desired to be used, and is worked by turning a handle, like a mincing machine. It is described as being very powerful, and positive in action, and small enough to carry in the pocket. Jacquelin, the French rider, has recovered from the effects of his terrible collision with a cart while riding on the Paris Boulevards, and is now riding

again. In the matter of so-called ladies cycling races, America has, as usual, gone one better, and at the Hubert Museum, New York, a bicycle race for fat women was recently filled. “ Seven incomparably fat girls, representing two tons of the finest humanity,” was what the public weie promised a glimpse of, in return for hard cash.

The big cash carnival is set down to take place at the Domain on Saturday, 15th inst., but I hardly think the visitors will be here by that time. A. W. Harris, the English rider, was present on the occasion of Zimmerman’s recent double defeat in Melbourne by Pither and Walker, and was somewhat astonished at the reverse infiicted upon the champion. “Why,” said he, “the English fellows never rode like that; they invariably waited for Zimmerman to make his great sprint, and then chased him, hoping to beat him or ride in second. They never attempted to run him off his legs.” After his defeats in Melbourne on Dec. 21st, Zimmerman quietly strolled round and joined his wife at the pavilion (writes “ Philibuster ” in the Australasian}. Although Australians must rejoice at the thought of an Australians defeating the world’s champion cyclist, the redoubtable hero of so many battles on the path whom English, American, and Continental riders have so long striven to conquer, still even those who known Zimmerman for a short time cannot but feel sorrowful at his defeat. There is something so genuine about the man, so truly modest in victory as in defeat, that sportsmen cannot fail to admire and respect him. We have been favoured (says Cycling} with an opportunity of inspecting an advance sample of the new Clincher tyre, and must say at once, that it is one of the most resilient and finely finished tyres that we have ever had under our notice. The thickened edges have been dispensed with, and narrow beads have taken their place; the walls of the tyre have been thinned down considerably, but in no way weakened ; in fact, they are stronger, inasmuch as the fabric is laid on in such a manner as to resist the peculiar strains to which air tyres are subject, and to do away with side roll entirely. The rim is of the flattened type, but every detail of width, depth, etc., has been scientifically worked out, in fact the tyre and rim may be said to be as perfect as science and mechanical skill can make them. Of the quality of the rubber used, the name of the North British Rubber is a sufficient guarantee that only the purest of pure rubber will be used in this ttheir latest production. Our opinion as to resilience has been confirmed by a well-known contributor to these columns, who informs us that the Clincher tyre he tested gave splendid results, viz., upwards of 90 per cent, rebound.