CYCLING

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VII, Issue 331, 26 November 1896, Page 4

CYCLING

[By

Rim.]

Auckland, October 27th, 1896. To the Proprietors, Sporting- Review, Auckland. Dear Sirs, —I have pleasure in advising you that the Sporting Review has been appointed the Official Organ of the Auckland Cycle Club. Yours faithfully, J. P. HOWDEN, Sports Secretary. As mentioned in our athletic column, Reynolds did a good go in breaking the mile grass record, but I might add that some people want to know’ how it was he did not show a better go in the Half-mile after his grand go in the heat; also, if he might not have been a bit closer in the Five-mile journey. These remarks, by the way, without suggesting that he did not do his best. J. Thompson was one of the most improved riders on the Domain, as he won his races off the marks that were allotted to him last meeting, when he could not get a place. He won, so to speak, with his mouth open in the Novice and one, two and three mile events, the latter three of which count for the club’s Victor Ludorum, which goes to him, his score being 15 points. Graham, who a couple of seasons ago won the coveted trophy, was again well to the front, winning the half and five mile distances, and riding second in the three mile go Amongst the others, 0. Bainger struck me as having made rapid strides, and though he had to content himself with a couple of seconds, he should be heard of again, and is a plucky rider. Dexter, the Honolulu champion, rode at the meeting, and though he did not gain a winning bracket is nevertheless a very good rider. He had the misfortune to break his chain in his heat in the halfmile. G. A. Nelson and S. B. McGregor, riding a tandem, accomplished a fine performance on September 23rd at London. At the end of an hour’s riding they covered the marvellous distance of 31 miles 610 yards. The previous world’s record was 31 miles 5 yards, by Tom Linton on a single safety. The previous record for a tandem was 30 miles 855 yards, by Chase and Walters. A bicycle tax has been proposed in Queensland. Ernie Payne, one of the New South Wales cvclists who have been on a visit to England, expressed his opinions thus : —“ This place knocks you silly, it is so large; vou don’t know where you are for people.” The place evidently did not knock him silly, as he was silly enough to run a “crook” and was disqualified. One solitary win and a disqualification is the wav in which Payne distinguished Australia.

A Chaperon Cyclists’ Association has been formed in London for the benefit of young ladies. A widow or married lady over thirty years are the qualifications, but the Association is sure to be a failure, because ladies cannot be found who will admit that they are over thirty. Prince Ranjitsinjhi is an ardent cyclist. On almost any morning when at home at Brighton he may be seen (says a London cycling paper) speeding into the country a-wheel. To his rides he ascribes much of his fitness during the summer cricket season, although he is far from being an advocate of scorching. Dr. John Harris is assisted in his practice at Newcastle, New South Wales, by his daughter, Dr. May Harris, and both cycle round to visit their suburban patients The Council of New Zealand Cyclists’ Touring Club has carried a resolution that it is prepared to pay the costs of any successful prosecution for any breach of the rule of the road where the offence has been committed against any member of the club riding a machine. The scratch men in the Austral Wheel Race, to be run on November 28th, are C. Boidi, J. Parsons, and K. Lewis. The distance is two miles,, and the limit men get 320 yards.

The English cycling papers say that bicycles are being introduced into the police service in Perak, in the Malay Peninsula ; that a cycling club composed of ministers has been formed in an American town that 139 firms in the cycle trade had failed in America since May last; that the commander of the German army has added twenty cyclists to his staff; and that a large number of military cyclists, fully equipped, will be utilised during the Austrian manoeuvres.

A cyclists’ camp is the latest innovation in the Colonies, and the first of its kind, is being arranged at Warrnambool (Victoria) in connection with the Art and Industrial Exhibition, and is to be held from the 25th to the 29th December. Provision is to be made for 600 cyclists and the Defence Department has granted the use of the necessary canvas.

A returned Oamaru visitor to Southland informs the North Otago Times that a lady in that part of the island has singularly distinguished herself. She is sixty years of age. and rides a bicycle. She has recently ridden 100 miles in a day, and altogether reckons that she has covered 5,000 miles since she became possessed of a “ bike.” She is the mother of twenty-one children. “ Silverspur,” in the New Zealand Mail, remarks :—“ It is evidently the intention, of Mr W. A. Thomson, the well-known. Wellington rider, to win all the chief road records this season. He has already possessed himself of three good ones, and in a few days he will try for the Welling-ton-Napier record, after which he will go to Christchurch and endeavour to capture the 50-mile New Zealand road record. Mr Thomson’s list so far is:—• Nelson-Foxhill and back, a distance of 44 miles, 2hr 14min 48sec, or 15min 12sec better than the previous time; NelsonPicton, 100 miles, Bhr, exactly two hours under the previous best time. His latest conquest was the record from Masterton to Featherston, a distance of 22 miles, in lhr 6min. The previous time was Ihr 20hr. In all his riding on the road Thomson uses an 84 gear, his mount being a Quadrant. A party of four Lawrence cyclists rode down to Dunedin on November Bth (states the Canterbury Times'). One of them, hot and tired, went into the bathroom of the hotel at which he was staging, with the intention of enjoying a bath. Later on someone happened to go to the storeroom, immediately below the bathroom, and discovered it flooded by water. He ran up to the bath-room, and finding it locked, suspected that there was something wrong. The door was forced, and the young man was found floating in the bath with his head just above water. Efforts were immediately taken to resuscitate him, and after three hours’ vigorous rubbing he revived. The doctor in attendance regarded it as an attack of cramp, arising from the fatigue of the ride.

A Perth (W.A.) one-legged man rides a bike, using his crutch instead of his left leg. In Buffalo (U.S.A.) a one-legged newspaper boy serves a route of papers by whirling on a bike. His wooden leg is so fitted that it turns one of the pedals.