CYCLING

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VII, Issue 344, 25 February 1897, Page 3

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.

By the time this issue sees the light of day, the results of the first day’s racing at the New Zealand Cyclists’ Alliance’s championships at Wellington (to have been held yesterday) will be a thing of the past, but I quite expect, when the wires come tnrough, to see the names of Reynolds and Dexter figuring conspicuously in the Two and Ten Mile championship events. This pair should also worthily uphold the honour of their Province on Saturday in the Half-mile and One Mile events.

The secretary of the Thames Amateur Athletic and Cycle Club writes me that E. Reynolds will compete at the club’s March meeting, and also ride an exhibition mile for the instruction and edification of the denizens of Quartzopolis. There are half a dozen cycling events -on the autumn programme of the local Amateur Club, including the Five-mile Handicap for the valuable Enfield Cup. This, it will be remembered, was won last year by E. Reynolds, and should he again prove equal to the task the cup becomes his personal property. Secondary and primary schoolboys might note that there is a wheel event for them on the Amateur Athletic Club’s programme.

Big cyclists are found in all parts of the world, but the United States of America can always beat every other country, so it is not surprising the following “ par ” is going the round of the papers: —An American cyclist, Jos. W. Grimes, enjoys the distinction of being the fattest professional bicycle rider in the world. His dimensions are as follows : Weight, 4801bs; chest, 61in; waist,- 63in ; hips, 66in; calf, 26in ; height, 6ft 4in. Mr Grimes rides a 251 b Cleveland special. He rides tandem, too, his partner being a mere pigmy in size, weighing a trifle over 4151b5. The following also reads like a cycling lie, this time from South America :—An item of news from Buenos Ayres throws all our cycling developments into the . shade, says the Financial Times. The latest triumph of inventive skill—produced, presumably, by the enterprising Republic—is “a steeplechasing bicycle,” which works on the same principle as a watch, the action of turning the pedals winding up a strong spiing until sufficient power is accumulated. A short sprint of twenty yards is necessary; rhe touching of n knob releases two strong, but light, steel bars, shaped like the runners of a sleigh and projecting on each side of the front wheel. These fall with immense force, striking the earth just below the pedals. The machine rises at once to the height of nearly sft, and, clearing the fence, falls upon the steel runners nearly 25ft from its rise. In spite of Mrs Lynn-Linton and her denunciation of cycling on account of its ungracefulness, I affirm that the motion of v riding is one of delicate grace and infinite charm, but that these qualities depend entirely upon the woman, her dress, Style, and machine. The woman who makes an ungraceful rider would be ungraceful still, whether dancing, walking, or playing croquet. For some occult reason or other the ■, authorities in the Argentine Republic have prohibited women from mounting their machines in the streets of the towns The cyclistes, seconded by their male friends, have raised loud protests against such: an injustice, and it is said that mischievous scuffles between ladies’ escorts and the police are frequent. Needless to say the bicycle has been made enormously popular women by this curious decree.

An English lady rider, evidently a novice, writes to a cycling paper condemning back-pedalling “ because it made her wrists ache to pull at the handlebar,” and advocating the use of the brake instead. Experienced riders know that it is well to use both brake and back-pedalling together when the incline is very steep. Under ordinary circumstances there is no need to pull at the handle-bar.

A bicycle race with a panther was the exciting experience of an English lady in Singapore one evening lately. When riding slowly homewards along a road outside the town the cyclist found that she was being quietly stalked by a huge black panther. She had the presence of mind to start off full speed, and soon distanced her pursuer. Lady cyclists will be interested to know that France has a wonderful rider in Mlle. Lisette, who recently rode nearly 27 miles in an hour She has defeated all comers. In the race last year at the Crystal Palace, -London, she beat everybody, including Frankie Nelson, of

Brooklyn, and Mrs Grace, of London. Miss Nelson, it might be remarked, is by no means the best rider America has. However, Mlle. Lisette may yet meet her vanquisher in an American, as Helen Baldwin will meet her in a match immediately after the latter’s theatrical season closes. Miss Baldwin is the best general on the track among the women, and with the staying powers which she has on more than one occasion shown, she should give the gay Parisienne a race tiiat will be equal to many of those contested by the male sex.

Concerning the disqualification and then the re-instatement of Martin in Melbourne, “Pepperpod” in the Sportsman writes :—“I have given much attention to the various aspects of the Martin disqualification in his match with Lewis, and to the evidence in his appeal to the council of the L.V. W. I attended the meeting of that body, and heard all that took place. The conclusion I have arrived at on the matter is : Surroundings of match very suspicious Motive for losing- the match not easy to see. Direct

evidence of any cronk work on Martin’s part practically none. Evidence of trouble as to pacers, etc., and as to interference near the post by one of Lewis’ pacing machines, strong. In such circumstances, what must be the verdict of any conscientious man ? Simply that the charge of not trying to win the match made against Martin was not sustained. In the face of the evidence no decision other than that given by the council of the L.V. W. was with justice possible, and yet developments may take place later on.” ,

Our Canterbury correspondent reports: —On Friday evening, at Lancaster Park, T. Clarkson, of the Whiri Tere Bicycle Club, Invercargill, lowered the mile record of 2min 7 2-ssec, held by himself, to 2min 3 3-ssec.

Our Napier correspondent writes : — Some time ago a number of enthusiastic cyclists here formed themselves into a club, adopting as their name, in consequence of their easy and steady locomotion, the “ Never-Sweats.” Anyhow, they are perspiring now, and no mistake.

It occurred this way. On one of their usual runs they, as all cyclists are apt to do, developed a dreadful thirst, and as the rivers had been in flood for several days they had no opportunity of refreshing themselves with draughts of aqua pur a, consequently at the first pub. they arrived at a halt was made. As there were too many for any single individual to buy drinks for they concluded to have a “ bob in and the winner shouts” —a thing they had never done before. Evidently some one who had hardened his heart against the publicans was on the alert, and information was given to the police, with the result that several of the “ Never-Sweats ” will be required to give evidence as regards the intricacies of Yankee grab. I believe that after this they intend to change the name of their combination to that of the “ Never-Nb-Mores.”