ON THE WHEEL

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume X, Issue 509, 26 April 1900, Page 5

ON THE WHEEL

I lir

CYCLOS

Major Taylor has overcome his Sunday racing objections, and has decided to race in Paris this year. Love of fame and a thirst for coin have conquered the religious scruples of the darkey, and the I hard fact that the American field was practically closed to him, and that he must either race in France on Sundays or not race at all, must have influenced his decision. Taylor is expected to be the draw of the year in Paris, and already is looked upon as being a tremendous success. French papers having been speculating for months on his propable appearance at the Exhibition Donald Mackay, the Australian over lander, on being interviewed at Adelaide’ said he would not undertake another journey round Australia under any consideration, and remarked that life was too short to waist on such an expedition. The Thames United Foresters’ held their annual fete and oports at Parawai on Easter Monday. The weather was fine, which persuaded a large attendance of spectators. Some close finishes were witnessed and the meeting was voted by | one ane all present as a most interesting and enjoyable one Several Bicycle events were contested which resulted as follows. One Mile Bicycle Handicap (cash) —R. H Davis, 15yds, 1 ; R Hendry, 30yds, 2 ; D. L. Allen, 80yds, 3. Nine faced the starter. The race proved very interesting Davis winning by barely two yards, with Allen, about two feet behind Hendry, third. Time 2min 35secs One Mile Bicycle Handicap (amateur) :— J. H. ' Wilkinson, 30yds, 1 ; J. Giles, 40yds, 2; R. Rogers, 80yds, 3. Time 2min 36|secs. Two Mile Bicycle Handicap (cash) D. H Allen, 180yds, 1 ; W. J. Irwin, 90yds, 2 ; C. Curteis, scr. 3. This was an excellent I race the placed men fighting out a determined finish ; inches only seperating them at the tape. Time smin 42 i-ssecs. Multicycle Race (2 miles) : Only one team enteied for this event (Curteis and Rose), and the committee allowed them to try for the record. Ibe ground being in bad order, the riders only succeeded in putting up siuin 2sccs. Writing of the test races between Reynolds and Sutherland the Lyttelton Times says: —‘‘ The final series of tests resulted in G. Sutherland, who came over from Australia to compete, winning both

contest0 } though his opponent, E. Reynolds, of Auckiand, proved himself a rival of very great ability. In the One Mile Race the finish provided one of the , finest exhibitions of sprinting ever seen on Lancaster Park track, and Sutherland only won by inches. In the longer ' distance single pace was used, Reynolds agreeing to ride behind this class of pace , under protest, he having made arrangements to ride behind multicycle in accordance with the conditions originally • laid down by the League Council. He ' contended that to change to single pace at the last moment was placing him at a very great disadvantage. At various stages the race was very fast, and the spectators were worked up to a high pitch of excitement as one rider endeavoured to secure an advantage over the other. After a few miles had been covered Sutherland’s pacers made a determined attempt to shake Reynolds off, but without effect. At „this stage Reynolds collie d with a pacer, and fell, and the race was temporarily stopped. Another start had just been made when it was found that the Aucklander’s machine was out of order, and another hault was necessary, On resuming the competitors left the mark at a snail’s pace, when Wall, who was pacing Sutherland, jumped away, and secured a substantial break before Reynolds could obtain the benefit of a fresh pacer. Sutherland had the advantage of having the better pacers, and as he was now riding in magnificent style, he quickly increased his advantage until, with 23 miles covered, he was twothirds of a lap ahead. At this stage Reynolds retired, and Sutherland was awarded the contest. He was cheered again and again, and carried shoulder high to the pavilion. Reynolds was also the recipient of prolonged applause for his fine exhibition of riding. On Saturday afternoon last the Railway Cyclists Rambling Club held a run thiough Northcote, Lake Takapuna, and Devonport. Bill Martin is leaving Australia shortly for America and Europe.

The test races are over and Sutherland has been ehosed to represent the colony. Although Sutherland beat Reynolds in both his races, I would much rather have seen the Aucklander chosen, seeing that Sutherland had been so long absent from the colony and in all propability would not have returned had it not been in view of the trip to Paris. A frequent cause of annoyance to cyclists is to find, on endeavoring to inflate the tyre, that the valve will not permit the free inlet of air. The reason of this is that the inflater, being carried, as a rule, on the frame, the nozzle often gets choked with grit, and this grit is forced into the valve, obstructing the hole in the stem and under the valve rubber. The occurrence of this may be prevented by giving the inflator a few preliminary strokes before fixing it to the valve. It will save many an unpleasant moment with troubles. When the valve gets choked, however, the stem should be taken out, the rubber stocking removed and the inlet hole cleared with a pin or other sharp instrument. The following individual times were taken of the ten riders who took part in the recent Australian Club’s attempt on the Dunlop 100 miles relay record, when the century was covered on the Sydney Cricket Ground in the fast time of 4hr Imin 50sec : —C. Hansen, 24min 32sec ; J. E. Cliffe, 24min 17,sec; R. Mutton, 22min 52sec; H S. Tucker, 28min 25sec; D. Haivison, 23min 20 3-ssec ; J. Megson, 22min lOsec (fastest time); J. 24min 40sec; A. O Brien, 25mm 58 2-sseu; R. E. Adrian, 24min 42 3-ssec; P. d’Alisoff, 25min 52 2-ssec. The contest, for which ten medals, valued at £5 each, are offered by the Dunlop Tyre Company, remains open only till the end of this mt nth. W. R. Walne is prepared to put up £SOO, or any portion of it, to race any rider in Australia over any distance selected. Ben Goodson, who is now in Melbourne, says there is no truth in the rumour, which

lias been widly circulated that he intends joining the cash riders. Ken Lewis, the «x-Australian champion, who has been riding in New Zealand with no success for the past eight months, is reported to be returning to Melbourne. English files to hand contain an account of a remarkable motor cycle record recently established on the Parc des Princes track, Paris. The record attacked was the hour, in which Becconnais, a well-known ex-cycling crack, covered the marvellous distance of 43 miles 185 yards in 60 minntes. The performance was accomplished upon a motor tricycle. The day previous to making the above record Becconnais was thrown off his tricycle whilst travelling at the rate of fifty miles an hour, and miraculously escaped injury.