ON THE WHEEL

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 679, 12 March 1903, Page 5

ON THE WHEEL

The latest invention to prevent cyclists from side slip in muddy weather is described by the “ English Cyclist ” as follows : —“ Like most good things, the nonskidder is remarkable for its simplicity, and the wonder only is that the arrangement of such simple forms has not been thought of before. The device consists of two flexible wire hoops-, one on either side of the tyre, the hoopsi lying a little below the transverse diameter of the tyre. These hoops- are connected (o each other by steel chains, passing zigzag from one hoop to the other. Both hoops are made with a right and left-hand coupling, allowing for nice adjustment. By the indicated diameter of the hoops, it is obvious that they cannot pass over the tyre, the combination centring itself while the wheel is running on the road. 'The zig-zagging chains are each a separate length, and after excessive wear can he slipped out and replaced. Tn running, the non-skidder travels very slowly round (he wheel, so that no one chain would ever press upon the tyre tread in the same spot for two revolutions, and therefore the non-skidder is made to (it the tyre loosely. Tt is stated on the best authority that the non-skidder is thoroughly effective over the most deadly greasy road and tramlines, that its slowing effect is hardly noticeable, that it is practically noiseless, and that it does not injure the tyre in anv wav.”

An interesting table has been compiled by Mr G. T. Burrow's, of the “ Sporting Chronicle,” showing the advance of the hour record made in cycling since 1880. In that year the late IT. L. Cortis, of Surbiton, cycled 19 miles 1120 yards in the hour, and since then the figures have gone steadily up. At present it will be seen that- (ho record stands at 18 miles 7.18 yards made by Contonet, of Paris-. The following is the full record table ■

T. Robl and P. Pickentman, the crack Continental pace followers, who raced in Melbourne and Sydney, returned home by the German mail steamer last week. The venture was not a success-, but it was not wise to bring such men out here without making enquiry (says “ The Referee ”). First of all the tracks, except that at Sydney, are not capable of carrying the up-to-date motors at their best. Our riders are not accustomed to this kind of racing, and the public are not keen on it. Some folk say they are not “ educated ” up to it. For my part, I doubt if they ever will be, in the sense that the education is understood in America or France. Paced racing is not so genuine as that to which we are used ; it is only a remove from exhibition business, which will never take in Australia in any kind of sport, as several have found to their cost. Australians want the genuine contest, and in paced racing so much depends upon the luck of the machine-—who gets the best one, or which machine escapes accident. ’Though we have developed the “ crawl ” (which means speed, oddly enough)to perfection in swimming, we don’t appreciate the Continental craw] in match races on the cycle (rack.

The Cyclists’ Unions affiliated so far to the Great International Union of Cyclists number now fifteen, and comprise the following leagues :—Great Britain, National Cyclists-’ Union ; Germany, Verband Pent- . scher Radrennbahnen, Berlin ; France, Union Velocipedique de France, Paris ; Spain, Union Velocipedica Espanola, Barcelona : Portugal, Union Velocipedica Portugueza, Lisbon ; Italy, Union Velocipedistica Italiana, Alessandria ; Switzerland, Union Cycliste Suisse, -Geneva; U.S. America, National Cycling Association, New York ; 'Belgium Ligue Velccipedique Beige, Brussels ; Holland, Nederlanschc Wider Bond, The Hague ; Australia, Australasian.- Federal Cycling Council, Melbourne ; Argentine Republic, Union Velocipedica Argentina, Buenos Ayres ; Denmark, Union of Danske Cycle Clubber, Copenhagen ; Canada, Canadian Cyclists’ Association, Montreal ; New Zealand, League of New Zealand .Wheelmen, Christchurch.

The value of the cycle in war time was not depreciated by the experience gained during the South African campaign, and since that tiine a great deal has been done for (he cause of military cycling in England. In a lecture given last month to the rank and file, of the Royal Warwick Regiment, the lecturer, among other things, made mention of the employment of cyclists for particular duties, such as seizing outlying posts, advance and rear guards, more particularly the latter ; for purposes of bringing up ammunition and tools while in action, and for ambulance work. The cultivation of shooting, and an eye for country and judging distance, map reading and making, a knowledge of the rudiments of time and space occu- ■ pied by tactical units, and other matters, were gone into more or less in detail. Also the points to be adopted in drafting reconnaissance reports, and some peculiar difficulties in dealing with large numbers of cyclists on the march. The lecturer also described their functions in detail, laying particular emphasis on their cm- . ployment. as a substitute for mounted infantry for purposes of home defence, the organisation of the military forces being as deficient in Ghat respect as they are in • transport and field artillery.

“Le Velo,” the French cyclists’ paper, in translating a cutting from an American contemporary, warns wheelmen to beware of No. 13. In support of their warning “Le Velo ” relates the strange circumstances attending an accident which happened to a Mr J. Moxona, of New Haven, who was run over by a tramcar. The car bore the fatal number 13 ; in the pockets of the unfortunate gentleman were found thirteen letters ! The conductor’s Dumber was 85 (8 plus 5 equal 13), the accident occurred at 6.25 (6 plus 2 plus 5 equal 13), and the cyclist lived at No. 13, Franklin-street ! Si non vero e bon trovato 1 w fl * -fl An English visitor to Paris was lately much surprised in observing the quantity of bicycles found in every pawnbroker's establishment in that city. A special room is set apart for the machines, and they are usually packed close together, and even hung in quantities from the ceil-' ing. On enquiry he found that Parisian cyclists use these establishments as winter depositories for their machines, this enabling them at a small cost to have t heir Cycles stored over the winter. When spring comes, and with it the line weather, these “ Monts de Piete,”. • r French pawnbrokers’ establishments, are besieged by cyclists eager to redeem tbeir machines for the season ! Motor-cycle racing is not altogether the cuccess anticipated, either in Europe or America, and it is no small wonder that our initial attempts have not been satisfactory. It is difficult to gauge the speed capabilities of the various machines, and. as a consequence, handicap events are almost fiascos. In the old world scratch motor-cycle races areto be confined to those developing up to a certain horsepower, for while freak machines of .abnormal power will perform wonders in the .way of annihilating space and time they "are out of place and dangerous in competition, and their performances should be limited to time trials. Owing to the National Cyclists’ Union (England) declining to recognise the Union Cycliste Internationale, whose | headquarters are on the Continent,, there j have been no foreign riders competing in England for many years. The N.C.U. has at last affiliated, which means that the | whole of the world’s racing associations I are now unified.

In order to give an impetus to racing in New Zealand, especially for cash prizes, a party of gentlemen interested in the sport are to make an attempt to promote the “New Zealand Ausffel Cycle Meeting,” and it is the intention to offer a large first prize, £3OO being spoken of as the likely amount. Nothing, of course, will be done this season in the way of. the race, except to canvass it well, but it is thought that in December is the most suitable time of the year to carry it out. « « « * The test race between the nine men selected to determine who shall compete against Taylor at the Exhibition recently was productive of some excellent racing. There were three heats, of three riders in each, resulting in Morgan, Wilksch, and Chalmers being left in the final. . Ihis proved to be an interesting race, as it appeared that Wilksch and Chalmers attempted conjointly to defeat Morgan. At two-thirds of a lap to go Chalmers shot out past the pacer, with Wilksch hanging on, but at 200 yards to go Morgan drew level on the outside, and W ilksch, seeing an opportunity, slipped by Chalmers on the inside, when a desperate struggle ensued between him and Morgan. Wilksch ust being beaten in the. last live yards. Both men were much distressed at the finish.

Miles 1U9 Yards 1420 Name H. L. Cortis, Surbiton "Y ear 1880 20 325 H. L. Cortis, Surbiton 1882 20 560 R. H. English, Crystal Palace 1884 20 675 P. Furnivall, Surbiton 1887 21 125 H. E. Laurie, long Eaton ... .1890 22 620 H. Parsons, Paddington 1891 23 1260 J. J. Osmond, Herne Hill ... 1893 23 1520 R. L. Ede, Herne Hill 1893 25 690 J. W Stocks, Catford 1894 28 419 A. V. Linton, Bordeaux 1-95 29 45 J. W. Stocks, Catford 1896 31 582 T. Linton, Crystal Palace ... 1897 32 1086 J. W. Stocks, Crystal Palace 1898 33 712 A. A. Chase, Crystal Palace... 1899 36 1144 E. Taylor, Paris 1900 39 1735 A. Bauge, Paris 1900 40 327 W. 0. Stinson, U S.A, 1900 40 1245 Dickomann, Leipzig,.. 1900 40 1496 T. Robl, Paris 1901 44 936 T. Linton, Paris 1902 45 1034 T. Linton, Paris 1902 48 718 A. Oontenet, Paris ... 1902