CYCLING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XII, Issue 741, 19 May 1904, Page 13

CYCLING.

The dates of the World’s Championship, to be decided in London, are September 3,8, am! 10. The mile distance, considered to be the event of the meeting, will probably be contested on the last day.

Mr 11. Sturmey, for many years editor of the English “Cyclist,” and, later, inventor of a three-speed gear for cycles, has patented both a two and three-speed gear for attachment to crank shafts of bicycle motors. The gears are designed to work with either chain or belt drive, and it is said that the two-speed devise is really the simplest adaptation of a concentric gear possible.

A reversion to human pacing by triplets ’ and quads, was recently made in Paris, but it was not a success. The spectators were so used to the flying motors that those out-of-date pacingmachines seemed to crawl.

Much speculation is rife concerning the locale of the Austral meeting this year (says the “Australasian”), and fears are entertained that the Exhibition track will not be up to the expectations or requirements for the big- fixture. Those interested in the chib feel that to tempt fortune by holding it upon the grass again is to court disaster. In this there is not only the weather to consider, but the future of the sport also. Cycle racing received a harsh set-back last year during the Austral meeting, from, which it has barely recovered. Then, again, the public arc not satisfied with the sport the grass track affords. It is understood that the profits of the last Austral totalled less than <£loo, which is quite inadequate as a return on an expenditure of nearly £2,000. Cf course, the council of the league has to say whether or not th? meeting may be conducted on the grass, and in this matter the league is in an invidious position, for it has practically refused Bendigo patronage for a grass track, proposed at the time the path on the Agricultural Ground was proscribed. There is, however, so much depending on the management of the sport this season that everyone connected with it will have to go slow, and feel the way before moving.

There are some who still cling to the belief that punctures may be prevented by injecting some kind of semi-liquid substance into the air-tube, or by introducing between the tube and cover material of a non-punctur able nature. Under the latter category is a recent Paris invention, which consists of a number or series of crescent-shaped pieces of wood, cork, rubber, leather, or similar materials, and these pieces are secured on a leather band, and may be furnished on either of their sides with a plain sheet of metal. This anpears to be a very elaborate plan, and would certainly rob the tyres of much, if not all, of its resiliency. The small number of punctures sustained nowadays renders these inventions almost worthless,

Taylor has not yet quite made up his mind about the world’s championship meeting, to be held at the Crystal Palace, London, on September 3, and 10 (says the “Referee”). He has not competed in the event for some years, as on the Continent it is run on Sundays, on which days he will not race, but he generally managed to meet and defeat the holder of the title afterwards. While he would like to race in England, there is at present some doubt about his reaching there in time to do himself justice, anti if he finds he cannot (owing to private affairs), he will remain in Australia until the rac-

ing seasen begins here, as, in any case, he intends to race here again. Having been hustling round almost constantly for a couple of years, he deserves a rest. He came to Australia the year before last in a hurry, and had to race in a few days after his arrival. Then he rushed back to the Continent, where he was behind time,, and was not long at home in America when ge got the offer to return, and packed up at a couple of hours’ notice. Should he remain! here, is is possible that the winner of the world’s championship may be induced to come to Australia, andi matches would be the result.

At a meeting of the National Cyclists’ Union held at the Inns of Court Hotel on March 26, the dates for th& world’s championships were definitely fixed for September 3,8, and io next, at the Crystal Palace. This will be the first occasion these events have taken place in England. Riders from all parts of Europe except Spain will compete, and Australia, South Africa, and America will take part. A matter which led to some discussion was a motion by Dr, E. B. Turner that cycle trick-riders: should be eligible for licenses to race as amateurs on the same basis as licenses granted, to cycling newspaper carriers and others who earn their living by means of the cycle. On an amendment the motion was lost by a large majority. The accounts of the "union for the year ending 1903 showed a loss of £3B, as against £265 of the previous year. The championships proved largely remunerative as compared with the 1902 account.