Cycling Notes.

White Ribbon, Volume 3, Issue 29, 1 November 1897, Page 9

Cycling Notes.

Specially Written for the “ White Ribbon ** by Porowhita. We will suppose that the novice lias reached that blissful stage known as “going alone." Ah! who has not cxpeiienced that sense of “ something attempted, something done,” when this is at last arrived at. How proud we feel of ourselves, and how we talk about it to our sisters, our cousins, and our aunts, whether they ca r c to near it or not. 1 heard a little while ago a rather good story c f a gentleman who had a daughter learning cycling, and he said one day : “ What a fuss you women make about learning to ride a bicycle; I am sure it is the easiest thing in the world.” “ Very well, papa,” said the novice, “ when my machine comes home you shall see what you can do.” (Rather a rash promise, this !) In due time the long-looked for bicycle arrived, and “ papa ” was sent out to the gulden to try w’hat he could do. He got on the bicycle quite boldly, but alas! in a very short space of time he landed in the flower-beds, and disgraced himself, bending the bicycle, and eventually came to the conclusion that it was not quite such an easy thing as he had imagined. Well, to resume. When this stage is reached it is safer to learn to dismount ami mount before going any further When dismounting, slow down the machine, if you are able—(and this is the advantage of learning slowly, for then you do not lose control of the machine) —and when the Uft pedal is at its lowest, bring the right foot over, and step off. The weight of the body on the left foot will bring the machine to a standstill, and hold it there while you get ofl. Do not attempt to get off with the Uft foot ; that cannot be done gracefully, and you will surely have a fall, or at all events, if it can be managed, you will not look graceful, and that is what every lady should aim at. There are several ways of mounting, at least one would suppose so from tne different styles one sees; but, as I have said before, there is only one right way, and that might just as well be learnt first as last, tor I suppose every woman wishes to look her best on a bicycle, and unless you have perfect confidence in your ability to both mount and dismount properly, you will not look perfectly at home on the machine. Then, when learning to mount, do not get into the centre of the machine and spring backwards on to the seat; neither look

for a convenient kerbstone, and get on from that. What would you do if there was not a kerbstone handy ? And, worst of all, do not sit on the saddle of the machine and push yourself off with your foot. All these are bad habits, and look extremely ugly. The proper way to mount a bicycle is to stand on the left side of the machine, hold it perfectly straight, hold yourself perfectly straight also; take the handles firmly, but not with too strong a grip, and have the right pedal just on the down turn. Put the right foot on it, and give a light spring into the saddle ; but before doing so, give your skirt the needful little twist to ensure its being perfectly straight when you land in the saddle. This is the only correct way of mounting : all others are not only ugly but incorrect. It is a very good plan to learr. to get on from either side of the machine, but the left side is the proper one to mount from. When dismounting keep the right handle bar firmly down, and w’hen mounting the left, this the machine steady. Never lean the bicycle to either one side or the other when dismounting or mounting : this also iooks ugly. Do not use the break to slow down the bicycle, depend on your power to command the machine without it; then if you are obliged to dismount in a great hurry, it will lie the time to use it for this purpose. It is a very bad plan to depend on the break to dismount with, in fact, although no cyclist should ever be without one, they should use it as little as possible, then when in danger from accident they can often escape by the judicious use of it. It is also a good plan to learn to dismount when going at some speed, but this can only be acquired by experts and is only useful in cases of emergency. Never jump off the bicycle and come to the ground on both feet; this is another thing to be avoided, and it aiso looks very ungraceful. Slow down the machine and just step off as quietly as possibly; the quieter it is done the more graceful it looks 1 should advise that ladies who have not managed to acquire these little trifles which go to make up a graceful whole, should take a few lessons from a lady (if there is one to be found with time and patience to spare) who can give the necessary finishing lessons in the art of cycling. The questions of long distance riding, suitable dress, etc., 1 will deal with in our next.