The Sun.
London, England, 1869-05-07 00:00:00

VELOCIPEDE RIDIXO EXTRAORDINAIII'

A curious display took place on Thursday at the VII'
known Velocipede Riding School in Old Street, St*
Luke's. A number of English gentlemen, who be°
learned the use of the velocipede during the last fel/
months, were assembled to welcome a young Frenchman
who had come over to prove how great is the proficiencl
to be acquired on the instrument which is just now the
rage. The leading English amateurs present displaYel
much excellence in the new art, and in the games
of " follow my leader" and " touch me not"
the praise of their rival and guest. But N'
Henri Pascaud, the young gentleman in question,
stands alone. The feats he accomplishes have never been
approached in this country, and it was amusing to remark
the utter amazement of the velocipede teachers and their
pupils as he went on, adding marvel to marvel on the two
wheels. The bicycle will not stand alone, and it is °III!
when in motion that the rider can support himself upon ju'
which he generally does by means of a guiding bar that
balances him,And the instrument he sits on. This rem°.
bered, M. Henri Pascal-1(1's performance will be seen to be,
most extraordinary ; for he stops the bicycle when at full
speed without using his hands or applying brake-power'
So true is his seat that he manages the ruachil
with his feet alone, and on Thursday he went rail'.
the school neck and neck with his competitors, while Was
arms were folded, his Lands unemployed, and his face
eyes apparently turned in every direction but that 10
which ordinary riders would find themselves compelled tot
look. The skaters regard cutting the figure 8 as an &gall
accomplishment ; but they would have been struck eu
Thursday at the smallness of the space in which it NO
done on the velocipede ; while the sharpness of the curres
and turns, the rapidity with which the course of progress
was reversed when the rider was at a speed of twelve
miles an hour, and the dexterity with which 11°
doubled on his pursuers, seemed little short of magical
The first heat was between Mr. Mayall, the cliP
tinguished expert, who made a successful trip too
Brighton the other day, and M. Henri Pascaud.
The
latter started first, and the former's task was to c°Pie
abreast with and tap him on the shoulder. This sees
little to tell, but to those who are familiar in any degree
with the working of the velocipede it will be seen to be
fraught with difficulty. It is not a question of Were
racing. The Frenchman's tactics are much more will'
To beguile his adversary into following him into a corner
from which there was apparently no escape, and they, by
a dexterous twist in a direction which only lie could e.
cute, to leave him at full speed and within a fen'
d
inches of the wall, was one of M. Pascau°';
favourite devices. The next trial was 0110
speed and curves. In the centre of the great room
space was marked out which was scarcely more than t11,.s
bicycle would stand in ; the ends of its two wheels Viva
within a few inches of the limit at either end. In
spot M. Pascaud tinned round and round on the velociPe",:,
with perfect ease ; and then proceeded to show how slam
lie could work it round the school. To move slowly i 5
matter of considerable difficulty, and prizes are given lAtt
in Paris and America to the slowest as well as the fastetS,
rider. Now this Frenchman crawled. None of ben
Englishmen attempted to vie with him in this.
came a long game at " follow my leader," and " hare°
hounds," and here again M. Pascaud was triumpbaut
eight gentlemen who followed were all EPiellite
riders ; and nothing could be prettier than 'll
long row of velocipedes, rushing round and round at eve'
distances and in regular line. The pace was tremendon'
and it really seemed at times as if they formed cue lel'ts
train at express speed. Filially, P. Pascaud set his I'l
a series of playful tasks, which, if we mistake not,
give many gentlemen with a taste for veloeipeding eau/s
ployment for their leisure for months to come. Ike
stopped short under the most difficult circumstances, 311
started again without using Lis hands ; he vaulted ore's.,
and stood on the saddle while at full speed; he vaulteae"
and off at the same pace ; he rose on his feet on the
and while thus standing saluted the company nit"'
hands ; he sat sideways, in the position a lady occuPies)
horseback, and worked the velocipede with one foot, 3,1011
without using.his hands ; be stood at the extreme 00%6
the spring, propelling it now with one Land, now with
other—in short the machine seems to him a perfect to'
It was stated that M. Pascaud is seventeen years of t'geso
and that he has only practised on the velocipede for sOlhei
twelve months. He attained his proficiency, however' wde
frequent attendances at the Cascade of the 13°13 „ie
Boulogne and at the Place de la Bourse, where for s°`'.o
time past the best velocipede practice in Fiance bas 1)e
exhibited.