The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1868-10-15
The YelOcipedr What Il il, aud How
II Is Driven.


Tho yslocipcls seems destined 81 COM
into use in this city, though 1t will no.
soon attain here the vogue It has reached
in France. Our streets are too narrow aud
too crowded, and we have few broad,
smooth avenues ahording the opportunity
Of employing II extensively as "a means vi
exercise aud health. still, 1t is so attract
i've and fascinating, developing 30 much
strength and skill, aud Attending 30 great
amusement 10 the rider, that its votarier
aud students must become numerous.
The only artistic yelocipedes consists OF
two wheels, the one directly behind the
other, and connected together by a light
iron frame work. The fore wheel is usual
~ a little the higher Of the two. Where
| great speed is aimed Of, It's diameter may
be made ~ great as -four feet, while that Of
the hind wheel should rarely exceed two
feet and eight or ten inches. In most OF
those that have been seen in this city the
two wheels have been pretty nearly equal,
with a diameter Of about two feet aud four
inches.
The prOpelliug force IL applied through
treadles, which are fixed 10 the fore wheel,
The rider drives himself 10y the alternate
action Of his feet upon these treadles. The
motion Of the feet Is not unlike that in
mpid walking The rider sits upon a little
saddle just over the fore part Of the hind
wheel. lie guides his velocipede by turn
ing the fore wheel to either side. This is
done by meGus Of a stifl iron rod which
rises nom the axle, and has a cross bar at
the top that is held 10y both hands Of the
rider.
Phe first act Of the yelocipede is to keep
your balance. This is not unlike the sam
opemtiou IA skating. Il can only be Rc-
quired by practice. The more rapid the
motion, the easier il ia 10 keep the machine
upright. In v~elocipsde contests in Paris
prizes have been given 10 the slowest rider.
With wheels Of small diameter, the rider
steps himself by putting his feet 70 the
ground With high wheels he checks his
speed with a brake, and descends TO the
earth by inclining 10 Que side ill the foot
touches. la mounting with high wheels,
IA skillful practitioner starts his velocipede
with a push, and then springs into the sad
die, as We have watched Richard O'Gor-
man mount a horse at speed
The most beautiful yelocipedes that we
have seen have been French, bni several
carriage makers in this city are engaged in
building them. They promise machines
much superior 10 any from Paris. The
Hanlons, who have given yelocipede exhi-
bitions IN New England, profess TO have
made some Improvements upon the French
structure.
Is there amy danger in using this curious
apparatus? Experience alone can tell
how much danger there IL. A skill
iul rider can guide himself in a crowd
Of persous without running against thom;
but all riders cannot be skillul. On a
smooth course the speed Of twelve miles an
hour can easily be made, aud with four
foot drying-wheel twenty miles will not be
difficult. But that can only be done upon
q hard aud even s]urtncs, The rough pave
ment ofNew York are miavomble TO much
speed. We know a gentleman who takes
exercise with one of these machines every
evening, and goes from Thirty-fith street
10 the Battery in ten minutes; but he has
to wind about a good deal in search Of q
suitable roadway. NJ \, Sun.