New-York tribune., 1884-03-24
BAT AND BICYCLE.
WHAT THE wHEELMEN ARE DOING.
TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND RIDERS READY 10 sIAhi
-JxrrPrsT OF LADIES IN TIE SPORT


-INTEREsT OF LADIES IN TIE SPORT
piarre T.al,emeut an ingenious French work.
0o aud ,necbonicap in the fall Of 1855 took the frst
b;ce which was ever ridden IN the United States HIS
conrse law through some Connecticut vilages and ne
rode machine of his own construction ana ih'ehuoh'
A, soon AZ this winters SHOWS have fairly melted anu
the sprng breezes have dried the roads into something
approaching bicycling condition, over 2oOUO o+
cyclists will be speeding their ghostly flight and scar
inc nervous old women and weak minded horses
Pierre IaIement is employed by company that owns
not only his original patent but more than sooie W
others and turn ont every wear thousands OF Inacnc
Rapid strides though bicycling and triGyeIhg nhoo I
taken i'm this country, the progress IN EhS'nu ,I5
bocn still more remarkable and what may be caliou
the uaran side of the movement has aist" nbIic
aud is assuming the greater are
interest To this end the principal 1 hi
dot;nn al their energies to improving and bringing
TO perfection the tricycle. which Tor some yeS .h III
completely in the shade IT'S trodesmen send
Goi narces bv means Of the tricycle. and 1t Is smu
bat in some rural districts the delivery oi The mas
made in the same manner. - .b+
there are about 10000 machines III use IN tae .niteu
States This estimate is easily arrived at Tor the ehte
manufacture and importation OF the machlhee d,c toh
tToIIed by one firm whose headquarters are III bosio'
They license other makers TO use their patents anu 70
;nort machines but are in receipt of accurate records
of All sales In two years the patent Will expire anu
monopoly will he broken up IL Is sliu' h9"e.cI tv
only Slight difference will be made to the trnue; as
he
and moderation and has kept prices down TO the low
est point in order to compete with the Engnoh manu-
facttircrs At present the East oherS tne targest
market for the sale of the machines, bt IN tne western
States the demand has largely increased during te lst
two years. Washington contains more plSFcIos 10 INC
square yard than any cry III tno VII % On
wheels between their homes and their oces ana many
venerable heads of do oartmens are SAID 10 see Cno
sober tricycle. with as % much iE 3 dspaV on the
frivolous bicycle The former machine Is also useo Dy
not few of the gentler although they have mol YET
reached the pitch of enthusiasm OF Their sis
tors who are ferycntly debating the subject OF divided
skirts and other aids to greater freedom 0i movement
consistent with strict dcc0rnm ~ s.a
The superiority of Washington the city OF maghi-
cent distances" as home for the growing diversion
due largely to two causes: the perfection OF tne
asphalted streets as track, anu tho %
equabty of the climate. Boston, where I'M many en-
tbusiastic wheemen also abound presents dl1ncules
in both these respects. Tho hills are steep ana tne
uiners severe Yet even in Boston business ana pro
fessoual men not infrequentlY make prhcuce oi
reaching town from the suburbs on their own "heel
rather than trust those Of the streetcars Ihroug
ont New-Engand "cycling Is more or less general;
all the direct lines Of communication, such as the ola
post-roads and uTnpikes Offering ihf track Stnough
near the and especially In Sonheeucut Ihe [onrs
are invariably too heavy for last tline 10 DC l'uc'
NouYork II il needless to say, affords ttle lnduce
ment TO any but enthusiasts Blessed with amEst tne
worst streets in the world, and with variaoie cns,o
ol,ravs In extremes the New-YOrker has few months
in the year in which thoroughly to ENJOY the pleasures
/ Of - ... 49,, .,r.
"a however, of the fascination OF the sport
that even in NewYork there are several clubs one ot
which has almost as large membership as any III the
Union The Citizens Bicycle Club OF which the itev
! r Nick Brown Is the president, numbers dO0ut
eigbtr members and has built itself clubhou which
| cost 10000. The New-lOrk Club OF Wmch howard
Conkling president has among ITS thlry lei9Tls 2
| Ixions have about the same number OF members ana
| are presided over by Frank A, Eagan, WhlIe the
Harlem Wheelmen composed OF y y&@Is Isc o in year
Across the river the Kings County Wheelmen nave
sixty the muster roll while the bro9kEh ncECie
Club in its five years of existence mas cohhnSu se
! ia initial number of about o score the Heghts
/ Wbeelmon have an even larger number OF members,
All Of these clubs and the cognae Doues sci;eteI ai
over fbc country from Maine to California are animated
| 70 The League of American Nheclmcn, whose annnai
meeting for the transaction of general business IS hed
in of the principal cities Last year WA %n' n nel IN IN
"The prospects for the comngseason nre faX2rape,
| said well known cyclist, the other day. we nave
gained nortal victory over the Park authorities ana
can now ride in Central Park from midnight Till y o. M
! thus giving businessmen chance To ger an carry
J spin before going downtown. riverside faIk Is
thrown open without restriction and no better place
could be found for practice or recreation The tricycle.
ia rapidly coming into general favor Nl.h me IN
proved machines an average OF ron seven 70 elSl'
miles an hour can easily be made while the average b
cvclst only makes nine or ten miles, when rdlng ioi
pleasure Ladies are beginning 10 use theih thu SVo
oct oue proficient There is at least one ladies' ciu3
! In NewYork and there will soon be more "ouid
YOU like to see how many miles business man VINO
busy nj his Office every day can cover during he year
Here Il nv 'cycling diary. covered over ifOO imleS
In 50 trims or an average OF about III miles month
October and March are the best months in the year
! here and then I covered over 200 miles.
"The English machines are held IN hgh iaVoI py
some bcyclists hut think they make mistake. They
are built for English roads and between an English
and an American road there Is great gun nAe9 1
| Conseouentlv in few months imported machine Is
shaken to pieces some part is broken and Is difficult
to get it repaired here The American machines are
! more strongly built are light enough for any but
racing purposes and the parts interchangeable As
to the heafthness of the exercise can only say that
when began to ride, or rather TO tumble on ID my NJ
! tempts TO ride was q living skeleton. am not
two-bundred FOUNDER now, but L am stronger and
| many pounds heavier