New-York tribune., 1885-07-26
The FASCINATION OF THE WHEEL.
RECREATTONS OF THE CITIZENS CLUB
TRIPS AROUND NEW.YORK

A cool breeze swept in at the doorway OF
the Citizens Bicycle Club attractive brick building
standing by itself in Fifty -eighth-st. the block
between Eighth and Ninth There Ia always cool
breeze there the hottest afternoons when there Is
breeze at all. And there always half a dozen
athletic looking young In light flannel shirts under
their loose bouses and with faces tanned to the hue Of
sole leather reclining In tho chairs smoking cigars
or chatting the latest bicycle gossip Stretching to
the OF the short distance from the entrance
are Of bicycles aud trlcycles OF every pattern
shining with nickel plate. OF them bright and clean
ready at roments notite aud apparently as eager as
colt for Its rider TO spring into the saddle and make
twenty dash OF into the country Others OF these
metallic stecds splattercd with mud the nickel tar
nished and the little lantern the side OF the large
wheel smoky ani blurred. These have only just come
In from trip and somo OF them have evidently been
bad roads, where the rider had to do hard pulling
Sam" the colored man. takes these out by one
treats them a cold bath. spongcs them off, rubs them
up goes carefully the ana tghtcns them,
and then restores tho wheels" 20 their places, oiled.
smooth and bright. ready for tho next trip.
Often q man will mistake the club house for fire
engine quarters He will rush breathlessly In at the
entrance and TO the half dozen young men
with tanned faces that there Is tenement house on fire
around the corner He will be very much surprised at
the COOL matter-oi-fact way In which they take his
Information aud after he has glanced around and
glass OF lemonade that Is offered him. Presently q
slender syshy dressed young fellow from the
street closing his sun umbrella aud wipng the pcrsp
ration from his brow as he greets the party.
It's awfuliy hot. you know. Doc"
-Yes 1t Ia close" replies stawart. handsome man
with cark, curing side whiskers. Going out T.
"Oh must. It's too hot to stay and sweat In the city
ri up as far as Yonkers and ,,op a. the Riverside
Don't care II do" says Doc, and the two 40 up
whe" ,Ss come down The slender stylish young man.
in tight ntins pae suit with knee breechcs mas deye
pfs aas. pa. ., e % S
his walking sult and gies nosees.y out Ia the hot
discomfort .Gsod-by." shout their companions from
the house. and they wave their hands TO them the
street, ara tho corner s" and disappear %S PRESENTLY
another rolling Ia at ts entrance rather slow and
effects of a long trip. He Is a handsome young mau
with blond mnsachcLis fully six feet tail. his face
Do so show Wrinkle IN the suit lie gets
from his machine little heavily. and disappears
bath then he cooy clad fresh lark and
takes cigar and throws himself back In chair with his
Ths bicycle" said George A. Wells. OF the club. Is
OF the hethest OF recreation in the world
work in IT, but that's its value II toughens ones whole
system and makes man OF him. There's fascination
IL There's a feeling OF the utmost Independence In
being aho TO spring upon ono of these apparently fra
little skeletons that you can easily throw your
back. aud go skimmins along the road like bird,
at pace that will leave the best trotter behind In tho
AT what rate DO you travel the roads around the
city r
don. our roads arc not very good hut We often make
nfteen miles hour OF them and In continuous
eight hours Vanderbilt, Robert Bonner or any Of
those ha'ins horses each OF them worth fortune. tune
horses In England where tho roads are perfect the
record 200 miles In twenty -four hours and 100 s
no: counted anything at all.
-Do your members attemp. such trips y
members in our club and the sport Is growing more
popular each year. Most OF the members are young
interest in IT. We have all professions represented;
OF our members Ia the rector OF an Episcopal church In
si sn so r sSc are
roads Others like the hard roads and the STEEP hills 70
Long Branch Newport, and when they leave business
to Join them instead OF taking the train they go on the
bicycle. number OF the members use the tricycle.,
though Il IA not so popular for general use"
You have no ladies among your members I"
tricycle. riders. The sport Will become more popular
with ladies In the future There one Of our longest
misses day when the weather is good His interest Is
in the dlsa,c he can ride II Is now o'clock; he VIII
ago rode into the city from and las, last
out n hour or
returned the same evening Each OF these trips was
rro,sed that b. never pays attention to anybody
Twice he has teen run into aud hurt owing 10 his
peoccupaon but as rule such accidents are rare to
"iIave farmers become used to seeing you ."
on the roads for O hundred miles around New York
ars very WELL aud the farmers always treat US
we'll Tho horses have become used TO US ard seldom
shy. Further out In the country on back roads the
appcarance OF bicycle Is often an interesting occur
renee that brings out the whole community. There s
something peculiar admit In tho sudden appearance OF
man at dusk mounted what ssems q single wheel,
bright yellow light shining from Its centre, gliding into
sight and away again as noseless as spectre ON the
on little paths that along most country roads
Some Of these lead TO the coses nsoks imaenabe In
shade the city, battle IN running stream. take
his esta smoke cigar aud be back again BY the cool OF
the eyen,ns In the heart OF New York Yes there are
charms In wheeling superior to those In fishing horse
racing any other Sort unless 1t 10 canoeing ana Its
La axydA han