Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-03-12
OUR YOUNG FOLKS.
BICYCLE RIDING.

Some Hints for Beginners-How to Man.
age the Wheel
You may learn to mount horse, how to
hold your head, shoulders, hands and feet,
and how to dismount by means OF dummy,
and you may learn to row on dry land, but
there is no substitute for bicycle.
You must mount and fall OF, mount again
and take 'sheader." and keep on mounting
until you can spin along on your steel steed
with as much safety and as little fear as ii
you were seated in rocking-chair at home.
The first thing, says Golden Days, in
learning how to ride bicycle, IS to ride 1t
safely-that is, to keep a straight course, .
sharp lookout for obstacles, and have such
thorough command of the handle-bar as
to be able to turn at right-angles, if neces-
sary, and to be able to come to full stop
instantly.
After all this Is mastered, the rider may
spin along at race-horse speed ii he can.
But this does not satisfy the ordinary rider
It is exercise, to be sure, but it grows mo-
notonous, and therefore fancy riding has
been introduced.
What is fancy ridinga
Well, it is any thing difficult or out OF the
usual run. To ride the monocycle is fancy
riding, and that recalls singular story Of
its origin.
Some years ago an Italian named Souri,
happened to s'buckle'' the hind-wheel of his
bicycle. In his efforts to get it straight he
broke it; and being poor man and not q
good mechanic, he was unable to mend it,
and so resolved to do the best he could with
one wheel. Day after day he practiced,
and became more expert with the one
wheel than he had been with two; and hav-
ing in one day ridden fifty miles, he took to
the circus with his monocycle, and it has
since been favorite with fancy riders.
An ordinary feat of fancy riding is to get
a good start, and then throw both legs
across the handle-bar, fold the arms and let
her CO. Another difficult feat Is to discon-
meet the handle-bar and drive the wheel
while standing upright on the treadles-
This can be done much easier on mono
cycle than bicycle
A very difficult and at the same time
rather dangerous feat is to give the machine
an impetus and then stand erect, one foot
on the saddle and the other on the handle
bar as guide. W fancy our readers will
practice long time before they can attain
to that skill
One position IS to lean over until the little
wheel does not touch the ground, and, IN
that position, drive forward and backward.
Another position is to stand on the little
wheel, hold the handle-bar with one hand
and work the treadles with the other.
Still another position is to sit on the
treadles, guide the mechine with the hands
and drive the machine with the muscles
under tho knees. !
A simple fancy movement for beginner
Is 10 drive the wheel forward in serpen-
tine track like I'D elongated letter s. When
this is performed by rank Of wheeimen,
say eight abreast on q broad road, the effect
is very pretty But the road must be fairly
level and smooth, otherwise there is risk OF
breaking the wheel
To mount by the treadle ia fancy move
nent II effected by walking along on
the left-hand side Of the bicycle, and just
before the left treadle reaches the lowest
point the left foot 10 placed upon Il, and
springng from the other foot, while hold
ing the handles, the saddle is reached, and
the right foot placed upon the treadle on
that side, which Is then commencing to
ascend When neatly done this movement
is very effective.
Remaining stationary in the saddle Is
done by turning the wheel TO the left at an
angie of about forty ave degrees when
moving very slowly. the balance being
maintained by pressure upon the treadles,
according 10 the side % which the weight
inchnes.
To raise the small wheel from the ground
and ride on the large one requires consid
cradle practice, but Il can be oene. 1t Is
still more dsfsor3t % ride backward by re
versSng the sreadle movement tbs can not
be done On a crank machine
Other fancy movements are vaultinR into
the saddle FROM either side, mounting In
front and turning around IN the saddle; rid
ing side saddle. and disnountznR by throw
ing either leg over the handles from one side
70 The other.
OF course amateur riders can hardly hope
70 attain proficiency in all these movements,
sud professional whee,men will continue 70
excel Some Of the movements done IN cir
Gus rings are simply marvellous
A wei known professional r'der, after do
ting reoy wonderful things, winds up his
entertain ment BY taking lis machine apart
piece by piece, while At fun speed nnaiy
making his ext on the bare wheel
Ordinary wheclnen bad better ieare this
feat seyerely asO-lA