Los Angeles herald., 1891-08-02
Fancy Riding by Los Angeles
Wheelmen.
Remarkable Balancing Feats
on Unsteady Bicycles.
Cycling and Fancy Riding Quite
Popular in Los Angeles.
Kinney, the Midget, and Other Trick
Riders-Number of Lady Riders
on the Increase-Interesting
N Facts Noted.

initiated than the feat OF balancing one 8
self upon the narrow foundation afford
ed by pair OF bicycle wheels. The
purchaser of wheel who has had no
experience in riding usually engages
some one to instruct him. Then follows
the amusing spectacle of an awkward
looking apparition lurching about upon
drunken pair OF wheels, held up by
main strength by the instructor until
after numerous Intellectual lessons he
suddenly, in fit Of despair, stumbles
upon the really simple secret of securing
his balance, and to his immense surprise
he finds himself able to ride. OF
course, some are longer in acquiring
this little secret than others. For in
stance, certain medical gentleman of
this city provided work and entertain
ment for several good instructors for
more than two months without learning
ANYTHING more than he did during his
first lesson, and was finally obliged to
give it up entirely, but he was an excep-
ton.
The sensible man who wants to learn
to ride will dispense with instructors !;
will hire good strong wheel, and 60 to
some secluded street with good, hard,
smooth roadway, plenty of room be-
tween the curbstones, few passing teams
and fewer spectators. He will then try
to balance himself while riding on the
step at the back of the machine, start
ing it with push before mounting the
step. This will be easily learned. He
will then try to get into the saddle and
place his feet on the pedals. The art of
balancing having been acquired on the
step, it will not require more than three
or four trials to place the beginner in
the saddle, feet on the pedals, and the
machine pursuing somewhat, erratic
course down the street. The new rider
will be surprised, pleased and frightened
all in one, for while he is happy in
being able to propel himself and the
machine without falling, he don't know
exactly how he is going to get off.
About an hour later he will
ride up to the place where
he hired the machine and proudly
announce that he knows how to ride. He
will feel so elated over that fact, that
as the dealer goes over the machine
and points out bent spokes and broken
enameling to be paid for, he will prob
ably not kick at the extra charge,
even though, when he comes to think
OF it, he is sure that the machine
was in that condition before he took
it out to ride thereon. s,5, /
The ability to ride once acquired
and new thing comes to pass, for
there are innumerable little tricks
and minor accomplishments connected
with riding that must be acquired,
one by one. The new rider finds that
mounting to the saddle by means of
the step behind is only allowable for
beginners, 80 he takes a moonlight
night to practice in and acquires the
"pedal mounts" He also acquires the
ability to Jump gracefully out of the
saddle to the ground when alighting,
and is desirous OF shining as bicycler
he learns to ride with only one hand
on the steering bar, then "hands off,"
He also learns what the foot rests are
for on the forward part OF his machine,
how to coast, how to run down hill
without using the brakes, and how to
ride slowly as well as at good speed.
But, no matter how far his education
as a wheelman progresses, he will
always find new tricks to be learned
and new accomplishments to be ac-
quired.
Los Angeles has numerous accom-
plished bicyclers, as well as those accom-
plished in other lines. One of the most
accomplished Of these, and the one who
can perform the seemingly impossible
on bicycle, is Master Ledru B. Kinney,
a diminutive specimen of the animal,
"boy," seemingly being principally COM
posed of trained muscles. He is a grace
full dancer, skillful roller skater and an
accomplished swimmer, in addition to
to his dexterity on pair of wheels.
The youngster is about IA years OF age,
and what he can't do with bicycle
isn't worth doing at all. He is the
owner OF two gold medals; one for trick
riding, the other for slow riding, and
has been an indispensable feature Of all
bicycle exhibitions in this locality for
several years past. The HERALD bicycle
reporter has seen this youngster ride on
one wheel about the pavilion, holding
the small wheel clear OF the ground has
seen him stand up on the saddle, with
one foot on the handle bar, riding around
safely and easily; has watched him
throw his cap down while running, dis
mount, let his wheel run on without
him, pick up his cap, run and catch
up with his wheel and remount
without stopping his wheel, and per-
form other tricks, almost too numerous
to mention. The boy is the envy and
the admiration of all bicyclers.
Frank E. Olds rides Columbia, and
is enthusiastic over that style OF wheel.
He is most skillful wheelman, per-
forms most OF the standard tricks,
mounts a wheel from any point of the
compass, rides side-saddle, backwards,
or stands still, at his pleasure, and is
the envy OF all less experienced cyclers.
Emmett Peak, pupil of Frank Olds,
has the reputation of being able to
make the shortest turns on record.
Frank Olds says that Emmett could
turn around on a ten-cent piece if he
wanted to. Young Peak can ride a
wheel almost any way-can stand abso-
lutely still on any style of wheel, can
ride "hands off, and in various COM
plicated ways.
Robbie Burns, known more for his
Scottish dances than his bicycle riding,
is also skillful wheelman. He per-
forms most of the tricks of his chum
Emmett Peak, and the two perform to-
gether one very difficult feat, that of ex-
changing bicycles without falling. In
this trick the two ride side by side, stop
close together, Burns takes Peaks bicy-
Gle without touching the ground, and
Peak takes BurnH' wheel, the two bicy-