Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-31

WTHEN BICYCLES WERE FIRST USED
w elaborate instructions could be found in
the catalogues Is to the best mode Of learning
to ride.
Bicycles have become very common, but the
printed instructions have almost disappeared.
A systematic order Of procedure is as desirable
in this az In most other things we have TO
learn, and perhaps the following suggestions
may not be without value to those who desire
to acquire this most fascinating and graceful
art:
The best place for any one to learn to ride 10
any quiet concerted street The necessity Of
frequent turns in any building or inclosed
place IL embarrassing, and often those who
learn in such closed places have 10 learn over
again when they 60 on . street to avoid man
nerisms contracted because Of the small place.
The first thing is to learn to handle the ma
chine so a. to put it just where wanted with
out lifting it and to make the novice &C.
quainted with her steed. There are five places
for q lady to put her hands, the two handles, the
middle Of the steering bar ION the ends Of
which are the handles), the back of the seat and
the middle Of the rear guard over the rear
wheel.
Everything that can be done on the wheel
can be done either side, but it is usually
most convenient for ono to learn FIRST on the
left side, and we will suppose the learner
stands always on that side when commencing
an exercise.
SOME GOOD SUGGESTIONS.
One should not attempt to walk around the
machine in front The position Of rest is with
the right hand on the middle Of the steering
bar. To gain the other side of the machine
take the left handle With the left hand, change
the right to the back Of the seat put the left
In place Of right and step around the back Of
machine. taking hold OF the right handle with
the right hand. Thus the wheel 10 not left TO
fall To change back reverse the motions.
2. To turn the wheel quite round without
moving yourself from position, with left hand
Oh left handle and right on back of seat, run
it forward to arms length. then turn the wheel
to the right by extending the left arm q trife
and back it till the front wheel touches You,
then turn the front wheel to the left and run it
forward, turn it right and back, &c. Or course,
these motions are quite limited by the length
OF the arms, but few Of them will bring the
wheel clear round. The front wheel should al
ways be turned before the movement forward
or back, or nothing is gained.
g.. When in paved streets . lady should
always mount from and dismount on the curb.
A bicycle 10 q carriage and should be SO con-
sidered. 1t is also much easier to mount from
q slight elevation. There are Ave ways of
mounting q safety. but only two for ladies. All
may be practiced from either side. The first
and most easy Is to place the right foot on the
right pedal, the wheel standing close to the
curb, and the left foot on the curb with the left
hand on the left handle, adjust the middle of
the back of the dress to the point Of the seat
and sit on the seat before lifting tho left foot.
Where there is no curb O stone or step of q
porch may be used. In learning an assistant
should now take hold Of the spring under the
back Of the seat with the right hand and Of the
left handle with the left, and the rider, press
ing down with the right foot, lifts the left foot
and sets 1t on the left pedal a. it rises and the
machine moves forward.
The rider should sit up straight. and on no
from side to side, but turn the front wheel to-
ward the side the wheel tends to fall. It ID
thus kept upright
HOW TO MOUNT AND pIsMoUSr.
Before the learner mounts the teacher should
60 through the acts Of mounting and dismount-
ing slowly, so as to show just how it is done.
After riding few rods the pupil should dis
mount by the teacher allowing the machine to
lean over and the pupil throwing the foot on
the leaning side ont of of the pedal, SO that as
the wheel tips over the foot touches the ground
in q point vertically under the hip, but of
course a little away from the wheel.
A fall is caused by keeping the foot too long
on the pedal till the wheel tips so much that It
cannot be thrown out far enough to catch the
| sity for falling. The first lesson should be
chiefly spent in getting of and on and should
not exceed an hour at most, riding q few rods
at a time. and the brake should be applied
when dismounting to acquire the habit Of
using It.
If the art Of dismounting without falling has
been acquired at the FIRST lesson, the second
may be longer rides, and the teacher should
watch for the time when the pupil is going
little steady to lessen his hold on the machine.
II this is well done the pupil never knows just
when she begins to ride alone. The art Of
riding is simply to acquire the habit Of auto
matically turning the front wheel under the
rider on the side 1t tends to lean, and in
very short time this habit is acquired SO per-
fectly that it is done entirely unconsciously.
At length the motions Of the rider and the
! wheel become as well adjusted to each other as
those of horse and its rider.
After one has learned to ride the mount
from a level surface should be learned. The
art Of doing this consists in learning to put
both feet on the pedals before sitting down.
There are three motions-frst, with foot on
right pedal, spring up and place foot Qeft) on
left pedal and then rise up from both feet to
seat.
This may be readily learned by irving while
riding to stand on the pedals while the machine
is going, balancing by the handles.
This, which at first may seom very difficult.
is not really SO, and should be thoroughly
learned by every lady, as by it she Is enabled
to rise from her seat after starting and allow
her dress to adjust itself equally on either side,
40 it will do BY that simple act, IL not 20 when
she sits down
ARRANGEMENT or THE SEAT.
A seat 10 personal matter, and cannot be
prescribed for any one, but to begin with It
should be set nearly level, or at most slightly
higher In 'front.' and when riding is learned it
should be 1t such height as that the leg should
hang perfectly straight from the hip when the
pedal il on the bottom Of its stroke.
OF course it il understood that when the
rider mounts, the pedal on which the first foot
is placed is at the top Of its stroke and little
forward Of the crank shaft. The latter is the
axis turned by the pedal crank. The second
ladies' mount is made by setting the left foot
on the left pedal, springing up and drawing the
right foot between the left leg and the machine,
to the other side, to place it on the right pedal
II well done it looks light and graceful, but il
more difficult than the first mount
Every lady should learn enough about her
wheel to know when 1t is set to the best advan-
tage for her, as to height of seat distance from
steering bar, &c. The latter should be such
that the arms will hang in gentle curve when
sitting up straight, with hands on the handles,
elbows close to side When riding hard or up
hill one must lean over in front, but in or
binary riding the rider should have no diff
Guilty in sitting perfectly upright II the wheel
is properly adjusted Ease Of riding requires
the seat TO be nearly over the crank shaft
The girls trieycles in which the legs are ex-
4