The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-04-29
THE WHEEL.
Training for the Olympic Field Day.
Fast Riders.

Fast Riders.
On Saturday evening, May 5, after the races
at the Midwinter Fair grounds the Olympic
Club Wheelmen will end The suspicious
Olympic day by enjoying theater party at The
Tiyoll Opera-house, having reserved 200 of the
front seats and private boxes for the race.
winners, committees and officers.
By an oversight Handsome Bob Long was
overlooked on the committee but he has con-
stituted himself committee OF one and has re-
served the box nearest 10 the blond vocalist
Last Sunday being such calm day the boys
were out in full force training on the track, and
among them were noticed Foster, Long, Haley,
Thomas. Fagothey, Fuller, Hunter Beckett
Espinosa, Bernhard and Mnton Smith. which
means that some prizes will find their way TO
The clubhouse on Post street.
The dark horses training for future events
are Chandler. Leavitt and Hen Russ Those
men are very careful concerning men with
stop-wateles by keeping out of distance of
being stopped.
Lieutenant Cox. who must not be COMPOUNDED
with Industrial COXey, ably assisted by Cor
porals StratIon. ana Mullen. held an enjOya bic
run 10 Camp Taylor last Sunday, aud report
the roads as bslug in excellent condition, but
that little more rain VIII be acceptable.
The report of acting Captain Welhe was read
last Tuesday evening, aud much mention was
made OF the club runs 10 The number OF TWO,
called by the worthy Captain SeaverD.
The Garden City cyciers hold barbecue run
TO Stevens Greek to-day, and the Olympics will
go down on the 6:45 a. NJ. train 10 enjoy The
good things.
Messrs Dirnberger and Bliss will appear on
the track for the first time on "Olympic day."
ard sure are they Of an appreciative audience.
Entries for the May ces are coming in
strong, and Captain John Elliott reports that
they are more than he expected. owing 10 The
short time the racers have had Tor training DUR
poses
The Olympic Club wheelmen will attend the
thedter party in cycling costume, marching
direct from the Olympic Club TO the Opera
house. Tickets for same are now on sale at
the club Office.
Special accommodations have been secured
at the track foF the racers, and all Will be well
taken care OF by competent trainers.
The wear on the axle cones. round which the
balls revOlve, Is not only severe but uneven,
particularly upon the chain SIDE of the driving
wheel. To obVlate this The rider should several
times during the season slack the nuts securing
the axle and give the cone and axle together a
quarter turn III the frame, so that the strain OF
driving will come on a different portion OF the
cones. The wear should then be taken uD by
turning the loose cone on the left part of the
axle from left 10 right until the bearing Is ad-
iusled TO nicely.
Men used TO boast good deal in the dear old
days of never carrying this, that and the other
thing when awheel. Sometimes The bOastiul
individual never carried lamp, sometimes a
bell. sometimes a wrench, sometimes an Oiler,
and sometimes he never carried anything but a
little silver. How much this practice has died
out 0OeS mol ueeu q very long Tlue 10 convince
any one. But there are men now. il appears.
who go out on lonely rides minus pump or a
repair outfit OF any sort There seems nc
reason for pursuing this course and such
foolish Wheelmen suffer some unpleasant ex-
periences sometimes owing 10 their careless
disregard.
The abolition OF the pedal washer between
the nut securing The pedal pin IN the crank and
the crank itself has helped 10 decrease the
width of tread tEifie. Cranks are now made
much narrower traDsversely than they used to
tho lnnKsa 1.nn, rffa.. ..sNH
This has helped too. But the abolition OF the
pedal washer shows how incorrect were past
ideas and how true the new ones are. 1t was
alleged that a pedal would not keep tight in
the slot without a washer between the nut and
the crank. Nowadays washers are seldom
used, and loose pedal is a rare occurrence. II
such thing does happen il is usually owing 70
the nut not being properly tlghtened at the
outset.
Chain wheels as we'll as chains do not receive
enough consideration at the hands of makers.
The unhealthy craze for extreme lightness has
led 10 their being cut down TO The smallest pos
sibe size. The strain on the chain, and con-
sequently on the frame OF the machine. must be
enormous, and ere long something is bound TO
go. We quite agree with several riders (and
WRITER'S OF what we may term the steady going
school who contend that the back wheel plnon
ought to have at least niue or Ten cogs and feel
sure that against wind or uphill there would be
great Increase OF power. more particularly il
The chain and chainwheels are kept clean.
Machines IN England last year were lighter
than they ever were before, and, saws the Cy-
ciist, we are inclined to thlnk, Than they ever
will be again. until, perhaps, aluminium Oh
some other similar metal, or some very much
simpler form of construction, comes in. The
fact is that experience, which is the best
teacher after all, bias led our riders to call for
and our manufacturers TO make machines. gen.
orally speaking, as far as the extra light road.
wheels are concerned, from one 10 three pounds
heavier than was Ihe iule last year. or course
every one must pay for experience and America
NAV just az well learn her experience that way
as England.