New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-02
INTERCHANGEABLE GEAR BICYCLE

ing preference for the machine Of any one
make above the others Of lts nomnally ap-
proxlma'e ciassea. Il ls positively affirmed
by experts. men who ought to know and un-
doubtedly do that there are machines sold on the
market for 800. and for s75. which are In
overy respect fully equal others FOR which the
price demanded is 1925. $50. Tandem BIZ
cycles. for two riders. made by n dozen firms
and 500 As for certain foreign bicycles
priced at 'i7j and slsj such figures simply alb
-urd M bicycle is worth that amount unless II
has decorations OF gold and gems 10 make up
the fancy value. Bicycle manufacturers are chary
OF giving Information 10 the real factory value
~ their products. but IL Is affirmed by skilled
and weli-nformed machnist. that the actual cost
Of making a high grade machine. exclusive Of the
tires is about 81. Allow SIS for the pneumatic
tires and you have So a. the actual factory cost
Of bicycle re,alled at sl2j and II So is allowed.
the estimate is liberal OF course. % per
mission to agents or even more who're
chimes are seeking buyers: costly advertising,
maintenance OF expensive salesrOoms and schools
for riding. salaries OF professional riders for
hlbitiOn purposes. etc. al 20 to sw" the
price but the buyer who knows the basis Of all
the factory cost-may be pariored for fancyng
that he and the manufacturer ought to got to-
gethcr' on rather better terms. Whether their
prizes are too high not. our American wheels
are undoubtedly the best made. combining light
ness strength and elegance better than those OF
Europe
AMERICANS BEAT THE WORLD.
few years ago the English m kers practically
controlled this market. Now. only two British
manufacturer continue efforts to find buyers
here and their success H. very limited. But
this year. although there are many Bicycle max
ers In England as here. our manufacturers are
sending over there considerable numbers Of ma
chimes. and their foreign trade Is steadily growing.
Japan. too until her attention was diverted by
the unplcasantness with China, was taking very
kindly to the American bicycle. the conspicuous
advantages OF which over the national jinrcksha
were very thoroughly appreciated. We have fac
tories enough now to supply the world. 1t is quite
possible that some OF the small and new concerns
may not turn out at present more than thousand
machines each per annum ON less. they could
hardly continue exist. I'm view OF their disad-
vantagc.. But they are few. Many more sell from
400 to 600 each Then the large makers.
such a the Victor and Rambler producers. whose
salos even In last year. which was q bad one are
said to have amounted TO somewhere between l"oW
and 1900 each: the manufacturers OF the Colurr-
ba who are credited with selling 1900 or 1890"
and the big Western Wheel Works turning out the
Crescent. whose sales amounted to $1,000 in 1893
ard who can. under pressure. build 80 bicycles
day. Theirs ia the largest bicycle factory In the
world. II IL probably well within bounds to say
that 100000 American bicycles were made and sold
last year. That the sale OF so many new
ones and does not include any attempted COM
putation Of the enormous business done In second
hand bicycles
very large proportion Of wheelmsn. posi-
bly, nearly all who feel themselves able to
do 90. are ready at any moment TO sell an o.d
wheel much below It's value. and buy in us stead
a new one in which they fancy existent some
special advantages perhaps very small ones Ihen
the old ones generally bought by those who run
bicycling schools. fixed up almost as good as
new and resold at profit but still! cheaply, either
to learners who prudent,y purpose becoming pro-
fcent before Investing IN expensive Wneels or 10
persons OF limited means. The supposed advantages
IN new machines prompting such exchanges are In
most cases rather imagined than real for there has
not been any very great improvement. except In
the speciality OF tires within considerable time past.
one recently patented but not yet pui upon the
market Will no doub. when introduced. be the
o making many secondhand wheels cheap.
unless as Is said, Il may be attached 10 any first
class bicycle now In use. and Is 50 Sold Instead OF
being made the basis of entirely new machine.
1t Is the invention of exceptionally ingenious me-
chanc named Bernard Granville and IL new de-
for Transmitting power from TIE pedals through
a rod instead OF chan-gear. and, by means or a
series OF pnions on the ROD engaging Win cosstd
speed or speed power. at the VIII OF the rider
and while In motion. worm at the handle par
causes the backward forward moving OF spine
SO az TO lock either one OF the 1--WE pinons az WILL
applying the power the periphery or the centre
Of the disk as desired and so governing the speed
OF the machine without any change In the rate OF
motion OF the pedals Thus the rear wheel may be
made 20 turn once with one conap OF e prad
or three times 10 a revolution. enormously !ncreas,
Ing the speed; or AZ the p.nons may be unlocked Knocked
Is swiftly coursing down hill; and there are Inter
mediate sradatons OF speed All under the easy con-
q he ssi Chairman ANA se Racing
the League OF American Wheelmen. is OF the opinion