Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-08-11
NUMEN ON WHEELS.
They Are Lisely Som % Discard skises
While ON the Road.


They Are likely Som q Discard sAisss
While On the Road.
Two Of tho leading firms Of bicycle
manufacturers in this country have re-
Gently expressed the opinion that with
in five years there will be no difference
between tho wheels used by men and
women. In other words, they believe
the day is not far OF when all women
devoted to wheeling will discard skirts
ON the road and wear what is now usual
" referred to as tho rational or re
formed" dress. They say there is no rea-
son why women who wear costumes de-
signed to enhance the comfort, enjoy
n,ent and safety of bicycling should not
have wheels equal in every respect to
those the men ride In other words, the
sex Of the rider will cut no figure in the
manufacture Of bicycles, and women
will no longer have to put up with
wheels whose model, specially designed
for skirt wcarers, is necessarily inferior
to those made for men in strength, light
ness and case of propulsion
The courier of this now era in hi
cycling seems TO have arrived. A wheel
is just beginning TO appear in the streets
Of this city and Brooklyn that is intended
for women, though it has the diamond
frame heretofore seen only in T. safetics
made for men. In no respect does it
differ from the finest, high grade and
high priced roadstcrs used by the stcri:er
sex except that the diameter OF both
wheels is from two to four inches smaller
than that of the mems machines, and
the frame is accordingly so much nearer
the ground The wheel is mounted by
the step or pedal mount in vogue among
men riders ard is Of course intended
only for those women who wear the
rational dress"
1t is possible that not n few women
patrons of the wheel will look askance
at this innovation, but if they will take
the trouble To compare il with their own
wheels they are certain TO agree that il
has its aS:antages. Women are not
physically so strong as men, and vet the
wheels they ride weigh from five to eight
pounds moro then mems roadsters. This
is discri mination against the fair sex
reaching the proportions Of a grievance.
If women are not TO I've allowed 10 enjoy
the exhilarating and health giving BIZ
cycle on equal terms with the men, they
have wrongs that Miss Anthony has not
included in her category. The now
wheel, however, weighs only rs pounds,
which is two to five pounds less than
most of the high grade mems roadsters
Of exactly the same strength Of frame
This Is the crowning advantage, and
II Is secured chiefly by doing away
with the skirt guards which are the un-
slightly and not wholly protective fea-
tu-e of women's bicycles, and b. saving
the extra weight required for the un-
scientific and clumsy frames devised
for riders wearing skirts.
Undoubtedly there are many women
who, much Is they enjoy bicycling.
would rather give up their wheels than
appear III costumes more comfortable
and sassr than those they are now wear
ing. Every one of them will say. how
ever. that bicycling in its pr,-scn; phase
places limitations upon their enjoyment
OF 1t that are not imposed upon their
husbands and brothers Ii is an inter.
esting and an important question how
W sui hooAt VIC anu niakt
men and women free and equal BIZ
cyclers
We believe the solution Of the prob
lem will tc found in "a sensible bicyole
costume for women. and we do not
think that cur couptrywomcn will b.
slower than their sisters in Europe TO
recognize the advantages Of a bicycle
dress reform and to dress accordingly.
The young women who are perfectly
certain that they would rather die than
wear one Of the modest and tasteful b.
cycle suits which are now seen by scores
on out streets are likely, before they are
married 10 see them so commonly in
use that they will not call for special
remark. Awhile ago the bicycle COS
tune was topic in the mouth Of every
resident Of Paris. Today the hoodlums
Of that capital are so upgallant as to
boot at TIE exceptional women who still
insist on wheeling through the parks
IN ordinary street attire.
We predict that the new bicycle, or
something like it, will soon be a rec
ognized feature in the wheeling world
New York Sun.