The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-09-22
Wbir Of
tte wheel.


/ Cycling still reigns supreme. Every
evening parties OF cyclists mount their
ste..s OF steel ana speed away to the
level stretches. and come back with glow
ing cheeks, and appeutes considerably
sharueued BIZ a good, inyigorating spin.
Now Is the time for cycling. and hey
| clists who thrOug che roads around
Richmond seem to grasp the opportunity
Bread street Is very popular for night
riding on account of its brilliant cleo
trio lights. The street is nearly bare of
vehicles AFTER eight in the evening. The
enterprise of cyclists Is proverbial- Some
months ago. the Broad-Strect Car Com
panv in improving their tracks on that
street above the Temple. threw graves
and dirt between the tracks. making a
ridge above the level of the street. This
strip OF ground has been appropriated
by cyclists and has been turned into
bicycle track as FAR as El5a Station,
which is pleasing change from the
rough cobDle stones on one side and the
dust on the other.
The Missing Link" track is
on fair way to finish. the
two tracks having been graded and with
rolling and a little polishing, they Will
soon be in order for the cyclists who
have furnished the money for the making
Of a good track to connect the two beau
tiful drives, the Boulevard and Major
enters roads.
The male cyclists will have to look to
their houors, as is shown from the fol-
lowing taken from the American wheel
man:
"A correspondent commenting on the
women riders OF the Soutt pays this
compliment 10 the riders Of Richmond;
Richmond women were the first in the
South to take to wheeling and there are
a great many very expert riders there.
Several prominent society women organ
lied a club modelled after the Michaux
Club of New York about year ago. ard
the members give the most charming en-
tertainmorts and runs. The Virginia
women have not taken kindly so bloom
ers. but, as a rule. cling to a skirt that
reaches tribe below the top of high
book They easily take the palm for
fearless graceful riding. and possess as
much endurance en- their bicycles as they
formerly did on their horses.
am glad that the lady cyclists here do
not take kindly to boomers. skirts, be-
sldes being more graceful, are decidedly
more comfortable. \ few buckshot placed
at intervals around the lining of the
skirt will besides making IT hang grace
fully, keep il in place in nearly any
wind that blows.
Tic Club House at Lakeside Park. Ma
lOr enters beautiful resort, IS rapidly
progressing, aud IS ready for the rooI.
When finished it will be a very hand
some structure, characterized by its VIDE
and spacious vererdas. Standing on a
commanding hin to the left as you ap-
proach the lake it Is expected to be a
landmark and Mecca 10 many Of those
VINO enjoy the sport.
\ league has been formed in France to
as sert the rights of pedestrians against
cyclists. The members agree never to
get out OF the way of a bicycle,
as they think in occasions Of collision
the cyclist Is sure TO get the worst OF II.
The way to stop a cyciist Who is about
to run you down, they say, is to grasp
the handle-bar of the machine firmly, and
then he is sure 10 take a header.
Before doing this the French opposers
| Of the wheel had better consider the fol-
lowing, taken from the Scientific Ameri-
can: -e.
The ability Of bicycle rider in rapid
motion to do serious damage in col
| hsi0n with another machine CT with
pedestrian is fully appreciated by few
| wheelmen. 4 man weighing 80 pounds
end moving at the rate Of 10 feet Sec
ond (Which IL only about seven miles an
/ hour has a momentum of 1900 pounds,
leaving out of the account the weight
OF the wheel This is sufficient to upset
airy pedestrian with terrific force. II
! has been suggested that the pneumatic
! tire forms a sort of fender which would
prevent serious cOncussion I'm case of a
! collision Ii would undoubtedly have a
| slight modifying effect, but ii would be
| of little account. collision between
| two wheels, each with "A ls0-pound rider,
spinning az the moderate speed OF seyen
miles an hour. would result in smash-up
with force OF 5000 pounds. In view CT
these facts, il is no wonder that bicy-
Gle accidents are often very serious.
The trsctive force required TO propel
bicycle over smooth level surface Is es-
| timated al orc-tenth Of the load; call
ing the load 80 pounds, force Of IL
pound would be required to move the
| wheel forward and this calls for pres
sure on the pedals of o 81 pounds on the
wheel geared in the usual manner. When.
| however. the road is rough OF on an up
| grade, the case IS different. On a grade
| of I 70 10. for example. the rider, in
| addition 10 the tractive force, actually
lifts onc-tcnth of his weight and that Of
| the machine. Mitis rigid or semi
rigid tire, the rider Is Obliged TO exert
sufficient force 20 lift himself over every
obstruction encountered ~ the wheel.
| the descent from The obstruction gives
back portion Of the power expended in