The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-28
THE WHEELMEN.
What Is Being Done in Cycling Cir
cles the End of the Year.


cIes the End of the Year.
Another cycling year has passed, the
greatest vet known in the history OF the
sport. And while the predictions are that
in 1896 it will experience even a greater
boom. | am inclined to think that 1t has
reached its height for the present at least.
We have much to look back upon with
pleasure, and a great deal to anticipate
from the Few year. In racing circles rec
ords have got down so low it would seem
the limit had about been reached. This is
also very true of the weight of machines,
which have been made almost too light to
Withstand the wear and tear required of
them, and the tendency shown by next
wears models is to an increase OF several
pounds, and the average road wheel will
weigh from twenty-three TO twenty-five
pounds. Tires are also heavier and more
substantial than formerly, and while it is
an open question whether the single or
inner tube style Is the best, most riders
lean to the former, or "hosepipe," as it is
called.
The coming to this coast of the great
racing cracks this fail gave fresh impetus
to the sport, and though they have re-
turned to their homes for the holidays
they will come here again in the spring to
train. About that time Arthur thinner
man, the worlds greatest bicyclist, may
also be expected from Australia, where he
has been defeating all corners with ease,
and the popular Jimmy" will surely be
accorded a glorious reception, which he
las received all over the world, and none
will gainsav that he deserves the title of
Americas greatest sportsman"
1t has been clearly demonstrated that
California riders are the equals of the
fasteners as TO speed, though they still
lack knowledge of many of the little
tricks which help to win races. But we
may always feel safe with our honors up
held by such men as Ziegler, Wells, the
Terrills and others. Their success has en-
couraged others to try their fortune on the
National racing circuit, and who knows
but what the mighty Foster has inclina-
tons that way? E. c. Bald says that Ter
rill and Wells must train more than they
do to get their best speed, and he surely
ought to know.
a great factor in cycling on the Pacific
Coast is the California Associated Cycling
Clubs, an organization made up of all the
prominent clubs in this part of the State.
Its principal object is the promotion OF
interclub road-racing. and there are now
three great annual events held under its
auspices--the 100-mile relay race around
the bay in April, the 10-mile handicap
road race in October from Fruitvale to
Haywards and the 25-mile handicap road
race around the San Leandro-San Lorenzo
Haywards triangle in February.
These events are always holly contested
by large fields OF riders and are the princi-
pal road events of the year on the coast
They can only be competed in by riders
belonging to clubs that are members OF
the association. Valuable prizes and
trophies are always offered for time and
place in the races, and for the relay there
is a silver cup, which goes to the club
which puts forth the winning team. There
is talk of instituting twenty mile team
race for another cup next year.
The association is the coast authority or
all road records and trials against time
The secretary must first be notified wher
trials are to be made and necessary proof:
filed with him if a record is lowered
This he forwards to the Century Roac
Club of America for confirmation. The
association also furnishes to clubs that be-
long to it a board of live timers for all road
events, who are thoroughly efficient, and
thus if record is made the rider is not
cheated out of it through inaccurate
timing.
Harlow H. White of the Olympic Club
Wheelmen is the president of the Asso
',
Hancock of the Bay City Wheelmen i:
secretary-treasurer. Besides these officer:
the association is controlled by board oil
governors composed of three delegates
from each club belonging to it, from whom
the various committeeman are chosen
Financially the organization is upon g
sound basis. The dues are $40 per year
and this with receipts from other variou:
sources IS sufficient to more than paw eX-
penses. Meetings are held bimonthiy al
the rooms of the various clubs each one
wing with the other for the honor of act
ing as host, and as there are about thirty
clubs enrolled and only six meetings each
year, it is not often that one club has the
pleasure twice. The meetings are always
largely attended and the proceedings are
of interest. The most peculiar rule the
association has is that no person expelled
from one club for nOn-payment of dues
can Join another if ii is in the association
without having first iquidated his indebt
edness to the club he was expelled from
To enforce this a blacklist is kept by the
secretary-treasGrer of every man expelled
from club, which is circulated among al
e the clubs The effect is wholesome and
expulsions are very infrequent.
To Henry f. Wynne of the California
Cycling Club must be attributed a great
deal of the honor due for the strong posi-
ton the California Associated Cycling
Clubs have attained in cycling on this
coast. He has always taken a great deal
of personal interest in its welfare, and re-
Gently declined the offer of third nomi-
nation 10 the presidency, only because his
increasing business interests forbade his
further neglecting them. Mr.. Hancock
is serving his second term as secretary
treasurer and is very efficient officer.
The subject of indoor racing in this City
next February interests wheelmer to a
great extent. San Francisco is entirely
without a bicycle track, and this was
never more keenly felt than when the
Eastern cracks came to the coast in Octo-
Der last, and the lovers of the sport in this
vicinity did not see them compete because
of the want of track. If the project to
build an eight-lap board track in the
Mechanics Pavilion is put through it will
be OF inestimable benefit to the racing
men and the sport itself, for while nc
very fast time can be made the races will
be as interesting and as heartily contested
as though upon the famous three-lap
cement oval a san Jose.
1t is probable there will be some move.
ment toward the construction of track
here next year, though after the unfor-
tunate experience financially of the Bay
City Wheelmen in that regard, the other
CLUBS are very wary of the proposition, AMI
1T will Doubtless have tn h. foSferpd nv the