Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-03-16
HOW TO RIDE A sicycle.
Hints That VIII Prove Useful 70 {
0e0lnnoe,


The proper position for a bicycle
rider Is, in the first place, an upright
one. He should push nearly straight
downward with his legs-not back
ward, rs one must do who leans far
forward. His arms should not be
rigid and extended to their full length,
but n little bent, and the handles
can be easily adjusted to bring this
about. The reason for the bent or
slightly bent arm Is evident after q
moments thought. II the arm 10
stif. rigid and extended to full length
the pull which you give the handles
on going up hill or, indeed, while
running along level road Is a dead
pull. There Is no life in it. Each
jar to tho machine Is a jar to your
body, your head and neck, and conse.
quently n jar to your whole system.
On the other hand. il you ride with
the arms little bent, and acting US
q kind Of buffer to all jarring in.
huences, they will save you an in
furious though unnoticeable shak ing
up each time you 60 out. The only
way In which you will notice q
change will be after You have become
accustomed to the bent arm method.
Then you will find you can ride
longer without becoming tired.
Another feature OF this stifl arm Is
the position into which the shoulders
are thrust. Try IL; grow little
tired with long ride and then see
where your shoulders are. You have
gradually come to lean on your arms
for rest. Both shoulders have been
thrown far back; your head and neck
are stretched fur forward, aud your
chest has, SO to speak. sagged forward
out OF Its natural position. Keep
this up long enough md you will be
u fine looking specimen.
No; tho weight OF your body
should never come on the hands and
arms, but on your thighs, and thence
be transferred to the seat, with the
unconscious springy action Of your
legs, which In measure allows some
OF your weight to como on tho pedals.
In this position your hands are free
to guide your wheel; your body Is
erect; you do not then get into the
habit OF swaying from side to side to
put more weight first OH ono side
and then on the other, and your
WHOLE G.ms.:2lar movement Is regulpr
and n5t;aal Try riding without
putting either hand on tho handles
and sitting erect. II you ride we'll
YOU tan easily keep your BALANCE,
and in an Ihstdht yoa Nil DO In tke
correct position. Once In this position
place the hands lightly on the han.
die bars and you Will be In a healthy,
n proper situation to gain benefit
from your riding.
In riding ten miles, for example,
l should never 60 the whole distance
at ono pace. Slow, steady riding
has Its merits. SO has sprinting for
short distances. When a good clear
road looms up ahead have q brush for
two or three hundrcd yasls with tho
boy who Is with you. These little
races are good things, They quicken
your movements, and they keep you
from forming bad habits or letting
yonr body sag into sot, immovablo
positions They also bring the muscles
into different kind Of play.
In fact, In bicycle riding as in
about everything else, you should re.
member that there Is u right and o
wrong way; that YOU need not only
bit speed, and that
changing from one to another, keeping
up variety, is one good way Of avoid
ing bad habits.