New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-29


new year will come the necessity of having cyclo-
meters set back to zero. so that the record for
next year may be kept accurately In the case Of
some cyclometers the resetting Is a simple mat
ter. which any person of average intelligence
attend to- without running any risk of getting the
machinery out of order. BY the same token 1t
would be an equally easy matter for dishonest
person to add to his record by opening the cycom-
eter and turning the machinery around. Cyclom-
eters. by the way sold so cheaply nowadays
that every should be able to supply himself or
herself and It Is great satisfaction TO know
how far you have ridden on any trip. and es-
pecially how many miles you have rolled up for
the season. Last year it impossible to buy
cyclometer for less than SO IS so but this year
good instrument was put on the market at 81
and the other manufacturers were forced to re-
duce their prices. Pretty soon. too. cut prices
on at least one make were in order. The 81 cyclom
eter sold at 81 10 In few places; then the
price was reduced by a department store to 81 30
and little later to 81 ~. At this time the whole
sale price said to be 81 3d. but soon one firm
cut the price at retail to 81 50. Still later a
ducton to SO cents was made whereupon the
manufacturers offered To buy in all cyclometerS
purchased at that price for 81 % But late in the
fall there was another drop, and the price got
down as low 50 and SO cents so low, indeed,
that a rider who supplied all the members OF his
family with cyclOmeters declared that ut was
tempting Providence not TO buy them at the
price at which they were offered.
Any good cyclometer can be depended on to
give ar accurate record of the distance trav-
elled When one cyclometer for the first time
he is likely to think that its record for a mile
for instance should exactly agree with the mile
posts along the road on which he may be trav-
cling. But 1t does not. and he begins to sus-
pect that there is something wrong with the
little machine that he has attached to the axle
Of his front wheel. But there are two or three
things to be borne in mind. The first is that
most roads the milepOStS, SO-Called. are not
put down accurately. AS engineer remarked.
in talking on the subject: i've done that sort of
work myself. and know how it is done One
of the things aimed at is to put the milestone
at corner every time. If possible and so they
often several rods out Of the way. 1t is
safe always to take the cyclometer in prefer
ence to the mileposts, for II is constructed on
scientific principles, and is bound to be ac-
curate." But the dictum laid down would scarce
~ apply to the mile and half-mile posts on the
Coney Island Boulevard. They are accurately
placed and mark the actual distances. But a
wheelman on the famous path will find that his
cyclometer Invariably registers little more
than the distance between the posts; in the
entire five and one-half miles, he will be likely
to find that his record Is tive and three-quar-
tiers. This Is because he has not ridden In
straight line as, indeed II Is impossible for
any one to do even if he had the path all to
himself Every time he runs across the road.
every time he makes little swerve to the right
or the left. he s adding to the distance travelled.
and it Is all recorded by the cyclometer
a little observation will show. too. that the
front wheel of bicycle travels further than
the one. and hence, II a cyclometer could
be attached to the rear wheel Its record OF dis
lance covered would be somewhat more close
to the truth. Besides. every time the bicycle Is
taken in out of the house or storeroom.
the record is being added to; only trife, to
be sure. but still enough to amount to something
in the course OF a whole season. wheelman
using a cyclometer cannot. OF course, allow
any one else to ride his machine If he desires to
keep his record accurately; but some Of the cy-
clometers are arranged that 1t requires very
little trouble to adjust them so that they will
r-if1 howl To ara1N
them from the wheel.
Two riders Of opposite sexes met on a Park
drive the other day. and. after few words on
other subjects, compared notes on records. Said
she: 1T was my ambition until recently to
make $500 miles, but now am 1850, and very
likely shall make 1000 before winter sets in"
Said he: well, my ambition is to complete
$500 miles this year. l am now 2,4Ol, and l
think there is doubt about my doing 1t.
though when it looked so much like snow last
week l feared that should have to stop short.
What satisfaction 1t Is TO know how much
you have done, isn't it? Last year | could only
guess at it, but wouldn't be without cyclone
ter again if they cost three or four times what
they do" Said she: Neither would J."
Wheelmen who remember the condition Of
the Coney Island cycle path in the fall and
early winter of 1894 cannot have failed to
notice that II has been in much better state
this year A year ago for several weeks, owing
to freezing and thawing, 1t was exceedingly
soft and muddy during the warmer hours or
the day. and in many places pools OF water
could be seen on the surface. There has been
little of that condition this year; though some
what soft now and then, 1t has at no time Deen
sufficiently so to cause mun TO De Uba I
This Is not to say that the path Is as good as
II ought to be 1t is not. In many places IL
greatly needs a fresh coating or gravel or
since that previously applleu
has been either or washed away almost
entirely Some Of the bridges over the curDs
at cross streets are also in need or attention.
especially those just north Of the Flynn rail
road tunnel where two of the planks nave spht
and sunk down. making severe jolt whenever
a bicycle passes II. 1t would also ne n
good thing if the trolley railroad crossings
near Coney Island could be bettered; 1t Is sale
TO cross il now only at SLOW speed.
sneaking Of the frequent use of the path by
riders of all sorts and conditions. wheelman OF
Brooklyn. said: "Since the cold weather began
nava confined nv riding whenever l have gone
beyond the Park mainly to the path. and nave
heen nainfully impressed by the monotony OF IT,
resulting from It's level character. For the whole
Eve miles and a half it is virtually dead level,
the only variations being the slight elevations
| where two railroads pass underneath. Inc con-
sequence is in going the Island and back the
| same muscles in constant use for eieVeh
| miles To me this soon grows wearisolne ana II
| IS positive relief to get back to the PARK ana
| climb a hill or two. On the path even coast
| down the slight inclines at the railroad runners
Tban TOO there Is something about the cease
| loss crunch crunch of the rubber tlres on the
gravel that becomes disagreeable after time,
70 that 1t Is relief now and then 10 riue on
H. litt,a footWalk on the edge OF the pain
nroper OF course, IT Is easy TO understand why
riders who don't get out very often MAKE at
once for the path, but cannot see nov oi'v
IL m and down its length day after day with
ont becoming sick and tired of it. especially as
there are other good roads that can so easily De
taken. on Christmas Day, Tor instance whiie
Tow riders were to be eeen on macadam'zeu
roads like Eighteenth-ave. and Seventh-aVe
which were in good condition. ana pIoN,iue
| L.. H.