The herald., 1895-06-16
CARE OF A BICYCLE
Regular System Required to
Keep in Trim
BICYCLES NEED GROOMING
And a Great Deal of Care or They
Will Soon Give, and Through No
Fault of the Maker

To take care of bicycle properly re-
quires knowledge, patience and certain
amount of mechanical skill. 1t should
be a matter of pride to the owner to keep
her wheel (this article is intended for
women, who. as rule, think that little
oil now and then is all that is necessary
to keep their machines in order) as fresh
and smart looking as when purchased.
bicycle should always be as irIeproach.
able and as immaculate as well-kept
trap. To do this regular system should
be adopted from the outset and persisted
in constantly.
In the first place, before starting out,
the whole machine must be thoroughly
oiled, but if this is done carelessy good
deal of damage is bound to result, for
nothing collects dust ana dirt SO surely as
joint surface rocking with oil. says the
New York Tribune. ATdry rag. therefore,
should be kept III the tool bag to wipe up
the oil which remains unabsorbed. while
care must also be taken that no oil gets
on the tires, for any kind of grease is
very injurious to india rubber. So
much for the morning toilet. SO to speak.
But when the long days work is done the
bike" should be thoroughly cleaned be-
fore it or Its mistress retires to rest
Every part should be wiped free of mud
or dust; the spoKes should be rubbed
bright, and every joint left as "clean as
whistle" 1t is also advisable to let
little air out of the tires, SO that they
shall not he kept on tension.
But even if all this is done with regu-
Ia ~ IL 10 ut hor
parts which can only be reached in
general cleaning up once fortnight. or
perhaps oftener If the wheel has much
use. The axles, balls and chain should
be taken ont and every particle of accum-
ulated grease or dirt removed. Great care
should be taken at such times that every
bolt, screw, ETC., is restored to its proper
place. AT first this disintegration Of the
various parts seems an impossi BILE task
to a woman who knows nothing of
mechanics, but brains supply the lack of
experience. and any intelligent person
can easily master the details. while the
standing of its mechanism establishes Il
sympathy with the wheel that constant
rider will find valuable
But even with the greatest care. bicycles
like everything else. are bound to get
shabby III time. A few touches of paint
now and then will serve to put off the
day Of final renovation. but when this
no longer suffices and the machine begins
to have o notified look and the spokes to
look rusty and tarnisheu there is nothing
for it but n thorough overhauling. 70
do this, first get the frame clear of the
other parts putting each ono carefully
aside, with its nuts and screws SO that
there may be no perplexity when it is
necessary to put them together Then
sctape off every particle of the old Epaint
from the frame with an old kitchen knife
lit is impossible to sand paper it off sat
isfactorily.) and when perfectly smooth
surface is obtained cover il entirely with
II covering Of black enamel which can be
had at any place where they keep bicycle
supplies.
Alter the frame is painted 20 over each