Omaha daily bee., 1895-06-09
THE TURNING OF THE WHEEL
Social Evolutions Set in Motion by the
Bicycle.
THE CHAPERON OUT OF BUSINESS
Physical and Educational Elements OF
wheeling-The Manufacture of Bikes
and Their Costa Factory in
Operation.
THE CHAPERON OUT OF BUSINESS

Why do bicycles cost 500? Lots of folks
ponder over that question every day and
fail to find satisfactory answer. Many
people think that wheels are made like sew
ing machines and turned out just as easily.
That isn't so bit. trip through a Dicy-
Gle factory shows where some Of the heavy
cost comes in, and a talk with the manu-
facturer, who tells of the enormous amounts
spent in advertising and marketing MS
product makes up the rest OF the hundred.
And there is no denying the fact that the
same competition that has brought the price
OF wheels down from the $3.50 mark or two
years ago has also made the expense OF put
ting them on the market considerably greater
than 1t was.
There are perhaps, two-score of places in
Chicago says the Times-Herald, where the
bikes are made, and eighteen or twenty o.
these places are factories devoted exclusively
to the manufacture of wheels. Every last
one of the local concerns is far behind its
orders now, and will be unable to catch up
during the rest Of the summer. Such a
rush for bicycles was never known before,
and a great percentage of the increased de-
mand is for women's wheels. Last year
women rode per cent of the wheels sold;
this year they ride one-third.
MAKING THE MACHINES
The making of bicycles is an interesting
process to watch even for the layman who
knows nothing Of mechanics, patents and
such like things. Some of the machinery
employed in the making of wheels is almost
human. It is,,postlY special and very ex-
pensive. That is! aDether reason why wheels
cost as much asathey8po. The fact that the
best skilled labor Is employed in turning
them out is another rtason. Labor, in fact
is the greatest dtenlA The difference be-
| tween the cost Of tho best material and the
poor is said to be Sd slight that except in
| the cheapest grade wheels there is little OBJ
| ject in using the poorer kind
Just where to stafH in telling how a wheel
| is made is a difficult thing. In the making
| they start in a doZen places or more at once
| In a general way there four different
| paris to a bicycle-the wheels, the frame
which acts as the connecting support for all,
| the running gear and 1he steering apparatus.
Carrying the analysis farther, the wheels are
made up Of spoies hubs, rims, tires, spoke
nipples ball valves. cups and cones, and the
| washers that GO with them. The frame is
| composed of the diamond shape set of tubes
| that join the Wheels together, the head
| through which runs the steering tube, the
| rear fork the seat post and the crank hanger.
| The steering apparatus includes the handles,
| the steering tube the fork sides around the
| front wheel, the fork crown and the balls,
| cup and cones on which the steering tubes
! turn. The running gear takes in the pedals
| and crank which operate on the sprocket
wheels. the chain which connects them and
| carries the driving power and the ball bear
| lngs on which these things revoive. The sad
die il also a necessity which properly be
LONGS with the frame.
MANY HANDS TO EACH PIECE.
These are the minute parts OF the wheel,
and each separate piece, whether Big or little.
requires separate handling many times over
! before II finally enters into the makeup OF a
| complete wheel. Each pecs passes through
numerous hands before II is finished, each
person who handles It taking II little nearer
| completion.
In making the rims for wheels. for in
-----~ 'Ns workman ends his material in a