Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-08-13
HINTS TO WHEELMEN
A VETERAN RIDER TELLS HOW
REST TO ENJOY CYCLING.
The wheel Has Come 20 stny-He""-
ers Not Impossible with inc
safct,-nsw TO Conquer the Pedal
Mount.
lNew York SunO

Fully one half Of the wheeimen' anu
doubtless seven. eigAths OF the wheei'
wo,ne, IN this city mus. be regarded as
,,,r, smbryas "a the art q bicycling
The hAys ridden but iaoh'h OF '"o'
snd 4 f. safe 90 $50 only a small PEI
,entaco OF thoEi have fell the first tnSs
complete bicycle rapture that posses
- one who has pe6alled his way from
a, trcaeherous and cumbersome oroi-
n-;e." Of eight o: ten years ago 10 'he
ornnarativciy feathcr-weight safety
heautles 81 to-day. Perhaps majority
cannot even recount so trivial an expe'
rterce IS that OF header, somersnUi''
or a has,y and unprecedented ave mo
A fence OF stone wall, fcr no reason u
speax Of In fact. many believe ;hat tae
traJitiona, header, or precipiie;e ana hA-
seenly tight from saddle to roadway
via The hand,e-bar. so prevalent IN inc
fins of high or ordinary bicycles. Is I'M
possible with safety wheels. n Ns'er'i'
rider that knows differently, however,
and who styles himself 4 constant use''
tells sun bicyci-sts how easy IL Is, W vi
for an old and cGl!ouseG redaiier' 10 Suu ,
denly emerge from where re Wa ai 80
arrive elsewhere: also, what they sho"l.
onr shonld not 10 10 make lie on ana OF
the wheel all tha, IS claimed for H.
.'It Is true" he began. that bicycling;
with the great mass who have lauhcheu
into this season. is mere fad. but inns
phase OF the sport Is always shoft-hNeu,
1t IS novelty that thrills the beginner anu
frnpresses him 50 favOrably with cHchus'
During the FIRST season no feeis tIlui,i-
phant AZ the idea Of being personally aplc
10 produce so much eXhilaralon' anu uoes
net realize till he has finished a SPIN thA'
he has put his physical strength 10 81,
we're test Then he ~ exhausted anu
begins TO doubt all the hygienic dement's
4 wheeling. The second season changes
Ill this. HIS muscles. which ut first were
anaccustoineA to the exercise, are now
hard and we'll adapted for II. ana rest
through tie winter has put them In prime
condition. The fad OF last year has De-
come n permanent and phiiosophic neces-
atty. He usually knows by this time the
meaning &C such technical!ties as hollow
sprocEct' and pedals Ia rat trap ana
no longer starcs with mouth a1ar when
lap-brazed wellless tubes and cyclometers
are spoken Of
NEVER WHOLLY EXEMPT.
"But. however expert, a wheelman Is
never wholly exempt from an occasional
tumble Months may elapse with no ms
hap whatever. when. as silently as thoush
by choice. he lights out and lands abrupt
" on all fours or, maybe. on his BACK
Thls performance Is known as a header
or n side pluncer. according 10 the direc-
lion of ones fight with the old ordina-
-ips and 'bone-shakers.' as the first bicy-
les were called. these feats were every
ssv occurrences: but with safety wheels
they 6re reduced 10 n minimum Ihal
thew occur. however. even nowadays -
not denied by conscientious riders whose
wounds are still unhealed A good way
10 verify this Is 20 strike a round stone
while coasting swiftly. or simpler yet,
turn the handle bar quickly when riding
on a wet surface. Similar success may
b. had hy encOuntering a stick or stone
when riding over a dark road. The re-
suits 81 such casualties are always easier
20 explain than their causes. but II may
BE- cheerfully added that they are hardy
ever fatal. except 10 the cyclists pride
The great rcsiiency Of pneumatic tires
has further reduced the liability or taking
headers from any Of these causes
zone manoeuvre that has never failcd t.
give wheclmen ample exercise and az the
same time q temporary disregard for ele-
gance OF speech. Is that Of learning the
pedal mount particularly II IL be prac-
tlced IN a spot just visited by the street
sprinkler. This mount Is not Gl,iicu!t 10
acquire. but needs TO be practiced with
caution. As the pedal comes ~ It should
b. caught az such a position AZ VIII enable
the rider 20 gain his saddle before the
pedal begins 20 descend Dthefwisa rs
weight will drive the machine forward,
and H. likely 70 upset both wheel and
wheelman. Just where 20 catcn the pedal
as II rises depends entirely uion the
agility Of the ride. and can be determined
by practice Those who DO this mount
have no u.e for the ocular step at the
rear. ana II is often permanently re-
moved 10 lessen the weight Of the ma
chine.
Among some cyclists the idea Of light
ening their wheels by removing almost
every detachable part has become a per-
feet mania. II " widely prevalent
among beginners. and, az luck will have
q II Is with them the most disastrous.
rhey are told that % take on such
parts as the mud-guards, brake and tool
oag will make their wheel much lighter
and easier riding. and they DO not hcsi-
tate 90 do so. Some day when alone and
several miles from home or repair-shop
a tire IL punctured and starts leaking.
or vital screw works loose. The in-
Eating pump. scrow-drivor. and all re-
pairing expedients have been left behind.
The new rider has not foreseen the need
Of carrying strong cord or jack
knife, much less a piece Of emergency
tame In few minutes HIS tire Is limp
and fat. pedal has fallen on, and the
machine II sorely disabled. The balky
steed must now be led. and he sets out.
TOO cngrossed With his thoughts TO even
whistle. A snap shot of this mans coun-
tcnance would present the most
complex species Of bicyc!e-face possible
10 imagine. II IS never safe 10 go far
from home wiihou. the full kit Of tools.
unless one - sure OF being accompanied
by n rider not affected With the wheel
stripping mania. Sacrificing the brake.
too. FOR the sake Of its weight, r. a dan
yerous thing Tor the beginner. IL Is UNI
wise. even though ne can back-pedal.
which not one in ten knows how to DO
effectively. The surest way for new
rider to check the speed OF his machine
under ordinary circumstances is to use
the brake
$50 conquer the art of back-pedalling
ought TO be wheelman's Drst desiders-
,urn. for there are times when this ability
nlone may spare him serious injury. II
not save his life. " Is frequently neces-
,ar- 20 back-pcdai and apply the brake
.lr-,iltaneougly. 20 avoid a collision; but
sometimes the brake is practically use
'es3. In roln-storm. fo- example. when
the tie 4. wet. aud does not Offer enough
friction 10 give the brake good grip,
the rider who cannot reverse his power
10 IN n sad plight If ne SHOULD 20 dow"
6, sicpp hill without any raishap, tie sen
sation would eclipse that q tobosSan
ri1e. IL his wheel should strike store
or othc: object. or get into hole or
rutland n fOmetimes Ds..ns 20 do oil