Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-01-24
THE '96 MODEL BICYCLE.
Rational Progress Observable at the
Show.
Moderate Riders Catered To.
"Scorchers" Abandoned to the
Smaller Manufacturers Exercise,
Not Speed, the End Of Pres mt
Observation-Disclosures Of the
New Pattern and Appliances.

speed. excitement and exhaustion as the
purposes to be served by bicycles, if the
models for 1896 on exhibition at the bi-
cycle show IN Madison Square Garden
reflect the predom:nating public de-
mand. All the essential notifications
in structure adopted by the builders OF
standard wheels are in the direction Of
endurance and security and away from
the requirements for racing. The
"scocher" IS sacrificed to the moderate
rider. the bent-back monkey (as the
s,resc boys call HIM is ignored in the
interest and TO the hearty satisfaction
OF the upr.gat man; and il 5 20 be pre-
sumed the manufacturers know what IS
wanted. Anyway they stand to lose
great deal OF money TO the creators of
freaks if the rational human beings DO
nc. largely Ounumber ne "cranks,
Tor reason and common sense have been
appealed 10 by them this year.
IL is not necessary to take the bicy-
cles apart to see this. The parts are
parts are on exhibition separately, If
one cares TO go mo the details. But
even rapid walk through the aisles
will be enough TO show what the ten
dency Is. In the first place the con
spicuous models along the ratings OF
nearly all me larger exhibits have The
upuned handle bars. The down
turned handles, which make a wheel
look like the skeleton of a Texan steer,
are in the back part Of the spaces, and
when they are Inspected the frames are
those OF the racer This was the first
syn of change noted, and the agents
were questioned about it.
\ manufacturer said that the "scorch-
er" was an important element in his
custom In the great mass Of wheeling
men and women nowadays the fellows
wanted TO double up and race "a cen
fury against tine were only about
3 per cent, and others put the estimates
between these extremes. They all agreed
that his influence in the machine shops
had been too much considered in the
past and was diminishing under the
sheer force Of commercial interest. He
stu had his wheel, but it was a class
more distinct than ever, and unfit for an
]
time when the sCOrcher was catered to
! by weakening sacrifice IN the roadster
model was gone forever.
Thf- ---s-l air,S g., as..4 [ mo nnffnh-ta IL
] ed-ot increase of weight in the SO b.cy-
Gle. The road racer has smaller tires
| tlan II had last year, and lighter tub
! ing, too. But the ordinary road wheel
I is heavier and sturdier, because the peo-
/ pie who mean 10 use il on all roads thal
lead TO pleasant places are in the ma
or.ty. As one salesman put il:
Last year everybody was Fitting
wheels and asking how much yours
weighed. This year they want to know
if she's strong and easy-going and sim
pie in make
Or, as another agant said: 'In 1894
and '95 they hefted EN-; now they're
| feein' EN-"
These men had an experts scorn of
them, but they expressed tha will of
the world on wheels. The handlebars
upturned showed that men wish TO ride
upright and for health and exercise.
The stout frame with the added
weight and "securer feel showed the
demand for bicycle than would stand
the country roads-in short, for pleas
/ ure Then there were changes made
for comfort, sir, for ladies' and gents as
like their ease" Thus one salesman
sad as he clapped his hand on a saddle.
IL was wider at the back narrower
along the stem, and had a snub nose
Others like It were on al. the standard
machines, and .he unan.mity empha-
sized the general observation that COM
fort for the seekers Of pleasure and
healthful exercise was the end of pres
enJ day bicycle building. If anything
were lacking to confirm ii, this state
menc of the head OF a we'll known firm
in explanation of the higher gearing
would complete the proof:
The average gear this year, az this
show. is 20 for mems wheels. We ven
tured so high because it was evident
thu average rider s willing TO eXpend
more strength rather than TO have 10
move his legs more rapidly. Il is for
The pleasure of an easy, deliberate mo-
ton of the body that the slightly in
creased tax on strength is made 4
higher rate of speed was not the purpose
az all. That the great majority Of rid
ers do nOl care for. We have attained
all the speed really desired. l do not
think one rider IN a hundred wishes to
go faster than he can now. You re-
m mber how much was said last year
about the motor bicycle. which was TO
do away with all exerJion and enable
any speed Well there was such
vince, here in the show then; now there
ISM one. The motor bicycle may come,
bu, e VII be a mere curiosity or
means of transit for business. When
people find they get no exercise from 1t
they will return to the pedal
The light wheel. Of course, continues
in existence and there is some demand
for it. Along the SIDES of he great eX-
hib:t,On room are all sorts of delicate
machines. which have the thin tires,
the light tubing and the dowp-bent ham
die bars. Ranged up besides these eX-
hib.ts one sees the typical bike faces.
thin. long. sharp and hollow, which re-
fec. the satisfaction of the scOrcher
and explain the shrewdneSs of the small
err manufacturers. The makers of
freaks. unable 10 compete with the
Standard bicycye factories have chung
to the old. flimsy model in the hope Of
winning the fat" contingent II look
ed 10 the crowd to-day as if this end
had been attained. One Of the older
manufacturers admitted as much. but
he did so without regret. This authOri-
" a thoughtful man, had an interest
.ng classification Of bicycle riders and
buyers. which he gave in connection
with his remarks on the light wheel Of
1896
IL, ~ H. -iIa-s for rlan --,-. no