Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-06-26
@fasllngton Staudara
THE CARE OF \ BICYCLE.
How the Machine May Esc Kept in
Proper Condition.

G.ore, La H.o:cr.
H., necessary care OF bicycle may
lr divided into two sections-the care
when in Use and that necessary when
the machine is laid ty. When i'll use
it j. highly luadyisallc TO permit any
Tart al the cycle 70 remain loose
or apart, altogether from the danger OF
accident necessarily involved Thus,
should the pedal become loose in the
crank end, or the pedal nut come loose
where these are used it is most unwise
10 neglect it while riding even short
distance, and Tor this reas0n-that
there i big leverage on the pedal
end, and the threads OF the screw
which hold firmly when the nut is
screwed up Or the pedal end is well
gripped By the lock-nut, will very soon
he broken and rubbed when those
points are loose in the crank end, the
consequence being great difficulty in
screwing the pedal up satisfactorily,
and in due season the thread will strip
and cause much trouble before it is re-
cut. 1t may, indeed, be laid down as
an axiom that all nuts should be kept
tight, and should any particular nut
be found to be constantly coming
loose it will be we'll to have it looked
to by the nearest cycle repairer. lest il
should give great deal more trouble
later on.
The same thing applies very en-
phatically to the ball bearings OF the
machine wherever they are fitted.
These bearings are delicate pieces OF
mechanism in which as will subse
quently be explained, the hardened
steel balls run on coned surfaces, which
admit of the adjustment OF or the TAX
ing up of wear by closer approxima-
ton, whether as 4 part Of threaded
nut or actuated by it, and it is very
necessary to keep ball bearings ad.
justed within reasonable range. OF
course the bearing must not be too
tight, or broken balls are sure to be
the result, but very loose bearing per-
mits OF irregular running, which of
course means irregular wear; and, in
vl,hn hn hoo
erly adjusted, the irregularly worn
Cones cause it to be tight at one point
and loose at another, with the result
that the balls are broken, the internal
faces of the cones scratched and worn,
and these roughened faces again react
upon the new balls put in to replace
the old ones. Every rider of cycle
should make himself conversant with
the construction of the bearings and
the methods OF adjustment used in the
machine he rides, as in nothing is the
wise saw about ga stitch in time" so
fully justified as in the care of the
bearings of the modern cycle.
The bearings sometimes get clogged
up with oil and dust, and if the ma
chine is only occasionally used, they
may get absolutely stuck. THE stAte
of things can be remedied by injecting
little paraffine, which liqueties the
thickened oil and causes it to run out
if the wheels are vigorously rotated for
. short time. When, after repeated
doses, the bearings appear to be clean,
they should be carefully reciled with
some suitable oil, and will, of course,
be found much the better for the op-
Grafton.
Some care OF the chain will also be
found OF service, though the almost
universal fitting of the gear case has
much simplitied the task OF the chain
user OF late years. In earlier days the
dust-clogged chain required frequent
cleaning. If oiled, it caught and
held the dust; if not oiled, it was q
terrible thing in wet weather, rusting
up into rigid bar, holding the mud,
getting gritty, jumping and so on.
The cures adopted were various
blackleading was favorite method, as
it is to-day in America among the
fine weather riders over the boule-
wards OF the big cities-the riders who
never require gear case or mud
guards; the chain was soaked 10 oil,
in lard and so on, and many other
devices we're tried, but nowadays the
real work of taking care OF the chain
falls on the gear case, and those cases
which contain an oil bath are much
to be preferred. Careful adjustment
is, of course, very necessary. A too
loose or q too tight chain is bound to
cause trouble anyhow, and, of course,
when the chain mounts the cogs, or
through being too tight throws too
great strain on the frame and bear
ings, the results are certain to be
more or less disastrous. The chain,
then, should be properly adjusted,
which, in effect, means just short Of
tight.
These few hints will indicate what
is needed for the care of the cycle
when in use, but it is we'll also to bear
in mind that the best cycle will
rapidly deteriorate in appearance and
in value when lying by if be not prop
erly looked after, and this, remark APP
plies in a greater or less degree to any
length of time. After a ride, espec
tally if the roads have been muddy or
rain has fallen, all the bright work
should be cleaned and gone over with
an oily cloth, otherwise the polish will