The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-10-18
while track racers will be built as low as

while track racers viii be built as low as
l..
The gearing shaft is no longer a novelty
Many firms viii probably make chainless
bicycles for next year, as the principle
Of the beyel-geared cog is so familiar N
mechanics that simple applications of il
can hardly be covered By pasent, any more
than the chain and sprocket arrangement
now universal. The cha.niess gears VIII
especially commend themselves 10 women.
because they will require no skirt guards
and viii cause no CRIME Of mingled oil and
dust within sight or touch. An alterna-
tive VIII be the possible employment of
gearing case, after the English fashion,
70 cover completely the chain and sprock
cts. This viii have some OF the same
practical advantages. but viii be clumsy
In appearance. besides adding pound or
so to the weight of the finished wheel.
The gear even Of roadster wheels Is con-
stantly rlsing-56, e3 and IS being success
sive landmarks of the process. Next year
one of the famous New England firms VIII
buld no gear below 50 for mems wheels
unless specially ordered. This year the
standard wheels have varied between
IS and -. Next year Is VIII be considered
about medium. AS the gear is raised. the
necessity Of a brake becomes more urgent
Back pedaling. as 4 means of stopping Il
high-geared wheel in swift motion. IS
hardly adequate for an emergency.
Equipped with brake, the rider Of a 10
gear can ascend hills OF fair grade and de-
scend any steep which is 1T for carriages.
Womens wheels Will be geared between
% and -. y low gear. a short crank and a
high seat are the combination for a lady
who would ride gracefully rather than
rapidly. as these conditions reduce the
ugly knee action to minimum.
Wooden handle bars are 10 he used 10y
many builders as a means OF saving a few
ounces Of weight. and may become nearly
as universal as wooden wheel-rims.
Handle baTs-and indeed an entire run
mig gear-of aluminium would be much
better relatively TO weight. hut the cost is
as yet pTohib!tive Of general use.
Tires are susceptible OF practically no
Improvement. Single tuae tires OF small
3 mansions VIII be almost universal on
racing machines. but the middle-agcd
cruiser VIII still Use on the road the ~
size 20 best advantage. II is curious that,
while the wheel ITSELF has SO rapidly i'm
proved. tires are. As many complainers
Ga. n3. not as good as three years ago. The
tremendous development OK a new general
use FOR rubber has So overtaxed the
sources Of supply that III is hard 10 get
enough good rubber. The principal tire
makers. VINO al guarantee their wares.
are pat 10 great loss by the constant ne
cessi1y OF replacing defective tres
Whether the cost OF hlgn grade bicycles
IS ca ne reduced from $500. 20 one VIII
Know for some tire YET some makers
propose 70 stcp ia the other dsrect.on by
making Ire Of "s0ec AIS "a Sils or SIS.
~ WAS significant faet that tne Pope
Company. ~ nt~h reduced Hartford wheels
from $50 30 81 LAST summer. raised the
price again to So almost Immediately. so
active WAS the demand that the makers
%eTe gn&n.e 90 Keep 2 %a'h g. Ana when
SfF"rai thousand fairly good vaesls were
sold ~ SIS cseh. IS g t4-Ga 20 -sie Atrrac-
t-oa lt New YORK. people sa-ute3 ag8 We're
bruised tn Che crush a5ou, ire ooGnter.
TX looks aS x tor fieFc.f hunger were
nor yet appea~rd and at..f e b. price 70
cucuon IS net ase.y - he Fery radical
Whatevvr fhe l.st r--c. us 7~e reed