The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-08-21
POPULAR CYCLING FAD.
COxsTfNG RACES WfTH PRIZES NOW
OcCUPY ATTENTION or CYCLISTS.
An Fnplishman's View of the Difference
Between British and American wheels
Modern Maud Muller.

Coasting races on bicycles promise to
grow IN popularity everywhere. Cluo
contests are now all the rage In the
Empire state. prizes being offered as in
a race. Tho Fat man has a chance with
his lean friend in this sort OF contest
which accounts I'm part for It's measure
OF success 10 is often the case that
Coastlng competition forms thc feature "l
"a club run. 4 long hin is chosen. the
straichtcr the better and the cnlIdH'
that rocs the futhest without rcmoNi"s
his feet from tac coasters. or scul'ns
knowing the forward wheel 20 the IsnI
and lcfO wins FIRST prize.
An ENCLISHMAN TALKS.
1 am convinced that the British cycl'-
makers must reduce the wc'cht oi lh'"
machines or suffer greatly by the con"
po,ition az American makers. The aver
axe American roadster OF the best Dun"
f. from five to scvcn pounds lighter th'n
tine ENGLISH one. The tubes are thinner
because made 81 hardened stcci the
handle bar is slicht,r Ohcro is not inc
lcHqf need for the huge handle bars in
common ueO. The chain is lshicf' tue
rim, is always of wood Ga metal ram -
unknown in the United Statcs today
and the pedal crauks arc very much
lighter and ueatcr.
n is often alleged that with lighter
machine am uncomfortable Vibration u
fsn. That this is nonsense ] can tesuiy
from personal experience. For q machine
which / have been riding % 5000 deal
lately weighs. with everything ON. eA-
acfIv twenty-five pounds. and there ls
certainly no extra vibration In SO. while
ID
weight enables me 10 use higher gear
with tho Same ease and hill-cimhing
power ms before and. ~ course, greater
speed and smoothncss Of motion on the
level. Moreover the British maker must
simplify the adjustments of bis machine.
20 adjust am ordinary English saddle. for
instance takes several minutes. whereas
an American saddle can Doc taken off and
uuf ON again Boo as many secouds.-Lon-
don Chronicle.
a CYCLE WEDDING
The latest development Of the bicycle
craze is % cycle wedding. and il Us not
improbable that tho fashion will spread.
The first known event of the kind took
place in England not long since. when
the bride and groom so far outraged trl-
dition as 10 invite the curate in place
Of the vicar to perform the ceremony.
The explanation given was. that being
whcclman ne could better sympathize
with the desire TO celebrate the happy
event with the help Of the bicycle in
place of tho prosaic carrage and pair.
As an actual fact when the happy day
arrived. the contracting parties and some
thirty guests rode 10 the church I'm trim
cycling costumes and after the ceremony
back TO the wedding breakfast. They
did not. however. escape the rice throw
4rs. for the news spread rapidly through
the village and "A crowd collected. many
members Of which had remembered TO
arm themselves in the traditional man
ncr.
CARELESS RINGING.
While bells are not required i'm Rich
mond and there are very few of them,
riders possessing % due regard for the
rights and privileges Of pedestrians never
clanr their bells unnecessarily II is
sufficient for the careful. observing eye
list 10 give timely warning only, not to
ring his alarm after the occasion has
passed or in "a hystcrical manner when
~ is too late. The wheeling critics Of
the larger cities cam best comprehend this
statement Take Now York city for in
stance. Green cyclists run down pedes-
trians almost daily there. and I'm nine
cases ont OF ten 10 develops that the
rider rang too late. forgot 10 do il. or did
IL when TOO far away for his victim 10
note the warning. Common sense will
dictate when Co ring and when not 10
ring.
Az IMPORTANT DECISION.
4 decision Of interest 10 wheelmen was
rendered hy The Court 81 Appeals of New
York The action was brought by bicy-
Gle rider against am accident insurance
company 10 recover ON Dis policy for in
iuries received while participating i'm "a
race The policy contained "a clause 10
the effect that nothing should Doe paid
# the injuries were the result of vOlun-
tarv oycrcxertion on the part of the
pclicy-hoider or OF his having voluntarily
cxuosed himself to unnecessary danger.
The lower court held that competition in
"a bicycle race by the holder of the insur-
ance policy did not invalidate TO- and the
Court of Appeals sustained the lower court
This decision i'm favor Of the wheclmen
will doubtless give new impetus 10 the
movement among accident insurance COM
ranies to restrict Indulgence i'm wheel rid
ing by holders of accident policies. of
which there has been considerable talk in
the newspapers.
VALUE OF TOE CLIPS.
Toe clips seem TO be growing In favor
and these who use them are almost with
out exception warm i'm their praise There
is am impression that in case necessity
for a quick dismount arises the clips may
hold the feet and possibly cause ana ace
cident. In truth. there is no reason for
this impression. The feet leave the pedals
as quickly when toe clips are used as
when they are not. Those who ride
with the clips affirm that they can see
no difference whatever I'm this respect.
The use of them can Doe quickly learned,
two or three days being an the time
needed in most cases. At first IL seems
little awkward 10 get the feet into
them but 10 soon becomes easy When
the feet rest in the clips it is almost
impossible for pedal % be lost. no mat
tor how rough the road or how steep the
hin one is descending They are q de-
cided help I'm pushing mp hin, and also
aid In back-pedal.ng when going down.
MAUD MULLER.
Maud Muller ON "a summers day,
Mounted her vince. and rode away.