The morning times., 1896-03-15
IN THE WHEELING WORLD
Output CT Cycles in '96 Will Be
a Million and a Quarter.
DOUBLE QJlNT Is COMING IN
Experts Say 1t VIII BE Faster Than
, Steam or Eiectricity-Inte en~e Com
petition of Rival Makers-Splendid
improvements Made by Makers OF
the Silent Steed.
Copyright, S0G.)

the estimates of Recognized AUTHORITIES
show that in 1896 there viii he manu-
factured not less than ,250.0o0 bicycles,
of which fully one half will be wCmen's-
The estimated value of the output will
be about $50, 000,0G0, showing an aver
age decline in price AID indicating also
general Improvement, chiefly in the cheaper
wheels. That is, that the SlOo wheel
remains nearer its former standard than
the SEQ or SO wheel.
The manufacturers VIII average IN ther
output an equal number Of mems and
women's bicycles, although In the west lcr
the first time in the history Of bicycling
one manufacturer VIII devote himself eN-
-cluslyely To wheels for women only, and
expects 10 turn oUt 10000 cycles. Some
of the greater bicycle firms in the country
will manufacture as high as 40 ma
chimes; others viii run as low as 5000.
IT may bc just as Well to state mere
that there is absolutely no truth in the
statement periodically set afloat in The
newspapers that some particular Ilrm IS
TO manufacture Il million cycles at $50
apiece
Tnis isa mischicvous sandmiSlcadingStatc-
ment, calculated 10 cause tie wull-nfOrmcd
To griCyc. A coed bicycle can he bought
in this year of grace toT $50, and not for
much less than that. Tic output OF bicycles
cyclists in America to rciwCen 1000 Geo
and 8 1000. .G0G. An IDEA Of tie enormous
gro with of cycling may be Chtalncd by com
paringt he output Of % Cf6O0 .O0O, of which
but onc-fiftt were for women. with the
million and Cuarter for So, of which one
half are for women. The League of Amer
lean Whccmcn is row an organization of
1 900 members. or these 1l,G0O are
from New York State alone, and 200 OF
the league membe rshp are women, 4 gain
of so in one year The first ten States
inthc league in theordcr of their representa-
ton are New York, Massachusetts, Penn
sylyani.I New Jersey. Ohio. Missouri.
Illinois, Wisconsin, California and Con-
necticut.
In the South the largest representation
is i'm the District OF Columbia. owing TO the
popularity cycling has attained in Wash
ington, that city OF coed streets. After
the District of Columbia come Kentucky,
Mississippi. and Alabama.
IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES.
The SO bicycles show many improve
ments and clever inventions. One promi-
nent feature OF the SO wheel is the larger
tubing. one and one-eighth inch being used,
an increase over the haf-inch tubing of
two years ago. The advantage OF the
new tubing is that it makes a stronger
and lighter wheel. two important points
at perfection.
There is great tendency toward lighter
wheels. Racing wheels will weigh from
IS to Is pounds; American road wheels
% to % pounds. and women's wheels viii
average 20 pounds. the first time they
have been made so light, as they have
heretofore weighed from - To % rounds.
One rather remarkable feature impossible
tooveriookis tina about half Of the women's
wheels TO he made this year will he Of the
diamond frame pattern. The blOomcr
Is abroad in the land, and lovely woman
is no longer wedded TO the drop frame.
Some high cycling authorities are re
sponsible for the statement that no woman
who ever rides a diamond frame will
afterwards use the drop frame. As for
the mount, that may be a matter of taste.
"A new and striking invention for BIZ
cycles in the 90 market said Dixie
Hines, the well-known cycling authority,
lis the double quint, made for ten riders on
one machine. This, Of course, can only be
used on straightruaIS, as it cannot he turned
on third Of a mile track. The double
| quint is intended for straight away rae
| ing, and although its possibilities have not
yet been tested, il is claimed that faster
| mile than ever was before accomplished can
! be made by its Use. Experts say that it
| will make mile in thirty seconds, thus eN-
| ceiling both steam and electricity. The
! Gently thrown I'm making the turn on the
| third of n mile track in California.
| Another innovation is that III tandem rid
| ing the woman now sits in the rear. instead
! OF in the front as formerly. The reason
| is that it is thOucht better for the man to
| steer. Still another novelty is the new
double drop frame tandem for women, Il
| novelty in tandemS intended to aCcommO-
date two friends who wish TO take 4
| spin together. 1t is adapted either for
| skirts or boomers, and is destined TO be
| So fayOrite, as it is manufactured in
| response to a demand. The list Of wheels
| as ii stands now is the single, tandem,
triplet quad, quint, sextuplet and double
quint.
What we may have next know not
| When such a machine al the double quini
| was absolutely undrcamed of two years
| ago, there is no telling where we may end
The future Of bicycle racing in America
is beyond prediction. Over 700 professional
racing cyclists are on the road this year
and the bicycle races at the Olympic games
in Greece and the international races iI