Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-09
FEATs ON THE WHEEL.
Some Fancy Exercises That Give Riders
Confidence.


Confidence
From the European Edition of the New
York Herald.
DO think trick riding is worth know
ing?" said M. Germaux, head teacher at
Guyenets establishment, the other day.
YES certainly. Because whatever tends
to give confidence to the rider is a distinct
advantage in guiding his own bicycle, as
well as helping others who may be under
his care. More than this, trick riding is
an accomplishment which, like anything
else, is pleasure BILE to the extent one
studies it.
Now, very many fail in trick riding,
said M. Germaux, because they neglect
a very simple step, and that is in KNOWN g
the principle of mounting bicycle. Look
at any one mounting when the machine
/ is at a standstill and you will see what 1
mean. Stand at the side directly oppo-
site the sprocket wheel, or II you like,
the movement pedolier. The feet must be
at right angles and the body close up TO
the machine. In this way the body is
supporte'.- against all possible swerves,
and on this account mounting is easy and
graceful, and also dismounting, which is
on the same principle, Is equally So.
Again, 1 insist on pupils learning to
mount from the right hand side as well as
the left. After these preliminary studies
one may begin trick riding.
lone of the incest feats to begin with
is what is known a the plongeon. To do
this mount, say, from the left side, the
bicycle being at a standstil1, the pedal
up and the right foot close to the center
of the machine and at right angles to II.
The left foot rests on the pedal, and as
the machine moves fling the right leg
over the saddle and take your seat. This
is the first preparatory step.
"This being learned, begin as before,
but on the pedal turning support the
hi OH do Of
the saddle with the right leg behind the
left, which is pedaling all the time After
one revolution of the pedal take your
seat.
1.-THE next step is the same as before,
only let the pedal make two revolutions
before taking your seat and this last is
the movement called the plongeon. 1t is
a pretty movement and unaccompanied
by danger
Another trick which the young fellows
are seen constantly trying to do in the
Bots is to stop the machine, turn the
front wheel at an angle Of As degrees,
and balance yourself without falling
from the machine. 1t takes pupil
usually some time to learn this, and 1t
is really not easy to acquire.
M. Germaux then gave some illustra-
lions of his skill The finest feat was dis
mounting by the pedal with one hand
on the handle bar and subsequently
mounting in the reverse way. Next:
When the bicycle was moving at fair
speed, riding with the feet over the han
die bar instead of the hands.
The third feat was to dismount by
throwing the leg over the guidon and
leaping forward and to the side.
Next came leaping over the saddle from
the side, all the weight being thrown on
the handle bar.
One of the most snowy feats was leap
ing over the bicycle standing from be-
hind the rear wheel and leaping for
ward clear over the handle bar. This
was the way it was done: The rider,
while the machine was in motion, leaped
OF slipped back, alighting on the ground
a cheval in the ordinary way of slipping
from the saddle. Then from this posi-
ton, a eheval, or with the legs on each
side of the Wheel the leap is made clear
over the saddle and guidon, alighting d.
rectly in front of the machine.
The next movement was when the ma
chine was in motion. leaning backward
so that the body was nearly horizontal
and the feet under the guide bar. Lastly
came the Jockey" trick and jerking the
front wheel violently so as to bring 1t
clear of the ground at an angle of about
As degrees. The bicycle moves on the
rear wheel for about the distance Of ten
meters Sometimes fifteen meters may
be covered in this way, but under any
circumstance 1t is more difficult to go at
all than it would seem at first sight.