The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-30
DEPARTMENT STORES
BICYCLE NEWS AND GOSSIP.

Last weeks issue Of Wheel Talk.
Chicago trade paper, contains we'll
writtenarticle by Andrew NJ. Fine of
the Green Ridge wheelmen. this city.
on the foolishness of dealers In running
down the wheels handled by their COM
petitors instead Of dwelling on the good
points of their own. Mr. Fine contends
that the dealer advertlses his competi-
tors wheel by constantly comparing 1t
to the wheel he Is trying to sell the
customer. although he only speaks Of
it's weak points" The writer fully
agrees with the Green Ridge man,
having heard several complaints from
people who were looking at the many
good wheels handled In our city before
purchasing-to the effect that some Of
the dealers bored them with harrow
ing tales of how many Of such ard such
wheels were continually breaking down
miles from home, compelling the riders
to walk. or how anxious rome fellow
was to trade in his "9S'' winner" at
terrible sacrifice. and also that this
and that $50 called high grade" wheel
Is only worth fifty dollars, etc. About
the only thing such dealers have to
say about their own wheel Is IT'S the
only bicycle made worth 500, and II
That's about all they can say, for ns
rule such dealers don't know the good
points of their own wheel, If they have
any. Statesmen should not bore GUS
toners with such tales. The customer
wants to know something about the
wheel he has come to see, and not about
the other fellows wheel.
The Syracuse seXtuplet is on exhibi-
tion at Bittenberder and Co.'S bicycle
department on Spruce street. This ma
chine was built by the Syracuse BIZ
cycle company in October last for the
| express purpose of pacing Hamilton
| the great rider for records and paced
| him when he rode the fastest mile ever
| ridden on a bicycle, in the remarkable
time of 1.39 2-5 The fastest mile ever
| made by the seXtuplet on circular
| track was 1.25 The six men who
ride this immense mach,na-wh,ch
weighs 100 pounds and is gaared to 140-
average $50 pounds in weight The cap
tain Of the team who mans the machine
is big Bob Terrill, who weighs 210
pounds and does the steering. which by
the way is a very difficult feat. The six
men who ride it are western wheelmen,
and are among the best riders in the
country. vet 1t required three weeks
hard practice for them to learn to ride
and balance 1t properly Each of the
five rear riders must place his head
on the shoulder of the man in front,
and the pedallng must be with the ut
most precision to attain the highest
possible speed.
J. b. Cosser Of last years Scranton
Bicycle club racing team, but now OF
the University of Pennsylvania won a
final heat in the mile intercollagate bi-
cycle championship at Manhattan
Beech last Wednesday. but was not
given the race because the riders loafed
and did not get inside the time limit
placed on the race. Johnnie was un.
fortunate In the second final, and failed
to repeat the performance, being un.
able to get O place.
The wheelmen in general suffer much
condemnation on account Of that much
undesired member of the fraternity
commonly known as the "scorcher.'
AS - rule the "scorcher' Is rot the mos
accomplished rider In his locality, ant
does not display an unusual degree o
skill In his manner Of riding, Any ont
who can ride wheel, can push" Il