The record-union., 1896-01-04
WHERE Do BICYCLES GO 5?
Another Million to be Put On the
Market This Year.
Riders Who Even Brave the Snow
storms of the Frozen East
on Their Wheels.
(From Cycle Topics. }

| self frequently is: Where do all the
1 old machines go tor As a matter of
fact it is almost impossible to keep track
of the antiquated affairs which saw SER
vice five or six years ago. They are
now being used in the backwoods settle
ments, and as they can be purchased
| for a song, the farmers take as much
enjoyment out of the high-wheelers as
any city boy ever did Down South, too,
there are many ordinary bicycles rid
den, mostly by the negroes, however,
but there is a certain white element
which make use of them in the sections
where good roads prevail. To be sure
many of the bicycles built five years
age have been banged around until
! they are unfit for further duty, and find
/ their last resting place with the junk
dealer. In Washington, the city which
| is known for it's remarkable smooth
pavements, many machines of ancient
type are now being propelled over the
asphalt. Many of the old-timers drift
into that city. There are more anti
! quated wheels ridden in Washington
than any other city in the country.
New figures for the mile tandem rec
ord were made at Cheyenne, Wyo., re-
Gently by John Green and Charles Frs
well. who rode a flying start mile in
| 1:17. 1t was a remarkable performance,
and the fastest mile ever wheeled by
human beings. The riders had the wind
in their favor and had an excellent
course
The difficulty aroused by Chairman
Gideon's proclamation, which was to
the effect that Messrs. Murphy, Titus
and Cabanne were forever expelled
| from competing in a race meet, over
which the L. A. w. has jurisdiction,
must have been conclusion arrived at
by Mr. Gideon only after due delibera-
tion. With other members of the Rae
ing Board Mr.. Gideon gave the evidence
considerable attention, and that he ex-
PEELED is pretty good evidence that the
suspicious of the board and their sub
sequent action were justifiable under
the circumstances. Still there may
have been a mistake, and, it is said,
the courts will settle that little cues
ton.
Cycling during the winter months
may have it's disadvantages, but the
wheelman who is hardy enough to plug
along over the snow and ice is repaid for
his efforts by enjoying the best of
health. To see the riders scurrying
along with the thermometer at zero and
few inches of snow on the ground
gives the weaker hearted wheelman a
chill, and he watches the form of the
cycler disappear in the storm with ad-
miration. 1t takes clear grit to get out
on winters day and cover miles
awheeL The air never seems colder,
and up into the icy blasts he goes with
the wind almost strong enough to i'm
pede his progress. Falls are many but
the snow is soft and the wheelmen mind
it not. One class of riders who wheel
during the cold months are the messen-
ger boys, and their interest in the wheel
at this period of the year is peculiarly
a pecuniary one. Since the bicycle has
| become more or less adopted by the
messenger service, the little chap who
| is without means. to procure a bicycle
is distinctly out of it. His more pros
! porous comrades whirl away on mid
night errands with the swiftness of the
wind, and become SO adept and speedy
that many good racing men will result
from this corps of riders in a few
years. One of the fastest road riders in
New York State, and a boy who is not
yet Is, got his first exercise and speed
while still in the service Of the Western
Union. He was always first at the fac
tory of a big cycle manufacturer and
was subsequently employed by him as
office boy. Now that youngster holds
the State road record and is also a
speedy one on the track. These are the
boys who have the courage to wheel
when the snow is a foot deep, and de-
spite the biggest blizzards never relin-
quish their wheels to go abroad on foot.
Determined indeed are they, and many
q man looks after their diminutive fg-
ures to ponder over the nerve of boys
who ride when it seems that they must
freeze to their seats. Inventors have
already gotten in their work with pat
ents for use on wheels over the snow
Gloved handle bars are the latest, and
they assist in a large degree in keeping
the fingers warm. Success to the fellow
who has the fortitude to wheel in win
ter.
1t has been estimated that the total
output of the bicycle factories during
the season of '96 will aggregate 1000,
600 wheels. This may seem consider
able when the fact comes to mind of the
number of new and also anticipated
wheels that are known to be in Amer
lea to-day. Yet this number may be
even increased by thousands. for new