The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-10
BICYCLE VS.. EXPRESS.
A Wheel to Speed Against the Empire
Limited.
MOST DARING OF ALL ACHIEVEMENTS
On the Rubber Tire-Six Riders and g
Gear of I53.

On the Rubber Tire-six Riders and a
Gear of 153.
Is it really possible for the bicycle to
beat railroad train? This would he the
highest achievement of all for the wheel,
and six strong lunged and muscular leg
ged riders will next season endeavor to
accomplish it. They will be speeded
against the Empire State express on new
sextet wheel which has been built.
1t is big contract to run away from
the fastest moving train on the earth.
Bicycle people, however, the practical
manufacturers no less than the general
wheel enthusiasts, believe that the rubber
heeled steed can be built to get over
ground more rapidly than any other ami
mate or inanimate thing that moves.
A highly important factor in this race
will be the track. This will be built as
smooth and level as human ingenuity can
make it in order to give the riders equal
chances with the iron horse. The COM
pany of cycle manufacturers who have
built this wheel will be ready before the
1st of May. Then they will throw down
their gauntlet to the giant of the rails for
a half mile DASH
The bicycle that has been thus named is
said to be the largest in the world. It's
length over all is IS feet, and its water
line,' or wheel base is something under "a
foot less. It weighs 1917 pounds, giving
each rider about % pounds in addition to
his own weight to propel. The wheels
have only two inches more of diameter
than those of the average bicycle-that u.s.
they are so inches across. The tires
said to be the largest ever made. They
are pa inches in diameter. And the gear,
wherein lies the secret of its phenomenal
velocity, has been compounded to 153.
Think of it, ye bicyclers, geared at 15S!
iS "a eli hal fol
the whole tale, at least to experts. To the
lay mind, however, these few figures fail
to explain just why the machine is re-
garded by many people who examined it
at tho late bicycle show as one of the great
mechanical marvels of the age. What
gives it its extraordinary speed, when
mounted by expert riders, is its wonderful
gear. 1t is q compound gear, constructed
with four driving sprockcts. The largest
sprocket, the one nearest to the rear wheel,
has 2S teeth; the next largest has %, the
third IA and the smallest driving sprocket
teeth. To calculate the gear you must
multiply the product of the two large
sprockets by the diameter of the wheel.
Then you divide this by the product of the
two smaller sprockets, and you have as the
gear 153
When you are told that it is impossible
to construct any form of vehicle propelled
by man power that will exceed tho maxi
mum of speed of the sextet, you are natu-
rally disposed to question the accuracy of
the statement and to argue that if six men
can manipulate q machine that goes in
finitely faster than a wheel mounted by g
single rider, therefore an apparatus de-
signed for ten men must be correspond
ingly more rapid than the sextet. The
inventor of the Empire express rival de-
clares that yo= are wrong and demon
Strates its technicality.
To mi IL iG mn IN
machine for more than six men that will
not lose in velocity for each added saddle
or sprocket beyond six. He has tried il,
he says, and finds that any further extern
sion of the length between the wheels
makes it absolutely unreliable. 1t will
wabble, he declares, beyond any possibility
to prevent. To correct this wabbling re-
quires such an extreme speed that it is
impossible to get a gear high enough to
effect the necessary velocity. Therefore
tho man who designed the bicycle built for
six believes he has struck the nail on the
head, and that it is not in human nature
to outclass his machine.
The inventors of the sextet declare that
no expense has been spared in perfecting
the design of this wheel. They say that
the pneumatic tires alone cost 5000, being
made with rubber walls three-quarterS of
an inch thick, leaving an air chamber one
inch in diameter, made to Withstand an
air pressure of 62O pounds to the square
inch.
The six riders will be men of even
weight, about 145 pounds. The track will
be about six miles of a straightaway road,
parallel with the route Of the New York
Centrars flier. There is such a level
stretch a short distance west of Albany,
and if the ground can be secured the track
will be laid out there.
Six straight miles at least are necessary.
It is estimated that it will require at least
two miles for the sextet to get properly
started, and that after the half milo has
been run against the express train from
three and half to four miles will have to
be gone over before the sextet can be stop
ped.
The riders will be supplied with pat
ent breathing apparatus attached to an air
chamber, from which each man, having
his nose and mouth closed off against the
wind, will be obliged to respire from start
to finish.
The inventor believes the sextet can
cover a mile in 35 seconds. If it can, it
will stand fair chance of winning the
race.-New York World.
Her Double on Canvas.