New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-20
them. and ut night and the next day they are
aware OF having overdone the thing.

The pleasure of riding and the exhilaration OF
the exercise are such that 1t is not easy to tell
just what ones limit Of speed and distance
should be. one gets so wrought up that Fatigue
Is overcome and there is an overdraught on the
nervous forces. When man has been working
hard he has not full stock of vitality, and
should regulate his pace accordingly. Athletes
become aware when training has made
them stale" and at go easy on their exer-
else. Bicycle riders should learn To identity
these symptoms and to act accordingly some
of them find 1t best to put their wheel aside en-
tirely for one month each summer. swimming.
Yachting tennis and golf supply them sport ana
exercise meanwhile, and bicycling Is then taken
up again with renewed interest and vigor.
II was with much satisfaction that the cycling
| fraternity read of the punishment In the Court
| OF Special Sessions OF two men who had thrown
| bits OF glass on the street with the evident pur-
! pose Of causing punctures to tires. The greatest
| credit is due the wheelman who when ne cut MS
| tire on the glass. obtained evidence against the
| miscreants and appeared against them In court
| Most persons would have been content 10 menu
| the puncture charge up the trouble or expense 10
| the fortunes Of cycling and to go on about thelr
| business and pleasure. Attendance in court as
| witness with the certainty Of one or more
| adiournments of the case has no charms
| TO n busy man. While the scattering vi
| lacks and broken glass on thoroughfares much
| traversed by bicycles is Of constant occurrence
| the detection Of the offender Is extremely rare
In the nature Of the case 1t Is difficult 10 eaten
him Long Island City has a bad reputation
| among wheemer for this form Of amusement
II was noted recently over there that the space
between the- two sets of cartracKs on the Jd'hHo"
boulevard was Uttered with bits Of glass the
| TO
ire Of it Is smoother than the rest and so Is trav
elled by many New-Yorkers bound TO or from the
| good roads Of Long Island. II was TINS mucl.
| used mart that was thus adorned. while the rest
| of the roadway comparatively Tree iiUli'
| glass Chance would hardly account lot 'niS us
| trbution of the puncture- producing supSt'hceS'
In the adjustment OF a bicycle scarcely any
thing Is more important than to get the sauue
inst right. It is surprising what great differ
ence a change Of perhaps not more than an elgh'h
Of an inch. either in the height or in moving 1t
forward or backward will sometimes make. A
mistake often made especially by beginners Is IN
having the saddle too low. This make 1t neces-
sarv 10 lift the knees inordinately high, ana
causee n most awkward motion. which Is particu-
IarIv noticea BILE in women riders. Two women on
wheels were seen by the writer a few days ago
whose saddles were plainly too low; so low, IN
deed that with every revolution or the pedals
their knees were brought up to the lever OF the
handle-bar The effect was ungraceful IN the eN-
treme II Is we'll known tina. rider OF expert
erca will Mace his saddle an inch more higher
than when he began to ride. the principal reason
being that ne has learned to use his ankles with
good effect Ankle motion cannot be cultivated
too sedulously. 1t not only makes graceful RID
ing by enabling the saddle TO be placed hlgh
and keeping the knees down. but II gives ADDED
power IN hi-cmbing and In back-pedalllnR
The general principle is that the saddle should De
placed as high as 1t can be without discomfort
hut with a saddle too high the rider Is subject 10
an uncomfortable strain that may prove IN
furious.
It is surprising to see THE l.. A. w Bulletin
give the heartest Endorsement to a plan for tax
ing bicycles After quoting article from THE
Beacon" CBoson). it says: "All of the above sug-
gestions are good, and without exception, have
been vigorously preached by The L. A. w Bulle-
tin for long time and with good results" One
Of the above suggestions given in this
language: THE simple facts are that the bicycle
IS n vehicle AS such. It should be taxed" Why
should the bicycle be taxed when other vehicles
are not? If general vehicle tax were established
the proper basis would be to impose taxes ac-
cordng to the amount of damage which they
cause to highways No other equitable arrange
ment has been suggested. The lishtest car
riage then should bear a tax a least one hun
dred times that imposed on bicycle and heavy
dray Ole fully thousand times greater. with
such a system it is not probable that any wheel
man would object TO paying any tax that might
be imposed. To tax bicycles, which do no harm
but rather good to roads. and let other vehicles
which wear out roads rapidly go untaxed would
be preposterous. 1t is to he presumed that the
Editor OF THE Bulletin" did not read with care
the article he reprinted and approved without
qualification
Wheelmen who have used adjustable handle
bars are as a rule of the opinion that they are
an improvement on stationary bars. In taking
a long ride 1t is a great relief to make a slight
change in the height of the handles after several
hours in one position. and this can be done in
twenty or thirty seconds by the turning of
nut Again If one finds himself compelled to
face a strong wind he will be able to do his
work more easily II with the slightest effort he
Is able to lower his handle-bar an inch or two.
so as TO lean and get less or the force or the
wind Sometimes I'm these conditions 1t is we'll
to raise the seat somewhat in addition to lower
ing the bar so as to throw more of the weight on
the hands In fastening the bar 1t Is important
to set the nut securely. for II the bar gets loose
and gives way under the weight or the rider, ne
may find 1t awkward If not dangerous
Afhough the projected cycle path between
Patchogue and Port jefferson has proved a
failure there Is one path across country on Long
Island that wheemen find or decided Denenl.
Formerly the only way to get from the south
side TO the north near the middle OF the Island
was over the road between Westhampton ana
Riverhead-a road largely composed or sand
which could not be ridden. All the roads In that
region are of the same character, and several
miles of walking was necessary for any one VINO
essaved the trip in ordinary weather. NOW
there is a fairly rdable path from Passport 10
Riverhead and can make the circuit or
nt,ch :
This pa tn is not in ideal condition, but II can
all be ridden, with the exception or two or three
places where there are sharp descents Al ,hrse
rpiaces signs of danger are displayed, and the
cautious rider dismounts and walks down ana
up. The danger lies in the fact that the pain IS
narrow and il one gets up much speed III sun
No. H.