New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-30


TO dismount at and make an examination.
H. for instance, tack has been picked up, IL
is possible nay, even probable. that few revo-
buttons Of the wheel may the point to pen
citrate the inner side of the tire and be the cause
OF additional trouble Not long ago man found
his rear tire going down. but rode on several rods
until II was too fat to use longer. He found the
cause OF the trouble was q piece of wire about
an inch long. driven in almost its entire length.
He was able 10 repair the puncture so that not
particle of air escaped Ground the plug he had
inserted. but still the tire would not stay VI.
After pumping II hard possible he was abe
to ride only little way. Fortunately, there was
a repair shop within half mile, and when tho
tire was put in water bLhbles of air came out
freely from the side next the rim. The point OF
the wire had. In fact, been damned against the
inner side number Of times and given sponSy
character to an area of appreciate size. 1t TOOK
all the plugs there the shop and all Iii"
rider carried in his kit to make that spot whole.
and a piece of tire tape had to be used in add-
ton So that the wheelman could ride the twenty
miles that lay between him and his home
In inserting a plug 1t is generally supposed
that the head must go in first. so as to leave
the stem sticking out. and various devices have
been invented 10 make this easy. or at least
practicable As a matter Of fact. it is not neces-
sary at all. provided piece of stout thread or
Irvine is fastened to the stem Of the plug. The
frs; thing to he done in repairing puncture
is to burn hole with a piece of wire that needs
to be red hot to do the work properly. The tire
should be blown UP full as can be convenient
" done then when the puncture is located"
apply. the hot Wine quickly and with firm hand
at exactly the right place Have care not to
put IL in too far OF there will be danger Of i'm
pairing the inner side of the tire. The wire
must be withdrawn Immediately, for defation
will at once occur. and if the wire is not
.,,1o I'd in1f1 IL b hot hl
brought into contract with the other part
~ the tire With the small hole thus
made in plain sight. it is easy to get
the plug in place. Let the stem. with a piece OF
linen thread attached. be thrust in. the entire
plug having first been literally covered with
rubber solution, and then the head can he easily
pushed through without the of any special
APPARATUS. Holding fast to the thread II is a
simple matter to turn the plug around and with
draw the stem. A further application of cement
is advisable: and it should always be remein-
bered that this material has to be exposed TO
the air for some little time before its sickness
is well developed. 1t Is not a bad idea to wait
two or three minutes before pulling the plug
into its final place Then. after holding il firm
Iy until the cement has time to set the tire
can be pumped up, and the result Of the repair
tested. II is well. II possible, TO WASH Inc pug
with naphtha benZine before putting on the
cement. and If naphtha can also be used TO
cleanse the inside OF the tire around the punct-
ured place the chances Of a good repair VIII he
improved man of large experience IN these
matters says the two things of importance in
''plugging' 10 make everything as cream as
possible and to plenty of gum.
4 desirable Improvement which will be appre
ciated by many Brooklyn riders has just been
corlDleted-the LAYING Of asphalt on jefferson
ave between Bedford and Nostrand aves This
work has been done at the expense Of the city
at largc-not in the usual way, by levying one
half of the cost the owners of the abutting
property. Under law Of 1880 the City Works
Commissioner is authorized with the consent Of
the Mayor 10 put down asphalt pavements for
the purpose of connecting thoroughfares The
St Mark's-ave. pavement. recently completed.
was laid under this law. BY paving one block
in Jefferson-ave.. the smooth pavement east of
Nosirand-ave. has now been connected with Bed
ford ave, the great highway to the Park for
large part of the city. Riders going west on
Hancock St have been in the habit Of turning
south for block at Nostrand-av TO reach
the asphalt on Hasey-st.. or they could go
straight ahead over granite blocks to Bedford
ave The short block on Nostrand- ave. Is paved
with cobbestones and filled with carIracks.
Now these riders by turning through Throop-
ave to Jefferson-aVe.. may 20 all the way on
asphalt TO Bedford-ave.. barring ugly crossings
at Tompkins and NOstrand ayes, which viii in
time be remedied.
man making fast time seen riding
few days ago with his handlc-bar reversed. mat
is. the grips. instead OF pointing toward him.
were projecting out in front Of the machine
Probably he had made the change simply 10 give
his hands new position and rest. Whether
he had simply swung the wheel around or not
could not be determined by a passing glance
This can be done with most wheels, provided
the handles are high enough to pass over the
upper bar OF the frame, but there is sense or
awkwardness i'm riding in that fashion. though
1t is not difficult might be supposed. The
tire is brought close to the lower bar OF the
diamond, and as the motion Of the wheel is re-
versed ones cyclometer registers the wrong
way With an adjustable handle bar the re-
verse position can be assumed without turning
the front wheel and it is possible that the
change might be a good thing for short time.
One would scarcely care to maintain il for more
than five minutes. IL would SEEM and 10 make
the change for so short time could hardly be
worth while Many riders complain Of numb
ness in the hands after riding some time. and 1t
seems plain tina, the ideal handle bar in this
respect has not been devised. or maybe, the
fault is in the grips. Every knows how he
frequently wishes to change the position of the
hands to prevent that tired feeling" which is
so unpleasant Rarely. however, do the feet
perience a sensation Of numbness. which shows
that the natural position in which they are kept
is desirable thing.
An account recently given in The L. a. w.
RuIIctin" of trip from Boston through the White
Mountains attracted the attention Of a rider In
this city who has been contemplating such trip
some time in the future. The writer In The Bul-
letin" only gave the names Of the places ne passed
through and the distances between them Wish
ing 10 learn something about the condition OF the
roads. the New-YOrk rider wrote to him asking
for more definite information The answer when
he received from New-Hampshire contains some
facts of general interest 10 those who are contem
plating tours and wish TO explore most attrac-
tive region. From Boston 20 Concord. \. H.,
writes the New Hampshire man, you VIII ma
very good wheeling, with some short stretches Of
sand; from Concord ~ Laconia. some sandy, La
coma TO Plymouth Door. hills. above Plymouth