Evening star., 1896-10-20
THE cHA1NLEss BICYCLE.
An English Critic Comments Favor
ably on the Latest Invention.


An English Critic Comments Favor
ably ON the; Latest Invention.
The London Field has the following to
say upon the chainless bicycle manufac-
tured in France and experimental with by
Rivierre, the French racing man, in short
and long distance races: When it is
necessary to locate the seat of the develop
ment Of power ina bicycle at point re-
mote from that ofits application. much of
the success of he'design depends upon the
means by which fhe power is transmitted.
In the old high bicycle the power acted
directly, but, though there were manifest
advantages in this method, it was one
which did not lena itself to employment in
machines in which small wheels were used
Various contrivances have from time to
time been experimented with, but all these
oeVlces were eventually discarded in favor
OF the chain. This was at once simple, ef-
iectlVe and easy of application to the ma
chlne' whether bicycle or tricycle., and it is
no" SO universally used that 1t has come to
pe looked upon as the best communicate
VI power, SO much so that inventors have
practically ceased their efforts to discover
any superior contrfvance. 1t has been the
supJect or many improvements, and we
nave DOCK chains, roller chains, pivot
cnalns and lever chains. There is no doubt.
once satisfactorily and absorbs but a small
Iractlon or the propulsive force passing
Llrougn II, there are various objections in
herent 10 this means of transmitting power
Ihe wear Is, Of course, much more rapid
IL the cnaln be exposed to the dust and dirt
accumulated in riding. To guard against
m tnls gear cases are used. and in this coun-
try are regarded as almost Indispensable.
IN ADDITION to increasing the weight and
cost OF a bicycle, these shapeless cover
inss are great disfgurements and 1t is only
because riders have become accustomed to
them that they are tolerated
AS we nave said, all the other methods
OF transmitting power, SO far as they were
known at the time, were discarded in favor
OF the chain when, some ten or twelve
years ago, the present type of bicycle was
ADOPTED The bevel gear method Of COM
munlcat1ng power was well known, but as
iar as our knowledge goes, was the sub
Ject OF rev experiments, and was either
condemned without any fair trial of its
merits or was not regarded being capa-
PIE OF useful adaptation to a bicycle. We
remember to have seen at the Stanley show
or lSf2 chainless safety, as it was called
rms was an application of bevel gearing
but we nave not heard or seen anything
OF tne machine since. During the past two
years firm In Paris has been manufac-
turing machine known as the chainless
safety, and during the present season spe-
clal attention has been called to this by
reason OF Its having been used with sue
cess, both on the road and path, by
RlV1erre, the noted long distance French
professional rider
AS our readers are aware, we dissent al
together from the deductions it Is custom
arlly sought to make from the successes
OF racing men. as we consider them caIcu-
lated 10 mlslead and deceive those who re-
quire bicycles for other purposes II Is
permissible. however, to draw certain con-
clusions from phenomenal feats not so
much with the object of extolling the
merits OF machine as Of adducing testi-
mony to show that it cannot possess any
serious defect. Rivierre's great ride of Ks3
mlieS on the path in twenty-four hours
ana MS Bordeaux to Paris race when he
practically ran dead heat with the late
A. V. Linton. are incompatible with the
employment of inferior appliances, and to
that extent we are prepared to admit that
an inference may be drawn in favor of the
chainless gearing used by him on those oc-
casiOns.
"Bevel gearing is a common means of
transmitting power in many kinds of ma
chinery; and Its application to the bicycle
nfshed at each end with gear wheel the
cogs OF which are cut the bevel One
OF these engages the wheel on the pedal
sl smart, the ccgs. OF which are also cut on
the Devel, while the other engages the
wheei fixed on the axle of the driving
wheel The speeding up of the mechanism
is mainly effected by the disparity in the
size between the wheel on the pedal shaft
and that in connection with it, but a yaria-
ton in the sizes of the other wheels causes
sHght additional gearing up. The hollow
shtit runs upon pan bearings situated
under the gear wheels at either end A
means CT adjustment is provided to take
up any looseness that may arise from wear
"A plentiful supply or special prepa ra ton
having the appearance of crude yaseline
is placed on the wheels. and this acts as
permanent lubricant The gear presents
particularly neat appearance. This is due
10 the iact that the stay on the right hand
SIDE or the machine passes through the
hollow revolving shaft. So perfectly is the
idea worked out that many people are at a
loss TO comprehend how the communication
between the pedals and wheels is effected
we have had the opportunity of trying
the cha1nIess gearing on light machine of
french construction. The ingenious sim
pilcity with which 1t has been applied can
not fall to please the eye, and on this ac-
count alone 1t is sure to prove attractive
There Is no emission of oil to soil the dress
and attract the dust, and the ease with
winch 1t can be cleaned will commend il
to many. A couple of weeks riding has i'm
pressed us very favorably with its merits
and as far as that experience permits us to
form an opinion we have no reason to re-
gard the chainiess gearing as in any re-
spect inferior to the chain. The gear we
used was about 10-inch, AMI 1t seemed
quite capable of developing any speed re-
quired with no more than the customary
persuasion. We rode up Woodcock Hill
near Barnet, with as much ease as we haye
ever ascended 1t on a machine Of equal
gear, so we do not think it will exhibit auv
deficiency as hil-ciimber. The questions
of weight and cost often determined the
fate of useful devices, but in the case of
the chainlcss gear we assured that the
machine complete will not cost more than
chain-driven safety Of equal quality that
is furnished with gear case, nor will it
weigh more"