The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-05-26
PEDAL MOUNT Is HARMFUL
1t IL Very Racking on the Light Bicycle
and Should be Avoided

1t 1s Very Hacking on the Light Btcyc
and should be Avoided.
Bert White, for the benefit OF the
wheelmen, says: The pedal mount"
which is frequently used by many ride
in, is exceedingly hard on the light
weight machines now in use, and
rider who thinks anything of his bicy-
Gle will not practice il. This method
OF mounting IS by making few rapid
steps forward, stepping on the pedal as
1t is coming up, and allowing it to lift
the rider almost into the saddle. This
is likely to result in a severe side-twist
Of the frame at the bracket, and It Is
often thrown out Of line, causing the
chain to run unevenly over the sprocket
wheels. Every time the pedal mount
is attempted, even If the frame is not
twisted, the points where the ends Of
the tubing are brazed together are more
or less weakened, and some of the acct
dents caused by the breaking of the
main frame might be traced to this
source.
The requirements as regards saddle
and handle-bar adjustment for road-rid-
ing are very different from those for
track-riding, a fact disregarded by
many Of the younger generation who
he. For road-riding the front and
rear Of the saddle should be nearly on
a. level, the nose depressed a tri1e IL
anything. This, however, does not ap-
ply TO a saddle which says in the mid
die, owing TO the leather being stretch
ed or weak springs, which, by the way
should not be used at all. Practice
has shown that the best position for
the seat in front OF the post; a plumb
line from the nose OF the saddle to the
ground should intersect the crank when
in a horizontal position on the upwad
turn, about three inches from the back
OF the shaft. This puts the rider well
over the pedals, and allows him to exer:
greater power with less fatigue than
would be possible with the saddle clamp
ed on behind the post. The elevation
Of the seat should be such that the
rider may easily reach the pedal with
his heel when the crank is at its lowest
position. But for riding in a billy
country 1t is well to place the saddle
little lower than this. a low seat is
not adapted 10 very fast riding A wheel
man should acustom himself to riding
the pedals" as much as possible, allow
ing only a part Of his weight 10 bear
upon the saddle. This lessons the liza
binty of injury from poorly construct
ed saddle, and is altogether the most
comfortable position.
With the saddle adjusted as above
described il may be found that the
grips viii strike the knees in making a |
short turn. This is avoided by bend |
ing the leg outward, allowing the end OF |
the bar TO pass in front of the knee. |
The degree Of elevation OF the handle |
bars depends upon the physique OF the |
rider, stout persons requiring a higher |
adjustment than others As a general |
thing the ends OF the bars should be |
about on a level with the saddle and |
should come closer to the body than |
those used in track racing Narrow |
handle-bars are much better for road 1
use than the very wide ones, with which |
the wheels OF q year or SO ago were |
equipped. \ bar seventeen inches from |
tip 10 tip in a straight line will be found |
about right for any except very stout |
male riders, but women should use . /
bar.
The racing man has his saddle as far
forward on the post as possible, and |
many good riders even have that part l
Of the post 10 which the saddle is claulp
ID extended TWO inches longer than the
ordinary IT, post. The nose. OF the
saddle OF a racing machine is generally |
depressed until the saddle rests at IN
angle OF nearly forty-five degrees. and
L carries only a small proportion OF
the riders weight. IL is also placed
much higher than is customary for
road riding. The racing or ram's-horn
horn handle-bars which are in general
use among "Scorchers" are placed as
low as possible in the stesring-head, |
and the grips are as low sometimes as
the bottom OF the rod OF the frame. The
=ads Of the handles are about even with
the steering-head. This enables tha
rider 10 get down 10 and over his work.
The racer on a sprint does not. as "a
supposed. pull UP on the
handles 10 gain power. On 10 con-
.rary, the pressure IS downward. At
very descent OF the pedals the rider
.hrows his whole weight On the pedal
which is descending. at the same time
pulling up with ali his force on the
,ther. the toe-clips keeping the feet at
ached TO the pedal, and the low handles
assisting him IN maintaining q position
n which he can apply his whole strength
o the best advantage
A church social win be held this even