Evening star., 1896-12-12
SOM CYCLE CHAT

There ire a number of accidents out OF
the ordinary happening to bicycle that
taxes the riders ingenuity to the utmost.
When such an accident occurs within a
short distance of a city the Inconvenience
is comparatively nothing compared to that
when one occurs many miles out in the
country, far from a railroad. If the rider is
not possessed Of enough ingenuity he is
obliged to resort to the "Shank's mare
method of locomotion, and push his wreck
in the bargain. A case in point is given
by Mr.. c. c. Messinna of this city, who
said to a Star reporter:
while riding last Saturday 1 got a slit
in a new tire and could not mend 1t, and II
being too far to walk home I was COM
peled to resort to ingenuity. l did not wish
to spoil my new tire, and SO took 1t off.
cut saping to fit in the groove of my
RIM, which l strapped with about fifty feet
Of belt lacing which l carried with me, and
rode hcme without damage to my new rim.
If had been near enough to a farm house
to get a barrel hoop or stave it could have
been slit in two and answered better"
This Is new method. Some time ago a
story was published in The Star Of the ex-
ploits of Mr.. Mcintyre, visiting journal
ist who rode to Brandywine, and whose
tire was cut in so many pieces as to be-
come useless for riding. The roads were
tco bad to ride on the rim alone, SO Mr.
Mcintyre secured a thick rope and fastened
1t In the groove Of the rim, and rode home
In that manner. 1t answered the purposa
but the ease and comfort of riding was far
different to that when using a pneumatic
tire.
There Is no limit to the style and va
rfety OF punctures. The tires become punc-
tured from some causes that seem almost
impossible, and yet there is all the evidence
to bear 1t out. A thorn is a common thing
for puncture out on the road and the
~ a
tree. about 2 quarter of an inch in diam
eter, which went through tire. Glass al
ways was an enemy to the tire and vet.
strange as 1t may seem, a wheelman may
and escape without a puncture while in
another case he may run over q single
piece OF glass, less than q thirty-second Of
work. " w INC
There are number of cases on record
where punctures were caused by stones.
tnough the vast majority of punctures are
due to nails and tacks There have been
tack being forced through the tire until
the head only is visible. Some riders hay
carried tacks in this manner in their tires
Tor some time without being aware of the
iact 80 long as the tack is in place there
is very little leakage of air. as the noint
or the tack pierces the rubber tire and does
not make jagged entry. II out on the
ROAD and tack Is discovered In the tire
! ssAS OSot ouNiCc 10 CO let II remain there
especially II you have no repair kit 1t will
90 no harm in Its place, all of the harm
already being done. and by permitting the
tack to remain in place some walking NAV
he saved.
Going over horseshoes Is another method
OF causing punctures, and there is a case
on record where q rider ran over the hall
bent point of q Eail in a horseshoe ana
forced the whole thing through the tire
the horseshoe being caught up and carried
| around the tread Of the tire until forced
| out by striking the forks. 1t will be re.
membered that at the last cycle show 9
punctured wheel was shown where a wire
nail. probably three inches long. had gone
| straight through the tire. and the force OF
| the riders weight was sufficient to drive Il
clear through the wooden rim, projecting
nearly half an inch on the other end
Strange to say, the tire held air almost az
good as q sound tire, even with the mai
IN place. There have been more than one
accident OF this sort since the show.
| queer puncture was caused on the Conduit
road last Sunday. A safety pin was picked
i up by the rear tire. and the point Of the
| pin, clear to the turn, forced in the tire
| puncturtng both sides of the inner tube
How the safety pin was lying as to be
picked up In such q manner cannot be de.
| term.ned.
/ On the avenue last Sunday afternoon 3
/ stately-lcoklng old man, perhaps seventy.
| five years OF Rge, was seen riding bicycle
He was sitting AZ erect as statue, and