The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-02
TO SAIL ON 4 BICYCLE
Possible to Equip the Wheel
Like a Ship.
WINGS OF WHITE SILK
Fastened to Bamboo Poles. the Sails
Are Run UP and Down as the
Wind May Turn-They Make
Wheels the Ideal LocomOtiOn for
Sultry Day.

There Is activity at the sailmakers',
though this is the season when all sails
should be finished and floating the blue
horizon.
This unwonted activity is caused by tie
sudden appcarance of the bicycle sail,
out of win ch has sprung demand for sails,
unprecedented even in cup years.
The bicycle sail is a little affair. 1t is
made OF duck or saiioloth, and its dimen-
siobs are a little more than yard square.
But its making lakes many people; FOR eact
bicycle that is turned out must have q SAL
prepared FOR IL; and the getting ready OF
thousands of little ones takes more time
than the preparation OF few large ones
The bicycle sail is preferably OF duck
There. is a fine quality OF this material
that is light and much favored for sails
Sa,Icloth is considered too coarse for most
sportspeople, except few that are go
ing to use their sails for desperately hard
work.
WHITTIER THAN SNOW.
The best material is what is known as
silk duck 1t is white duck, with fine
silk finish. 1t is very glossy and spotiess
white. The peculiar exquisite whiteDess
gwen to expensive sails can be'imparted
to this white silk duck, until it is a snowy
beauty.
In getting up the bicycle sails the makers
thereof Ia We the same difficulty complained
Of by the makers OF ships sails. The de-
mand is all for the exquisiteiy white sails
yet the process of making them thus is so
expensive that few want to pay the cost.
To get that Dazzling white there must be
the utmost care not to inlure the gCois.
This makes the saii-ciOth expensive
The cost OF white sails for bicycle comes
to something like So. II you are contented
with a good quality and a fairly white sail.
IL sou want the silk finish and the dazzling
white, you must pay for it fully twice
as much.
The manner Of rigging these sails TO
bicycle may be accomplished III one of two
ways. The sail can be raised from the
back OF the machine and allowed to blow
front. or it can be raised in front OF the
riders by coming up from the handle bars
and being supported on tai spars.
Many riders like better the sail that
rises from behind. Though not so pretty,
because it cannot be seen from the front,
IL is easier to manage. The high front sail
throws the center OF gravity little out,
making it hard for any but expert riders
to manage it. But with the sail in the rear
the sail itself Is flung to the breeZes lower
and does not as greatly increase the diff
Guilty of riding.
Sail OF duck is raised upon light spar.
Bamboo is the usual material This Is very
light. vet tough enough To fulfill its mis-
sion OF supporting the weight OF the sail
Upon a sail OF, say Il yard square, there is
not u great deal OF pull and the bamboo
easily supports it.
Tue spars themselves are very orna-
mental. All things about bicycle are
purposeiy made to please the eye and the
bamboo sticks are shaded stripes and
white to meet all tastes.
HARD TO MANAGE.
In rigging UP a bicycles sails there is
u great deal OF care necessary. \ person
not an expert, starting off swiftly upon
4 wheel rugged with sails OF his own max
ing, would undoubtedly get fall Of the
most sensational description. His sails
being raised TOO high would carry bin
along at Il topheavy pace and he would
he unable TO keep back his machine by
back pedalling, or any OF the arts known
to the wbeelInan More than that, it
would throw him forward upon his wrists
in a frantic effort to keep his seat. Aud
the result would TIE awkward, even il he
escaped calamity.
y sail expert raises the sails to CORE
spond with the rider. a stout person
can have the salts high without fear Of be-
ing topheavy. lighter one must lower
them. Upon a tandem they can he placed
as you please, the tandem is heavy
enough To hold its balance and the sails
can he set in the pretty fashion suggested
by many sailmn kers, of one little lower
than the other. This presents a fine APP
pearance as the machine approaches at
full pace with the riders gently moving
their feet and keeping the balance.
Sails for a bicycle are very nice things,
indeed. and seem particularly adapted
to 1t. For example, on hot day, when
IL is an exertion to work the pedals, the
salts will carry the machine along well
They can be adjusted in such 4 way that
they will catch the breeze, and unless it
happens 20 be very contrary minded the
rider can he helped by it.
on the other hand bicycle cannot be
run with sails in cold and windy weather.
And, fortunately. this is the very time
that the cyclist is willing to propel the
ma chine himself In such wcather, when
north wind catches every available point
offered it, there would he great trouble
mana ging the wheel. The sudden gusts of
wind would carry ii along 100 fast. \
rider could not calculate upon obstacles
| before him ard his time in reaching them.
His whole attention would be devoted. like
a beginners, to keeping the balance. he
could do nothing but steady himself TIE
| sails would be torn Off and discarded by
him after one short trial
FRIGHTENs HORSES.
IN city, too, the bicycle sails are out
| of the question. And this is from tier
| whiteness as well as their size. That
| peculiar dizzy white is very trying to the
| eyes OF horse. 1t is painful to the eyes
| of n man: and 10 a horse it is absolutely
| terrifying Experiments have been made
| with sailclOth, when full furled sails Eay q.
had TO be transported upon little craft
| from one point to another; and TIE only
way to get the horses To dra W their white
| Tapping burden was to blndfold them until
| harnessed, then start them off at q pace
| with their regular FLINDERS in place In
Y
IFS =