New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-20
IN THE CYCLING WORLD.
TALKS WITH WHEELMEN WHO HAVE
BEEN TOURING ABROAD.

TALKS WITH wHEELMEN WHO HAVE
BEEN TOURING ABROAD.
ALL ARE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THEIR TRAVELS
A TWENTY sEvEN-MrLE COAST AND OTHER
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES PROPER HEIGHT
OF THE sADDLE-DELIGHTs OF
THE EASTERN END OF
LONG ISLAND.
The steamers from Europe have brought back
many persons in the last few weeks who spent
part of their stay abroad in cycling tours. Every
body seems to vote this method of travel most
delightful success. AS one man expressed II:
There was only one drawback to our trip. and
that was that it too short" Yet his party
traversed 1000 miles awheel. and saw n great
deal more than they would have done from rail-
way trains England is, perhaps, the favorite
touring ground of American cyclists, but they
were to be seen in France. Germany and
Switzerland in fair numbers. OF course. the ex-
cellence of the roads over there is most con-
stantly in the mouths of those who describe their
wheeling experience in Europe. Another feature
is the constant interest aroused by scenes
through which they passed. Men who had previ-
ously travelled through country, merely visit
ing the large cities and the places most ire
quented by strangers. were agreeably surprised
at the succession of delights unfoded IN cychhe
They acquired acquaintance with people ana
customs and traditions which had wholly escaped
them when in the beaten path Of ordinary sight
seeing
American bicycles were objects of much curl
ous attention in England. although several
manufacturers have established agencies over
there which have sold many machines Their
lightness caused much doubt as 10 their strength
and stability, but the high-grade proouc'S
showed themselves fully equal to the les. Oh
English roads Some Americans found the"
tires unsuitable for England. because they were
easily punctured by the bits OF broken STONE
used for top dressing Fitting their wheels with
tandem tires they had no further trouble lhs
was not the universal experience, however one
Young woman was warned on the steamer soi"s
over that her single-tube tires would be as iul'
of holes as sieve If she rode them IN r-ns 'd''
-rborns from the hedges. II was explained often
lay on the roads. and were especiai'V eneV' -
n,erclnp s,ngle-tube tires But she had faith In
the Yankee invention. and stuck to her America"
tires In three weeks Of constant touring in Eng
land she received not puncture. Single-luoss
tires like wooden rims. are gaining faNor apIoai
and their general adoption Is looked TOT oS
manufacturers here.
IN case Of an accident It might not be easy
70 replace broken parts Of an American o'0!.'e
IN England wise course would ne 10 taAe
along extra spokes. nuts and other parts "h'c"
might be needed. However. an expert p'''N'N
mechanic In England could probably rerair any
break or supply any loss that would be l'he'S ~
tapDtn II the tourist has wheel which Is a'''
IN the market In England. the propie" vi ~
na,rs will be easier One well-known manu-
facturer here has many agencies III E"s''''
that riders Of his bicycles would be niue NOR
trouhled bv broken parts In England IMAM i"
this country.
Qua oouse ~ worry IN Great Britain is the IN
adeouate system Of baggage transportation NV
use ~ checks being unknown the "hee''''''
,nust look after his wheel the instant NJ reaches
bis destination According to the ths"sh al
raneement the responsibility OF the railway CUM
nanv ceases when the baggage mas peeh '""''
out OF the car The American ha'u'ans '
49,, 70 he isn't on hand to grab his bicycle as 1t Is
lifted down somebody else may MAKE away WIN
:, rb,s &c not all. On short trips off the main
rno II is often necessary to change cars ana II Is
ALWAYS best to give your personal attention 10 'he
,rorsfar NJ vour bicycle. Otherwise IT may De
uh,slad IN or left on the platform when your
troin carries Won away. 1t would he pleasanter 10
avoid trains altogether, but the frequent snoMeIa
~ q desire TO spend the night at some particular
Mace often make II convenient or necessary ~ ~
sort IN them The charge for carrying Wheels II
large in some short Journeys being nearly ~ per
cent OF the passenger rare
r,or,oroue Wills are usually marked with sign
boards in England To Americans an excess OF
,,o, obaracter,zes this system. The warning
&c n,aced at the top Of hills which can be ridden
,th safetv bv any person who Is only fairly
sLnfuI In consequence Of this frequent cry OF
",voIf. when there is no wolf. Americans are
ulalv to disregard these friendly signs altogether
when the danger Is not clearly visible to them
The finest travellers tale brought Dack from
abroad however Is that OF coast tWenty-se'eh
miles long In the Hartz Mountains or Germany.
1t is declared that this can be RIDDEN wi'n n"
touching the feet to the pedals yet the road IS 80
Nne and the slope so gentle that there Is no dah-
ger of a spill. twenty -seven-mile coast IS Ger.
tainly worth travelling to Germany for. only II
would he an unfortunate wheelhan lhueeu WIN
struck II at the wrong END
Some persons who did virtually all OF their
travelling by boat and train. yet found IL or ad-
vantage to take their wheels with them Tor ex-
cursions in the cities where they made stays
saved enough In carriage hire to repay all the ex-
nenses of shipment and had the pleasure and
exercise Of wheeling besides. An indefinite mum,
Der Of short trips can be made out OF LONDON ana
Paris each well worth taking.
Women who rode In the trencn ana fheHsh
capitas found the ideas OF their sex on dress
strikingly different in the two places. In Eng
land the woman who wore short skirt was the
object OF curious gazes by many and the subject
Of rude remarks by street boys. Even If the gar
ment nearly reached the ankle. the sight OF her
leggings was likely to call forth jeers OF Look at
the girl in knickers"' Look at the girl In pa
tauae - The fate of n woman who had the cOur-
oge TO wear boomers without skirt was dis
tressing in the extreme. OF course. in France the
opposite was the case. and the wheelwoman IN
skirts was regarded as overmodest.
on the Continent there are various regulations
applyiag TO cyclists which It Is important to
-, ,,, tho, GRO en- dinerent In different