The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-05-29
WHAT BIKERs SHOULD KNOW
Eagles Bicycle Man Tells Many Interest
ing Things About n Wheel


ing Things About n Wheel.
The Eagles cycling editor contributes
the following items today:
J. K. Starley, the man to whom wheel
men are indebted for the present popu.
lar form of bicycle known as the safe
ty," is an unassuming gentleman, about
80 years of age, who lives quietly al
Covington, the great bicycle center OF
England. He is a person of much judg-
ment and artistic taste, and is possess
Pr Of sufficient wealth TO enable him 10
display these qualities to good advan-
tage. Although the invention of the
safety" machine has been of almost
,nestimable value to the wheeling world.
the average bicyclist is not aware that
the man to whom the idea of low wheels
and gearing first presented itself made
nothing Of it, but quietly allowed the
whole benefit to be gathered by others.
Liquid plugs" is a new patented ar
tcle for healing punctured tires. 1t
viii do all that is claimed for II. there
heed be no more trouble from punctures
1t is a liquid substance which is pumped
Into the tire and adds but two and a
balf ounces to the weight OF the wheel.
In case Of puncture the liquid is forced
Into it and Immediately solified, stopp-
wheel.
Wheelmen IN Newark, N. J.. have com
planned lately of a dangerous practice
in the streets of that city; mischievous
boys string a wire or rope across the
street just high enough to catch wheel
men about the head and knock them off
their wheels. A boy OF Is was caught
In the act Of stretching a string from
tree TO tree, and locked up over night.
but was only reprimanded by Judge
Eggars the following morning and dis
charged.
1t may surprise most staid, respect
able members of the community who
have taken TO bicycle riding as a pleas
ant means of exercise and diversion 10
learn that there is word or two TO be
said on the side of fast riding. if not.
'scorching. Before uttering them.
however. il is right to premise CD that
Rn fast riding which can in any way
Interfere with other persons, a category
which includes all riding i'm Wichita or
any other city, is reprehensible to the
last degree and cannot bo too strongly
condemned: 90 that the men and women
addressed in these columns should not
need TO be warned against the dangers
Of overeNertion. and therefore are not
likely TO he influenced TO commit any
indiscretion OF that sort by anything
That may be said of smart rider out in
the country
With this understanding, then. Il may
be safely said. in fairness to a very large
body or bicycle riders, who are not all
cranks by any means. that the enjoy
ulent OF run on any good open country
road. at an even rate Of twelve 10 six
teen miles an hour. affords endowment
which can be got in few other wavs
The rush OF the wind, the quick change
or scene. the acceleratioR Of the blood's
circulation and accompanying exhiiira-
ton or the spirits which rides produces.
combine 10 cause sensation which -
In the highest degree delightful. and
which no man can be reasonably ham.
ed for enjoying. OF course. If he viii
90 IL when he Is not fit for violent exar.
else, II youthful enthusiasm leads him
10 oVerdo IL, or II he insists on assun-
Ing cramped position which will per.
nanently disflgure him and at the same
time prevent The physical DEVELOPMENT
which would otherwise result from such
exercise. he must not be surprised II
there fall upon him disagreeable conse-
quences that VIII far more than counter
balance the temporary enjoyment that
quick bicycling yields II. however. he
IS governed by common sense and
knowledge Of his own capabilities. and
VIII limit himself by them without re-
gard TO those Of any one else. there :
no reason why he should not derive the
utmost satisfaction from well-rsade.
well-htting bicycle driven at eSod speed
without suffering the reproach THAI a.
faches itself 10 the foolish youths whose
selfish indulgence in high-speed riding
"a the city streets has made the bscyeis
ing policemen necessity and brought
certain opprobrium on wheeImen in
general