The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-05-15


lar diamond pattern are 90 inch instead
of 2S inch wheels The right pedal is
attached to the rim of the front sprock-
ct, which is 12 inches in diameter. The
crank to which this pedal is attached
forms one Of the spokes of the sprocket.
The gear is II, and instead OF chain
there is an endless band of spring steel.
pierced ut intervals of about two inches
to receive rivets, which project through
the inner side. The heads of these riv-
cts engage with small slots cut iuto the
periphery of the two sprocket wheels
Fitted With light racing bars and
wooden saddle of new pattern, the
freak tips the beam at exactly l 8 pounds.
The wheel is not on the market and is
the only one of the pattern ever turned
out.
New Workers are never satisfied. The
wheelmen of the metropolis not only
want cycle path, but are demanding
that 1t be an elevated one. 1t is u well
known fact that greater New York ex-
poets TO have n double decked "L"
road Now the cyclists want it made a
three deckcd affair, the additional deck
to be used rs cycle path. When the
plans for the double decking of the ele-
waited railroad system were presented to
the mayor, there was also submitted for
the consideration Of the city officials a
separate sketch of a second plan, which
showed three story structure, the two
lower stories being used by the elevated
trains and the third, or upper, story for
q bicycle path.
To each side of the structure guards
would be erected sufficiently high to
prevent accidents to wheelmen. At half
mile intervals it is proposed that light
elevators shall be erected to carry
wheelmen to and from the path.
The structure will be f1oored in Geor-
gia pine to the width of about go feet,
and i'll the center of it will be placed a
division rail, with openings at quarter
mile intervals, where crossings may be
made to the opposite track. The wheel
ing will be regulated, those going north
taking the east track and those south
the west track: 1t is estimated that
80, 600 persons would use the bicycle
track daily.
us there anything new in cycling
circles?' asked the bike man, address
ing dealer on Cycle street,
well, l guess" was the answer,
and the dealer pointed to rare sight in
the bicycle world.
TWAS awheel, the entire framework,
except the joints, of which was made
of hollow wood. 1t weighs exactly is
pounds and is n really pretty bit of
bike mechanism" 1t is made by a
Milwaukee man, and this is the first
one ever exhibited in the east.
The joints are of brass, strongly
made, and everything else, except the
spokes, is wood
The long talked Of race between the
bicycle and the fastest of railroad trains,
the Empire State express, it seems, is
at last about to occur If the weather
permits. there will be race on May 10
that will undoubtedly interest the entire
country. The race will be held near AL
bany, and will be between the fast ex-
press train with record of 3TI6 seconds
Tor n mile and the now famous seXtct
bicycle. The friends of the latter claim
that with good riders the bike will
prove that it is the fastest method of
locomotion ON earth.
a track six miles long is now being
prepared parallel to the tracks near AL
bany The wheel has already been
built, and is sextet geared to 1876
inches. If the men to ride it can turn
their pedals three times each second, as
is hoped, the train record for mile
will be beaten 2 2-5 seconds. The veter-
an trainer of bicycle riders, John West,
has taken charge of the riders who are
to make the attempt at the record. The
machine is built on the cantilever prin-
ciple, and it is claimed the weight of
its six riders will not defect the frame
i'll the least There are four sprockets
used in gearing, so that at each revo-
luton of the pedals the bicycle moves
ahead AZ feet. The entire sextet weighs
1879 pounds
1t is not stated definitely who the
men to be placed on the wheel will be,
but it is understood that the team will
be made up from the following men ::
John Lund or Dave Coburn of ST. Louis
as steersman, Fred Rau, winner of the
Chicago road race in 1894; Fred Laugh
cad, the young Canadian champion ;
John Lawson, the Terrible Swede; Fred
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