The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-24
WITH SIX RIDERS.
Race on Bicycle With the Fastest Rail-
road Train in the World.

is it really possible for the bicycle to
beat a railroad train? Six strong -lunged
and muscular legged riders will next sea-
son endeavor to accomplish it. They will
be speeded against the Empire State ex-
press on a new sextet wheel which has
been built.
A highly important factor in this race
wilt be the track. This will be built as
smooth and level as human ingenuity can
make Ii in order TO give the riders equal
chances with the iron horse
The bicycle that has been thus named is
said TO be the largest in the world. 1t
length over all is l3 feet, and its wheel
base is something under foot less. 1t
weighs 1879 pounds, giving each rider
about % pounds in addition to his own
weight TO propel.
The wheefs have only two inches more
of diameter than those of the average
bicycle That is, they are 80 inches
across. The tires are said TO be the
largest ever made. They are two and
one half inches in diameter.
And the gear, wherein lies the secret
of its phenomenal velocity, has been COM
pounded 10 153. Think of it, ye btcy-
clers, geared at 153
This is the simple description that
tells the whole tale, at least to experts
What gives it its-ex extraordinary speed,
when mounted by expert riders, is its
wonderful gear. 1t is compound gear,
constructed with four driving sprock cts.
The largest sprocket, the one nearest to
the real wheel, has 2S teeth; the next
largest has 23, the third II and the small
est driving spocket nine teeth.
To calculate the gear you must multi
ply the product of the two large sprockets
by the diameter of the wheel. Then you
divide this by the product OF the two
smaller sprockets, and you have as the
gear, 153
The inventor of the Empire express RI
val declares that 1t is impossible TO con-
struct a machine for more than six men
that VII not lose in velocity for each ad-
ded saddle or sprocket beyond six. He
has tried it, he says, and finds that any
further extension of the length between
the wheels makes it absolutely unre-
liable.
1t will wo5ble, he declares, beyond any
possibility to prevent To correct this
wobbling requires such an extreme speed
that it is impossible TO get a gear high
enough to effect the necessary velocity.
The inventors of The sextet declare
that no expense has been spared in per-
fecting the design of this wheel@They
sry THAT the pneUamtIc TRES alone cost
$500, being made with rubber walls three
quarters of an inch thick, leaving an air
chamber one inch in diameter, made to
Withstand an air pressure of go pounds TO
the square inch.
The six riders will be men of even
weight, about 145 pounds. The track
will be about six miles of a straight-away
road, parallel with the route Of the flyer.
There Is such level stretch short dis
tance west of Albany, and II the ground
can be secured the track will be laid out
there.
Six straight miles at least are necessary
1t is estimated that it Will require at
least two miles for the soXtet TO get prop
erly started, and that after the half mile
has been run against the express train
from three and a half 10 four miles Will
have to be gone over before the sextet can
be stoppet.
The riders will be supplied with pa
tent breathing apparatus attached TO an
air chamber from which each man, hav-
ing his nose and mouth closed OF against
the wind, will be obliged TO respire from
start to finish.
The inventor believes the seXtet can
cover mile in 35 seconds. II il can 1t
Will stand fair chance Of winning the
rsce.-N. y. World.