The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-09-14
HIGHER GEAR NEXT YEAR.
One of the Proposed Changes in Cy.
cIcdOm..W uOdcn Handle, ars.

\ conservative tradesman says: 1T
seems likely that there will be a decided
change. and it is hoped for the bet
ter. in the improvement of the small
parts of the bicycle. High gears will
probably be popular next season, and
| think that the standard sprockets
will have twenty-one teeth to the
front and eight to the rear, giving a
gear of SeNenty-three and one-hali
inches. This standard has been
reached after careful investigation
into what the average wheelman likes
best. There has been a large demand
this season for large gears, and the
standard gear of sixty eight inches
seems to find small favor now. In
England riders are using the high
gears. so it seems only fair to let riders
have an opportunity to experiment
with them in this country. A change
that seems likely to be popular next
season will be a more general intro
duction of wood handle bars. Some
few machines are fitted with them this
season. and they are said to give great
satisfaction. Wood rims We're first in-
trcduced only few years ago. anl
in addition to reducing the weight OF
the wheel, have proved their superb
ority. The makers do not as yet seem
TO know what To do about the wood
handles. Some riders who have used
them this year say that they will use
no others, but it is a matter of specu-
lation whether the average rider Will,
after carefully testing, prefer wood for
his handle bar. 1t is evident that they
will be in large demand. The saddles
of ~ will show great improvement.
During the season expert riders have
tried every known saddle, and while
some are commented on favorably, II
seems to be the general opion that the
perfect saddle is yet to be made"
Hill climbing is something of a mys-
terry according to the following: THE
secret of hill climbing is the continued
steady application of power. If the
rider jumps to his work on long hill
using great force for a time, he tires
himself and does not secure as good
results as when, catching the pedal ut
the top of the stroke, and using the
ankle motion. he follows it for almost
the complete revolution. BY this
method he secures not only the power
of the thigh muscles in the push but
that of the calf muscles as well. Wo-
men are most given to rushing hills.
and then they wonder why they are
not more successful climbers"
Chairman Gideon has forbidden ref
erees to allow riders to compete in ilr-
al heats for setting pace. when they 10
not qualify for a place. OF late local
referees have been violating this rule,
which is No. . of the racing laws.
Steel tubing frames for bicycles have
achieved a notable victory. it is said,
over aluminium frames in a recent con-
test at Pittsburg. The contest was on
points Of strength in the two classes Of
frames. A committee of three was
chosen to conduct the test. of which
John II. Barr Of Cornell University
was the chairman. The test took place
at Pittsburg abont month ago. and
the results have since been worked our.
out of the thirteen points twelve We're
given the steel framed wheel. 1t is not
definitely decided to what charitable
institution the winner will direct that
the $500 stakes will be given.