The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1896-01-31
TRIBUNE TANDEM.
First Bicycle Built for Two
Introduced Into the Islands.
JANUARY 20. 1896.

| AA'SEhaNA -, IT,
This is bicycle week with
us, and as usual we are to
the front with the latest in
wheels. The Australia
brought us a consignment of
10 Tribune bicycles with the
latest Improvements. Among
them was a tandem. the
first bicycle of the kind
brought to the islands. 1t
was ridden about town yes
terday and created a great
deal of attention and favor
able comment. AS a result
our store was crowded dur
ing the day with persons
interested in cycling. We
received four wheels for
ladies, and these cannot be
eXcelled in workmanship and
finish.
The Scientific American of
January 4th contains a page
write-up of the Black Bicy-
Gle Manufacturing Company
and their product--Tribune
wheels. This paper does
not give advertising puffs,
but describes manufactures
on their merits. IS $ s.
The factory and works of
the Black Manufacturing
Company, of Erie, Pa, was
selected by the paper as a
representative company
which produce the highest
gradeof wheel and which put
it on the market purely on
its own merits without the
adventurous advertisement
of paid riders.
''The wheel made by this company, the
Tribune bicycle, embodieS the best posi-
bic practice and is correspondingly free
from structural variations of improved
merit. TIE tubings, whose walls are of
20 gage thickness, is of American make,
the company having found that English
tubing could not be obtained of sufficiently
even quality. At the functions of the
tubes forged connections are employed"
The standard finish of the machine is
black enamel and nickel plate. The en-
amel is put on in four coats, two of India
rubber enamel and two polishing coats,
the frame being rubbed down with rotten
stone between the applications. This
gives the finish equal to that of piano
body. All nickel plated parts are first
copper plated. This prevents water or
ruSting the steel and thereby causing a
separation of the coating.
The aim of the constructor of this
typical American wheel has been to secure
simplicity and produce an absolutely
standard article. Its criterion is its quail
ity pure and simple. There are, however,
some novelties introduced that are especi-
ally worthy of Illustration. One of these
affects the crank and crank shaft mechan-
ism, the crank being secured to the Shaft in
anew way. V-shaped teeth are formed upon
the crank shaft and upon the aperture in
the pedal arm. This aperture in the
pedal arm is split and provided with a
Tightening screw. To attach the crank
arm to the shaft, it is thrust over the end
OF the Shaft and the Tightening screw is
turned up, when 1t is scored as rigidIy as
if all were one piece of metal.
he handle bar is made adjustable by
an arrangement of equal simplicity and
efficiency. BY reversing the handle bars
they can be used in up-turned or DOWN
turned position.
The sProcket wheels are cut to the
cycloidal or theoretically correct curve,
which avoids all friction of the chain
against the teeth. This has long been the
speciality of the Black Manufacturing
Company.
eve a.so illustrate the system of truing
up the wheel. Each wheel is mounted on
a gaging frame, and the workman, by
setting up and loosening the nipples,
brings the rim into an absolutely perfect
plane. he steering arrangements of the
tandem machine deserves attention.
Sproekets are carried by the front and rear
steering posts, and these sprockets are
connected by chains and rods so as to in
sure unity of steering action between the
front and rear handle bars"