New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-14

ment of laws declaring bicycles baggage. 1t is
believed that so per cent Of the bicycle business
In that part Of the country will come within the
1O-cent rate
The proposed use Of bicycles In the Signal
Corps of the Army and for other military pur-
poses raises the question whether any bicycle
can be advantageously used by soldiers II II has
tires that are liable 10 be punctured They ars
, not likely to find good roads in the sections Of
country they havSAo travel over. and the wheels
they ride must Se subjected to extremely hard
usage 1t is possible that wheels with cushion
tires will be found most serviceable. or else
something In the way of unpuncturable tires
will have to be devised. Such devices as are al
ready procurable have small chance or answer
ing the purpose, judging from the experience or
those who have tried them in this neighborhooa'
Referring to the statement recently made In
this column about the ruin Of hard road cdges'
used by wheelmen in the process of road repair-
ing Constant Reader of The Tribunes Cy-
cling News" writes as follows: II cannot quite
agree to what you say on this point. | have had
occasion to ride country roads quite good
deal this summer and have seen something OF
the work of road mending. On the whole, ! find
the roads improved after the process, especially
some rather steep nils tnat l nave
in mind. and 1t happens that where plough has
been used by the roadside and the loose earth
thrown into the middle of the road afterward,
in many cases reasonably hard path has been
left. which Nheelmen can take advantage or /
am not sure whether this hard place is made by
the scraper employed or the shovels Of the men
doing the work do know that 1t has been left
for quite long distances in some places All the
same am heartily in favor Of better roads. and
think our country roads on the average are very
poor"
A rider who has had much experience over all
sorts Of roads makes this suggestion: II am
firmly convinced that a road inspector or super
intendent of road repairers should be required to
make his rounds on a bicycle. In no other way
Is 1t possible for him to judge so accurately or
the condition Of the roads. And this applies to
asphalt as we'll macadam. 1t is the custom.
I believe. railroads for the inspection car TO
| carry vessel containing paint or other colored
matter. which Stops over whenever an uneven
place in the track Is passed, and thus shows
where repairs are necessary. do not undertake
to say that this idea could be applied to our ma
cadamiZed roads and asphalted streets but there
is no doubt in my mind that man on bicycle
can form the most accurate estimate or the need
of repairs the roads he passes over of
course, when he encounters a depression IL Is
easy for him to mark it some way, preliminary
to the making of such repair as may be needed
An experienced bicycle rider and eminent sur
eeon has written some valuable suggestions for
cyclists which have appeared in The British
Medical Journal" Keep within your powers.
is the first rule laid down by this authority. and
one that is only too often dsregarded. Whether
the wheel be ridden for pleasure for health.
moderation is to be observed and fatigue
avoided. This applies to the expert as well as
the novice. to hill climbing and TO riding on a
level The overexertion Of cycling is more dam
gerous than that of almost any other exercise
conseouentlv there is especial need or TINS IN
junction Scarcely less urgent is the need OF
having a well-made wheel, properly adjusted 10
the rider Fever and other bad symptoms, OFTEN
attributed as resultant from cycling, are really
the results of fatigue, OF oVereXertloh' OF iloii'
riding an unsuitable wheel. AS To age limits IL
NAV he said that no child under seven years
should be permitted TO ride. After ola age -
reached care must be exercised to avoid acci-
dents simply because of the brittleness or the
homes at that time of life and the dlnlcuty WIN
which broken ones can DE Hhenueu' O'i' o.
cycling is heartily commended to the aged one
cosa ie cited of a man who learned To ride at the
age of sixty eight. and who had covered heaiiy
| > OOO miles by the time he was seventy, WIN III,
result that A chronic bronchial catarrh anu
goutv eczema had disappeared Another at SI.
entv-four. almost confined 10 an arr, ~,
rheumatisn began riding a trlcyce. anu al
aight,- four was riding 100 miles day All tnis
'',t,s IA both sexes There is no reason why
arerv sound woman should not rae pl'yo..
WIN scarcely an exception there Is consensus
of opinion that cycling is nor ohiS uat hane
women ard girls. but actuaiiS anu n7 ,,,na,,sia
GciaI for the cure of anaemia atonc dySPePSi',
s"a,tonaI nerve troubles and even many 'ds'S
- organic unsoundness. The woman iiuel
houId have a we'll fitted wheel JuSt az o,tO
houId have walking boots properly ht'ed 'o wv
feet.