The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-04

weeks at time, but even during these
short periods extra care should be taken
with it. The most i'm portant point OF all
IS that it be stored in a perfectly dry place.
The enamel should be thoroughly cleaned,
as spots of mud left too long are apt to
cause Il dull appearance of the surface.
All nickel parts should be wiped clean and
covered with some sort OF oil or grease to
protect them from dampness. Special
preparations for this purpose will be found
desirable. If the bearings are we'll oiled
with good OIL it is better to leave them
until you are ready to use the wheel again,
and then make one Job of II, which VIII
leave them in good shape ready for use.
Wood rims should be vanished with good
coach varnish at least once each year, for
appearances sake if nothing else.
The board of officers of the league will
hold another important meeting next Sat
urday evening at the rooms of the Bay
City Wheelmen.
1t is not likely that the older manufac-
turers OF bicycles will spend much time in
getting out new models now, but will de-
vote ther attention and money to bringing
their machines nearer than ever to the
goal of perfection. To the average person
it would seem as if perfection in bicycle
building had been attained but such is
not the case. Though the changes in this
years wheels may not be particularly
noticeable to the eye, they will be to the
touch, which is far more important.
Care is being taken to increase the run
ming smoothness of every part of the
machines, so that in riding along the
cycler will hear nothing but the whirr OF
the wheels. Particular care is also being
taken 10 improve the crankshaft mechan-
ism. The demand for slightly heavier
tires will cause the 1896 wheels to weigh a
pound or so more than last years, but 1t
will be boon to tourists and long distance
riders, whose greatest trouble is with tires.
The Increase in weight will hardly be
noticeable if at all. With the various i'm
provements which are being added for the
increased strength and comfort of the
bicycle, wheelmen may look forward with
much pleasure to the coming season, par
ticularly those who will be fortunate
enough to get one of this years wheels.
VIII T. Valentine, whose picture is pre-
sented herewith, is a member OF the CALL
Bicycle Club, and rider of considerable
ability. He has not yet tried his fortunes
on the racing path, but on the road he has
shown speed which indicates him to be
crackerjack if he were properly trained and
experienced. His friends hope to induce
him to try his hand at racing the coming
season, and predict he will be quite sue
cessful. He will carry the colors of the
CALL Bicycle Club-red and white.
William Rogers, the trainer of the Cali
fornia Cycling Club, has about twenty
men under his charge now, and they are
fast developing into speedy riders. Their
century New Years day was ample evil
dence of this. Rogers is one of the best
trainers OF cyclists or athletes in America,
and the California Club was fortunate to
secure him.
The quadruplet machine has been taken
out to the park nearly every pleasant day
of late, anC the men who ride it have an
easy time as the work is minimized with
four men up, and it is no trick at all to
keep up two-minute gait providing a
park policeman is not in evidence One
fact about the quad" that is not gen
orally known is that it is almost impossi-
BILE TO handle it with an mex perienceG rider
on. The four men must all be good riders
The machine is sensitive and will swerve,
sway and swing alarmingly if the riders
are not experienced and familiar with its
peculiarities. The front man has the hard
est work, as he alone steers the machine.
and it must be kept in perfectly straight
line when going fast or an accident is liza
bic to happen. The man on the rear seat
acts as a sort of rudder, and by swaying
his body with the machine he materially
aids the guiding of it. The m"chine is
generally manned by c. c. Hopkins, T. a.
Gritfiths, T. c. Dodge and f. P. Awkward
of the Bay City Wheelmen. SPALDING.