The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1896-12-17
THE WHEELS OF 1897
WHAT THE STERLING AND WIND
SOR WHEELS WILL BE.
THE CHANGES TO BE MADE
The improvements to be Made Wher
Improvement was Thought to be I'M
possible-The Details of all the
Increased Weight, Etc

this year 1t has been the almost
unanimous verdict of wheelmen and
manufacturers that no improvement
could be added to the high grade
grade wheels whereby the running
qualities or outlines of modern bicycles
would be improved. This seems to be
a mistake. Bicycle manufacturers all
over the country have kept their me-
chanical experts busy in devising new
features for the wheels of 1897.
The Sterling factory and the Sieg q
Walpole factory will turn out improved
wheels this year. The problem as to
how they can do it has been asked sew
eral times. We have secured answers
and below will be found the descrip-
tons of what the two factories will do
to make the new wheel.
Sterlings for 1897 will be greatly i'm
proved. That is to say, many new
mechanical features will be incOrporat-
ed into their construction. The arched
crown of the fork, which is the distin
gushing characteristic of the Sterling,
and which many are trying to initiate,
has, of course, been retained, its re-
enforcement being somewhat heavier
and the fork correspondingly rigid.
The corrugated hub, another distinc-
tive feature of our wheels, has an ad-
ditional corrugation permitting the
introduction Of four more spOkes in
each wheel, making thirty-tWo in the
rear and twenty eight in the front.
One of the most striking improvements
is the crank, which is square. The
crank hanger is split at the ends, and
in place of screws to tighten the ad
iusting cones, bolts and uts are used.
The cranks are attached to the shaft
in the same way as this year. The de-
tachable sprocket, an entirely new
feature, readily permits of change OF
gear. The sprocket is attached to the
spider by five screws. The pedal is
the same as this year, with the addi
ton of the jewel oiler and the dust cap
on the inside. The ball retainer is
also a novel feature. The rear sprOck
cts are attached by screws as formerly.
Sprockets of seven, eight and nine
teeth will be used. We shall use the
Morse three sixteenth chain. The
tubing is the same as that used this
year, except that the upper rear stays
are eleven sixteenths of an inch and
the lower rear forks are of three quar-
ter inch D tubing, admitting a one and
three-quarte inch tire. There is am
pie clearance everywhere to permit the
use of gear case it wanted. The com
pany will make three standard sizes of
frames in mems wheels, twenty-two-
inch, twenty four-i inch, and twenty six
inch, and two in ladies', twenty-inch
and twenty three-inch. Adjustable
handle-b bars will be used, as will also
laminated rims. With each machine
will be furnished two spanners,
doing away with all wrenches. Ma
chimes will be equipped with any
standard tire and saddle ordered. The
regular enamel will be fine olive
green, but the wheel that is built like
a watch" will also be seen in black
and maroon.
The 1897 Windsor will be improved
greatly over this years model. The
same lines are retained, but the size of
the tubing is increased, and instead Of
using the round crank we will supply
the fat or square cotter pins, and max
ing a positive crank fastener. The
crank axle and spider will be made of
drop forging in one piece, and a new
feature is embodied in the manner of
fastening the sprocket ring to the
spider. The tread is trifie mario yer
than last year, and the frame at the
crank hanger is made to admit the use
of large sprockets. The fork crown
will be oval, or crescent shaped, made
of drop forged STEEL The bearings
will be improved over last years by
supplying a steel tube running between
the cups of each bearing, which acts as
an oil gutter, making the oiling device
more positive, and in making the bear
ings more dust proof. A new style of
dust cap is used on all bearings, which
fastens to the hub in similar manner
to the closing of a Watch-case. The
machines will weigh from twenty one
to twenty five pounds. In addition to
the regular machines we will have two
tandem models, one double diamond,
and one front drop frame. The price
of Windsor wheels will be 800, and
the price of the tandems $3.50.
These replies to questions were made
by representatives of each of the COM
panies who knew what they were talking
about and had the power to say all
there was to say. Hence they may be