The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-20
WHEELwOMEN GET IDEAS.
HALE's MON GEAR AND NOVEL
CHAIN.

lkace- New Fcnturca Ad0pted by the
Makera for 1eO1-The Chninless Bicycle.
The bicycle boom has broken out afrosh since
the six.day race in Madison Square Garden.
and, strange to tell, women are the principal
boomers just now. A year and n half ago most
wheelmcn were disposed to look upon most
wheelwoincn with scorn; at least, they dis
oussed tho enthusiasm OF tho women with
elevated noses. and said:
"1S won't last. Women do not tako up
cycling rs n sport, hut as a fad. and fads never
run for more than ono season."
II any of these astute prophets attended tho
race they probably changed their minds, not
after the caprioious fashion of women. but
because they had reason to do SO. Whole
armies of wheolwomen turned out-morning.
afternoon. and evening. They discussed the
racers and their wheels and prognosticnted
about the chances of the contestants with
wonder fully sound judgment. They camo
singl.. in twos. thrccs, and in crowds. aud
they cn,nc early and stayed late. They clam
ored for the very best seats, too. y woman is
always rs much interested in tho performer
es In tho performance. and then tho average
Wheelwoman is always anxious to catch on 10
new things that Will make pedal pushing pleas
snter and easier.
The average man at tho race wouldn't have
given a cent with q hole In It TO know just
WHAT kIlu II lpOhluR ulAu leuup IlhlB, III
Irish flyer, was; but not 30 with woman. She
wanted to SEQ Just what kind Of Dyes he had,
and Il his features were regular; and at the
same time she didn't neglect to take In the do
tails OF his high gear and wonderful chain that
won him the -ace. There wasn't much chance
Of q general miX-up of critics at the race. as
there was only q narrow aisle between the
track and the boxes. so tho whcelwomen didn't
get much opportunity to exchange opinions
about the wheels and whcclers and wheeling
that interested them so deeply. When they
got into seats they had to keep them. and most
OF them did for hours at a stretch. Many de-
clare that they only went home for meals and
20 get n few hours sleep. They've been making
mp for lost time since the big race was finished
Judging by the way feir tongues are wagGing.
Last Sunday more than 100, 900 men, wo-
men. and children. with faces beamlnE and
glowing. somo with content and others with ap-
piled effort, skinned no and down the Boule-
ward and through Central Park. The women
o~utnumhercd the men three to one. so every
body said, and this proportion certainly holds
good when It comes to those who are Just
learning to ride in the various academies. All
week the women who come together in a popu-
lar academy on the Boulevard have been dis
eussing tho reason why Hale won the race in
stead OF joe Rice. the wheel women's pet.
1T wasn't Hale that won that race" said a
stout girl in n short skirt. 1T was that won
herful Chain on his wheel and the terribly high
year. Why, IL Rice had had q chain like that
on bis wheel, the sturdy little chap would
have worn Hale out In three DAYS. / w~as.just
crazy 20 get q close look at that chain. but
avery ,ime ! attended the race the front rows
were all filed. so l never did got near enough.
and I was there seven times, too"
why. | can tell you all about that chain"
put in a little girl, proudly. Some men had
Hale's own wheels, both OF 'em. right here in
lhi5 academy yesterday. and lots OF men tried
them. l wanted to, but nil | could do was TO
examine the chain. Here's what the adver-
tiseinsnt says about it: The chain is the only
pne of it's kind in the world. and has never
been seen in America before. It is made In
England. and is so constructed that 1t opens
and shuts Ike these little folding hat racks
that hang on tho wall and always spill every
hat that is hung on them. The front sprockct
Is like that On any ordinary high-grade wheel.
but the rear sprocket has a fauGe on eacn side.
Indeed. you might rs well say that there are
shrec rear sprockets. The chain runs on one
And bct"ecn the other two. so that IL can't
throw itself nu.. Tie make OF the wheel that
Hale rode is acknowledged to br the best in
England, and his gear was 9S. He pushed that
year day after dav without showing any moro
~eiertion than n man would who only rode from
An so 10 an SO, aud. of course. his easy-run-
ming chain enabled him 10 do his"
'Gracio3s. how | would like 10 have one OF
those chains for II Christmas present. inter-
rupted an athletic young woman. 'liUw much
do they COST
They cost s@5 each on the other side" an
rwere4 the aU'ho~ity. but wait until | finish
tellinc voI R,nut Tie chain. 1t has hcen proved
that il ~ II magnificent success so far as indoor
riding goes. bay EXPERT professionals and aua-
say that it, utility and pracL!cabillty for read
fidins VIII have TO &c tested before theT will
thai after an ordinary cham stretches IL can't
stretch RnY more. Sow this English chain IS
on stre,chlnr and stretching indednttc!v, ard
II Is II reguln- mud and dust catcher. | really
believe 4, w%u:d clog IN no time on t,he road,
Give the devil his due said nm elderly wo-
man., Hale was. wonderfully a!rcky. and We
caution. He never took any chances. but al
ways left the track when any outside races
were going on. and then he cot off his wheel
and ate AT least one square meal n day. while
many OF the Others snatched n bite OF IL bowl
spurted when It was necessary to show that
he was eqnel TO tie occasion: and he main
tanned an erect position most of lifetime"
schooisiri. 'rh6aii.s that he looEod lik KAN and
ny sight was that he was kind to that game
asked a quiet looking girl who has ridden
more than 1000 milrs this year.
k.Np' tcl VS. u'buL IT., crleu the crowd.
"y'hat, is "A forcipedel Some now-fangled
wheel?''
"Wheel. lndeed!" answered the record
breaker with contempt. No. You oil know
what n hiil-clinbcr is? Well. a forcipede Is
on the same style. but much better. 1t fas.
tens to the back Of the sable. and has II fork
that runs straight M 10 II point Just b twe,n
the shoulders, There 10 a padded cushion
perhaps Il ie iufa,ed-Gn IL 10 lean back against.
end | tell you when Hale got his fCrriprde Oh,
leaned comfortably back against IL and got n
cigarette in one corner OF his mouth. he looked
es happy as that plctur" nt The klng in Mother
Goose who was in the ~CouGting house counting
out his money. Sow. | think these tUrctpedes
would ne grand FOR whrciwomcn who like 10
make long rams IN Tho country. or for those
who have weak bucks"
II saw :wo uretty good saddles used by thu
racers u rest therns"lvra." said "A stout wo-
man, who is always complaining because she
CANT find II saddle as comfortable as her favor.
ite rocking chair. both were pneumatic.
One was much wider than any other pneumatic
saddle .lIat I've ever seen. and wasn't inflated
until 1t was hard. The other was a German
saddle. and was all springs. II offered no
resistance, ana tie racers who tried 10 said
that it was vcrv restful for n short time. That
reminds me. There il quite n departure IN
the saddles with which manufacturers will