The record-union., 1896-04-12

Spring, gentle spring." Now for the
joyous days of cycling over country
roads, of temporary freedom and sur
cease from the many irritating trifes
and annoying cares and worries that
corrode and eat away all that makes life
worth the living. The man who first
put into practical use the germ of an
idea concerning cycle and formulated
it into tangible thing of life, and made
it for a sum of money that measurab1y
placed ii within reach of the struggling
mob, deserves canoniZing. The little
steed of steel he invented has been the
means, the primal cause, of soothing
more shattered nerves, of vitalizing
more torpid livers, of building up more
solid chunks of health, than all the
remedies known to medical science.
There are thousands now riding cycles;
there would be many thousands more
riding them were the benefits resulting
from the exercise more fully understood.
But it will come. The end of cycle
making activity is a long way ahead.
There's too much that is good, too much
that is needed in cycle to make it
thing Of mere passing fancy.
Girlawheel,
Bloomer girl,
Struck snag,
Took a whirl.
Boomers tore,
Girl flushed,
Men laughed,
She blushed.
Wise man,
Knew what,
Hustled round,
Barrel got.
In barrel,
Got she,
Walked home,
TIE, he
A new idea in pedals, which Is de-
signed to replace toe clips or bands,
combines great simplicity with appa-
rently much merit 1t consists essen
TALLY of a vacuum cupof rubber, upon the
open face of which the foot is pressed,
forcing out the air, and holding the foot
by what is commonly called suction"
To provide a perfectly smooth surface,
free from all air vents at the edges of
the cup, metal plate is attached to the
shoe, on the smooth face of which the
cup will hold the foot with a strength
equal to thirty pounds direct pressure,
the shoe is readily removed from the
pedal by a quick shifting movement,
which permits an inflow Of air.
Tom Cooper has changed his mind; he
will not train in California. He and his
trainer are now in Louisville, and if the
weather should get bad there he will
60 farther South to fit himself
Cooper is playing a new role. The
wheel with which he hopes to win races
galore during the coming season is built
according to his own ideas Of what
racing wheel should be, and, while he
modestly disclaims the title of inventor,
he thinks he has made a great improve
ment on the old patent.
The western Wheelman" in speak
ing of the number of bicycles it is ex-
rected will be used this year, states in
conclusion: Bicycle manufacturers
expect this year to sell 100000 of these
vehicles, and expect to collect for them
So0,000,000 A good bicycle costs $1O0
and if, in addition to those that have
them shall be sold this year the result
will be that beggars will not go on
horseback. but they will come very
nearly all having bicycles
A big international road race. intend
ed as a forerunner of the great Paris
Bordeaux event. will be held in France
on April 10Th, from Paris to Roubaix
a distance of 80 miles Several Eng
lish and American cracks will partici-
pate in the contest.
President Dixie Hines of the Quill
Club Wheelmen of America, who is at
present in the South, writes that there
is strong move on foot to organize q
league of colored wheelmen. The new
organization will not have anything to
do with politics, as does the League of
American Wheelmen.
Have you published your bicycle
novel YETI"
mo. I'm afraid some one will dram
atize it,
rs it so bad as that ?"-Bellaw
OSCAR CSen tdSL lIQoOT QudTleT-I1llS
record of 0:29 2-5, made at the recent
indoor tournament in San Francisco
has been allowed by the racing board of
the L. A. W. The board held that Ed
wards time of 0:29 1-5 was not proper
ly nor accurately timed.
1t seems a popularity of human ma
ture that man should try and bam-
booZle himself into the belief that his
machine is lighter than ii actually is
Mr.. Manhattan Ito Miss Bawstawn)
DO you ride a wheel?
Miss Bawstawn-I ride a pair of
wheels.-Detroit Free Press.
Inferior tubing in a bicycle is the
worst of faults. No matter how fine
the enamel which may cover it and the
superior luster it possesses, the inher-
ent weakness of the frame presents an
element of danger.
Walter Foster, the crackajack. will
ride the last relay for the Olympic Club
Wheelmen in the great race to-day
from San Francisco to San Jose and re-
turn. Foster is the pride road-racer Of
the club, and whom they would match
against any wheelman in California.
Foster Is perhaps the speediest road