New-York tribune., 1896-05-31

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drawn. and Of course no attempt will be made to
enforce It in accordance with the meaning which
| ii bears its face. What 1t is intended to ac-
| complish Is TO make an end Of the practice OF
riding hands off," the common way Of put
ting it is. That this practice is not without
danger when one is riding a crowded street
Is perfectly evident, Dut there is no sense in
making an absolute rule which 1t Is impossible
to enforce When street road is compare
lively clear who has acquired this accom-
pllshment practise 1t without the slightest
harm and no one is likely to undertake 1t unless
he knows that he can do it without endanGering
his own neck. When one is taking long ride it
is great relief now and then to lift both
hands from the handle-bar and thus give a
complete rest TO the muscles OF the arme and
hands. The hands can be allowed to hang by the
sides: they can be crossed on the breast rested
the hips or lifted behind the mead. OF course
this can be done only on a smooth stretch or
road. but riders who desire to become experts
the wheel should learn how to do il. While
the hands are not on the handle-bar, the machine
is guided by pressure on the pedals. There Is
knack In doing this that most men and some
women can acquire without much difficulty
When riding hands off ii is easy to sway the
wheel from one side to the other so as to avoid
a stone other obstacle. but no rider should
undertake to do this unless he has acquired
the requisite skill.
Toe clips seem to be growing in favor, and
those who use them are almost without cx-
ception warm in their praise. There Is an I'M
preston that in case necessity for quick dis
mount arises the clips may hold the feet and
possibly cause an accident. In truth, there Is no
reason for this impression The feet leave the
pedals as quickly when toe clips are used as
when they are not. Those who ride with toe
clips affirm that they can see no difference what
ever in this respect. The use Of them can be
quickly learned, two or three days being all the
time needed in most cases: At first II seems
little awkward to get the feet into them. but 1t
soon becomes easy. When the feet rest in the
clips il is almost impossible for pedal to be
lost. no matter how rough the road or how steep
the hill one is descending. They are decided
help in pushing up hill. and also aid in back
pedalling when going down.
A wheelman who goes to Brooklyn by the
Bridge for the first time is not unlikely to feel
that his tires In danger of being punctured by
the numerous splinters Of wood TO be all
along the roadway. The planking on both road
ways IS laid in two ways On the sides Of the
drives the planks run lengthwise of the Bridge,
while in the middle they are laid crosswise. 1t
is on the longitudinal planks that bicycles run
with the greatest ease. and these parts OF the
roads are always chosen by wheelmen Spnt-
abound all the planks except those
Gently laid down. One of the policemen on the
south roadway asked the other day whether
bicyclists often got punctures from the bits of
torn and broken wood. He answered in the
negative, and gave his questioner the impression
that he had known of sucn The
wood Is much broken up that it seems to be
soft and yielding. and apparently there Is small
risk in riding a bicycle across this structure.
Some riders, especially women. have a nervous
dread Of the Bridge, fearing that there might be
a runaway while they are crossing 1t. In such
an event there would he no place Of refuge
the Bridge proper. although near each anchorage
one could easily get to place of safety. Numer-
runaways do occur on the Bridge, but no
instance where a cyclist has been injured there
by is recalled.
The tire that cannot be punctured. while pos
sessing all the good qualities Of those that are
not mpervous to nails. glass and other sharp
substances. is apparently yet to be invented, but
1t may make Its appearance some day In the
time any device that renders It easy to
mend punctured tire is to be welcomed Here
tofore two methods have been in use. In the
OF single-tube tires the common practice Is
to insert plug covered with rubber cement into
the aperture made by the nail or thorn. while
with double tubes the inner tube has to be taken
out patched and then replaced. This year
quick-repair apparatus be purchased which
may be used equally well with both kinds OF
tires. double tube being mended from the out
side well a single tube. Plugs are dis
pensed with and patches used instead. BY an
ingenious little instrument the patch can be
carried 10 the inside of the tire with double
tube tire to the inside Of the inner tube,, the
cement be placed 1t and the patch then
picked up, neatly covering the puncture and ef
fectually preventing the escape of air. wheel
man who made his first trial OF this apparatus
last week reports that II is the simplest thing
in the world TO mend a puncture: "lt was a
doube-tube tire that tried il on" he says. land
l was able TO do the Job in ten minutes at the
outside. The next time I think cut that
time in two. BY the old way. II had had to
take out the inner tube | should have given my
self two hours and should have had an infinite
amount Of trouble Now I consider it as easy
to mend a puncture as to tie a cravat"
There are no end OF devices to aid one in taking
care of a bicycle, or whose inventors at least
make claim to that Many OF them serve to take
few cents or a dollar or two out of the pockets
of good many wheelmen without giving them
much In return. One Of the newest is ap-
paratus for cleaning the chain. 1t IL clamped to
the frame and then the wheel is revoved, andit Is
asserted that the chain is thus more cffectually
cleaned than In any other way. As matter Of
fact, 1t is not difficult to keep a chain In good
condition If it Is not allowed to become dirty
A careful bicyclist cleans his wheel after every
ride and the chain ought to be cleaned as well
as the nickelled and enamelled surfaces. A
small. fairly stiff brush. that can be bought for
a few cents. is as good as anything for this |
purpose and II takes only "a few seconds to run |
over the chain and take the dust and dirt off. |
Such brush Is also useful In cleaning around |
the nuts and in keeping the spokes the hub |
in good shape. These parts cannot be easily |
reached with a cloth.
It 10 becoming q popular thing for churches to |
give their pastors bicycles, and the practice is |
to be commended. For most clergymen in aver
age health there is better form of exercise
than wheeling, and they have the advantage !
over men who are engaged In business that they |
can get their exercise on the wheel by daylight. !
Riding after dark is far better than no riding at
all, but the real endowment Of the bicycle comes !
when one is able t. &c out frequently when the
sun is shining. Herein many women have the
advantage over most men, Clergymen, a
rule, have little difficulty in arranging their
fol tl,nt tha, ha ahl TO tnlr4. lonc