New-York tribune., 1896-11-29
IN THE CYCLING WORLD.
RIDING ON SLIPPERY ASPHALT.

SOME THROUGH CITY RoUTEs-wooDEN HANDLE
BARS GAINING IN FAvoR-c1.EANING THE
CHAIN WITHOUT REMOVING IT.
There are probably few worse bits Of pave
ment In the city than that in Ma-st. at the
northern end of the Postoffice 1t is all up hill
and down: there is not square foot of level
surface in it. To ride with any reasonable de-
gree Of speed from Park Row to Broadway by
this short street is impossible; one has to go at
a snairs pace and pick his way 1t is not a
route often used by wheemen. and 1t can never
be popular one Still the street is greatly
used for traffic generally. and ought to he pro-
vided with a first-cass pavement
The ability Of some wheelmen to make their
wheels stand up on wet pavements and muddy
roads Is remarkable. Every body remembers
that the pavements week ago yesterday were
In the worst possible condition. far worse than
they would have been If they had been drenched
with rain. The slow drizzle covered both side
walks and pavements with nasty. pasty mud
that was slippery and vexatious in the extreme
About the middle Of the afternoon a solitary
bicyclist was seen moving cautiously up Mas
sau-st On the asphalt II not bad. But
when he reached the stone pavement at Print
Ing House Square people watched him curously
to see whether he would be able to ride on
account Of the crowd interested in the football
bulletins he had to turn out to the left to pass
the Franklin statue. and he did amid a tangle
OF teams and people that would have appalled,
any one but veteran rider with perfect conf
dence in his powers. Because Of the
crowded condition of the street he was COM
PEELED for several rods to ride at a snails pace.
but he kept his balance and his nerve perfectly,
and went on his way up Park Row with
much nonchaance If the roadway had been
dry and unobstructed. One who has not tried
something OF this kind can have little concep
tion of the nervous and physical strain 10 which
a rider Is subjected in such experience. The
physical strain alone Is a friend OF the
writer, who recently rode sixteen miles
muddy roads. said afterward tha; the effort to
keep his front wheel straight and avoid slipping
tired his arms wonderfully. while the exertion
needed to drive the bicycle through the mud ex-
hausted him fully much II he had ridden
sixty or seventy miles over fairly good roads.
In such circumstances the important thing is
to keep the front wheel from swerving as far as
possible. No matter If the rear wheel slides
inch or two even three or four. long as the
front one is kept up to its work" II the front
wheel is not kept In its place by firm pressure
on the handles. and slips even little. il is al
most certain that spill will follow 4 new
rider Is likely To he disconnected II he feels his
rear wheel moving. a little from side To
side under him. but he has occasion for alarm
so long he is BILE To keep the other one under
control.
It is now practicable to ride almost from end to
end Of Manhattan Island without being com
PEELED to go over rough pavements on the West
Side the asphalt strips in Hudson-s connect the
smooth pavement Of Eighth-ave. with the as
phalt laid not long ago on the extension Of South
Fifth-ave below Chambers-st carrying one well
downtown. on the East Side. by Second ave
Forsyth-st. Bayard st. Mulberry-st. Cor Mott or
Baxter and Park-st. II is possible to ride within
two short blocks OF City Hall Park From Cen
tire st. Duane-st the cyclist mus; he content
with stone pavement until h. reaches Nassau
and Spruce SITS. and then through Nassau and
Broad SITS ne can 60 almost 10 the Battery with
comfortable riding all the way. The trouble is
that on weekdays many Of the streets mentioned
are so crowded that IL is not easy to ride through
them while in the asphalt paved streets Of the
crowded Eas' Side the pavements are so much
used by the population H. fine weather that rid
ing IS attended with difficulties one has TO he
constantly the lookout for pcdcsirians and
slow riding IS NECESSARY II one would go safely.
Apparently the wooden handle-bar IS to have
as great vogue as the wooden rim When tho
latter was first brought into use. about three
years ago II was regarded with many missiv-
TO give their countenance TO such an experiment.
As late as 1891 about half of the bicycles ridden
had steel rims Now steel rim on n recen,
wheel IS never seen. the only ones 10 be found
are on wheels Of the old style that continue to be
ridden The wooden rim has captured the field
absolutely Its advantages have been proved by
actual trial and are now conceded by all. The
wooden handle-bar is still in the experimental
stage Some people stiil think II has queer
look. but is superiority to steel and nickel is be-
ing gradually acknowledged. and bicycle men
say they will not be surprised If more than half
the wheels put out next year are provided with
wooden bars. 4 hickory handle-bar. II Is certain.
cannot be broken easily as steel one. and It
cannot be dented. Practically IL cannot be
broken at all for experiment has showed that
even when tied in knot the tough wood splin-
ters but does not break. Again. the wooden bar
cannot rust: and IL is easy for any one To- make
II look as good by the use OF a little shell
lac while a steel bar that shows signs of wear
or hard use has to be rcnickelled at a consider
able cost Wooden bars can be bent in any de-
sired shape and may lie made adjustable as
easily as those OF metal
The newest oil can on the market Is provided
with an extension tip which can be drawn out
perhaps two inches. thus enabling 70
reach the oiling places on the hubs without max
ing II necessary to thrust the hand through the
spokes After being used IL must b." held in
vertical position for few seconds to allow the
oil to run out Of the tip. and when the extended
part is put back in its place it is impossible for
any oil To flow out This is an advantage which
will be appreciated by those who have soled
their bicycle clothes by carrying In the pocket an
oil can not oil tight
The satisfaction naturally created by the an
nouncement that steps are under way for the
construction Of the loop Of the hudson County
RouIevard with the Weehawken ferry will be