The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-07-17
BICYCLES TO BE CHEAPER.
No More New Models and Prices Must
Fall.

New York Commercial Advertiser
The storm OF Indignation stirred up in
the bicycle trade by that misleading ar
ticle relative TO the cost of wheels"
which was published lately in the columns
or morning newspaper In this city has
not yet subsidized. Manufacturers and
dealers are vowing vengeance for what
they consider a deliberate. unwarranted
and unproyokel attack on their business.
and several OF them are alleged TO have
already cancelled advertising contracts ex-
ecuted with the guilty newspaper.
That the price OF bicycles viii be re-
duced as time goes on there can be no
doubt. All the trade agrees upon this.
but that intending purchasers should be
led to believe that an attempt TO swindie
them Is being made when they are asked
500 for a high-grade wheel Is the point
where the makers and sellers OF bicycles
rise 10 object. The genius who concocted
the story referred 20, while adding GER
tain percentage for prof, 20 his remark
able calculation as 20 the cost OF a BIZ
cycle. omitted TO show where the manu-
facturer should repay himself for the mi
tlal outlay for plant, machinery, etc. 10
say nothing Of Office rent. office employees.
cost Of shipping. and the one hundred and
one little items absolutely necessary TO
the conduct OF the business. When IL Is
remembered that before a single wheel
can be made ~ Is necessary for the manu-
facturer TO expend anywhere from S.o00
to sle0co for tools. dies. etc. alone. and
that as fashion changes these dies and
tools become worthless and new ones have
TO be purchased. IL will readily be seen
that something more than an ordinary
percentage over the actual cost OF a ma
chine must be added thereto 10 insure a
reasonable profit.
But that the price OF wheels is doomed
20 fall considerably unless something re-
markable. and as yet unforeseen. occurs.
no one can deny. Nor viii the manu-
facturer or dealer suffer thereby. for this
reason: The bicycle OF today has arrived
al an apparent fixity OF pattern. Tho
initial cost OF plant, machinery, dies,
tools. etc. has been paid and the manu-
facturers viii be able 10 produce and mar
ket a hieh-grade machine at less than
heretofore. The fierce competition in the
trade. which has progressed with the
wheel craze, win compel him to do so.
and the consequence is wheels will be
cheaper.
In speaking of this yesterday, Alec
Schwalhach, the weai-known bicycle
dealer. who Is generally regarded as an
authority on cycles and cycling, said:
AS soon as there ceases 10 be new
fashion In cycles prices will drop. When
a maker can produce second years out
put without new tools, iigs and dies.
there Is great saving in the factory cost
II this becomes true. competition will
speedily effect reduction In the selling
figures.
..Reaartion In the price means greater
popularity for the sport and increased
sales, but on the whole tho makers are
not anxious for Il. II Is well argued that
such thing as a fashion In cycles Is un-
natural and unhealthy bat IL must not he
forgotten that there is a public demand
for t.
The American people are peculiar IN
this respect. They are faddists and de-
nand constant change OF style. while
their English and European cousins are
content 10 plod along conservativeiy on
the same old lines. We have not only
fashions in clothing, but IN wagons and In
houses and furniture. and they desire IL
sn cycles. Aside then from the question
Of whether or not this frame OF mind on
the part OF the public and the makers IN
depiorahl~ the fact must he recognized
that IL exists and that Il must be supplied.
THE tremendous demand % late made
uron manufacturers for their produce has
forced them 10 keep their mechanical de-
ssgHers IN A rut. They have not been
striving after new ideas. They have been
too busy following and producing old onss.
Yet here IS an unr1istakable public ten
dency 20 look for new patterns in bicycles
every year. and IN response 20 Il there ~
the tendency OF the commercial man 20
sss-piy an article 20 meet airy demand"
But the question remains. ~ = radical
change N the pattern 81 bicycles ap-
praachiuz2 On this point Mr.. Schwal5ach
saws. 1T IS curious 70 note that cycle
making has progressed ia decades Prom
fs6S 70 1876 vas the term % the wooden
vel8clpeses and bSna-shakers. In 1879
came tbs trst radical change. through