The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-05-04

The adoption of wood rims on the
wheels of standard make met with con-
| siderable criticism at first, but their use
has demonstrated the wisdom of the in
| novation. Their chief value lies in the de-
crease of weight with no diminution of
strength, and the laminated wood rims
| in particular offer many advantages
If wood rim and a metal rim were
placed side by side, each TO be subjected
to an equal test, beginning with light
blows gradually increasing IN force, the
metal rim would show dent at almost
every blow. while the wood rim would
rebound without damage up to a GER
tain point, when, of course, it would
break. but by that time the metal rim
would be very badly battered. The wood
it breaks and show no damage, while
the metal rim will show dent at every
blow of any consequence. Most of the
wood rims, however, are solid but in the
highest grade wheels are Illuminated, that
is, made up of layers glued together so
that the grain in no two pieces will fol-
low the same line.
In a solid rim, if the wood should hap
pen not to be properly seasoned, it is
liable to crack when subjected to sud-
den changes in temperature, and it a
crack starts the entire rim will break
With the laminated rim, should there be
defect in the wood, 1t is not liable TO
extend beyond one lamination or layer
! as the chances are a hundred to one
against the grain or similar conditions
coming together at a given point. In the
standard wheels. however, this is not at
all likely to happen as the wood is care
fully selected in the first place, the lam
nations firmly glued together, and last
or all rigidly inspected and tested before
! leaving the factory 1t is estimated that
weight for weight, the laminated wood
rim is six times stronger than one of
metal.
Instead of any tendency on the part Of
makers of standard wheels to reduce
their prices, there is great probability
that manufacturers of cheap wheels will
either have to advance their prices or
economic by inferior construction. This
is due chiefly to the great scarcity of
tubing, which has also become a serious
problem to manufacturers of high grade
machines 1t is but natural to assume
that with the great demand that has ex-
listed during the past year, and which
still continues, manufacturers cannot be-
stow the care upon their product that
they might otherwise, or ct least, there
is greater chance for inferior quality
finding its way into machines, the MAX
ers of which have hitherto been able to
select their material.
The season of 1896 has started in with
big boom, and already many of the
smaller bicycle manufacturers are find
ing extreme difficulty in filling their or
derS. Many OF them are hampered by this
scarcity of tubing and forgings and the
higher prices that are ruling for these
parts, while those who thought they were
safe in contracting away anead for this
seasons supply are faring little better
owing to the inability of the tube mills
and FORCES to live up to these contracts.
The advantage of the company that has
its own tube mills is therefore apparent,
while the company that can manufac-
ture its wheels entire enjoys an immense
advantage and is reaping the reward that
Yesterday was one of the best days
the wheelmen have yet had and they
made the most of it. All the popular
routes were thronged and the dealers
did big business.
1t looks as though there would be but
little racing in Salt Lake this year. Many
of the stars of last year, including Weller,
have retired from the track, and as yet,
there has been no interest taken in ar
ranging for meets.
The leading cycle dealers of Salt
Lake have arranged to cooperate in
giving fifteen mile road race from
Salt Lake to Pennington on Decora-
ton day, which promises to be the
greatest success in that line ever at
tempted in this vicinity. A number of
high grade bicycles will be offered as
prizes and the prize list will undoubt-
edly exceed IN value any list of prizes
ever offered for a like event, which is
certain to bring out all the crack road
riders of this and surrounding states.
The following dealers are promoting
the race and their cooperation means
success to the undertaking: Beve-
ridge-B Buckley Cycle company; Pierce
and Raible, A. W. Game & Co., West
ern Hardware company, ]. S. Jensen,
Coop. Wagon and Machine company,
M. r. Evans George M. Scott & Co..
George Mullett and company, and
Inter Mountain Wheel company.