The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-05-26
THE coMING"cELERETTE."
The Cheapest of All Bicyc1es-An Old-Tims
Kicker, With Modern Improvements

81. Henri de ParviIle, the scientific ed
itor Of the journal des Debats, gives an
interesting account of a new kind of BIZ
cycle, or rather an improved old one,
which he calls a "oelerettc." The celer
cite is not intended to do away with the
cycle; its principal advantage lies in the
act that it can he msnufaoturd for few
cents. Strictly speaking, it is an i'm
proved draisiT1e, the type of bicycle that
came out il the year 1918 and was in.
vented by Baron Won Drais of the Grand
Duchy Of Baden, to whose memory g
monument was erected in Carlsruhe, his
native place. The present machine has
no pedals and no gear. It is the inven-
ton of M. Clero. II consists Of little
wooden frame a saddle, two wheels and
q handle bar. In his account of the origi.
nal invention Baron Won Drais says
son good road my N achine can travel
six or even eight miles au hour, and
down an incline 1t can go faster than a
galloping horse"
There may be little exaggeration in
that statement, but it is evident that
with this machine man can get along
easily at faster rate than if he ran at
his full speed, and he can go an immense
distance without becoming fatigueu
To certain extent it is funny thing,
and man may look little ridiculous
on it, but after all, fellow looks funny
on wheel anyhow. Little or no training
is necessary to enable anybody to ride
tA3s new contrivance. just as In the case
OF the old invention, the rider runs along
the road while seated. The moment he
mounts the saddle he plants his feet on
the ground, starts off with few kicks,
and away he goes. giving kick now an
then to keep up speed. With the cheapest
kind of celerette one can get along very
well, but at somewhat slower rate than
that of the regular machine. With pneu-
mtio tires it Is claimed that this ma
chine can be made to travel just as fast
as any other wheel.
When the old affair first appeared in
France, at the close of the last century,
the caricaturists killed it; but in Eng
land it was Used extensively by the
young people. For them this mode Of oy-
cling was glorious sport Already the
oelerette is laughed at in France. The
idea of a man flying along the road kick
ing like mule is rather too much for
the dignity of dandy Frenchmen; but it
must be remen bered that it took twenty
years before FRENCH people dared to show
themselves in publica stride a bicycle.
VI. Paul Clefc's wheel, as we have al
ready said, costs little or nothing. One
can be bought for fifty cents OF d dollar,
and, as it costs that much for carriage
ride, the wheelman can afford to throw
the thing away at the end of his journey
and buy new one whenever he wants tc
start ont again. A wheel that any body
an ride, and that will run along the
read as fast as an ordinary horse can trot
is certainly a useful machine. Y Dung
people will use it to amuse themselves
OF to go on long Journeys, and 1t MA,
also be used to advantage by people VIII
wish to oommencestheir eduoationsin reg
ulHr cycling. Workmen might alao TAXI
advantage Of it going and coming from
their workshops Children going Il
soohol and peasants going to the marke
could use it. Moreover, any handy maj
with tools can make eelerette, and it i
20 light that it can easily be carried III
stop hills or along the portions O
jagged roads where wheeling is vel
eisa impossible.
Beyond doubt the ceIerette is anothe
machine fort benefit Of humanity.