Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1897-05-26
BICYCLING IN THE TYRoL.
Strong and Heavy Wheels I'm Use I'm the
Mountainous Regions.


Mountainous Regions.
We found that the bicycle fever
had reached even to our landlord,
who was experimenting with an
iron trimmed wheel, over which the
saddle was supported by pair of
elliptac springs. L. tried it and
said it went very well, though not
so soft as the pneu..'' I lifted it
and did not care to go farther. I told
him it was too heavy. He said,
"Mawknix; muss starker sein"
CHATS nothing; you must be
stronger9. Probably the extra
weight of this wheel would not be
considered in fixing the, load that a
Tyrolese peasant would carry over
the hills from the fields and need
not be regarded as an obstruction to
sport. The wheels here are all much
heavier than ours and much stron-
ger. They can be sent up hill by the
tougher thews that grow in this
land, and for safety in going down
hill they have very effective brakes.
The best brake has two pieces of
rubber about ~ inches long and
three-quarters of an inch square,
which are held fiat against the two
quarters of the tire. Itholds very
firmly, and its friction does not
come on the part-that is subject to
the greatest wear. 1t is used not
with a steady pressure, but with
successive light squeezes. When one
becomes accustomed to it, it gives
excellent control to any degree de-
sired, even to holding the machine
stock still under any load and on
any grade Even the usual flat brake
has a. rubber face, which holds bet
ter and lasts longer than metal. My
American brakes were mot in it,
on these hills as compared with
those of the local wheels I rode.
The use of the brake is exacted
by law in all towns, and it is almost
universal on country roads. So is
the furnishing Of the wheel with a
bell, but the better riders in Inns
bruck do not use this in the city
streets. They say they can make
their way safely at a moderate speed
if the people keep on their way,
while if they are disturbed and
made nervous by a,bicyc1e bell they
are liable to make some unexpected
movement that may lead to COLI
sion. remember a case of mutual
lodging at a street crossing in New
York between myself and lady
whom my bell had startled which
came near being annoying. Perhaps
the custom in Paris of hanging a
little sleighbell loosely from the
handle bar is safer. It jingles all the
time, somewhat to the annoyance
of the rider. BUTT has faint horse
car suggestion which keeps the pub
Az OA Lilo lOOAOu6. NOWAOl0 1A Hu-
rope did / see the brutal quadrupe-
dial scorching that is such nuisance
and such danger with U.s.
Another device l found to be in
very general use in Tyrol. This is
snap clip for holding the front
wheel in Line with the machine, SO
that it may be stood against tree
or any other support without fall
ing. It is useful in pushing up hill
with the hand on the saddle. The
direction is changed by lifting the
hind wheel to right or left. The clip
is set or released in a moment.
As we left our lunching place we
found the young towheads of the
farm standing in mute and respect
full wonderment about our wheels.
We gave them a bit of a ride, two
at a time; and left them enriched
with the memory of a sensation
they had never before known and
will never repeat and will never
forget. Colonel George E. Waring,
Jr., in Century.