The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-01

A considerable number of makers,
like those of the Columbia and the
Spalding, for reasons of their own,
have odopted the two-plate front fork
crown, while as many more have
adopted the arched fork crown. In the
matter of tires and pedals, there is
practically nothing new offered among
the bicycle dealers, except that the
Crescent has made arrangements by
which it's customers may have the
Dunlop tire if they want it. The Dun
lop is the leading double-tube detach-
able tire in England and ranks in price
with the most expensive. There is a
new Hartford tire, with a. corrugated
non-slipping tread, and the Goodrich
is a new non-slipping tire, but neither
has any special features except the
one mentioned. At the Stanley Cycle
show in London two new tires attract
ed much attention. One was an Eng
lsh make and one American. The
English tire was Il single tube, detach-
able, which was made air tight when
inflated by q hilf-inch- flap which
extended from one side of the joint
over the other side inside Of the tube.
This tire can be taken off as soon as
it is Debated, opened out fiat and re-
paired at once from the inside. A little
soft soap or soap and water rubbed on
the flap makes it tight enough to in
flate when it is replaced on the rim.
The American tire is the Hazeltine
non-puncturable tire. It's peculiar fea-
ture is a cuirass Of long fibre cotton
fabric. added to the tread, and at the
Stanley show this proved able to pro-
tect the tire from puncture, although
a. fna intn hNr
being ridden hundreds of times over a
board covered with broken glass and
French wire nail points.
In saddles there will be offered the
greatest variety ever seen. Some of
the bicycle makers will catalogue thir-
ty varieties, and the saddle makers
will double this number at least. In
general the saddles all come under the
styles typifed by the Hunt, the Gar
ford, the Brown, the Kirkpatrick, or
those built in two parts, where each
side of the saddle is designed to follow
the movements of the riders legs.
Large as is the variety in saddles, no
one can inspect them intelligently
without becoming convinced that not
a single one of these styles has been
made without there being a distinct
object to be accomplished. The expert
enced rider and the saddle maker
agree that the saddle is the one part
of the bicycle which must be especial
ly adapted TO each rider. The saddle
which gives perfect comfort and ease
to one rider will not do for another at
all, and again, a saddle which suits
one style of riding will not answer
for a person of the same build riding
in a different style. There are in this
years varieties long saddles and short
saddles, hard saddles and soft saddles
and saddles with springs under them
and others without. The general tend
ency among the saddle makers is to
make the new seats wider and shorter
and to raise the rider above the horn
of the saddle and away from it's CEN
ter line, by adding pads to the sides of
the seat or cutting away the horn and
center. The list prices of Daddles re-
main the same as last year, but the
prices to the trade are from Is to 20
per cent. cheaper than last year
AS to the outlook for the trade in BIZ
cycles this year, and the likelihcd Of
better maintenance Of prices than dur
ing 1896, opinions among the manufac-
turers differ. Some declare that, be-
cause Of the disasters Of last year, the
number of makers has diminished
greatly and those now in the trade
will go slowly. and not manufacture a
lot Of machines ahead of orders. 9th
ers say that If they wait for orders
| they will not have any machines to sell
when trade begins, and will not be able
TO mako them in time These men say
there will probably be 100000 bicy-
cles of all sorts made this year, and
they expect bigger sales than last year.
It is estimated by these same men that
| 1, 200 900 machines were made last year,
and that 10000 to 100000 Of these are
still on hand.
The guarantee for this year will be
for only six months by the members
OF the National Board of Trade of Cy-
| Gle Manufacturers, but outsiders like
the Victor makers will give a years
guarantee as heretofore.