Omaha daily bee., 1897-02-28
TAKING CARE OF THE WHEEL
Useful Information for Riders, Both Young
and Old.
CLEANING SAVES MONEY AND TROUBLE
How the vital Parts Should he Kept
I'm Order-Cnre of the Chain, the
hearings and the Pncu-
matte Tire.

Most Of the annoyance, the delays and tho
home walks that befall wheelers may bt
traced to their negligence in caring fol-
their mounts. To keep a bicycle in good
order and avoid frequent trips to repair
shops requires frequent examination of the
vital parts. This does not call for mechanical
knowledge of the parts. The main thing is
cleanliness. A bicycle worth riding is worth
cleaning. and to keep it clean is to save
considerable e%xertion in pushing it. The
time and muscle required to keep it in order
Is made up in the greater ease of movement,
decreased wear and tear and attractive
appearance. Care and attention in this re-
gard makes a bicycle a thing of beauty and
a Joy for years.
A wheel should be cleaned at least once a
week. To clean the wheel, remove the
lamp, place the wheel upside down, resting
on the saddle and the handle bar, which
should rest on a cloth or piece of old carpet
to prevent its being marred. Remove the
dust from the wheel with a dry brush. If
the rims and frames are muddy. use a wet
cloth; a small brush will be found useful in
cleaning the sand or mud from the hub and
sprocket wheel. If the enamel! nf the frame
appears streaked after washing OFF the mud,
1t should be rubbed with a dry cloth or piece
of chamois skin. Do not use oily rags on
the tHdul6lpu parts. Inc SDOktS S1OuIu De
cleaned with a cloth. Every month the
chain should be removed and cleaned. The
sprocket wheels should he thoroughly cleaned
before replacing the chain. There are a
number of chain lubricators on the market,
including a mica lubricator, which will not
soil the hands or clothes. Many wheelmen
Intricate their chains with a semi-iuid
preparation of plumbago and the solid
graphite as well; only a small quantity Of
lubricant is required. After the bicycle is
cleaned it should be thoroughly oiled and
the bearings should be examined and tight
ened, If necessary.
CLEANING THE CHAIN.
A number of ways of cleaning the chain
are employed, coal oil being the principal
factor. The writer has found the following
method to work satisfactorily: First, rub
the chain thoroughly with a dry rag, so as
to remove as much of the dust as possible.
The caked dust in the links is not getatable
in that way, so it is necessary to soak 1t in
coal oil, placed in an open pan. If left in
soak over night, the caked dust dissolves.
Should some remain, work the links hack
and forth until every particle is removed.
Repeat the washing in gasoline or benzine,
that every particle of kerosene may be re-
moved. This latter is most essential. for
no matter what your final plan may be II any
kerosene Is allowed to remain on the chain
1t will prevent any oil from entering around
pins and even should it enter the kerosene
| III 81 lhlu III VII dS W uldhC IL
valueless.
When the gasoline or benzine has dried
from the chain have ready on the fire suffi-
cient melted tallow to cover the chain. AL
low to remain in this a few minutes, or until
the chain has become thoroughly heated
then remove from the tallow and lay it face
dow inward on a board or table, and with a
cloth wipe off well the sides and back, allow
ing what will to remain on the face. Now
let the chain become cold, when it will be
found the joints are stiff. Work each one
loose with fingers and the task is complete.
At any time the chain needs more grease
on face dip a tag in melted tallow and wipe
over 1t, allowing it to harden before using
wheel.
Experience has shown that this will be
all that is required for a run of LOCO miles,
which is certainly all that can be desired.
After a time it will be found there is a
black glaze on the sprocket wheels, where
they come in contact with the chain. DO
not remove this, as it is as smooth and
about as hard as glass and will largely pre-
vent wear.
EASY WHEN YOU KNOW HOW
Some folks have a genius for going wrong
end foremost about a petty mechanical job.
In putting a chain back in it's place on a
wheel many a. rider has tried with two
hands to hold both ends of the chain and
slip the bolt in the eyes Of the parted links
with thumb and forefnger until he reeked
with perspiration and profanity. Bring the
parted ends together on top Of the front
sprocket wheel. The sprocket teeth will
then hold the links and adjusting the bolts
is as easy as returning a plug to a water
melon.
Do not set up the nuts on the chainbolts
very tight or you will make the link stiff
and obtain one of those dreaded Clicking"
sounds. There should be perfect flexibility
between the adjusting links as well as be-
tween all the others.
Common kitchen soap is better than graphite
for your chain in rainy weather. 1t will in
sure easy running and protect from rust.
Better than soap, though not always so
handy, is mutton tallow. If you are about
to ride through a rain, RIB the dirt from your
chain and apply the soap, or tallow, on top
and bottom. Do not, however, go out on
dusty roads the next day before you have
wiped all such grease from the chain. More
important still. never ride through the rain
without previously loosening your chain or 1t
is liable to tighten up and break.
AS a rule a WOODEN rag or a piece Of cheese
cloth is better than a brush for cleaning dirt
from a chain. A brush leaves bristles in the
joints.
THE CLICKING CHAIN.
A clicking noise in a chain Is sometimes
due to it's being too tight. sometimes to hav-
ing grit in 1t, sometimes to tight links, caused
by dirt or nuts that have been pinched up too
hard, and sometimes 1t Is due to the sprockee
being out of true. II the last cause is the