Evening star., 1897-01-23
SOME CYCLE CHAT.


branch of outdoor recreation. The cyclist
is not only inspired with courage and con-
fidence, but becomes possessed of a quick
ness to act in an emergency lacking in the
average individual. The seeming fearless
ness of racing cyclists in the face of i'm
mediate danger has often been remarked.
An illustration of this occurred last July,
at Charlotte, n. c., and is fresh in the
memory of the many who Witnessed the
daring act. A young cyclist and his two
friends, well known in local cycle circles,
were in swimming in the big pool, 1t is
termed, at Latta Park popular resort OF
that city. Hundreds visit the place in the
evening. The water in the center Of the
pool being very deep, few. except the ex-
pertA would venture out any distance. One
of the Washington boys swan too far out,
and in attempting to return, suddenly was
seen to falter, then cry for help and go
under. The bathers rushed to the shore,
and no one seemed to know exactly what
TO do. 1t remained for the young Wash
ngton cyclist to show his presence of
mind and ordering one to secure a rope
he dived and swan to the succor of his
friend. 1t was a brief and hard struggle
before he managed to bring the man to the
surface and then to hold him there BY
this time watchman had obtained rope
and grasping 1t, he aud his friend were
hauled in- This is but one of the many
examples where the courage of the cyclist
has been proven.
The secretary Of the Chicago Racing As
ISOLATION informs The Star that the six
days cycle race will commence at Tat
tersalrs February 21. The number of en-
tries VIII be limited to thirty. and it prom
ises to be one of the biggest ever held in
this country. Unlike the New York race,
the prizes will not be q percentage Of the
receipts, but will be a stipulated sum,
1900 In all, with the possibility Of the
rider securing much more The first prize
will be $1,000; the second prize, $500; third,
800; fourth. 500; fifth. $50; sixth. s125;
seventh, 500; eighth. $75; ninth, $40. In
addition to this general prize list, a number
OF special prizes will be hung up The
riders are all required to break Albert
Shocks old record of l 200 miles for the
time, and the rider who breaks Hale's
record OF 1910 miles, made recently at
Madison Square Garden, will get 500 addt-
tional. If any rider is lucky enough to 20
100 miles above Hale's record an additional
prize of $50 will be given, and another
S2o added II the record is broken by 200
miles. The rider who breaks the existing
one-mile record by the greatest margin will
receive $35 extra, and like sum will be
given under similar conditions to the man
estaolishlng f1ve-mile record. For the
best ten and twenty-five-mile record ff
broken. a special purse of $50 for each will
be given. while $50 will be given for a new
nfty-m:le record. The 1OO-mile record now
held by Frank Waller in a frac ton less
than seven minutes below four hours is
regarded as so safe, that purse of $3.50
VIII be given II it is smashed. For a new
tWelve-hour record special prize of 500
Will De given. while $125 will be given for a
new twenty-four- hour record For the hest
forty-eight and seventy-two-hour records
II broken, the prize will be $50 for each,
What style of tire will be most popular
Inns year! Ihere was a big pull last year
Tor the use of singie-tube tires which came
very near being successful One heard of
nothing but single-tube tires, how easy thew
were to repair, what excellent results they
gave, and similar encomums. With sor1e
the results have been highly satisfactory;
with others they have not been so As a
result, those who did not secure such good
results will go back to the use of the double
tube. On the other hand, those who used
the double tube praised it up for its many
good qualities but, as in the case of the
single tube. there are some who have not
found the results to be as satisfactory as
anticipated, and they will probably make
change and turn over to the use of the
single tube. Hence the advocates of both
sides will receive additions to their ranks.
but where the addition will be numerically
equal on both sides is hard to predict.
Changing the Style of tires is in many
cases due to ignorance A puncture Is
very uncertain thing. When one is expect
ed it never comes, and when unlocked for
is sure to appear. Some cyclists ride
straight through a pile of broken glass and
come out unscathed, only to run over
single minute particle of glass lying in
the roadway all by itself, which will ac-
complish the work. Some manage to ride
almost a year without having a puncture
occur. and though this is more attributable
to good luck than anything else a good
many think it is because of the excellence
of the tire itself. To others a puncture is
almost daily occurrence, and, as re-
suit the tire is blamed. In both cases the
nj
not belong to 1t. but more to the rider
than anything else. The first class think
that there is nothing like the tire they use,
while the other class, using perhaps the
Identical same tire, will declare that it is
the most abominable tire ever manufac-
tured. This rule appears to hold good in
both the case of the single and double-tube
tires. OF course, all this has a tendency
to change the sentiments, and the make of
tire happening to sustain the most mis-
haps in this respect is apt to be the most
forsaken and the least used. From indica
tions the coming season will, without
doubt, equally divide honors between the
two styles of manufacture. 1t does not
look as though the single tube will have
the same general use as last year, though
it might have slightly the better Of the
argument this season.
The grow tn of the popularity of the bi-
cycle has been the cause of good many
new industries, several of which have APP
peared IN tnlS city. Anotner is on the
horizon. A movement is on foot to estab-
lish a cooperative repair association, in
which the bicyclists themselves will be
the stockholders. The plan of the new
company places the capital stock at 5000.
and contemplates doing everything but
making and selling wheels. though the
projectors entertain the idea that IL neces-
sary they can construct a wheel to order
for any person that SO desires 1t. The
company has not been organized, and as
soon as this is done, articles of incor-
poration will be fled and a suitable To-
cation for transaction of business secured.
The shares of the company will be placed
at SO each, and the stock will be circu-
lated among the local wheelmen for SUBJ
scription. Letters have been sent to all
of the clubs In the city inviting the help
of their n embers In the enterprise, which
Is started by local people. If the company
starts out 1t Is expected that 1t will get
one-kalf of the work of the cycle dealers
in the city. and this is deemed sufficient
to keep it on q paying basis If no other
work comes up.
There arc a good mary who entertain
the idea that there will be a war to the
knife this season between the cycle riders
and the cycle dealers. growing out of the
recent organization of the local board OF
cycle trade and the adoption OF its con-
stitution end bylaws. The general i'm