The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-31
VERY SMOOTH RUNNING.
The New ChainIess wheel Is Highly
Regarded.

The new chainless bicycle which has jus
been placed on the market was inspected by
several hundred persons in an uptown salts'
room yes erday afternoon and while the op-
DOrtunty to thoroughly test the ability O.
the wheel to stand the wear and tear @
rough roads, cobhle pavements and broker
asphal; was lacking, those who saw the
wheel ridden around the smooth board fio5l
of the academy were loud in their expres-
s:ons Of delight, says the New York Herald
representative.
Accustomed for ten years to riding a whee
over all kinds and conditions of roads, bo.f
in this country and in Continental Europe
and having used wheels of both American
ard foreign manufacture, | found that the
new chainlCss was about the easiest riding
wheel | had ever mounted. had no more
than vaulted into the saddle than | discov-
cred that it differed greatly from the chain
wheel rasmuch as no push was necessary
to start the wheel on its journey. In fac
from the push l gave 1 had trouble in
dCdging the wall of the academy, TO-
ward which l moved as though shot out OF a
cannon.
Then 1 made a second discovery and thai
was that If it was easy to start the wheel Ii
was easier to stop it, for the slightest pres
sure on the pedals, even without going
through the motion of back pedall1ng, brought
the wheel to a dead stop so quickly that
almost took header over the handle bars
The new chainless wheel is geared to sew
enty-two, and so smoothly do the beye ed
edges of the clogs work one into the other
that not the slightest frictEn is noticeable
or chambers when the wheel is in motion.
The manufacturer claims for his whee. that
the more use which is given to the wheel t1e
more close-y will the teeth in the cog WheeiS
or gear fit one to the other and that no m at
ter how rough the usage given to the wheel
there will be no wearing away of the gear
teeth such as would create a rafting and
prove as much of an annoyance as has the
chain. OF course with only indoor riding for
a test, it was not possible to decide as to the
durability of the wheel or its ability to stand
hard knocks or the jolting which naturally
comes with q road ride, but tested by the
work which it does indoors it has fulfilled the
expectation Of its manufacturer.
The most care and thought has been given
to the womans wheel and radical change
has been made in It's construction. The chain
guard, of course, is unnecessary where there
is no chain, and it is done away with on the
chainless wheel. The skirt guard is very
light and composed only of a blackboard OF
light wood with catgut strings to hold it il
wheel being enclosed in the tubing between
the pedal and the rear wheel there is nothing
upon which the skirt can catch.
The smooth running of the new model is
shown by giving the rear wheel one turn
with the hand. 1t will revolve for period
of from four to five minutes, and then will
slowly oscillate for two or three minutes loGg-
er Another feature of the smoothness with
which every part of the wheel worked was
shown when a rider circ.ed the academy once
at full speed and then lifting his feet from
the PEDAL permitted the Wneel 10 coast around
the room at slowly decreasing speed. Four
times it made a revolution of the hail, travel
ing about twelve hundred feet before the
rider jumped off and brought the wheel to a
standstill
One of the minor advantages of the new
model is that the necessity for frequent oiling
is entirely done away with The gear chamb-
ers are filed with oil before the wheel is re-
moved from the factory, and thereafter for a
period of one year the chamber need not be
opened for any purpose whatsoever. In fact,
T. P. Kay, who is exhibiting the Wheel said
that the statement had been made. that any
body could take the wheel apart ana clean it.
such is not the case" he said 1T will
take the most experienced mechanics to un-
derStand the mechanism of this wheel, but
there is no necessity for anybody to take it
apart. The chambers are Theoretically sealed
and no dust or dirt can enter in any way.
The bevel gears are always clean, and the
necessity of taking the wheel to repair shop
will be unknown. The motive power of the
new wheel will not be affected by the weather.
The chainless wheel will outlast any chain
wheel in operation at the present time.
All OF the claims made by Mr.. Kay were
borne out by the test 1 made of the wheel.
That it runs smoother than any other wheel
ever rode there can be no doubt; that the
wheel can be stopped in u shorter time and
within a less distance than the chain-bearing
wheel is equally positive, and that less motive
mower is required the part of the rider ]
was convinced of after riding the wheel. The
danger of collision while riding the chainless
wheel is greatly lessened, and the fear OF
meeting with the usual road accident is for
gotten after one has mounted the new model.
Altogether the chainless wheel gives promise
of filling long felt want, and if the standard
of workmanship exhibited on the wheel l tried
at The salesroom is kept up there is little
doubt that 1t will take the place OF the old
chain bearing bicycle