The herald., 1897-08-08
THE NEW BICYCLE SKIRT
It Is to Wear on Diamond Frames
and Is Very Comfortable

etAo 40 ely SOAllOI
"My husband gets only two weeks off.
said the middle aged matron, "and he
and our boy and girl and 1 expect to
spend the entire time touring on our BIZ
cycles
Tell us about it," urged a dozen
young voices.
well, I have said good-by to conven-
tionality, and my daughter and 1 will
wheel away on diamond frames"
mol" gasped three or four. voices in
unison.
why Of course, you stupids,' impa-
tiently exclaimed a tall woman with
sharp, bright eyes. Where are your
wits? Don't you know that women are
trying to diamond frame wheels? All
you have to do is to keep your eyes opsu
and you can see this for yourselves"
THAT all comes from some persons
having had gumption enough to design
skirt especially for the diamond frame
If such a skirt had been on the market
when the craze for wheeling first broke
feast f5r'3i f6r atiime, atii FOR the diamond frame
as far as wheelwomen were concerned,
and they hit the nail on the head. But
about your vacation tour" she conclud-
| ed, turning to the matron. you say you
| and your daughter are going to ride dia-
| mond frames?"
YES" answered the matron, we've
both mastered the art of mounting and
dismounting a diamond frame, and in,
| the last week have concluded that rid
| ing a loop is poor fun compared with
| spinning along on mans wheel.
| Woman's decision in favor of the dia-
morJd frame, 1 am convinced, is no fad.
The diamond frame is from SIS to SIS
cheaper than the loop frame of the same
grade; it is much safer; it is far strong
er and more rigid, and therefore more
comfortable; it is lighter and more
graceful looking, and, indeed, is the only
wheel adapted to continuous country
| riding.
Every woman knows how impossible
it is to fasten luggage carrier on
drop-frame wheel. By experience have
found that the necessary paraphernalia
for a two weeks tour can be packed
i'm carrier that just fits into the dia-
mond frame, and that it will not incon-
venience me in the least or add mate
rally to the weight of my machine. 1t
is obtainable from any house handling
sporting goods, and costs from SO. so to
but they will not stand the wear and
tear so we'll"
What are you going to take in it?''
asked another.
"It is all packed was the reply, "an0
I've paid more regard to comfort than
to style. In ii I have three silk and
Isle union suits. two pairs of thin
stockings and one pair of golf stock
ings for cool, damp days; an extra pair
of black tights, a thin nightdress, two
wash silk shirtwaists, handkerchiefs,
soap, comb, toothbrush and powder,
and such little necessaries. l shall wear
a sweater most of the time and strap
my coat on the back of my saddle. You
see, my underwear and stockings can
be laundered where ] stop at night and
be fresh and clean for the start next
day. OF course l have an extra pair of |
low shoes in. What more could want? |
1 expect to spend two of the easiest |
weeks of my life, and SO do we ALL"
Are You going to ride in bloomers?"
innocently asked the gum m-chewing |
sister.
"Bloomers!" repeated the tourist in as
tonishment "Well, l should say not !
Boomers are so completely tabooed that |
very few women even use them as an |
undergarment now. Tights have taken |
their place for this purpose altogether. |
They are far cooler, less bulky, and less
apt to catch on the saddle in dismount- |
ing. They are used altogether by |
women who have adopted the diamond |
frame and can be bought in black,
white and gray cloth, lisle, silk or wool |
or in mixtures of any two of the mate
rails mentioned I'm going to wear one
of the new diamond frame skirts that |
have made a mans wheel possible for
woman. 1t Is the cleverest combination
of a divided skirt and walking skirt i'm
aginable, and each is in itself complete, |
and one in no way suggests the other.
When on or off the wheel it looks exact
ly like a graceful walking skirt and the
adjustment is SO simple! A strap is at
tached to the skirt behind which, when
pulled between the legs and fastened inJ
front, makes the skirt fit over the bar
that makes the diamond frame as we'll
as a mans bicycle bloomers do; and
this does not alter the apearance of tha