Evening star., 1897-03-27
so ME CYCLE c H AT


single tube, the popularity Of the latter
evidently now being greater than the
former. The following contribution by one
who has made study OF the matter Iaay
prove of interest:
1.-The strength of frame and superior con-
struction of the driving mechanism in any |
Of the first-class wheels need no special |
scrutiny on the part of the purchaser, Tor |
these important features, together win the |
firest material, are in fact, what consti- |
tute a first-class wheel, and all of the more |
prominent manufacturers can claim them
with equal right. But next III Importance,
and contributing. perhaps, more largely to
the comfort of the rider, comes the Question
of tires Single or double tube tires. On
this point the knowledge of all novices and
most inexperienced riders, is very haZy.
1.-The single-tube tire, as its name implies,
consists of one tube. composed OF stout
rubber and woven fabric. intimately COM
bined during the process Of manufacture.
The single tube is admirably adapted to
resist the wear and tear and other rough
usage which it receives on bad country
roads, and with ordinary care lasts for
years without break or puncture. OF
course, If the wheel passes over d psrticu-
larly Jagged and sharp-ponted broken bot
tie, or an old horseshoe with Sharp-polnt-
ed nail sticking out upright, there will
probably be punclure and collapse Of
tire But this is of rare occurrence, and at
night cannot be guarded against
The double-tuDe TIRE, us me name would
suggest, consists of 'wo tubes. In
clncher tire the outer tube Is merely
a strip of rubber and fabric, five or six
inches wide, the edges Of which are in
serted in grooves made for that purpose In
the wooden rim, ana an inner tube, made
of thin. soft rubber, intended merely to
hold the air and iisten1 the outer tube,
which latter is inten led to receive and
Withstand the wear and .ear of the ROAD
surface. The advantage of this combina-
tion of two tubes, as claimed and extolled
by those who deal in this specially, Is that
puncture is most easily repaired. 1t is a
fact. however. easily demonstrated, that
by far the larger number of manufacturers
have adopted the single-tube tire. and a
preponderating majority of experienced
riders prefer 1t over the doup,e-:ube tire
for the reason that it is less complicated
that the frail inner tube very often leaks
and needs repair. when the outer casing has
not been injured at all. This may happen
at any moment, ever. on the smoo,hest
pavements, and this fragile inner tube
very soon degenera.es. iots ana laS to be
replaced 1t gives continual trouble and is
a weak point in bicycle construction.
The sngle-tube tir, never leaks, unless
a hole is punched through Its substance.
which rarely occurs; but the thin inner
tube of a double tire needs no such
rough treatment. For variety Of mys-
terious reasons, which 10 one can explain,
it leaks and collapses on the slightest
provocation or without any perceptlbie
provocations."
1HlS SUBJECT Is open TO nlSCuSSlON. ana IL
there are any other reaiers of the cycling
page of The Star who care to enter in the
discussion they are a liberty to do so.
By. the readers of this column 1t will be
remembered that an article upon the char
acter and quality of the streets of the city
of Chicago. published several weeks ago.
| brought forth the criticism of two old
Washington riders who have made their
home in the windy city, Their correc-
| tion was published, though the alteration
was quite slight. The stand previously
taken in this column seems to be near cor
rect. in the light of future developments.
Washington Hesing. who started the big
six-day race recently held at Chicago Is a
candidate for the mayoralty of the city.
He is friendly to the wheelmen, and has
been all along, and portion of his plat
form will prove interesting. This portion
was evidently inserted at his own request.
and will undoubtedly bring him the sup
port of the large number of cyclists in the
city. The portion of the platform in ques-
| tion is follows:
I'VE believe III clean streets and perfect
sanitary service We Furthermore believe
| that the streets can be cleaned, if the
mayor of Chicago has the nerve and back
| bone to undertake the task. Any candi-
| date who declares the streets cannot be
cleaned has no conception Of his duties.
| The condition of our streets is not
| one of which we ought to be proud In
| the main, they are poorly paved, rarely
| repaired, and often a menace and danger
| 10 those VINO use Inem. In the last 1cW
years the use of the bicycle has become
| almost general. The pleasure of wheeling
| however, has been very much interfered
| with by reason Of the condition OF our
| streets. and at times the almost impassabi bic
| state of our bridges. We believe that a
| decently energetic city administration could
| remedy this condition of affairs and place
| the streets and bridges in such shape that
| the persons who use bicycles could do so
| without danger to life and limb
For wet weather when mud is plentiful,
| the chain will be better for a fabrication of
CASTLE soap. 1t should be applied in the
| same manner as stick lubricant-rub-
bed on the inside of the chain The chief
advantage, however, is that at the end of
a journey, when the chain is pretty well
| clogged, 1t can be easily cleaned by spong-
| Ing with water, though before using again
the chain should be thoroughly dried and
! oiled.
Whenever the brazing at the bottom
bracket fork crown or at the top of perch
tube starts to loosen, it is a signal of
distress. rider takes his life in his
hands. to a great extent. by attempting to
ride wheel with loose brazing. as it is
! orly question of a short while before the
sIiash occurs. AS soon as noticed 1t
should be taken to a repairer-one who
you know has good brazing outfit. and
Is able to rebraze it properly. If you
are on the road when it first shows itself
the machine should be ridden only as far
as the nearest railroad station, and only
at slow pace, a strain a machine
to get up speed would probably be fatal to
, | the injured parts.
The growth of the wheeling furore has
had its effect upon the literature of the
period. Not a few romances of the day
have brought the bicycle into the web OF
| the stories and caused it to form an inn
| portant adjunct in dramatic denouement
There are bicycle departments in all the
leading daily newspapers in every import.
, ant city on the continent; many staij
and conservative magazines regularly de-
vote a portion Of their space to the inter
: ests of the wheeling fraternity; sporting
and outing journals pay great heed te
the pastime. while in nearly every centra
+ city of the continent there are periodicals
weekly and monthly, that make of the pre-
vailing rage their almost exclusive con
, Germ. There are in the United States a
present twenty-five weekly journals de-
voted exclusively to wheeling. seven tina
are published monthly and three ISSUED
semi-monthly. In addition to these man,
trade journals are issued that pay especia
attention to the interests of manufacturer:
and dealers, while number of hand book:
0 Containing Information of value to wheel
M iCsn fLn