The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-31
CYCLING NOTES.

The action Of some OF the American
manufacturers in reducing the price OF
bicycles this year is felt in English
trade circles TO indicate that similar
steps will be taken abroad. The st.
James Gazette says:
1t is good news for would-be cyclists
rather than for those who al
ready own good machines, or
for shareholders in bicycle com
panies, that the price charged for ii
first-rate bike" seems likely soon to be
much reduced. Certain American COM
panies. which had made a sort Of ring
for keeping prices up, have just an
nounced that their best machines are
TO come down from G20 to e15 and it
is thought that the English companies
must follow their lead. AS a matter
OF fact, evidence was received in a re-
cent case in the law courts that the
very finest possible bicycle can be pro-
duced at n total cost for materials,
labor tires and fittings of e.. Even with
the expenses for establishment, adver-
tising and other such items. IL is GER
tain that a retail price of G14 or &15
would leave fair margin Of profit. Yet
people are still asked to pay about $50
for the best bicycles. II there is any
thing left in competition" the con-
sumner ought by now to be getting an
GS article for q good deal less than
that.
Few riders who have tried both styles
of pneumatic tires would care to go
back to the old days. The single tube
and the inner tube tires, so called, are
far different from those of two years
ago. Now in either variety the pune
ture is no bugaboo all that the rider
has to do nowadays is to use little
cement intelligently. and inside of
minute he is ready to ride on.
IT is strange. but on this side OF the
water the single tube or hose pipe tire
undoubtedly has the call: while on the
other side OF the big pond the majority
of riders use the inner tube tire. Both
styles have their advantages. The de-
tachable tire is easily and surely re-
paired, while the style having a butt
ended tube has an inner strip which
makes a quick repair a certainty. ON
the other hand. the hose pipe, with its
modern repair kit, a tube OF cement
which hardens i'm the puncture at once.
or at most, n plug quickly and easily
inserted is equally efiicacious. But
there Is one thing about both sides, the
more resilient the tire, the easier IL is
punctured.
The original makers of the hose pipe,
some FIVE years ago indeed had a hard
time. Everyone mocked at them, coli
umns were written against the idea,
but the test or the idea, backed up by
the makers guarantee has made the
tire very popular In this section Of the
world. These makers have been more
than successful. for they have secured
the control of the field and have prac-
tically forced the makers Of the inner
tube tire into making a single tube.
Yet, after all these years OF expert
ment. the makers are as far as ever
from n mechanically perfect tire, for
all OF them have serious faults. but
they have made a tire that rides easy
and which may be repaired i'm less than
q minute. and that is what the riding
public is thankful for.
Pawnee Bins wild west show will
open n two weeks engagement at the
Charles River Park, Boston. Aug. 2,
giving two performances daily. at 2 u.
m. and y. m. The band Of Indians
with the show is one OF the most pic
turesque ever seen. IL includes Sioux,
Commanches. Cheyennes and Pawnees.
who appear In various wild western
bits OF realism on horseback i'm war
paint and feathers. Cowboys, Mexicars.
South American Gauchos, crack shots
and skilled men at lassoing wild Texas
steers. combine in giving a spirited and
altogether interesting performance.