The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1897-03-10
NEWS OF The WHEEL.
Gossip About the 1897 Models Very Few
ChaInless Wheels.

Gossip About the 1897 Models Very Few
Chalnless Wheels.
In the new models for 1897 IL Is es-
pccially noticeable that great strides
| toward higher artistic perfection have
been made. and have however been
made in most cases with distinct gain
TO mechanical simplicity and strength.
The energies of the manufacturers
have been concentrated ON making this
years bicycle thoroughly pleasing TO
fastidious taste, and easy TO keep in
good order. 1t has been their aim To re-
move from the appearance of the
wheel the last vestiges of the ma
chine shop and they have thoroughly
succeeded.
Not only ARE the frames better
joined and more richly and smoothly
! enamcled; wheel rims, spokes and
spoke faStenings. handle bars. clips
and adjustments. name plates, sprocket
wheels, are all. as rule. of more
pleasing lines than formerly. In re-
gard to accessories. such as saddles.
lamps. brakes. cyclometers, mud and
skirt guards, etc there is an ample
selection of new patterns in regard to
which the same holds true
While this Is 50 as applied To the
most expensive grades, there is even
more progress. relatively speaking. no
tlccablc in the best medium grades.
There was much room in these far me
chanlcal improvements derived from
the pcrfcetng of methods in manutae-
turing. and the makers have taken care
to add to them also all the features of
refined appearance which do mol con.
dict with economical production
Considerable improvement in lamps
IS promised for this year There are
any number of patterns In the market
all warranted serVieeable. and all far
removed from the clumsy lantern OF
early days. One OF them closes like Il
watch. \ chief feature seems To be
larger lenses and rejecting surfaces,
one being modelled after n locomotive
headlight. Another is arranged ms n
bracket To be attached to any part of
the wheel Little progress has been
made with electric lighting. for which
50 HlUtil WIS pftufttpH.
Intense interest has been aroused
among bicyclists by reports TINT
number OF leading makers were pre-
pairing TO put chainless wheels on the
market \ considerable number of
such wheels We're shown recently ut
the Stanley cycle Show in London.
Some of these We're clearly crank pro-
luctioHs which could never gain foot
hold IN actual Use. while most of
them were of the hevel gear variety.
1t seems safe To say now that the
American wheel makers, with hut one
Of two exceptions will devote them.
selves, for the coming year, ut least, to
making MS good wheels MS they know
how to make on the old lines, mud that
those who are about to put out chain
less wheels will make the experiment
very cautiously.
Besides the Howard beyel gear " hexsx
! winch was Introduced about n year
ago, there Is not n single chainlcss
wheel now known In the trade and not
one is announced officially as forth
coming by any established maker. 1t
has been known. however, that for n
Tong time the Pope Manufacturing
Company, the makers of the Columbia
and Hartford wheels have been get
ting ready to make chainless wheel.
and that the Spaldlngs also had taken
out a license to manufacture under
the same general patents. 1t Is now
understood that the Spaldlngs will not
be able TO put cbanless wheel on the
market this year, and that the Popo
Manufacturing Company has notified
It's agents that the production of chain
less wheels viii be very small this sea
son.