The times., 1897-04-05

the engine is bolted TO the frame in a
vertical position. 1t is placed just over
the steering wheel, and is geared down
with single purchase gear into the crank
or sprecket wheel The diameter of the fly
wheel is nine and three-fourthinches. The
diameter Of the cylinder IS eleven and one
quarter inches. and the length Of the stroke
is three inches The height OF the en-
gine, including the ny-wheel. is fourteen
inches Us breadth is nine and three
fourth inches. and the depth from the front
to back is six inches.
Every wheelmau will see that, while it
may seem an mgainly thing TO add to the
complement OF a wheel, weighing as it
does almost half Of what a good many
wheels weigh, that really it Will not be 4
perceptible addition to the running weight
The majority OF riders do not care for
the racing machines. The racers are the
light wheels. The good road wheels are
heavier, and the addition of the weight of
this engine, twelve and half pounds, VIII
be rather an aid to smooth running than
an pediment. 1t must also be remembered
that should anything about the engine
break, ali it is necessary for the wheelman
to do is to ungear 1t from the crank
sprocket wheel Then he can pedal along
in the usual fashion, the only evil being
that he Will have a twelve-pound weight
to carry on his machine.
The speed which this tiny engine can
cause a wheel to make is astonishing,
when the size and weight are considered.
Twelve and a half pounds is the total
weight, and fourteen inches the engines
height, yet it develops one and one-half
horsepower and runs at a speed Of /, 200
revolutions minute. There IS no engine
todayin existence of such colnDactness and
power. A speed of ten miles ln hour with
out the slightest impetus Of the rider can
be easily maintaine ed just as long us the sup
ply of fuel for the engine lasts.
On.a recent trip from London to Liver
pool, distance of zoe miles, wheelman
mounted on an ordinary cycle of English
make, impelled by the 'Vest-pocket BIZ
cycle Engine averaged fourteen and a
half miles an hour. The roads were good,
as English roads go, although it can be
readily imagined that at this season OF
the year the highways are apt to be in
rather unpleasant condition in the coun-
try districts. This rider, Mr.. William
Simonson, in speaking of his trip, said
that the engine worked as smoothly every
moment as the pedals do under ordinary
circumstances The iarring of the machine
where the road is a bit rough seemed to
have no i'll effect on the engine, which
lacks the complicated features that are
peculiar to most smaller contrivances ofthe
sort This London-Liverpool journey is
the best test the engine has yet endured.
When the wheel, impelled by an engine
i.la ciy yfoyaIyv nor mi tS lis
feet to rest on the pedals, which move as
under ordinary circumstances 1t is pos
sibIe. however. to equip the machine with
ali appliance which will enable the wheel
nan to sit perfectly quiet if he does not
care for exercise Experience has shown
there is no more difficulty in steering a
wheel impelled by the tiny motor than
when human agency gives the necessary
power.
Those who have ridden the wheels TO
which the motor has been attached say
that when the highest speed is attained
the sense OF exhilaration which comes 70
the rider is far greater than that which
falls to his lot when scorching. As every
wheelman knows the faster he goes the
more enjoyable is the sensation, so it may
be easily understood what a decided pleas
ure the greatly increased speed, rendered
possible by the motor, gives.
The reason the inventors give for COM
ing over here to bring out their invention
is the fact that the tendency in America
is inimical to the motorcycle. The ma
iority of American wheelmen, they de-
clare. prefer to be their own motors, and
so they made up their minds to test the
invention in England, and il it made n
success here, to return TO the United States
ana give it a trial there. English wheel
men are inclined to look upon the new
motor with a kindly eye. Although there