The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-07-21
RIGHT AND WRONG POSITIONS.
illustrations of the Proper and Improper
Methods of Getting on a Bicycle.

illustrations of the Proper and Improper
Methods of Getting on a Bicycle.
The accompanying pictures, says the
Chicago Times Herald, show some of
the many shades of difference between
the right position, in which a woman
may ride gracefully and easily, and the
wrong positions, in which she is sure
to look awkward and uncomfortable.
Many women may find in these pic
lures, too, hints that will help them to
correct their styles of riding and en-
able them to better enjoy an exercise
which has been only half ~pleasurable
in the past, because they did not know
how to follow it.
It is easy to see what is the difficulty
with the woman shown in figure No. l,
what it is that makes her look as if she
were working a sewing machine rather
than riding a wheel. Her saddle is too
low. If it were raised to its proper
height her knees would not pump up
and down before her chin with every
revolution like a pair of piston rods.
If it we're raised she would have a de-
cidedly better appearance, her skirt
would hang better, she would ride more
easily and it would not be hard for her
to guide her wheel, as it certainly is in
the position in which she is shown.
The awkward position shown in
figure No. 2 is the result of having
the saddle too far back from the han-
die bars, so that the rider can just
reach the steering apparatus and no
more, and so that she has to push for
ward on the pedals almost as much
as down in propelling her wheel. The
position which that adjustment of the
machine gives makes the rider Look
as if she were trying to keep her seat
on a bucking bronco from which she
was expecting to be thrown at any
instant. IF the saddle were brought
forward a little and raised slightly the
position would be good. The lady
would be sitting over the'pedals, too,
rather than behind them, and would
have half enough of her weight on the
handle bars to guide her machine cas-
lily and safely.
There is such a thing, however, ns
having the saddle too far forward ard
too high, as is shown in figures 8 and
4, which illustrate positions just tie
reverse of those in the figures eI-
planned above. In figure 8 the rider
has the appearance of climbing a steep
hill and working very hard in the all
cent, simply because her saddle is too
low and too far forward. She has to
push back on her pedals rather than
down and has not room enough be-
tween the saddle and the pedals to
give full swing to her knees. Raising
the saddle and putting it back a little
would give the rider a graceful and
easy position.
The difficulty shown in figure 4 is
the opposite of that in figure 1.-THE
saddle is too high. The rider has to
tip forward in order to touch the han
die bars and her toes just reach the
pedals when they are at their lowest
poins in making a revolution. That
attitude is, perhaps, the most firing
that can be assumed by a rider on a
long journey, as it throws the entire
body out of position. The adjustment
would be correct if the saddle wers
lowered 80 that the pedals and handle
bars could be reached easily and the
lady would find cycling much easier
and more pleasurable than she can iii
the attitude in which she is shown.
All that is necessary to make any
of the changes suggested and to ad-
just wheels so that the riders can look
and be comfortable rather than awk"
ward and uncomfortable is a monkey
wrench and a little common sense.
With those nearly all the changes that
are necessary to put women's wheels
in proper condition can be effected.
A proper position for a woman on a
bicycle is shown in figure s. The
rider there sits easily and gracefully,
and the work Of propelling her wheel
is not half the work exerted by any Of
the others. She not only looks well
but it is a position in which cycling
exercise is play rather than labor, and
beneficial rather than harmful.
Here are two good rules for women
land men as well) to follow in adjust
ing their saddles and handle bars:
Have the saddle 80 high that the heel Of
the foot just reaches the pedal when it is at