The sun., 1897-12-13
NEWS OF THE wHEELMEN.
ou1 Woes OF @ EzTIN9 n GOOD WHEEL
hTl MODERATE PRI0E

~. p,,oe-forts or Chain BreaitinE and new
They NAY No Overcome - Far-RsaehinG
Amendments 10 Ne nntreduced attic National
Assembly OF tho League NEXT February.
A. the plans and prices determined upon BY
a. d,1erent cycle manufacturers continue to DO
.rnouneed 1t becomes more apparent that Be-
lectipR mount 10 going 10 DO no less bother
,omo A task in 1898 than 1t has been In years
coma by. Omitting the chainless wheels at $l25,
"a beinR in q cnss by themselves. tho range Of
nrices ON wheels which look alike to the novice
"a calculated to cause moro confusion OF mind
than ever, 1t is plain that, broadly speaking,
avery maker will have at least one model
for e5o. whatever others he may catalogue.
Manufacturers have felt tho necessity OF
meetinR tho demand for lower prices, and 1t now
looks an though the popular price next year will
be $50 rather than S75. The troubles OF the
buver will begin when he finds wheels running
in price from $25 to 800, and each one repre-
pented to pe strictly high grade" and the best
produced For this state Of affairs the makers
Themselves are largely responsible. Alongside
of 500 wheels they have offered for S75 the
same machine, except that It did not have this,
that or tho other new wrinkle, the value OF
which was questionable. Wheel builders have
been too contradictory in their methods. Tho
drop had to come. Tho handwriting was on tho
wall long ago. Now that the general price of
wheels has fallen far below 500 riders have
iRf RonT aaSif SlIthsy along Wheels
sSsn sSs sfns sSey nS @ possible @ cont
Now the intending buyer is confronted BY
$50 a wheel guaranteed to be the highest grade.
while the other offers his strictly htgh-grsde
ea ss The
are trying to meet the public demand and offer
hlgh-Erade wheels from $50 up. As matter
al able and expects too much for his money. 1t
10 illogical to believe that $50 will buy as
To Sa oS to Mhee
ers want the best wheel. Well, the dealer meets
thing % about about cycles viii BE- able to 60 out next
year and get for 800 or even less money, sub.
s de
ever a lot of trash or "tin wheels on the
Of as EF DC GT
counsel of some friend before going among the
stalls to shop.
Ono Of the most serious accidents that can
happen cyclist on the road is the breaking OF
renoo for chain TO break but t doos happen
with sufficient frequency to be constant mem
or two; but even with them tools are needed and
q blacksmith is not always near by. Some
get home home. The average eyoiist is. however
shns 70
bride &c the difaculty. At last an inventor has
come to & the rescue @ , with h light steel S yoke:
the two links, the indentation giving a con.
formation TO the mended part that corresponds
ends Of the Curved IN
place.
All told, the failures reported this year to tho
National Board of Trade of Cycle Mnnufac:
makers are running their factories In full blast
and preparing for large outputs This does not
harmonic with the calamity cries heard during
the summer. but the surprising amount of new
riders now being graduated from the instruction
halls seems rather to Justify the optimism of
the manufacturers.
The introduction of an amendment at the next
National Assembly Of the l.. A. w. TO debar men
from holding any of the leading offices in tho
i so Srns to atSss
equally important amendments on somewhat
similar lines.
The new officers Of the Illinois division Of the
L. A. w. are anxious to PLACE their memhership
on par with the States of New York and Penn
sylvania. and with this object in view have out.
lined o progressive policy. In Chicago Chief
tains. who viii % Select lieutensnt for each pre-.
cinct. These captains and lieutenants will
es VIII
maintained, and the work Of the division pat
termed after this State.
NOTES.
meeting Of tho Brooklyn Bicycle Club will BE-
held tomorrow night.
Members or the l.. A. W. who toured through the
country this year announce that the presentation OF
membership cards In country towns secured the best
accommodation possible for riders.
The annual meeting OF the New York State division
OF the L. A. W. will be held In this city Monday.
The Massachusetts division OF the L. A. w. has APP
propriated 200 for division road books for next
year.
The Massachusetts division of tho League has de.
cided TO allow the expenditure Of 900 to send its
delegates to the L. A W. meet at St. Louis in Bebru-
ary.
The american Cvcist says, at is stated on appar.
emily good authority that the sale OF high priced and
strietY high.grade wheels in the Engsh market 10
gradually narrowing down to tho American product.
exclusively OF home manufacture"
At the annual meeting OF the shareholders Of o
bicycle tire company at Birmingham. England re-
Gently. profit OF $50. 900 for the year
nounced. and o payment of = dividend Of 20 per
| cent. was rdered.
| The Press wheelmen. who arc about to move into
more commodious quarters gave o farewell
"smoker" in tho old clubhouse at 10 Centre street
on Saturday night.