The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-15
NEWS OF THE WHEELMEN.
AN ENGLIsHMlN EXPERIMENTING
WITH TIRES FILLED WITH Gas.

Houses ana Repair ehops Taken IN faanu
~ the Rassachusetts tvision-ArrenEi
TOR the New Years race to Tarrytown.
In England n man has been experimenting
with tires filled with gas instead OF air. Wheth'
or It iis plain illuminating gas, hydrogen, or
some other is not stated. A meditativo rider
opened tho subject the other day, and said:
Tho idea Of using gas In tires Is something
that has been in my head'for two or three years,
only I have not mentioned II for fear of being
laughed at. 1 am not a chemist nor q me-
chanic. and I do not know exactly the dynami-
cal properties OF the different gases. Including
air. My proposition is this: The resilicncy,
or springiness, OF q pneumatic tire Is chieny
due to the rebound Of the compressed air.
When the tire il in use the tread ID hattened at
the point Of contact with the ground, and tho
air is, forced aside. and, Of course, still further
compressed. As the tire rolls along the pres
sure on the tread is relieved at the rear Of the
f~lattened section frst. The air Ia crowdinF for
room, and PUSHES in as fast as the pressure Ia
relaxed, striving with strength and speed to
~reinfate the flattened section. This tends to
both lift and push tho tire In the direction It Is
rolling, thus giving life" to 1t. Leaving out
the question Of weight, molasses would not be
as good as water in tires, because 1t would not
react in this way as quickly. Alcohol would
be better than water. and air better than the
thinnest liquid. 1t seems to BIO n question OF
the mobility of tho medium.
Then, with its moro tenuous nature and
greater expansibility, would not ether rebound
more quickly and make a livelier tire than ART
1 say yes. OF course, the scheme would not be
practical for ordinary road riding. A man
out for pleasure with hydrogen gas in his tires
might be dangerous II he left his wheel in the
sun, and II he got a puncture. 1t would be all
day with him. Tires would have to be- made
differently In order to load them with gas, but
they would be just the thing for track racing.
In my opinion. the first manager to have his
crack.a-jack try it will play o winning trick
The Frenchmen who were attracting atten
ton at Madison square Garden last week have
the American-money itch in their palms. and
they have been busy the past two days nego-
tiating deals with American manufacturers.
After riding In the other races for which they
viii depart for home, and it is safe to say that
every one Of them will be under contract 10
ride some kind of American tires or wheels.
From conversation with them through an in
terpreter. 1t would seem that American max.
ers pay racing men better than the foreign
@Shaf sna Eamb sHi ss' al sag that as tSey like tho
racing game as IT Is conducted here, exeeptaag.
Ing IN 'f to The Garden track. At any rate, they
expect to visit New York again next winter.
Inc OIlCCIB OF liz ldTko u1Nloioh VI IL
League have received repeated complaints from
tourists who make a practice Of riding in the
e e1ee't6y 81 t several tle! "L 1aS Se''i hotels "a and repair
shops. The organization every year selects
an official hotel and repair shop in each city
be extended to League members. AS a
result of the cycling patronage nowadays,
milton as the official headquarters. The
result is that riders frequently stop at the wrong
places. receive poor accommodations, and ac-
cordinply ahuae the League, Protests have been
made In this division. Pennsylvania and Massa.
S Ss nSante sasF SSief c shaS f0% Efi Hstte OF r tSe Massa,
chusetts division has issued the following COM
munication TO the members of his division on
the question:
There Is much dissatisfaction over the fact that
many hotels and re IpS. shops display IT. the al L; Nv A wen. EN-.
by the %1 1. INV. The appointment Of what is Known
es s0 N Both s0s shs and I. A. .s ". . saGp' the Is s SSSssl 's es
repair shop. a purely bushes. Transaction: The
dental . being appolnseS oy the 4. Y Y
n l,Gs. sDe sosetsf 9 4Sss! or r Fsps hi: :n dIsi E1an'f p ,S I; s.; ~. ";
following remedy: We will have designed novel sign
only to such hotels and repair shops as are onicially
appointed. which means only those that will execute
a~suitable bond to give certain discounts to 1. A. W.
members only.
The Race Committee of the Associated Cycling
Clubs Of this city will be in charge of the annual
race from this city to Tarrytown on New Years
e Clubs IN Gr tSis ' annssI i Il mrei'f The race Ss 'H viii ipf Be-
run in any condition Of weather. A stipulation
| city before midnight on Dec. 81, and the race
will begin at Fifty.ninth street and Eighth ave:
Yesterday that members Of clubs not afiliated
with the A.. C. c. of n. y. intend to compete, not
withstandiug the restrictive rules adopted by
Secretary B~assett's report of the additions to
the L. A. w. during the past week and tho total
membership Of the leading divisions is as fol.
lows:
New York. 90; total. 2e.ss1, Psnn.ylyania., a.,
Jersey. I2; total. e:s22; Illinois. Q; total. $500. Mis-
s oSial' ! + , sSsSl' s! 1897 w nsSas Is's 8! act 81 ' e 49, i' eSS:
%,c : = J total, s s.S1s. N MsrIla cs.o q total I; i setsI;
b25. Total membership. 1os.o5e.
The Melbourne argus Of Oct. 81 says:
upon yesterday by CHARLES Ryan and Dr.. Drew. at the
private hospital OF the latterin South Melbourne. Tho
sItFs enough Sf Psrsens Is now lying in the private hos.
pital in q condition which cannot be said TO be devoid
Tecovefy. il no unforeseen complications set in pE.
Aassh. Wheel Race and 10 ride In competition next
Parsons visited this country last spring. with
H. H. s Hs5sss G5 r ss ose on Of thu the & NatiSaia c dFssEs
led the American riders 70 expect q worthy
o coEsYa assi, 6nt es bf n nad IL e9fo to t 9iiin e th saG
q bad fall at the Willow Grove track, from
which he never fully recovered. He returned
NOTES.
XII X.-B wins the bet.
The annual election OF Officers of the Cleo Wheel
men OF Jersey City will be held on Dec. "a. Tho fol-
lowing nonifnations have been made: President. A.
l.. Lyons; vice-Presdent. W.. II. Smith; Treasurer, L.
Srasssss. ". MssSss;y:,w y. Hiddisto@Sn. /. Jeanne. !.
FArdelmann. and p. Uhl.
The annual meeting and election OF officers Of the
Associated Cycling Clubs OF New Jersey will be held
in February.
J. T @s,sn Issd nas T Ss:.ssy s s@s.sS,', 81 Ef S.. Hh ssis, Dly.
poae to race for cash next season.
Tho members of the Michigan division of the l.. A.
W. have placed themselves on record "a opposed TO
Sunday racing. The delegates elected to the National
Assembly have been Instructed 10 oppose any move.
ment calculated to induce the League TO sanction
such races.
The North Hudson County Cyclers have Joined tho
Associated Cycling Clubs of New Jersey.