The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-05-30
POINTS FOR WHEELWOMEN
SHE PROPER ADJUSTMENT OF THE
RICPCLE NO EASY MATTER.

N NNSA vi ~ NNN'N ~
what tho whoclwomen have had. AS a result,
their hsbitual good spirits have gone up higher
and higher until they are fairly trimming over
with light hoartedness; nothing short of a steady
threo-day gully.washinR, t~rash-movinR down
pour could damper their ardor. May GER
tainly has made q good showing In
her last inning. The sun has beamed
brightly every day, but 1t has oecn
neither too hot nor too cold for pedal pushing.
In fact the whcelwomen themselves say hat It
has been Just right and that the mc:ry month
forgot to blister them ono day with an August
heat only to blast them the next with a January
chill. after her usual fashion.
II to-day Is clear 1t is sefo to say that moro
w~heelwomen will DO seen on the road than at
any other time this season, and Decoration Day
will find an even larger turnout. for there are
people who have scruples against Sunday spins.
The riding academies have done a driving busi-
ness during the week, and have turned ont a
host Of graduates. One notable thing about
those upon whom degrees have just been con-
ferrcd Is their age. Nearly all beginners nova
days. to put 1t in the mildest Of terms, are be-
yond the heydey Of youth. In fact, most OF
them are in those stages where they utterly re-
fuse to tell their age or else don't mind telling
It at all. Ali agree on one point, and that is that
cycling Is tho greatest sport in the world.
About a dozen enthusiasts, old and young.
were discussing the old yet ever new subject OF
clothes in an academy on the Boulevard the
other day, when two experts cnmo In from the
road in a great state of excitement.
What do you all think" called out one, q
tail, stunning. Hooking girl, wearing o short
linen skirt, we've been insultedl'
YES, and we are perfectly furious!" chimed
in her smaller companion.
whats the matter y asked an angular
woman. "Has some boorlsh driver annoyed
you I"
"Or some mashcr tried to have a chat with
you T. added somebody else.
Neither answered the tall expert. "Tho
dreadful part Of it is they were our friends.
You see, we sat down on one of those benches
on the crest OF Claremont Hill to rest a while,
and pretty soon along came two of our men
friends. We know them as we'll as we know
ourselves. They were college chums of our
brothers at Yale, and that's what makes 1t SO
hard to bear"
And II they had only attacked u.s." put in
the little one with great emphasis on the U.S.
1--WE wouldn't have minded SO much, but they
cast reflections on the cycling sisterhood OF
this city. Brutes! It's strange that men can be
30 unkind to women, when they are 80 thought
full and kind to themselves, and 30 careful not
TO wound their own feelings"
what on earth did they say that was 30 Of
fensive r. asked a stout, good-natured girl.
"why just this" hastily answered the tall one.
zone of them. after watching the cyclists go by
for awhile. said that five minutes spent In
amusing oneself in that way was enough to con-
vince any we'll informed judge of cycling that
the majority Of women riders assume most un-
graceful and hurtful positions on the wheel.
He went on to say that at least two,thirds OF the
women bicyclists In Greater New York are I'm.
properly seated; that they are seated either too
Far back or two far forward. or have their sad
is oftener than not raised to an altitude that
makes 1t almost useless as an AID 10
P Dsi.able 70 a piay sines to sa a s,d 81 i sn pi fros th %of to
wheeling. Now, wasn't that outrageous when
+ iso was n adPI Hs,t. long sS t ago ww thss t IOns %en =; p = rul'
agreed with him ." said an elderly matron in;
possibly Be- two men IN ali this great city who
hold such an absurd view"
ly. he did agree with him, but when be saw
how angry we were about it he said he thought
lowing their women friends to assume these un-
graceful and hurtful positions, and that the
men ought 1T e e S S1rrses IT. Mrs A,t.,. the woman
instructor. who had been a silent listener. The
average mar knows no more about adjusting q
man" ~. - ,. Wit,
of the two newcomers. turning on her in aston
They are exactly right. Go and stand out on
the Boulevard for q quarter of an hour right
now and observe every woman closely as she
will convince you that your friends are right.
And 4 is the fault Of the men, in e way"
jority Of womeni' asked a thoughtful girl who
is always declaring in favor of boomers. though
'h %f Eo' ss n31 ev wieh Tss sara e v%sF i.. 'h 2Fts shiF and i'm,
mediately every one was on the alert to catch
SsSdies Win u a sprine which. II thew would take
my advice. they certainly would not do. I've
been studying this sG11 question Th}s q ? om saddles 66e v fSr n SIX
tatively, 1 am convinced that a saddle with a
man. particularly a Woman. When the saddle
is put on the post it is put on comparatively
s sIiiLsh1fiht' Il tipp zee cG ap%ard In f fTont, perhaps -
e. Tor little little t as t9 3h.t be snri barely iI tb peT rss2 and
W nSe M yon get tO oS your snss w sas1hns takes al s1t the asI saddle ii
out OF its proper position and gives YOU that
s sn sSrry round to eo iSSs from most sho w Tsast oP; %h have !
Again, most women ride with their saddles too
far back; Every one VII ride more easily and
% co. many Say ns Ssye 1T 4. n1 T5sn you um S Hs,om 5ish I
real pleasure. Another disadvantage in being
seated too far back is that; you have to reach
handle bars should be adjusted 30 that the arm
will be straight from the shoulder to the wrist.
E iooS f So%.ieg waY IN Sot the ses arms q H When riding. asa q
small boy put II, is that the handle bar is raised
to an uncomfortable altitude.
Women also have a tendency to ride with
tho saddles too high, continued the authority.
This is a. little evidence OF their inherent van
tty, for 1t looks pretty to push along with the
leg perfectly straight, but It will finally injure
the strongest woman on the face OF the earth.
It % very hurtful to ride with too long a reach"
"What is the proper reach q asked a tall girl
who has always %strlven to ride with her legs as
Your saddle should be at such a height that
when the pedal Is at its lowest point you can
put your instep under II without straining.",
"I thought IL was the heel you wanted to
But under II, interrupted a novice who thinks
That she hasn't much to learn about cycling.
make resumed Mrs. Axtell. and nobody tells
jured women II they don't correct their posi-
tions awheel. Women also have a way OF pedal
ling with ono foot more than with the other.
This is merely a bad habit, and should be COR
rected; You should follow your pedals.folloTy
use the same amount Of pressure all the time:
at it's highest, point. and then let up
as II is coming up from the loves.
.o;nt THAT xyhaf Val all do ian'f II nny