The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-01
WILL BE NO BICYCLE WAR
CUT ON COLUMBIA WHEELS WILL.
NOT BE NET BY OTHER DEALERS.
Indianapolis Rider Surprised the
Irack-a-Jacks" i'm IIIinois-Asso-
citation CIubs' Meet.

Bicycle dealers of this city are of
opinion that the proposed cut in the price
OF Columbia bicycles will. have no effect
upon the prices of other makes. One dealer
SAID that his firm had come down three
years ago 70 SIS and $50, and that it had
Deen making the same high grade wheel
as formerly and every year giving a better
value for the money in improvements.
Ihls dealer argues that the Pope Manu-
featuring Company is just now meeting
the reduction which other manufacturers
made one, two and three years ago.
Another dealer declared that the action
OF the Pope Manufacturing Company was
brought about by an overproduction. He
sald that the company expected to sell
lUO,WO wheels this year and doubtless fell
Tar snort of that number. This was partly
because OF the general dull bicycle bust
ness and partly because the business had
been taken out of the hands of the regular
bicycle dealers in large cities and placed
IN hardware stores. But the sales were
considerably less than anticipated. There
is, therefore large overproduction and
the wheels must be disposed Of. 1t We're
better to stimulate trade and make large
sales at SO this year than to hold the
goods over until next season and take
chances of getting SIS for a last year
model.
The suppOsition that the Pope Manufac-
turing Company intends producing a new
thing in wheels next year that will revo-
luuonize the business and make all present
models back numbers also prevails to some
extent. A bicycle dealer in New York who
Is well informed, told a reporter ten days
ago that one Of the largest bicycle manu-
facturers would next year put out a chain
less wheel which would mark new era in
bicycling, just as the production of the
safety did H. T. Hearsey, the oldest
dealer in this city, said in this regard:
You may take 1t Tor a certainty that there
VIII be no chainless wheel on the market
next year that will Supplant the present
models. 1t may be that we are coming to
the chatnless wheel, but not yet. 1t will be
several years before a wheel will be made
without q chain that will meet all
the demands These things do not come
out perfect in a single season. 1t takes
practical experiment and time and the
united brains of the Wheelmakers and the
wheel riders Notice the old ordinary. Ali
manner of Improvements were tried, but
the direct power pedal was finally settled
upon. Then notice the evolution of the
present safety. The wheel of to-day does
not resemble the first safety, and yet it is
exactly the same in principle. No one
thought for several years after the safety
was first introduced that it would ever take
the place of the high wheel, and, indeed,
high wheel riders did not give up their
old mounts for some time after the safety
had been perfected. 1t may be that the
chain will be discarded. but l would not
advise anybody to sacrifice the wheel he
has to-day in contemplation of riding one
next year. He can always count on his
present wheel carrying him where he starts
and bringing him back. A chainless affair
might do as Well but it is an experiment"
Mr. Hearsey did not believe this was the
reason for the reduction of Columbia
prices. He felt that ii was a cut which had
been forced by competition, and one which
should have been made two years ago.
None of the local manufacturers or man
ufacturerS agents have any expectation of
making further reductions.