The Van Buren press., 1897-06-05
BICYCLING IN THE TYRcl.
Even the Mountaineers Have Caught
the Fever.

| the Fever.
We found that the bicycle fever had
reached even to our landlord, who was
experimenting with an iron-rimmed
wheel over which the saddle was sup
ported by a pair of elliptic springs.
l. tried it, and said it went very well,
though not so soft as the ''pneu."
| lifted it, and did not care to go farther.
/ told him it was too heavy. He said:
"Mawnix; muss starker sein" CHATS
nothing; you must be stronger). Prob
ably the extra weight of this wheel
would not be considered in fixing the
load that a Tyrolese peasant would
carry over the hills from the fields, and
need not be regarded as an obstruction
to sport The wheels here are all much
heavier than ours, and much stronger.
They can be sent uphill by the tougher
thews that grow in this land, and for
safety in going downhill they have very
effective brakes. The best brake has
two pieces of rubber, about two and a
half inches long and three-quarters
of an inch square, which are held fiat
against the two quarters of the tire.
ltholds very firmly, and its friction does
not come on the part that is subject to
the greatest wear. 1t is used, not with
asteady pressure, but with successive
light squeezes. When one becomes ac-
customed to it, it gives excellent control
to any degree desired-even to holding
the machine stockstill under any load
and on any grade. Even the usual fiat
brake has rubber face which holds
better and lasts longer thanmetal. My
American brakes were mot in it" ON
these hills, as compared with those OF
the local wheels ! rode.
The use of the brake is exacted by
law in all towns, and it is almost uni
versal on country roads; SO is the fur
nishing of the wheel with a bell, but the
better riders in Innsbruck do not use
this in the city streets. They say they
can make their way safely at moder-
ate speed, if the people keep on their
way, while if they are disturbed and
made nervous by bicycle bell, they
are liable to make some unexpected
movement that may lead to collision.
l remember u case of mutual lodging
at a street crossing in New York, be-
tween myself and a lady whom my bell
had startled, which came near being
annoying. Perhaps the custom in Paris
of hanging a little sleighbell loosely
from the handle-bar is safer. 1t iingles
all the time, somewhat to the annoy
ance of the rider; but it has a faint
horse-ear suggestion which keeps the
public on the lookout. Nowhere in Eu-
rope did I see the brutal euad1mpedal
"scorching" that is such nuisance and
such danger with us.
Another device / found to be in very
general use in Tyrol. This is a snap
clip for holding the front wheel in line
with the machine, so that it may be
stood against tree or any other sup
port without falling. 1t is useful in
pushing uphill with the hand on the
saddle. The direction is changed by
lifting the hind wheel to right or left
The clip is set or released in mo-
ment
AS we left our lunching place we
found the young towheads of the farm
standing in mute and respectful won
derment about our wheels. We gave
them a bit of ride, two at time, and
left them enriched with the memory
Of sensation they had never before
known, and will never repeat-and will
never forget.-Col. George f. Waring,
in Century.