The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-12
JEWS OF THE WHEEIMDr.
The london EIeld en- the Great ProEress Nlad,
In Reducing Rocordu.

ARpC0Funs
Jimmy Michael, tho Welsh rider. and J. w.
Stocks. tho English professional. are waginR a
bitter wal on tho short and long distance worlds
figures. A new record by Michael means a fresh
attempt by Stocks. SO that tho record quotations
during the last few weeks have been on the Jump
constantly.
The London Field Of Oct. Q, commenting on
the wonderful progress made in the reduction
OF records. says:
The r~ecord.making season par excellence
may DO said to set In each year as soon as tho
regular racing comes to an end and racing men
find themselves with nothing else to do. After
being in more or less strict training for six
months, they are naturally in the best OF condi.
tiop for performing foats of this kind. IL their
powers are equal to the task, and the fact that
unprecedented performances, IL made at this
time of tho year, stand a chance Of remaining
on the books for six months or so, instead of
enjoying a butterfly existence as falls TO
the lot OF those made earlier In tho
year. is a strong incentive for mon to
strive after these coveted distinctions. The pace
attained In record rides has become 30 great that
1t is necessary to chronicle each new advance, in
case 1t should mark the ultimate limit Of human
capabilities with present appliances and remain
unbeaten for some considerable time; 30 far,
however, we must confess to having been dis
appointed in this expectation, and records, like
eggs. appear to DO made only to be broken.
"This week has seen a further increase in tho
distance covered in the hour. as on Monday last
]. w. Stocks. at the Crystal Palace. rode 80
miles ,Os6 yards in that time, and put up new
figures for each mile from six TO thirty.thrce
miles, the latter distance being ridden in l hour
! minute and "a 2-5 seconds, against tho / hour
2 minutes IL as seconds recently made by the
Wolshman, J. Michael, in tho United States.
The following evening, on the same track. I.
Il NM and Ne a n1an nIa tan pNtIna IN N
tandem bicycle in II minutes so % seconds,
beating the records for tendcms after the first
milo and surprising Stocks's single records for
tour, five, six. and seven miles, made the previ-
Gus day:
bogus character Of records made behind pace.
makers, who. whether furnished with mochani-
cal wind shields, as is now customary, or not,
moving the chief obstacle to his progress. A
twenty.four hours ride against time made last
Sunday by the French professional Core in
France, without pacemakers, is in striking con-
trast to the recent record put up by Cordang.
Cores ride of 67l kilos. 96s metres on the track
shows what can be done on n bicycle without
extraneous assistance, and is thus a genuine
performance. Cordang; riding behind wind
utes q AS seconds. II we assume that the
capabilities of these men are about equal, 1t will
the latter case is due TO the use of wind shields.
These assisted rides answer the purpose OF their
promoters. which is that Of advertisement, but
those who regard them as purely bicycle achieve
mcnts fall into a erievous error"
According to the Field Stocks's record for the
hour Is 81 miles /, 0s8 yards. as against Michael's
new record. 81 miles 653 yards. The latter
time, made on last Saturday. was claimed as
worlds time on the supposition that Stocks was
aided by motor pacing. According to advices
from England the official timekeepcrs of tho
n. c. T.. Coleman and Powell. timed Stocks's
his record was made with motor pacemakcrs.
1t looks very much as though Michael's time
will stand merely as an American record.
G. ". Miller. the Chicago professional. has es-