The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-10
paul Morphy"-Union Make.
Nineteen years standard; millions have been
sold; a st. Paul cigar.
INFORMATION FOR CYCLISTS.
Notes Of General Interest-Nesvs o
the Wheeling Clubs.

the Wheeling Clubs.
Amateur riders are, as a rule, afraid of IN
screWing nuts on their rear axle, because of
the liability to get the driving wheel out of
line and the bearings jightened up. For this
reason a rider will struggle on with a slack
chain until he reaches a repair shop. He
need have no such fear if he VIII be careful
to unscrew first the nut on the END of the
rear axle at the chain side. With the ma
chine upside down, that is, resting on the
saddle and handle bar. it is then easy to
press the rim of the rear wheel ever to the
frame on one side and thus tighten the chain.
Then screw up the axle nut. and when tight,
unscrew the nut on opposite end of the axle
and straighten the wheel in the frame. If a
wheel shakes from side to side, unscrew the
nut on the axle end where the adjusting cone
is, and with the thin wrench or screwdriver.
or bit of wood. turn the cone shaft inside the
frame just a little, and try if the wheel re-
wolves easily (the weight Of the valve should
take it half round a time or two); then, if
right, see that the wheel is straight in the
frame, then tighten up the axle nut.
In putting The chain together after cleaning
it in oil, as some riders do occasionally, put
the bolt through the link, hold the nut in
wrench till bolt is screwed up tight. then
with the screwdriver give the bolt a quarter
turn back, SO that the link will work easily.
If bolt and nut are clamped too tightly the
chain will grind on the sprocket teeth.
To ascertain if the rim of a wheel is true
lift a wheel a few inches from the ground,
grasp either front or rear fork with thumb
and finger near the rim, and as the wheel re-
wolves watch whether the rim passes the
point of thumb evenly all round. If it swings
away very much at intervals, the wheel is
''out of true,' and should be taken to the
repair man, who, if the wheel does not need
thoroughly resetting up, will only charge 10
cents or a quarter to tighten up the spokes
with his hand vice. For obvious reasons a
wheel should always be true yet IS per
cent of the wheels in use over a month or
two are woefully out CT line when tried as
described.
Until all cones in bicycle bearings are ac-
tually two-point, that is to say, balls revolY~
ing in a groove against a perfectly fiat sur
face. as now frequently used, amateur wheel
men, in putting bearings together, VIII con-
tinue to screw up cones so that the balls bind
between the cone edge and the casing, and
in consequence there is much grinding and a
dropping" of the balls. In tightening up, a
reverse haif-turn of the cone or cup (Which
ever is the movable s%urface), will cause the
balls to slide onto the proper bearing point
towards the center of the curve. and smooth
running will result, besides making the case
more nearly dust-proof.
In oiling bearings do not be lazy and squirt
oil in at the axle ends. Put the oil IN at the
oil-cup or place provided, SO that it will work
from the inside outwards. The other way has
a tendency TO work the dirt from the outside
in.
and clean make a grinding or squeaking
sound, lift the rear wheel from the floor and re-
volve it moderately sharply and watch wheth-
err the teeth of the front sprocket wheel catch
in center of chain links or feed first to one
side and then the other. If the latter, the
sprocket wheel needs 10 be removed from
crank axle, laid on its side, and tapped gently
until perfectly straight.
Before starting out on a run for even a few
blocks, try the axle-nuts with the wrench.
The failure to do so has often resulted in
front forks spreading, dropping on the front
tire. and giving the careless rider a bad fall.
Head collar-clamp at handle-bar stem should
also be tried once in a while to prevent han
dle-bar twisting when the rider has to make
a sudden turn to avoid collision.