Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-22
S ME CYCLE CHA 7

The good old days of cycling seem to
have passed. and the fraternal feeling
which seemed to exist among riders of the
silent steed is gradually disappearing.
Under the head of the Veterans Lament
an exchange prints the following:
''The old Free Masonry of the wheel;
where is It? Alas. for the good old days of
wheeling" So spake the veteran wheel
man to a small audience of his younger
confreres one day last summer. Now
one wheelman passes another without CIV
ing sign that he is conscious of his ex-
istence. Then we never went by one an
other without a nod, at least, and a cor
dial smile. Perhaps, even, we stopped and
shared one another's experiences; and
when we went into strange towns and VIII
lagos where all were unknown to us we
straightway sought out a brother Wheel
man-We were all brother wheelmen in
those days-and were shown every atten-
ton; our wants were all provided for
even anticipated. And when the route of
our Journey ahead OF us was a terra in
cogn1to We were frequently accompanied
to the next town by our wheeling brother,
who until the hour had been a total
stranger, and now was a dear friend who
had neglected his business and taken I'm
MS valuable time to show US our way Do
we md any such attentions now? Never!
We are lucky If we secure a civil answer
to questions that We are compelled to ask
We obtain no more consideration in orr
rambles than does the peripatetic tramp
though perhaps we are not watched quite
SO closely. The poetry of the wheel has
gone; the romance of cycling has vanished
and prosaic utiltarianism has taken its
place. We have become a wheeling ma
ton, but we have lost the camraderie that
once held together the patrons of the
sport. Hurry has taken the place of good
Fellowship. The scorcher is the typical
OF all. There is no pleasure taken in the
Journey itself. The century run and the
number OF miles one can make in a given
time are the goals of present wheeling
ambition. The lowered handIe-bars and
the racing attitudes are the marks of the
majority; the plodder is held I'D to rfdi-
cue cue ana yet who shall say. who can say
satisfied with his half a dozen miles an
nour, and studying as one would an inter
estlng book the country through which he
travels did not enjoy himself as much,
nay more, than now does the human whirI,
WIND who pedals across the landscape at
pace at least treble that of his prede
cessor? What does the scorcher know of
the geography or the Inhabitants of the
section through which he passes? What
does he care for the best point of view and
the pest places to rest? He stops mavbe
put only 10 mend an unwelcome puncture
or 70 tighten loosened nut then on again
IN his never-ending rush, till tired nature.
demands relief or hunger compels him To
pause In order that he may restore the VI
taiIty mat he has consumed In his head
long pursuit of-what? 1 have ridden the
Wneel Tor seventeen years; / am as great
iover OF the sport today as I was when
learned OF Its seductive pleasures. / have
be made to understand the pleasnra, ~
pleasure there be-in the treadmill occu-
patlon OF pillng up miles on the cyciome-
ter, with no other object in view thar -.
Top OF ones front wheel and a faw 60
OF the rapidly approaching roadway,
In view of the changed conditions NJ III.
cycle INDUSTRY, especially the reduction in
Price Tor next year. the following Communal
cation has been addressed by the secretary
OF the national board of trade of cycle
manuiacturers to the presidents of local
cycle boards Of trade throughout the IJnif-
ed States. The letter, which explains II.
self, - as follows: I'm view of the fact
That 1t Is now about the time of year when
your board will be making up its repair
list, list Of allowances on second hand
wheels or old-model bicycles, It has been
suggestod by one Of our representative
members that you call the attention Of
your members to the desdrability of in
eisting upon larger hrst payment on
bicycles wherever inStallment business IL
done; You win no doubt realize. SO long
as the price OF bicycles has been hiRh
enough to allow margin for the dealer
to come and 80 on. he has doubtless felt
comparatively safe. ~, Il his customer
made nrft payment OF 40, and kept up
fairly we'll on subsequent installments.
eventually dropping out after go had been
paid on 800 machine the foes was not.
perhaps felt 20 heavily, even though the
agent was unable to get the machine back.