The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-18
NEWS OF THE WHEELMEN.
CROWDS OF RIDERS ENJOT TESTER-
DAYS FINE OUTING WEATHER.

MfDUk ANAbNu uUk NAA ~
chnePs Defeat by Linton n General Topic
OF Discussion - Eject of sun on Tires.
II was a case Of i" bicycle weather" yester-
day, and consequently the turnout everywhere
was large. The resorts Of the jersey roads and
those OF Staten Island were filled from early In
the morning until long after sunset. The Bou-
levard, Riverside Drive, tile Coney Island path
and the roads Of the annexed district also had
more cycling traffic on them than they have
had any day for several weeks. but It was a
poor day for the roadhouses. II was cool
enough to keep going. and the throng HE'D
past. while the heartstrings and pursestrings
Of the proprietors throbbed painfully. On hot
dnys. when the crowd is light, the riders have
TO stop In order to cool of. rest and slake the
thirst. but on cool, breezy days, when a big
crowd turns out, there are fewer who patron
ire the waysidc inns than on blistcTinR days.
This means that the hotel keepers get a poor
deal either way, and several ofthem are closing
up because of the lack OF cycling patronage
they expected. A boy at a cycle rack said TO "A
reporter OF THE Sun yesterday that 1t had been
q poor day. When he was asked II there was
not q larger number of riders than there
had been for several Sundays. he re-
piled: Yes. there's n big crowd out, but
they don't stop. Scale il on the hog to-day.
We get more scale where there amt so many
along and they all stops" A point regarding
the day on local roads is that II did not have the
usual Sunday character. 1t ciassed better. On
week days one can ride over all the roads OF the
city from Morris Heights to Coney Island and
encounter an emphatically genteel class, but
generally on Sundays the democracy Of the
pastime is exhibited. Then the grocer boy, the
office boy. and the boy Of every other kind take
to the roads for a lark. For some reason this was
noticeably modified yesterday. The riders who
800 n ,ua so tkot Nlnv ~ nina and diaAain IN un
out on sweltering days were much in evidence.
while the boys who rent heavy wheels for
scorching purposes having recovered from
their Fourth of July eXtravagances, hired
wheels for the entire day and went away to ex-
plore country roads that before were unknown
TO them. 1t was a great day on Staten Island
roads The Richmond county runs are hitting the
Concy Island path pretty hard. Ofcourse. there
were more altogether who went down the cycle
path than went to Staten Island. and It was q
big day. but it was not such a day as is seen in
the early spring. when the country roads are
poor. A repairer on the path said:
Things are changing along here. 1t is Diff
ierent now from what 1t used to be whom this
was the only place to 60. Now there are good
roads everywhere. and we don't see half as
many going past as formerly. l have no reason
to complain. though, for the roads are in splen-
did condition for the repairing business, They
are rough, full OF glass. sharp stones, tacks and
tin. miss the big crowd. but it is the road
houses that suffer most"
Few punches" Of club riders were to be
observed on the roads yesterday. but some new
features that have been growing in strength OF
late were conspicuous. One is that OF women
Women tandem teams have been familiar for
eome tune. but the idea OF four, or five women
in skirts OF the same material going out on
single wheels is q novelty, and az IL looks pretty
II is apt to become more and more popular. The
other fad that is partly replacing the uniform
bering from three 10 ten can be seen here, and
there on q sunday. each wearing q brilliant
hued hat OF the same pattern. Usually II Is one
OF the Elton style Of yermilion or bright blue.
Little parties OF this kind %enliven the road and
club runs in which a parade formation is main
tanned,
In all kinds OF places yesterday the Michael
Linton contest was the principal topic of dis
uphill game made the race exciting through:
out, and those who were, not, there Expressed
e Question mas as to sn Whether the % MicEael ' Would itf or wo nhS
not have been beaten anyhow was u point OF
contention, and plenty Of good arguments were
that the puncturcd tire was an excuse that was
dragged in by the ears after the midget "
which he rode subsequently with the odds all
against him. On the other hand, some who
quit alter getting the puncture. but was as
forced TO ride by ShaIer, his manager. One
point of severe criticism in relation to Michaela
ride, upon which all seem to agree, was that he
should not have lost Q lap and a half because OF
a slight pnncture.. Linton had several extra
ali during the race and il he had experienced q
puncture he would not have lost half a lap In
time 1t took Michael to make a change there
was no extra wheel for him held In readiness
II rs W rass a w EshetMSf Ghu q }iN what " sr hap gs E to hin
-
Il. gladdened the hearts OF a lot Of old-timerl
Manhattan Beach on SATURDAY, and ii listen to the
cheers. II was accepted by them as evidence
with the passing Of trade support, There was
In fact one incident that suggested much TO thu
chael, were lined up for the start and severa
well-known figures In the sporting world were
s stSed y%s HiiS9N'" f sEa ffapfhi ao2aassmma pan 4 in n thn EFeH .
others took it up and it became q chorus. Il
S been 's ssf frss t,T for rh 4 dp s1G bet = rse1l a2n1s TSo ans
and an attempt that proved futile was made t
have the rivals shake after the fashion of box,
situation drew a general laugh by calling out
shut upI Do you think this is a prize light p
A. rider who has had several years experienc.
said TO q reporter yesterday: 81 read with con,
siderable interest al. item in The Sun discus
sing the influence. of sudden changes Of tenn
eles, but ! was disappointed that nothing WA
paul utpui ~ tittI Ol- HDJ WtuIneT on Tires
II is not the greater liability OF their burstin(
that mean, though the fact that tho heat ex
pands the air and makes this catastrophe NOR,
likely SHOULD be known to all who pump, tire
hard. What j had In mind WAS the softening o
the rubber caused by the sun. This Is a definite
fact upon which there need be no speculation
but few riders seem to be, aware. Of 1t, judging
from the way they leave their wheels standing
think, how asphalt softens ON a hot day the
would understand i. l have had experience Ii
few weeks ago, my tire picked up several I'm
pebbles, and / had a nice collection Of tin,
punctures that would not have gotten on an!
cool day."
Great interest Is manifested in unpaceC
record riding, which seems likely to produce
renewal Of racing in this class of events. Ii
unpaced rides wheelmen establish record
without the aid of artificial means. which. Will
slower than paced trials. are accepted as th,
only genuine and sportsmaniike. test OF
riders ability. The recent work OF such mol
as Hamilton and Coulter gives some assurance
that this style OF time trials will receive q goo,
trial this year. A racing man says: Il hav,
often commented upon the. abslirdity. OF re
garding the times made behind pacemakers u
representative OF the pace Of the bicyclist
IL