The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-07
NEWS OF THE wHEELMEN.
CITT AND SUBURBAN. BoUTEs
THR0NGED BY H0L EDlT OYOLlBTs.

- NV AINkN-N - .NAs NHNNaN.O
-century Vgheeineu q. Estasiish subursar
Branehes-Hew Tires epa Chains Are AHsot
4 ed ~ Wet Weather-ciub News sud Netes
Bicycle club riders, sppreciatine the fact thai
the outdoor riding season 10 at hand, turned Out
in force yesterday. Increased activity was ND
ticed at the clubhouses and bicycle shops
Riders who possessed models Of the latest typ,
and others mounted on wheels Of an old vim
taRe were conspicuous on the bicycle roads and
paths. The roads were in excellent condition
Most Of the New York cyclists directed theii
routes to Central Park and the Riverside Drive
During the morning the latter route wal
alive with Rlistening wheels handled by
experts, The Boulevard was also popular.
The Harlem Wheelmen ventured out on their
first run OF the season. A party Of members rode
up to City Island via Washington Bridge. Ford
ham, and Westchester. Runs TO Yonkers and
Tarrytown were also taken. and . number q
riders crossed the ferry at 125th street and rode
to EnRlewood and Nyaok. In Brooklyn the
army of riders who went through Prospect
Park and down tho cycle paths outnum.
bered that of any previous Sunday this
year. Members Of the Kings County,
Nassau, Brooklyn. Long Island. South
Brooklyn. Nameless. Sterling. and Windsor
Terrace wheelmen divided their patronage be-
tween Bath Beach. sheepshead Bay. and Conoy
Island. The Merrick turnpike and towns on the
north ana south shores of Long Island were Wis.
tied by q largo number of riders. Tho New
Jersey roads were In excellent condition, and
riders from tho territory surrounding tho
Oranges, Plainleld and WesLfeld turned out in
crowds. Runs were taken to such points as
Summit, Short Hills. Madison. and Morristown.
Throughout the day the Hudson County Boule-
ward was one procession of bicycle riders.
Ono pronounced effect that tho reduction in
the price of wheels is having is to increase the
sale Of cycling sundries. Dealers state that tho
demand is worry large, and that It is chiefly for
the higher grade OF goods. 1t seems. they say,
as IL buyers feel that having saved many dol.
lars in the purchase of their cycles they can
afford to indulge themselves in the mat
ter Of equipping them. Tho march of i'm.
provoment in details on chain wheels
has been somewhat checked by reduced
profits. but the improvements made in 90
cessory fittings seems this year greater
than ever. The market bristles with ingenious
novelties designed for tho convenience. of
cyclists and sociably inclined riders who like to
wickless form that burns acetylene or other gas
promises to be a fad. Bells that act automati.
S SX'iy m en- oSn of q MAIL wltn bnt 1rake > or Ar Are o appi T a
proving catchy. Several new kinds Of brakes
have appeared within g month, the latest and
in the respect that by simply ceasing to pedal
is operated. are thrown out OF connection and the
rider can coast while holding the feet still. This
~coasting with the feet up in front. for the rider
TO TO catch the flying pedals without danger of
the leg or foot the mechanism is thrown at zero
and the pedals rest idly, while the sprockets
and chain continue to revolve. This device re-
moves the objection IN made against
back pedalling brakes. that they are of no use
for coasting. To equip a wheel with this brake.
hntlAvA IA nrnntal nnRNn1rn 4, .-,.t. T..s
few new designs in small toe ~clipsifor women are
being made. and some new articles for the
the pedal and catch the sole of the shoes as the
Ieet are showed forward, much the same as the
p slas sta%p io O rem a sEat the 9 fe@i i u oSies ssIai9 ts
toe clips. of their not being able to acquire the
knack OF catching them. has devised a clip that
placed on the pedal. Tho clip is 80 adjusted
that II hangs down from the side of the pedal.
broadside up. Alittle plunger that connects with
the clip and protrudes slightly above tho pedal
as the rider puts pressure on the pedal. Inter.
nal binders for seat posts and handle bars are
n neSsde eat t RSHpu reqd ahls ss so ons but o4 b E sHat post sSIi. is
y Wheel or removed from i: posi- and ali. With:
seat post Is split on the bias from one end to
the other: and the halves are independently
action Of the two pieces inside the wheel is
exactly that OF "A wedge. When the stem is
puoucu iuto II WHICH, anu the Top piece, with
the saddle, on it, is pressed down In front, one
OF the halves is forced down lower than the
diameter lof the whole stem is increased, hold.
ing the post securely. A slight upward blow
from the hand on the under sido of the saddle
loosens the stem and permits II to be removed.
New forms of chainless wheels have been
making their appearance every week, but the
latest conner is Something that %confutes both
I nrecissjS mb aPd Up practical SSusa mechanics; i does
out of the question. II "a upur that .turna tho
corner by means Of sauare-cut teeth that mesh
directly s instead cdr Of by means Of bevslled teeth.
generally accented that in order to transfer
power from one shaft to another running at
v-shaPed and cut on a 6evelled plane. Spur
gears have hitherto been used only for engage
each other. The new chainless looks much like a
bevel gear wheel at first glance. but closer in
the front I sproek etA or ' pin ies.n Wheel Gn inc as iH ws1i al os
those on the driving shaft, are cut perfectly
square and mesh together exactly az spur gears.
Considerable ingenuity has been shown In the
way the teeth have been cut, and the inventor
claims the device to be better than bevel gears.
poets to accomplish with IL is to transform any
riders chain wheel into a chainless for consider
ably less than a new wheel could be bought.
There is perhaps no. rule in connection with
road riding that 10 more familiar to experienced
that against riding with a snug chain on muddy |
roads. Probably no caution has been uttered
'. NNhSh ~ theh VIC ohC pIuulHR tucIu u |
hlacken their chain In wet weather. Yet It IL
astonishing TO SEQ the number on muddy roads
who are either ignorant or needless OF this i'm
portant injunction. With tho chain running
exposed 1t takes but a very short time for It to
become 80 elogged by grit between the links
that It tightens up and make. the wheel
chains breaking is that they have grown tight
between the sprockets owing to dust and mud,
Another point In this connection. and one that
Is but little known. Is that most frames are out
OF alignment In the rear because OF carelessness
In allowing = chain to { grow too tight. Chains
and stronger now than ever. When a chain gets
too taut. and the rider continues to push away,
strong 70 break easily. the rear forks and back.
stays yield and the frame is sprung out OF line.
When this has happened tho chain does not, of
course. run true between the sprockets, and
plenty of riders who wonder why their wheel
does not run as easily as formerly could find
explanation by reonllinR some occasion when
they rode In the mud with a taut chain.
The announcement was made yesterday that
Chief Consul Walter Jenkins Of the New York
State Division OF the l.. A. W, has awarded the
annual State meet To the Harlem wheeImen,
Both the Harlem and Riverside Wheelmen sub.