The sun., 1898-02-07

built like a young OK. His chest meas
urement is thirty-eight inches, his legs
at the calf measure sixteen and hall
inches and at the thigh twenty-five
inches.
1t is worthy Of note that the monkey
back rider is becoming less and less
prevalent on the public roads, For the
racing man the extreme stopped position
is probably necessary, but for him that
rides for pleasure 1t is not only injurious
but foolish.
The chainless is not the only $125
wheel on the market for next season. A
very prominent firm of 30 years. expe-
rience in the bicycle trade, that is evil
IDENTIFY not scared to death over the big
cut in ,9S wheels, has chain racing
wheel listed at $l25.
Charley Murphy claims the champion
snip on home trainers, and says he has
money enough to back himself against
Shock, Miller or Gardiner at that style
OF racing. Such contest would be a
great exhibition Of fast pedaling and
would be worth witnessing.
During his one months residence in
America August Lehr has gained won
derful insight into the American Ian.
guage and on his return to Germany, for
which country he sails FEBRUARY %, the
German champion will be able to peak
fair English.
There is still another rider after the
scalp Of Jimmy" Michael, in the per-
son of Charles Kaser, the Swiss cham
plon. who is at Belleair, Fla. He has
written letter to the sporting paper,
La Suisse Sportive, of his own country,
in which he states that it is his intention
to issue a challenge to Michael and Chase
tor five or ten miles, after which he will
40 the sprint work. He exults over the
victories won over Becker and some
other American riders and says he is get
ting in splendid form.
The Paris-Roubaix road race, one of
tne most Important contests in France,
will be held on April 10.
kaser, the Swiss rider who is now in
tins country, is using lOO-inch gear in
all his practice work.
A new grip has appeared on the mar
ket. 1t requiresa special handle-bar, to
which it is fitted mechanically. There
is no necessity for using hammer or an
ak to remove it. The handle-bar has q
triangular slot cut in it, under which the
grip fits. In the end of the handle-bar
is an expanding device that is operated
bya screw. A few turns of a screw
driver fixes the grip firmly in its place or
removes it. The grip is made Of papier
mache or fibre, and is proportionately
shorter and stouter than the ordinary
cork grip.
In France the taxes on bicycles are
now 81 on single wheels and So on multi
cycles. The duties on imported bicycles
and parts have been almost doubled.
There is considerable glory in riding
more miles in a year than anyone else,
but when it comes down to grind over
the same route every day for year it
would appear that there was great deal
of energy wasted.
Most riders would attain greater speed
with less exertion if attention were paid
to even pedaling. Many riders are con-
tent to make progress by a series of
jerks at the chain, which is not only had
for the rider, but the wheel and chain,
as we'll. The correct way to pedal is to-
push not only the pedal downward, but
pull it up again. In this way the ten
sion of the chain may be kept nearly
even without perceptible slackening on.
the upper side.
II you do not propose purchasing
new wheel the coming season start the
new year well by ovcrhauling your old
wheel. Let it rllstand "run down. and
it will, in all probability, let YOU down
when least expected.
Judging by the talk of middle-distance
racing and the number of pursuit match
races in prospect, it is going to be slim
season for the handicappcrs during 1898.