New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-02
IN THE CYCLING WORLD.
THE PROFESSIONAL RIDERS REBELLION
WIDELY DISCUSSED.

DIFFERENT VIEWS AMONG MEMBERS OF THE
LEAGUE OF AMERICAN wHEELMEN-PREs-
IpENT porTERs SURPRISE FOR HIS
ELIMINATES NOTES AND
COMMENT
The rebellion Of the professional riders against
the League Of American Wheelmen continues TO be
a lively topic OF conversation among cyclists ana
the enthusiastic followers of racing. The attitude
OF the officials Of the League in the face OF the
position taken by the professional riders con-
sidered peculiar In many quarters. From President
Potter and Chairman Mott OF the Racing Board
down to the chief consuls of the different State d.
visions the utmost unccnoern appears TO prevail
They treat the matter as they did the uprising OF
the racing men on the Pacific Coast. apparently
thinking that the riders will have all they want
10 do 20 control themselves before smother season
comes around. The movement is not unlike that or
the Brotherhood rebellion among the players OF the
National Baseball League several years ago. and
those who remember the outcome of that fight are
Of the opinion that the result will be the same in
the Of the professional bicycle riders Inc
ball players found that playing the games and
managing the finances at the same time were
little beyond their ability. and after disastrous
season of six months they were glad enough 10 get
back TO the old conditions Possibly the eyG he
opinion that they are not and .Re morse
deser,ions viii injure their cause materially. MANY
Of the most prominent officials In the League be
Control Of racing. ana they have been OF that opn
Sq for Gns % oPT s work the o
back seat in measure. and for that reason me
men can be served by abandoning the racing game
10 those who wish TO control II. Others who are
me Sre nC o meric ce Wheemen had Voluntarily
abandoned the sport Il would have been all right
the the seunte, OF deaance : little than they
looked for This element II The League i 0f b bas
been assaulted. and that IT must fight the riders
The exact position Of the League OF American
Whoelmen may not be den'e ay.samhy viii be-
held at Providence
While it is true that the President OF the League
of American Wheelmen is seen In cycling costume
occasionally II is also true that he is seldom seen
on a bicycle. This had led many people 10 say. par
ticu.arly during heated League Of American Wheel'
men campaigns. that Isaac B. Potter could not
ride wheel. But he can. as many OF MS Irlehos
IN the Brooklyn Bicycle Club can testify. several
wears ago the members OF that club would meet at
the clubhouse and arrange tours for Sundays and
holidays Potter had been invited 10 go along ou'
the busy lawyer always asked 10 be excused say
ing that he could not afford 10 take me 'ime'
This started the rumor that he did not know now
70 ride a wheel Hearing these rumors Potter de-
termincd to have a little sport at the expense OF
his c.ubmates He has ridden the ordinary be-
fore the safety came into general use, and he de-
termined TO give his friends a surprise He hied
him "a friend who was an expert anu dSheu
him TO teach him the pedal mount on the ordinary
Riders Of the Ole style machines will remember
that this of mount was particularly dlm-
cult the high wheel but Potter mastered ne
house ana waited for his detractors to appear
They came in singly and in couples. and began 10
taulIt HIM about false position III the cycnng
world Finally Potter pretended to get angry ana
said that he could nor only ride the saie,S' pa,
In addition he could make the pedal mount on me
ordinary and that he was prepared 70 Det ms
on
wagers were offered that the president could not
SECURED and the party went in Hanson Place
see the wagers decided Potter enloyed inc JOKE
limit rne wageis stipulated that ne must make
The pedal noun within se mn9 sof several f mn
ntes tumbng about IN the mos, GUca, he on
Saren, " discomture of the politician When
he had only one minute lsf'. ne aeoiTTra ths
pedal made Of the most artistic pedal mounts
seen in many day he ana mss 10 he
utter surprise OF his clubiGates. Then he rode
and dG%n the . r Saye s ennd Ever snce then
the members OF the BROOKLYN BicEcie Etuu go
thai the president Of the League cannot ride BIZ
cycle.
Several prominent officials of the League OF
American Wheelmen have discussed the scheme Of
holding a cycle show in this city under the auspices
of that organization. President Potter In discus
sing the scheme yesterday said he thought show
could be made successful and that the National
Cycle Board of Trade might not oppose IL. He In
timated ,nat he Intended to communicate with G.
S. Dikeman The president OF the Board in The
near future regarding the matter The idea is 10
cycle path from Boston 10 San Francisco SEQ Each
section Of ne NHn6 9r the path and the
League Of American Wheelmen committee WouII
thsn onae e" The only objection to the
scheme would come from the manufacturers, WIG
have already put themselves on record as opposed
70 he holding OF national shows this year.
II have studied the racing question for several
years" said a prominently connected win
cycle racing affairs yesterday, and have come
10 the conclusion that the best way out OF the
troubles would be to form organization FOR The
control Of the sport both on the track and on the
road Ny idea would be that the League OF Ameri-
can Wheelrnen appoint two members, the Century
Road Club OF America two more. the National
Track Association two. and the racing men two
Then allow these eight men TO elect CHAIRMAN or
with any OF those organ .euon. W:th sueh
body in control OF the sport l think cyEie racing
lion would have its representation, and Il would
be difficult TO have chickering's and troubles.
would not be surprised If such scheme was pro.
posed al the ma ionai assembly OF the League OF
American Wheelmen.'
In speaking of the length of eranks prominent
dealer saws; "a fact which does not appear TO have
been grasped by those who embark On the troubled
sea of discussion Of crank length is that the
width Of tread plays a by no means uhlmpofta'''
mart in the question. Any one who devoies ume
TO careful experiment on the subject OF crank
length will think, quickly ind that long crank
does not go well with wide tread. Indeed my |
self have often noticed that length OF crank |
which was not too long road racer with mar !
row tread was quite out Of the question for com
Portable riding on a comparatively wide-treaded
mil roadster Immediately after the tread is wild
ened the rider feels that the crank which did nicely
On the machine with tread narrower 10 the ex-
tert Of half an inch or becomes OF noticeable |
length-too much ia fact. The reason why TINS
should be will think, be apparent 20 the reader II
he lifts his foot up and down when straight under
meath him and again when he has thrust IL out |
wards some distance The further apart the feet |
70 working The more noticeable becomes the knee