New-York tribune., 1898-01-23

Complain
The question OF length OF cranks bids fair 10
attract an increasing degree or atten'oh '"i'
season. and 1t is not unlikely that larger
range of choice will he offered to purchasers Oh
BICYCLES Everybody Is familiar WIN gears
to a greater or less extent. and nearly every one
has pretty definite idea about the gear Wh'ch
he thinks best adapted for him. Not improbaply
within n year two general knowledse OF
cranks will also become dinused The tendency
is in the direction of longer cranks. but as there
has also been a tendency for the last year In the
direction Of lower crank brackets, conflict Is
inevitable for a long crank is Impossible with
low bracket. Some experts say that good pro-
norton is one inch of crank to every ten inches
of gear a rider using a seventy gear. therefore,
should have cranks seven inches long. 1t Is
also maintained by some that every additional
half-inch Of crank Is equivalent TO an addition
of five inches to the gear. The change TO a
longer crank brings into play new muscles. or at
least changes the muscle strain, since larger
circle has to be described by the foot. ana IL
must be left to every rider to determine what
length Of crank is best for his individual use. 1t
would be well for the manufacturers, however,
to give larger opportunity or choice III crahks'
and to furnish this part OF the bicycle In quar-
ter-inch sizes withil certain limits. An EnBllsh-
man who has made use OF long cranks. ana says
that he can ride one hundred miles as easily with
I
ones advises that men up to five feet elght ana
a half inches in height should have eight-inch
cranks: between that and five feet ten. eight-
and-a -half-n cranks and for all over nve rect
ten nine-inch cranls. On the ratio mentioned
above these would be equivalent to gears or
eighty, eighty-fve and ninety. hard-ahd last
rule Of this kind, however, is not TO De rgldly
adhered to.
During the season a large bicycle department
has grown up in the Knckerbocker Athletic
Club Nearly four hundred wheemen belong to
this division. and the majority Of them have
made the clubhouse their wheeling headquar-
ters Club runs were held weekly during the sea-
son. ending with century run TO Morristown'
returning via Staten Island, in which every
starter finished. Bicycles are cared for In the
basement Of the club and stored in the winter
at nominal charge, there being no charge for
the care of wheels during the summer. Loving
cups were given to the three members of the
club who covered the greatest number Of miles.
and medals TO all riders OF the season who coy
cred distance greater than one thousand miles
Some Of the riders who won trophies in the
mileage and club run competitions were, with
/ their mileage and the souvenirs given Loving
cups to f. F. Williams 1893 miles; G. NJ Cham
berlain G,94S miles. and +. r. Bellman, 1.iS3.
Gold medals to +. De Kraft. 4.343 miles; +. r.
Wilmington. 3,i1i miles; y. p. WestDay 3,OlO
miles; f. Rodeck 3.552 miles; A. W. Webster,
3.i62 miles; W a. Withers. 3,353 miles; T. w.
Hunter. 334l miles; q. T. Altz 321l miles; j. >
Hawes 3217 miles: J. II. Meyers 3.121 miles;
j. O. Chase, Bis miles; II. A. Anderson. 300
miles; r. NJ. Wollison. 3o4S miles; George
Sweet 3Of2 miles; Otto Elsass 3O41 miles. and
Warren Sage. Bob miles. DR.. G. NJ. Chamber
lain led in the number Of club runs attended
with fifteen. Arthur Selig was second with
twelve. f. II. Myers third with ten, and r. +.
Moran and G. T. Altz had record Of nine each.
Century medals of silver by a. Selig,
F. II. Myers c. r. Fletcher, r. f. Doherty, A.
r H. ~ ny1
Hawes.
A meeting Of the Sunset Wheelmen was held
Thursday evening at the clubhouse in Forty
fourth-st, Brooklyn The meeting prnci-
pay for the purpose Of discussing plans for
the coming season. and 1t was decided to adopt
new style OF uniform. A committee was ap-
pointed TO secure larger quarters for the club,
as the present quarters are too small to
commodate the members. The club, 1t was
stated, was in a good financial condition. and
the membership was increasing rapidly. The
officers who have been elected to serve for the
ensuing year are Charles A. Hall, president;
Andrew Eckel vice-president and treasurer;
Joseph Oberlies secretary Jacob Oberlies. cap
tain; Joseph King, first lieutenant; Walter
Keen. second lieutenant; Joseph Hartig, first
sergeant: Thomas Meekn. second sergeant, and
William Schweers. color bearer.
ception at premium, limited number
only were authorized and no persons can pass
through the door Of the clubhouse unless they
present their tickets. This has been decided
upon in order to prevent too great number OF
people from gaining admittance as In the past.
on number OF occasions. the large clubhouse
has been crowded owing to tickets not having
been demanded at the door The Entertainment
Committee has completed all arrangements in
connection with the affair. and 1t is the inten-
tion to use the large wheelroom for refresh
ments. All the rooms will be handsomely deco
rated with flowers. and in the blard-room an
orchestra Of string instruments will be sta
toned. The Kings County Quartet will sing
eral of its fayorie songs. On Tuesday even
ing Frederick Hall. the pooi-p player, will give an
| exhibition at the clubhouse. Some OF the shots
| accomplished by this player wonderful The
bowlers OF the club are at present much inter
ested in the home tournament. which is prov
/ ing close In the first section the BerlO and
/ Luthy teams are having a hot race for first
! hOnOrs. and in the second section the Humber
and Crawford teams are likewise having a close
contest. All four teams anxious to qualify
for the finals. and unless the unexpected happens
/ they will fight ii out for first hOnOrs The
regular bowling team representing the club In
| the L. l. a. c. c. is gradually getting into
| winning form, although they are fighting II
out with four other clubs for first place They
have not reached the form they are capable Of,
! and from they should win. Some inter
est is already being displayed in the annual
| election, which takes place early in March
As yet. however there have been candidates
! decided upon for any of the Offices which Will be
vacated.
| Local racing men taking some interest in
the home-trainer tournament. to start on the
! last day of this month. and those who have
| entered are to do their practice work the
machines which are at Schock's, No 60 Monta-
| guest Brooklyn. and at the academy Sixtieth-
St and Boulevard, New-YOrk. The men usually
work out five miles in the morning and after
noon. and some have become proficient az to