The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-08-10

along very we'll but it may be barrel or
vehicle attracts the attention on the oppo-
site side of the path, and there at once ap-
pears to be an uncomfortable desire on the
part of the rider to run into the object
which attracts attention. The best way to
overcome this difficulty is to allow the
pupil to run into an obstacle and then i'm
press upon the pupils mind the impor-
lance of holding a direct course, and the
rest will come in a natural way as the
rider becomes more experienced.
It is difficult to lay down a prescribed
rule for position owing to the various
lines on which bicycles are constructed
and the proportions of the riders AS
rule, on a diamond frame a very correct
road position can be obtained by adjusting
the saddle so the legs will be slightly bent.
In this way the rider gains sufficient lever
age. The arms should hang naturally, al
most gracefully, with the hands resting on
the grips Of the handle bar. If the arms
are not within easy swinging distance,
the rider does not have perfect control of
the machine. The handle bar should be
adjusted in such manner that gentle
inclination of the body forward will bring
it within gripping distance. An upturned
bar is the most desirable for touring and
road riding, as it can be adjusted so as to
permit the free use of every muscle.
1t is also often hard to impress upon the
pupil the fact that a fall will not be seri-
Gus. A pupil should bear in mind that
the feet are never more than 10 inches
from the surface of the road, and that a
serious injury is impossible. AS rule, the
beginner grips the handle bar when aware
that the control of the machine is lost,
and then he is thrown to the ground
with the machine. In doing this there is
danger of breaking the machine and in
jury to the rider. If the pupil realizes
there is going to be a fall, the foot on the
side that the machine is going to fall
should be dropped to the ground, and at
the same time the hold on the handle bars
should be released, allowing the machine
to fall by itself. In this way many hard
knock may be avoided and at the same
time damage to the machine.
In propell1ng the machine the power
should come from the knee, with the ball
of the foot on the pedal, the saddle being
adjusted so there is a slight kink in the
knee. This is liable to give the pupil
more confidence in the first lesson. AS
the pupil advances and becomes moro ex-
pert the saddle should be raised so that
with the limb extended the heel will rest
fiat on the pedal.
Several Berlin and provincial German
papers having declared that the chancellor
of the empire, besides being about to re-
tire from his post as the kaisers chief ad-
wiser, was also addicted to bicycling, sol
emn notices have been published on con-
secutive days, first, to the effect that the
stories about the chancellor's impending
resignation were mere idle legends, as
similar ones have been hitherto, and, sec
ondly, that he does not belong to the num-
Der of those who practice the sport of
wheel riding Why a serious German jour
nal like the semiofficiaI Norddeutsche lei
tung should think it necessary to correct
a popular error on point of this kind
can only be imagined by persons who have
long had relations with public men in the
fatherland. Sports are considered good
enough for young people, but foR response
BILE ministers of the crown they are con
sidered a symptom of levity wholly mex
cusable.
No less than 20 concerns in the United
States have taken up the manufacture of
motor carriages. Several of these are BIZ
cycle makers who are glad of the oppor-
tunity to utilize their plants for other
purposes In most cases the actual
building of bicycles does not occupy the
factory's time for more than six months
each year. The rest of the year is dead
loss unless some side line is resorted to
to keep the machinery busy. Motor car
riages seem to fill the bill nicely, and as
soon as they become as popular in Ameri-
ca as they now are in European countries,
such factories as are making them will
not be idle throughout the IL months of
the year