The record-union., 1898-03-21

in the following years, When the rage
for lightweight machines prevailed.
Six-tooth and even smaller sizes were
tried, and would have been used II they
had been at all satisfactory, but the
seven-tooth proved the limit Interest
in chains was largely responsible Tor
taking up the sprocket question again
As far as chains upon the machines
are concerned, the sizes of sprockets
hardly need be considered, for the diff
ferences in case of any suitable sizes
would not be sufficient TO affect prop
erly constructed wheel. The vital Ques-
ton is as to the sizes over which chains
will run in the smoothest and most sat
isfactory manner, and with which the
best pull can be obtained. Experience
has proven that a rear sprocket with
more than nine teeth, and its cor
respondingly large front one, causes a
certain amount Of drag in the running
of a wheel that is not present with the
eight and nine-tooth sizes. An eight
tooth sprocket is much superior to
seven tooth, and a nine-tooth slightly
better
A bicycle designed to dispense with
ball bearings in the head of the cycle
has at the points usually occupied by
the ball bearings soft rubber collars fit
ting into cups secured rigidly to the
head of the frame, corresponding lugs
and notches on the collars and cup
covers giving a torsioral movement by
every movement of the handle-bar or
turn of the front fork
mr., ho, Of Do Lo i,
devoted much attention to the medical
aspects of cycling, speaking of long
distance contests, says it is useless to
eat although he eXcepts fruit in MAX
ing this statemenD during violent ex-
ercise, but it is important to drink, and
if the body is in good working order,
the only result of the effort is a de-
crease in weight.
Coriang the celebrated long distance
rider is reported to have received about
5000 in all for his big ride at the
Crystal Palace last September
In a bicycle brake which will be ap-
piled upon holding back the pedals of
the driving gear. brake shnAs connected
with the pedal engage fixed annular
surface
New York Tribune: There is some
dissatisfaction in certain quarters over
the manner in which the League of
American Wheelmen has conducted
cycle 10 cling in this country. There are
rumorS to the effect that a combined
effort VIII be made to take the control
of racing out of the hands of the L.
A. w. by the formation of a powerful
syndicate for that purpose. The syn
dicate will have to be powerful, indeed,
if it hopes to accomplish anything. The
sport has grown to a remarkable extent
in the last two years, and possibly
methods in vogue when cycle racing
was in its infancy are hardly appli-
cable at this time. Still the League
is slowly but surely keeping up with
the sport, and in time it will handle
cycle racing with the same business
tact ard ability shown by the owners of
the clubs in the National Baseball
League The people have respect and
confidence in the L. n. w, and so long
as it controls the sport, racing Will
prosper and have the confidence and
support of the public. If however,
few outside promoters should succeed
in getting control of it merely for what
money there is in it, the sport of cycle
racing would go the way of the base
ball brotherhood, and in just about the
same length of time. The latter's at
tempt to run baseball in this country
lasted just one year, and it cost the
club owners of the country something
over ST .000,0O0 While the L. A w.
at its recent convention at ST. Louis
decided to leave the matter Of the sug-
gestion of the future control of racing
in the hands of the Executive Commit
tee that committee is composed of
thinking men, and the chances are dim
indeed that that committee may decide
that the control of racing should be
given over to some outside body of pro-
moters The League may decide upon
some changes regarding the control of
racing, but that it will ever be en-
tirely divorced from the sport is not
believed.