The record-union., 1898-03-07
THE CYCLERS' COLUMN.
BENEFITS OF WHEELING TO
WOMEN.
New Devices-How to Select Boys
and Woman's Wheel-C. @.
w. Races Announced.


w. Races Announced.
At the meeting of the Board of Gov
ernors Of the c. A. c. c., held at San
Jose Saturday night last, the new-made
rule limiting riders in a relay race TO
two wheels, their own and the trailer's,
was repealed and the old rule, limitless,
was re-established. The G. c. w. dele
gates voted solidly for the repeal.
i
The c. C. w. inaugurate the season
with club races at Oak Park on the
20th inst There will be a boys race,
third of mile, novice, amateur, han
dicap and overtaking races. and club
or county championship race. The prize
for the latter will be a medal, to be
defended once a year. The admission
is to be low and the fun promises to be
great.
The most developed muscles in a cy-
tclist are those of the thigh, which are
developed to a marvellous extent In
many riders. The muscles of the calf
and leg are also benefited, and the ten
dons of the ankle are strengthened and
improved. The pulling on the handles
when hill climbing tends to increase the
muscles at the back of the shoulders,
while the chest and arm muscles are
| also kept in good condition.
y
A German has invented new method
of testing the balls for use in ball bear
ings, in which the balls are rolled singly
down an inclined plane and drop on a
steel block, those which rebound over
an adjustable gauge into the box be-
ing deemed of the right quality for use.
- y
When the saddle is properly adjusted
the heel Will just touch the pedal at
| the lowest point, with the leg perfectly
straight The ball of the foot should
come in the center Of the pedals, and
when the saddle is placed correctly
| there will be slight bend in the knee
joints, just enough to give transmission
to the full power of the leg.
An Englishman has designed pocket
knife especially for cyclers' use, which
has special blade for detaching ce-
mented tire from the rim. and also a pair
of pliers formed by extending a portion
of the handle and pivoting a blade SO
that pressure on its back causes it's ex-
tension to work in conjunction with the
! fixed jaw.
A new design in bicycle frames has
appeared in England. The lower por-
ton of the frame does not differ from
that Of the frames now in use, but the
top tube of the ordinary bicycle is re-
placed by a curved tube, SO designed
as to sustain greater amount of down.
ward pressure than can be applied
when using the straight tube. The GEN.
| ter section Of the curved brace is made
solid so as to connect with and hold
an elongated bar running from the head
of the bicycle to a point beyond the
| saddle post The saddle post is so ar
ranged that the weight of the rider is
thrown upon the center of the curved
tube. The advantages claimed by the
inventor are that the weight of the
rider is almost equally distributed be-
| tween the front and rear wheels, and
! that, the rider having interposed be-
! tween himself and the running gear of
the machine a resilient bar, it will, act
ing after the manner Of a carriage
| spring, absorb the vibrations of the BIZ
| cycle
| The New York representative of
| large and long established manufact tur-
er predicts a scarcity Of wheels in the
spring, his theory being that makers
are keeping down their output, while
low prices are creating a booming de-
mand
a gear case manufacturer explains
that one Of the chief reasons why Eng
lish cases do not give satisfaction over
here, While the American gear case is
making hit, is because the foreign de-
vices are simply mud protectors and 90
not exclude dust the English roads be-
ing always muddy, while ours are usu
ally dusty American riders could not
see the point of using an article that
offered only partial protection, so the
American cases with dust-proof and
water proof Joints of rubber that ex-
clude dust and all foreign substances
| from both chain and bearings made
| their appearance as matter of course
| and wrought a change Of heart with
| riders on the gear case subject.
A small adjustable mirror attached
to the handle bar of a bicycle is not
sign of vanity in a rider. The idea of
such an appliance for the purpose of
seeing behind one on the road is a fad
| that is growing in popularity. If de-
| sired, riders can use it to see their own
faces. Women, who use 1t mostly. say,
however, that they use it only for back
| sighting.
"Jervis' Weekly" (New York;: Dis
| cussion of whether or not the T.. A. w
| should continue to control racing is
| lively here just now. The sentiment In
| favor OF the League giving up racing
and confining itself to good roads work
| finds many supporters, and it seems to
| be gaining strength. Racing enthusi-
asts and those interested in race pro-
| noting oppose the idea bitterly Mean
while it is said that the Century Road
| Club OF America is watching the stu
alton with keen interest and members
of the organization hint that when the
| time comes, If it ever does when the
League abandons racing, the Road Club
will be found ready to step into its
| place.
! AS a burlesque on the high gear and
| big sprocket fad. a Camden, n. j.. deaf