The times., 1898-06-26

position. There is considerable jockeying
in bicycle racing, and frequently the man
who exercises the greatest head work,
ard will take the most desperate chances
at the finish. will beat man who is vast
ly his superior in point of speed Close
observation i'll races will also develop the
fact that there is plenty of eibowing of
opponents, and other tactics that are
manifestly unjust. but they seem to in
variably escape the eyes of the officials
The seasoned veterans are up to all the
tricks of cycle racing. and they frankly
admit that some of their closest races
have been won by mere intimidation OF
less experienced men.
Riders who complain that the shortest
rides are fatiguing can attribute this very
frequently TO the custom of uneven pedal
ing. 1t has been repeatedly pointed out
that majority OF the cyclers ride regard
less of any sort of form. The knee should
not, as Is the custom with great num-
ber, swerve in or out of a straight line
drawn from the hips. A large number of
riders acquire the unsightly habit of turn
ing their knees out at the top of each
stroke, while others turn the knees IN.
| For style and power perfectly straight
| line. If followed, viii be found TO give the
most satisfaction and improve the general
| appearance of the rider while on wheel.
| Oftentimes the poor adjustment of the
| saddle and handlebars will be found to
| be responsible for this custom.
'1Cyclophile" in the London Sunday
| Times, says he has been asked to define
| what an ordinary machine should be eX-
pected to stand in the way of shock; In
| other words. to say when a machine can
be said to have received a shock which 1t
could not reasonably have been expected
| TO Withstand, and when, on the other
hand, a machine may be said to have
| failed to fulfill a normal requirement. In
reply he says: The question is incapable
! of definite answer. and l doubt If any
| cyclemaker could state In figures what
degree of momentum his machine might
| safely attain without collapsing when
| meeting an obstacle which it could not
/ surmount. The effect of the impact.
moreover, would largely depend upon the
manner in which the machine received
| the shock. II the wheel struck the OBJ
| ject at right angles. a tremendous amount
of force should be absorbed through the
| front wheel and frame without resultant
! damage. but If the impact was tangential
| the machine would crumple up much
more readily.
Personally, however, 1 should be in
| clined to lay down as a broad rule that
cycle should be well able to stand any
| direct impact that was not violent
| enough in itself to throw and serious q
| njure the rider; man should be able 20
| charge a high curb. say at a speed which
| might perhaps unseat him, but not so
| fOrcibly as TO hurl him 20 the ground
and the frame should not crumple under
! the shock. A good machine should at
least survive an impact which would not
| MAIN the rider by its force alone, apart
| from such external considerations as the
| rider or machine being enrown under a
passing vehicle. There is no doubt. how
! ever, that faulty workmanship does creep
into even the best machines, and of this
| | may mention as a recent example the
case of a lady friend of mine who was
riding a well-known machine. listed at
| forty pounds, which came unbrazed at
the bottom bracket and broke down in
the Richmond road, although she was
not riding at more than seven miles an
| hour at the time"
The head-bowed- down scorcher. with
his low handle bars, has always been a
source of danger which all bicyclists have
had TO contend with. but the scorcher
can generally be counted on to keep in
a straight line, and a safety point is a
few feet either side. But those riders of
| both sexes who persist IN riding on pub
lie roads hands OFF, are more likely 10
bring others TO grief. as any sudden sur
| prise lNFUNS IuEIN OUT Oh DdAduCe. ana II
| they don't fall they are apt 20 make yio-
lent lurches either one way or the other,
| or both ways. before they recover con-
! troll over their wheels. In accidents OF
this kind il is generally the innocent par
ty who comes to harm. \ man or boy
will light his pipe, fix his necktie, or, If
necessary to use his handkerchief must
use both hands to do It, and IL nothing
else can be done, puts his hands behind
his head as a sort of support or head
rest to his tired brain. The gentler sex,
having more ''fixings" TO attend 10. makes
more or less of a complete toilet in the
| course of mile run.
There are hundreds riding bicycles who
do not truly know the pleasures of wheel
ing, although they may believe that they
do" said well-known wheelman yester-
day. THE reason is that they put sc
much unnecessary work into riding that
they cannot make forty or fifty-mile
trip without being tired out. and ii Is
| solely on account of the position they
take. With the bicycles made today per.
sons Of the most ordinary strength should
be able to wheel fifty miles or more, anC
could do il if they would give proper at
tention to getting in the most advantage
| Gus position. The crowds seen on The
| road Sundays are peculiar and illustrate
more than anything else the fact tina
| ONE-INlFuEf9l ali Cyclists 90 not KNOW now
to ride TO best advantage The work o.
pedaling that should be only sufficient fol
| healthy exercise IL one sits properly
cramps the muscles in the arms and leg!
of those who sit too high, too low or toC
| far back, and who have their handlebar:
so that the arms are bent way up. Higf
| handlebars are we'll enough, but many
have them so that they are forced into {
position that strains the back as much q:
the scorcher position. A rider can ST
just as erect with the arms straight ou
as with them drawn in so that the hands
are close TO the breast
| American race-goers do not seem t
take kindly to the French method of rae
ing. although it is considered the -onl'
thing abroad. BY French racing un
paced contests are meant. In those con
tests the men are not limited as to speed
are not compelled to set pace and hav
nothing to worry over but the winning o
the contest by sharp headwork and b,
cleverly lodging around until the jump
after which the real excitement of tn
contest begins. A mile race of this char
acter may take nine minutes to run. or
may take five and sometimes a little les
| than this.
During the progress of the contest til
men watch each other, riding just a
slowly as il is possible TO ride. and refus
ing at all times TO allow themselves t
get so far in front that they may no
watch their competitors in the rear 70
a jump by which such a contest is ofte
won. Snakelike curves are Travelled. ;sB
sometimes the foot has to be used as
steadier when a steep bank is take
slower than usual. Suddenly a ma
mounts 10 his pedals. then another, an
away they scurry. The race is on afte
three minutes or more of patient watch
ing on the part of the spectators. Tn
field is away in full cry after the ma