The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-07-11

energy required to be eXerted remains the same, at least theoretically. The effect upon the rider, however, is anoth- CT matter. The man who hoists half ton from the ground to an upper floor in Q warehouse by means of tackle, does more in lifting in total than he would do if he could (and diD carry 1t up on his back; yet, the tackle gives him practical aid, Which Is on the whole less exhaustive and disagreeable, the easy but rapid, or the severe but slow foot action, depends much on the individual and thus is largely a person. al question, which nobody should con- slider decided for himself by what some , body else does. And yet it is safe to say that gear ratio has reached its linn it. and that the extreme ratios are the mark of the novice and the "doWn-hill scorcher," for the experienced Know better, For all-round use, as far as a rule can be given, from seventy to elgh- ty, with eighty-four as limit, are pest for men, and from sixty three to seV- enty for women. Most foolish of all IS the notion that adding to crank throw can make almost any extreme Tn gear all right or that one should or may use so many inches of throw per so many of height or of leg length. There IS no such relation. An extra long crank in terferes with vertical position ana k-pedalling, increases the travel ot thigh and the bend of the knee, com pels the muscles to work at mechanical disadvantage, and is abominably pao for women.
 | 1.-THE RIGHTS OF WHEELMEN. | The rights of wheelmen in the streets ! of Erie, Pa, have been defined by the l courts recently as follows: Bicycles owned and used by residents of the city of Erie upon the streets thereof are Ve- hicles, and as such are entitled to the same rights and are subject to the same reasonable restrictions in the use there of as may be prescribed by law or or 1 dinance in the cases of persons using carriages drawn by horses. Bicycle owners and users of the same upon city | streets have an inherent and indefenda- | ble right to use said streets for their bicycles, subject only to such reasona- ble and uniform restrictions and regu- lations as can be imposed as a police regulation for the safety and comfort | of the public. A city ordinance classl- | flying resident bicycle owners and re- | quiring each person of said class to pay | an annual license fee of one dollar is not uniform police regulation, and in no case tends to insure the comfort or i safety of the public. Under the pre- | tense of being a police regulation, it is 1 in it's legal effect an ordinance taxing
 bicycles for revenue, and as such at 1 tempt is unconstitutional and void"
 FORBIDDING BICYCLE RIDING.
 Osgoode township is the first munioi-
 pality in America to forbid bicycle rid
 ing. At a meeting held on June 20 a
 bylaw was passed unanimously for
 bidding bicycle riding within the town
 ship. The action was taken because
 the farmers said bicycles scared theil
 horses and now the township has the | unique distinction of being the only one
 in the world to enact such a remarka-
 ble law. If an attempt is made to en- force it, the law will be taken into the
 courts, and it is believed it will be de.
 clared invalid.
 SOUVENIR BADGE.
 At the last meeting of the executive