The Jersey City news., 1898-03-29
GOSSIP FOB WHEBLMEN.
A Few Pointers That Will Interest
the Cycle Riders.

1t looks as If Jimmy Michael may be
forced to turn jockey and follow the
turf this summer, although it has been
his intention right along while practising
on the horses to stick to the wheel this
year. Now, however, a fat salary that
he received last year from tire maker
has been Withdrawn from him and 1t Is
rumored that he may also lose the sal
ary he draws from the maker of the
wheel he rides. Dave Shafer, MichaePs
manager, is not the kind of man to
work for glory and at present he is very
impatient with the Welsh midget because
of Jimmy's fondness for the horses.
Without the support of the tire and wheel
manufacturers, Shafer and Michael would
lose not only the good income, but would
have to pay the expenses of pacemak-
ers out of the prizes won.s This would
hardly leave decent profit this season
and unless Michael quits fooling around
the horses and makes connections with
some other manufacturer, Shafer is like
ly to desert him. In event of such
happening. Jimmy would probably feel
that the acceptance of a position as
jockey would be the only course left for
him.
A new racing saddle which marks a
distinct departure has been brought out
by the makers of a well known padded
saddle of the anatomiean type. The new
article offers to racing men padded
base without any rear elevation for a
brace and an exceedingly long nose or
horn. The horn also is padded. 1t is
| pretty much the opposite of what has
heretofore been considered the proper
| thing.
| Many riders are learning to prefer
powdered graphite to oil for use in bear
/ ings. The graphite is sffted in through
| the oil wells and it is argued will last
| longer and serve better. Some riders add
a single drop of some thin oil after the
graphite is applied. Graphite is used on
| the cogs of chainless wheels and is much
| better than oil. 1t does not last as long
on the teeth of gears. however. as it does
| on bearings and chains. A good deal of
| fuss is made by some riders over lubricat-
| ing chainIess and enclosed chain wheels.
| This is ridiculous, for any boy with a bit
| of sense can remove the coverings of a
| chainless. If that was, the sole objection
ever made against bevel gears the trade
| that is pushing them would indeed be
| happy. As for gear cases, the English
| patterns are, in fact, troublesome to re-
| move. but the American cases. as now
being made, are as easy to manipulate
and adjust as a saddle or handlebar. Most
| of them are being made with. a sliding
door over we the main sproGke5 a tnronsgn OF. q,
| this is not the case the face plate over
| the big sprocket can be easily removed
with no other tools than the fingers. II
has, though, been repeatedly. demon
| strated that with that type of case In
which flexible rubber is used at the joints
/ and made truly dust proof, the chain does
| not need attending to during an entire
season. In removing the coverings from
| bevel gear wheels a screw driver is
usually all that is necessary.
The Board of Officers of the New York
State Division. L. A. w. have adopted a
/ resolution to amend the division consti-
| tuition so as to take in juvenile members,
between the ages of twelve and eighteen;
| in accordance with the terms prescribed
/ by the amendment adopted at the Ma
| tional Assembly of the League. 1t is said
/ that several hundred applications are IN
| waiting to be filed and it is expected that
/ within a very short time the cadet corps
| of the State will number in the thou
sands The juniors will have all the priv
ileges of regular members except that OF
4 voting