The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-05-01
NEWS NOTES
FOR WHEELMEN,

The cycle trade in Richmond has
| ononod uD very slow for 1S9s. Many who
/ had expoctcd TO learn and get wheel IN
! 1>q, have given up the idea because they
! Soc mo- chance Of any Improvement ln the
/ Streets of this city. Many who Woulo
have bought new wheels this season nave
| decided to use their old wheels another
wear as there is no pleasure III rlulHs a
! .,cd wheel through the mud ana art
| If Richmond streets. il seems S'i'4lbe
I that those who have charge "a
| Inc street Improvements OF 'nls
city are not willing 10 sp,nN c oi,S
! cent for The accommodation OF the oVW
- me, little country places have
their cycle paths and strips or SHloo'n
| road - ~
! -.ei5erce do not come 10 places Whero
! no provision is made for their pIeis"to
or comfort The many WORKING pgople
who have their homes at a distance RON
their work and who have bought "HeeI9
10 use I'm going back and forth nave D''n
compelled this winter either 10 W"lh w
ride on the cars on account Oh tHo "o'
! aud muddy condition OF the streets.
SMALLER TIRES CALLED FOR.
t. fg ne interest to know that all the
r~o neople agree I'm the statement that
smaller diamcters are more IN ueiii"Llt
| than over before. Last season the DO,
i,cb sf1e was more called for than any OF
tbo others followed rather closely by the
1-2-lnch. This year the pubic lS puyilB
| 2-Sand ] 1-2-inch more freely" nIinouen
fborc fs. of course. continued sl'""5
! almond for fhe 5-8-inch for road use.
Reports gathered az the dlIereht oI'l,,
| of tho tire companies do not eAacuy
10. 90 to which size predOminates-
/ f,ct due no doubt TO the different style5
| 80 ,,,,1s made bv the several companies
| arc for example. % concern making hsht
| singlc-tube tires and reaching OUT lot 'l'
| trade of the racing contingent Wouiu ii'---
| urall,-scu more , small sizes proportion
atelv 10 fits output. than another con.el"
! prodIciug detachable or douNIe 'u'C
desfpucd for road use. But even WIN ,l'
| t,ttc. the tendency 90 buy ! l-1-incn TOT
-, .,1t,,.. t,9.. baeu observed. The same
r,,ie holds true of tandem tires, as We'll
! ~. rcoutsr demand this season being iof
r-Q and 1 9-4-inch whore year ago III
,,-,e Cor "a and pinch. So undemaply
| st,o, an eighth smaller are being called
a.. an around. with the exception OF
tr.cl. fires. which remain the sam.
| pOAD TIRES FOR TRACK USE.
4 number of reasons are gwen lot LHt
change noted. one being that the c'i LOT
narrow treaGs in bicycles re.ulleu Ai "
cloeo~ bufid Of the frames. leaving m
-.,cio,.,t clearance between the forks
,,d sfavs and tires OF large diameter
! ,ri,fe caused the frames % choke up
,,,th mud and allowed tho tires TO run
~ the wheels got out OF true through tne
iooeeuing or brcakage OF spoheT- An
! op,c. exclamation given is that tne'eafly
riders Of the season are boys ana young
olrb members fired with the usual ann
| hilton to excel I'm speed on ROAD anu li,i'N'
Tbcee always call for small tres-lI"ln
11-tto 1-2-inch-and many OF tneih VINO
.opDot afford two machines ana Two SETS
&c 60 coronromiee by buying / 3-S-inch
oe boet shifted Tor both racing ana road
,Jdipr- In fact. the tendency 10 use track
Tree an the road Ted 10 so much trouble
! 1.s4 veor that one OF the most prominent
conpanies has increased the weight ana
etrencth Of its ! 1-4-inch track ures @
,ressl,- 10 stand mp under century riding
an the road. Later I'm the season-Say III
Nav. when the weather has become more
settlod-the older male members OF lhe
family and the ladies begin 70 rae anu
mt. demand for the standard road size
q 5-S-inch IS expected 10 preuoilili.l-o.
Tire makers who use Para rubber are
o,orl.ioe, on such q small margin OF pont
that n is worth while to take into con-
ei3cration any saving in material that
may be effected by the increased sale or
srrallor sizes. Rubber has been steadily
advancing in prices for the last SIX
months and cotton fabric has also gone
ND while there has teen no genera IN
crease i'm the price Of tires. This mas re-
duced profits to point where seNeial
makers who were IN the field last year
are indifferent 10 the tire trade this sea-
SON and are pushing only their lines OF
mechanical rubber goods. declaring that
they cannot make good tires and sell
| them at a profit and that they viii not
make moor goods Ii would seem. then,
that the saving OF an eighth of an inch
| Of fabric and rubber would add TO the
profits. but the tire people think this
which would no. perhaps amount 10 more
than a few cents on a tire-wold be onset
by the greater difficulty Of moulding the
smaller diameters
ROUGH OR SMOOTH THREADS.
There is n diversity OF opinion as 70
| she proportionate call for smooth and
! corrugated treads those companies
| which are making q strong point Of the
| rough tread claiming that they sell best
while on the other hand the concerns
! making both kinds state that by far the
| greatest bulk OF business IS done In the
smooth treads. The latter allege freely
! that the riders say the corrugatede
| tread picks up and throw more mud
| than the smooth tread. punctures more
| readily by preventing the points Of tacks
nails. glass. ETC. giancing of 10 the
/ side and IS not very effective In prevent
| ing slde-slip.
The writer used up a rough tread tire
| in four months use and will never want
| another.
CYCLE TAGS.
Toledo. Ohio. has bicycle tags TO get n
| fund TO make paths. Nearly 4 500 bicycle
tags have been issued at Toledo this