New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-13
IN THE CYCLING WORLD.
PROSPECT BRIGHT FOR A RECORD
BREAKING SEASON.


RIDERS DEALERS AND MANUFACTURERS ARE
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. F. MERsELEs ON THE
CONTROL OF RAcING-CHTEF CONSUL JEN-
RINs MEETS WITH A PAINFUL ACCT
DENT THE HONOR BADGE FOR
1903 NOTES AND COMMENTS.
Everything indicates that the season OF ls9s
will be the greatest In the history of the bicycle
This applies to the maker. dealer tourist and
racing man Good roads agitation Will he pushed
with more enthusiasm than ever, and the cause
O. the wheel looks bright indeed. The veteran
dealers throughout the country are particularly
sansuine. and they are placing their orders with
the larger manufacturers with more confidence
than in the last two years The factories are
running on full time, giving employment 10
thousands Of workmen. and the general conan
ton Of the industry seems good The absence oi
National cycle shows this year has been or vast
benefit to the manufacture. the dealer and me
rider The time and expense saved have enaoieu
the makers 20 get their wheels on the market III
good season. 1t has at the same time given 'he
purchaser the benefit Of instant delivery Wheh
he orders his wheel a condition which will be
appreciated by those who in former years gave
their orders for wheels and were then compelled
fore they received their bicycles. Never before
have SO many riders been on the roads so
early in the season as is the case this year
This alone illustrates the increased interest IN
The recreation. At the bicycle academies In the
surrounding boroughs the managers report 'ha'
their corps OF attendants are being Kept busy
teaching beginners how 10 master the mysteries
OF riding. Another encouraging indication Is 'he
increase in membership in most OF the important
bicycle clubs. Nearly all OF the CLUBS snow
big increase in membership over last year MOTT
women are seen on the wheel than ever oeiofe'
and this applies particularly to the SUBURBAN
districts While many Of the women snow ols-
position to use the diamond frame the ooomer
costume has practically disappeared. III luis
damond-frame wheels boomers WI ~,
cred inseparable adjuncts up TO WITHIN the iase
wear Now divided semi-divided sKirts "a, az
worn with becoming grace and treeo9n,, h w w
racing question is pecunar oie AM a.on ,,ifh
perts will watch the results OF the season WIZ
some distrast Outside spectators nave coinc
into the sport merely for the profit there may oe
in 1t. The League OF American w ne ena nerrow
force them walk in the stralgn' anu n n,,,a
nath The League OF American Wheeinien eno ,,
Also do all In its power TO encourage .he hoiu I'VE
of meets by regularly ore am wholesome. no
matter who suffers. Bicycling has the CONF,
dence Of the public, and that confidence must NC
retained regardless of consequences
The fine weather last Sunday brought OUT the
ovc,ists by the thousands. There were prac"-
couv no regular club runs. but there were nun
arsds Of impromptu AFFAIR.". An amusing ihci-
dent occurred on one of those runs Which 'ooN
place in Brooklyn. The route eN'enueu
Eastern Parkway, out Glenmore-aVe. anu
dozen miles out the Merrick Road A maJoii''
NJ the riders were members or certain ''"'
and had attended their club runs last yea
Nearly all Of them knew the capacity Ioi 'psU
and endurance Of their felloW-rcers A' VI"
weather was so fine, the air exhildId'hs anu
the road good it was suggested thAt the poi''
..hi+ q mn 10 a popular roadhouse which was
about three miles distant The buhch STARE"
eff at a clipping pace and kept well together for
rossihlv q quarter Of a mile. Then the strong
riders gradually drew away from the others ana
after q mile had been travelled half-dozeh
ecorchers were left in the lead, while the others
vere strung out for some distance. In that hrst
bunch there was a certain rider who had always
been considered in the slow divisioh' Us lie
had never been able TO keep within haAihe us
lance OF the fast riders of the club nan Ne
from the roadhouse the supposed $40" r'uei pu'
nm an extra spurt and drawing away from the
scorchers he reached the hotel alone. ana had
disrnounted before his putting comrades reacheu
him He was as cool and collected as IL ne mao
lust stepped out Of the house TO begin MS rue
His speed and endurance astonisheu ms iiie"N''
and they accused him OF taking sly rides during
the winter and getting himself in thorough con-
dition so that he could surprise them. The club
man said he had not ridden any more during the
winter than the others had done. Several De
manded between "puffs' how he accounted lor
his wonderfully increased speed and endurance
II have been waiting" said he, 10 eaten you
bows and get even for the way you ran away
from me last year and have greatly enjoyed
the sensation of leaving YOU behind Tor once
The recipe is a good one. and for the benefit or
the riders at large | will tell you all about IT,
After the long winter rest you All KNOW now
quickly we tire on our first hard run In the
spring I talked with a Well-known trainer. and
told him that wanted 10 bea' out the CROWD IN
the first run. and asked him the best way TO do
IL Why said he. It's simple enough to do 1t II
sou Will follow my instructions carefully Every
morning before you battle get a skipp!nS-iOpe
and spend Sc ,eral minutes exercising with IT.
You will tire quickly al nrs.. hut after a week
YOU will be able to skip the rope several hun
bred times without getting Hurried. Increase
the exercise as you grow stronger, and in few
weeks you will ne surprised how well YOU feel.
This Is the best exercise IN the world for the leg
and ankle and il does wonders for the chest and
wind Now YOU know how II was that the old
truck horse ran away from YOU so easily to-day.
and II you want 20 fool the rest of the boys with
whom YOU usually ride. just go and try it," And
they all said that they would. If there is an in
creased demand for clothes lires within the next
few days the dealers will know that an army Of
yheelmen ar getting ready 10 Try the skipping
rope cure for the slows.
Theodore T. Merseles who is prominently iden-
tined with the trade the L. a W. and good