The record-union., 1898-11-12
A NEW SCHEME AND A G0DD
ONE-WHEEL THEFT.
Bicycles in Mexico-Riding in Rus
sia-The Matter Of Position
An Armored Wheel.

| is not blameworthy, then certain per-
centage of the value of the wheel will
| be paid to the loser. and in the mean
| While the system of the club for detec-
ton of theft will be put at work to re-
cover the machine. On recovery the
owner may either take the wheel and
refund the money, or keep the latter
and the club will take the wheel 1t is
a simple, a feasible and a good plan
and is in the direction of expanding the
usefulness of the club.
| Western Sports: 1t is difficult to lay
down a prescribed rule for a position,
! owing to the various lines on which
| bicycles are constructed and the pro-
| portions of the riders. AS a rule on a
diamond frame a very correct road pc
sition can be obtained by adjusting the
saddle so the legs will be slightly bent;
in this. way the rider gains sufficient
| leverage. The arms should hang rat
urally, almost gracefully, with the
| hands resting on the grips of the han
| die bar; if the arms are not within
| easy swinging distance the rider does
| not have perfect control of the ma
chine. The handle bar should be ad-
! justed in such manner that a gentle
| inclination Of the body forward will
| bring it within gripping distance. An
| upturned bar is the most desirable for
| touring and road riding, as it can be ad-
! justed so as to permit the free use Of
every muscle. With the body inclined
! slightly forward, and the saddle ad
] justed in a proper manner, the rider
can lift himself slightly on the pedals
when going over a place where a jolt
would be experienced. These little
points add greatly to the pleasure of
cycling.
It is noticeable that in general wo-
men are sitting better on their wheels
than they were. Under the guidance Of
precept and the influence of example
there is a much larger percentage rid
! ing gracefully and unlaboriously than
there was a year ago. Formerly there
was not more than one woman in ten
who sat over her work and had an ad-
vantageous poise on the wheel, while
now there are five or six in ten. Those
who do not wheel comfortably and
who find pedaling on a level road
labCrious, can learn much, if they are
reflective, by spending an hour or two
on the plaza of some place along a
road frequented by cyclists 1t will be
discovered that there is something in
common in the position of those who
ride along seemingly without effort, and
by contrasting them with those whose
swaying bodies and tense expressions tell
of hard work the subtle something will
be found. Riders should never cease ex-
perimenting with their position until
they can reach a point where they feel
that the wheel needs holding back on
a good level road. and they cover mid
die distances without feeling tired in
any particular set of muscles. The
"tiT ed-all- lover feeling is the only one
/ belonging to a long ride in proper posi-
ton.
1t is a popular idea that in a coast
ing contest, other things being equal
the heaviest man should win. A coast
ing match took place in Hartford re-
Gently at which this theory was entirely
upset The course was short, and the
grade at the beginning light One
rider weighed 100 pounds and the other
was 60 pounds lighter. In the three
trials both men used the same wheels
under almost identical conditions. Ir
125 feet, covering the first 100 feet in IL
! seconds while the heavier rider was /,
seconds longer in going 100 feet, and
his distance was 20 feet less. The Sec
on6 trial, with different equipment. re-
suited favorably to the heavy man, who
beat his opponent half a second in 1Ot
feet, and was only beaten by one foot
in distance In the third trial, the
| III ;nL+ ;a+n ~
time and distance. Both men We're sup
posed to be equally skilled coasters
and by the rules under which the con-
test was run neither could avail himselt
OF any movement to add to his distance
Consular Report: No bicycles are
manufactured in the republic of Mex
leo. Several firms buy all the compo-
nent parts of machines and put them
together afterward but the complete
| wheel is not manufactured in Mexico
All the parts are procured from the
United States, and almost all the ma
| chimes manufactured in the United
| States are represented in Mexico. The
prospects for increased traffic in goods
of high quality are promising. The
entire component parts of each wheel
| however are demanded, owing to the
number of different makes in the coun.
try. The duty on parts of bicycles moi
nickel plated is cents per kilogran
(2.2046 pounds); on parts nickel plated
it is 20 cents per kilogram. With refer
ence to the future of bicycles in Mex.
leo, it may be interesting to state tha,
for the last four years the demand
therefor has increased each successive
year more than 5 per cent over that
of the preceding year. There is nc
doubt that any one having capital tc
start mandatory in this republic
would meet with success, and thai
large gains would ensue to the invest
ors in such an enterprise. There are
good prospects, too, for the manu-
facture of rubber tires and rubber
parts of bicycles. The raw matera
can be obtained in Mexico for thi.
purpose.
An armed tricycle., it is said. will be
introduced into the French army. Thc
machine weighs 121 pounds. and ha:
two quick-firing guns placed in thu
rear, one on each side, weighing. Will
their fittings, sixty-six pounds 4
thousand charges, with their cases. are
also carried, bringing up the tota
weight to 210 pounds. Two riders arr
all that are needed to propel the ma.
chine, which may be forced along al
a good speed. Upon good roads ex
| perts claim this device will be very
effective.
The present Sultan of Morocco use:
bicycles as instruments of punishment
| When any of the ladies of the haren