The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-08
NEWS OF THE WHEELMEN.
MANY RIDERS BRAVE THE HEAT
AND FTND PLEASANT BREESES.


Runs to seashore, Country, md tho Mill
tnry Camps Among tho Sunday Fen-
notwithstanding Comment on Loose
spokcs and How to Discover Them
A reaction occurred yesterday which very
plainly showed that cycling enthusiasm has
been oppressed and subdued by the extreme
heat of tho last few Sundays. but not completely
killed. The roads were not so crowded as on
cool Sundays earlier In the summer, but eight
or ten times as many riders were out as on
Sunday a week ago. II suggested q true REBEL
lion against the weather. A few were heard 10
express what was probably the sentiment OF
many. which was TO this effect: "1have stayed
at homo for two Sundays, and to-day l made
up my mind that l would go out. no matter
how hot II was"
The brisk. cool breezes that blew more than
compensated forthe heat. and wheelmen found
the day thoroughly enjoyable. The roads along
the Jersey coast were particularly favored. and
the Coney Island cycle path was well filled In
tho morning and the late afternoon. All day o
procession moved steadily toward Camp Black
at Hampstead. and on the wheels were pack
ages OF various sizes and curious shapes. some
of the women carried small willow hampers
that suggested Christmas. and SOM OF the men
had strapped on the frames OF their cycles
long, square packages. that suggested the
scenes OF New Years eve aboard the elevated.
cable. and bridge cars. Willets Point. where
part Of the Twenty-second Regiment is en-
camped. was another point OF attraction. and a
crowd was there bigger than the hotel walters
and the little colored boy In a sailor rig who
checks the wheels could properly look after.
The big crowd that went to Willow Park.
Philadelphia. Saturday to see the battle behind
pace between McDuffee and Michael gave some
ynrv TInin tootifr,0p " 10 fha fant that thn A ~ wi
can public has not'as yet become educated into
appreciation Of the slow racing and jockeying
tactics that please the patrons OF cycle races In
Franco. The kissing from the stands was loud
and prolonged and it should have suggested to
the promoters of the contest that the only pop
ular way to run q paced race In this country is
to go after the records. II the big multicycles
start out to break all records. and do II, the
rider on a single wheel who can stand it long
est will be the best man. This evidently is
what the public here wants.
The testimony Of repair men in shops and
those who thrive on the transient trade OF the
road is to the effect that this is the time for
loose spokes and wheels sadly out Of true.
Broadly speaking. every wheel needs truing up
once or twice in a season. and most machines
have by the LIST Of August been ridden enough
for the spokes to be in need Of attention. The
W u IN NAlO iluD anu AIN VI q lCyCl 1t
little appreciated. 1t has been estimated that
the tension on each spoke is about twenty-five
hub fange and on a little washer that is counter
sunk In the wood on the outside Of the
t EXIT ReTs So spo tas t t6is m In q Wheel " fofa, h h9 b6E
pounds strain. Every time a wheel Is steered
over a heavy roadway or wrenched around a
the rim and the tendency is for them to sink
deeper; The consequence Is that the !spokes
lar riding at this time Is TO Dp CnunfpI
the, ,changeable weather, The heat and
R Bea5 Pisvj of the bHyodp past Nitb fey botT weeks %ood have ave
steel and the men OF the shops say that about
90 per cent. OF the wheels they see need truing
upon being %thrummed, and riders with judg:
ment can tell by going over their ,spokes and
ment. x word OF caution regarding this is
given by a dealer who has spent more than
two decades in the business. He says that
not 81 equal tension. Men have taken Wheels
fixed because they found that some one or two
spokes were not as tight as the others. and
perfectly pP2e sfSnt true' This sn0 is wd dne E TO the hSu Pact e th Ss
when a wheel is built and trued up the spokes
are s6on 99t 6 of equal %t t tension ThtSe sT they
Workmanship may be ever so fine. but steel
and wood cannot be rendered insensible to
and expansion to be allowed for. Furthermore
there are slight inaccuracies in drilling the
HOleb III THIS Wnlcn IN the aggregate
make a marked difference. Therefore, a.
brand-new wheel may be perfectly true and yet
have some spokes which, when snapped with
the fingers, like harp strings. do not sound in
the same key as the others. II a number are
loose In this way. however, it is pretty certain
that the wheel needs attention. The best way
Is to test the wheel by spinning it and holding
does not turn evenly the nail will be rubbed by
certain parts OF it. 1t is also pointed out that a
wheel may, be true and yet have spokes In
need OF tightening. because all have become
loose so evenly that the rim is not distorted.
An incident that is interesting as an ~illustra-
ton OF the quality OF wheels being put out now
adays happened to Philip King. a Queens
county rider. at Valley Stream yesterday. He
ran into a stretch of sandy road that was cx-
ceedingly soft. In trying to turn out OF it he
wrenched his front wheel violently. It col
lapsed and twisted up into the shape OF a figure
eight. He was about to cry out to his com
panions that his wheel had gone. but probably
because he had begun the movement before
the wheel twisted. he gave another wrench at
the handlebars. Ping sang the spokes. and
they sprung, back. carrying the wooden rim
with them into its original circular form. The
rim was not split, and n test made on it showed
that the wheel was perfectly true. So far as
could be discovered the wheel was as good as
If nothing had ever happened to it.