The sun., 1898-04-04
CYClING,

Although the cycle seems to BE- catch
ing on in China, it is only in and around
the towns that riding is possible. From
town to town and village, with one or
two exceptions, there are nothing but
mere cart tracks, unridable in most
places.
A tire dealer says: "Too many riders
have an'idea that they can use tires for
two or three seasons and not have them
go wrong. Every rider who has last
years wheel with the same old tires on
it should get a new pair. Never mind
the expense"
Lauricks, the American racer, who
was in Antwerp during last winter, is
about to return to Boston, having found
no engagement as an unpaced rider in
Belgium. Before his departure, how
ever, he will try to break the, records up
to six hours, unpaced.
A skillful rider will be able to take a
light safety over almost any obstacle,
whereas under the same circumstances a
clumsy rider would smash heavy ma
chine. 1t is done by slightly raising the
front wheel as tive obstruction is reached
and then pressing heavily on the Ledals
and throwing the weight forward just as
the front wheel passes over, thus easing
the driving wheel.
1t is of great value to beginner to be
as nearly as possible independent of the
handles for steering. Many beginners
clutch the handles like grim death, blis-
tering the hands quite unnecessarily and
encouraging themselves in undue ner-
vousness. There is no need to do more
than just place the hands on the handles
and a little pressure to the right or lett,
as required, will suffice to turn the
machine.
Stevenson, the one armed steersman
of Detroit, is coming East, Stevenson
lost his right arm in boyhood, but rides
quite well with one arm as could he will
two, possessing knack required by no
ther rider He steered a record quarter
OH trplet in OPS last summer.
Edwards said today that he is sure he
can cover the distance between New
York and Philadelphia under six hours.
Jimmy Michael, the cycle king, will
likely spring a sensation on the riding
public this season when he straddles the
wheel OF $25 concern. Manager Dave
Schaeffer, who is in large measure re-
sponsible for Michael's success, is not
yet ready to make positive announce.
ment to this effect, but it is reasonably
c>rtan that Michael will ride a $25
wheel. Schaeffer admits this, and says
he would rather ride the make of a
cheap firm for few thousand dollars
less than he could get from the so.caled
"high-grade" manufacturers.
A hotel will be hired in Vienna to ac-
commodate the whole of the foreign
racers during the championships. The
hotel selected will be the nearest possible
to the track.
Merens and Nat Butler have formed
tandem partnership and will be open tc
match races against any tandem team in
the country. Gardiner and Kaser will
wager 5000 on their ability to beat any
tandem team, and the two great teams
may be brought together at one of the
early Northern meets.
A number Of foreign pace.makers are
booked to sail for this country within
the next few days to pace Linton this
season. They are Theo. Cavaillot,
Demester, Hunter, Dacier, Jallabert,
tioupil and Deniau. -Four of these riders
will act as steerslnen, and the others /
will occupy rear seats on quadruplets, |
,hc idea being to fill in with American
'iders.
Joe Ncrnier is already getting list of
matches booked for the coming season.
lie has offers for races from Tom Barna-
]y, Eddie McDuilie and Tom Linton.
The average bicycle rider dismounts
~ the lett pedal and is very much at Il
oss when prevented by stress of circum-
tances from dismounting on the left
.idc-in fact, frequently falls off the
wheel rather than get off on the right,
which in this case is very much the
rrong side.
II is not unlikely that Walter Sanger,
he big Milwaukee lad, who is one Of
he most popular riders in the country,
will decide to return to the track this
ear under the colors OF the National
'yclc Track Association team and enter
he short-distance races, both paced and
npaced.
f. Piette, the French sprinter, who was
igned by Tom Eek, has decided to re-
main in France. He claims that the de-
ny in sailing for this country caused him
0 abandon the idea of the trip.
A real baron is to be seen on the racing
II |, Al, y