Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-29

meets in Boston and Montreal It mas been
generally thought that this has been sorry
year for the National Cycling association
racers. hut a comparison OF the winnings OF
the foremost men in 1898 and this year
shows that the season has not been such q
disastrous one. Taking the twenty-ons
leading riders in the race for championship
points last year, when the League OF Ameri-
can Wheelmen was in full control. 1t is found
that their total winnings were Sl6,O0i zip to
October T. The leading twenty one men In
the National Cycling association champion
ship contest made this year Sl7,SS5. The
largest circuit chasing winner in 1898 was
Major Taylor, who made $3.50. McFar-
land. the heaviest National Cycling assocla-
ton winner this season, pocketed S2,S35.
Cooper, who won the National Cycling asso-
citation championship, got sl,96S during the
season, while Gardiner. the champion ot
last year. made S2,S35 on the circuit. Bald
last year won Sl52O, as compared with Stew
ems rake-ofr Of Sl,79g. Kiser got s15Sa
this season. while Mcfarland in 1898 won
N,425. These figures do not. of course. in
clude sums won in special races during the
winter
There Is in progress an International strug-
gle for the one-hour record that has become
immensely interesting and which promises
to result before the end Of the year in the
establishment OF some remarkable figures.
From foreign advlces by mail 1t now APP
pears that Harry Elkes did not establish a
new record when on September 13 he rode
36 miles 7F yards in an hour, be-
cause just two days previous, September IL,
Edouard Tayore at Paris had lowered Bors
record Of SO miles l31 yards. which
Elkes was after, by travelling 80
,Nit IL. i,, IL.
greatly regretted by those who are striving
to make this important record an American
holding that the news of Taylore's perform
ance was not cabled to this side at once, for
II 1t had been Elkes would probably now be
the holder of the worlds record instead OF
the Frenchman. 1t was the previous record
that Elkes aimed at and in riding he fol-
lowed carefully prepared schedule OF pace
that would have Just landed him ahead OF
the old figures. This schedule was prepared
by the senior Elkes and he refused to let
the pacemakers at any time exceed the speed
limit previously determined upon, although
Harry was calling for faster pace through
out the ride. There is good reason, there
fore, for believing that had Taylores per-
formance of September IL been known at
the time Harry could have placed the fig
ures at thirty seven miles and would have
been allowed to do so. The battle is still
on though, and as the men on each side OF
the ocean are new stars, whose limitations
have not been found, the figures are likely
to be changed several times yet before 1900.
1t is astonishing how many cyclists start
out for ride unprepared for an accident
even OF the most trivial character. A sad
die may become loose or not be properly ad-
justed, or any other part OF the machine
ma iro n1i
less rider who starts out without wrench
depends upon borrowing one from some
careful and good -natured cyclist. A ride
should not be undertaken without a COM
plete tool bag. II the tire goes wrong a
rider with repair outfit can always man
age to fix it up well enough to carry him
through. Frequently a rider even forgets
to take small hand pump, which comes
in very useful at times. There are times
when wrench or pump cannot be Sc
cured, and then the rider will have to trudge
along on foot until he meets with more
provident riders.
A new brake for a bicycle which will be
seen next spring has rod connected with
the saddle, and this rod has at the other
end the usual rubber skid The saddle
works on lever, and when the rider wants
to apply the brake he slightly leans back,
and down goes the brake on the back tire.
Happily, the humber of bfakeless riders is g,
decreasing. Men are getting better ap.
there are riders who do not fancy brakes,
relying on their back pedaling. Should
they be going down steep incline and find
they are not strong enough in back pedaling
to keep absolute control let them slip one
hand under the back OF their saddle and grin
1t tight The power of resistance is vastly
increased.