The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-04-30

in 1898 listed at SIPS, and its small sale
was attributed in d measure to the
high list price 1t was anticipated tIiat
with a lower list the chainless would
sell readily, but this expectation has
not been realized.
There is little question but that the
best chainless wheels are durable and
seTviceable, but there is feeling
among the buyers that there is more
friction and loss of power in gearing
than in chain poker transmission, and
that, as a consequence, the chainless
wheels do not pr)pel as easily as a
properly constructed chain wheel.
Another objection to the chainless
wheels, and one not easily overcome,
is the very noticeable difference il
weights between chain wheels and
chainless models. The chainless wheels
of 1899 weigh from twenty-eight to
thirtY-one pounds, while the latest
chain wheels can be had at weights
running from twenty to twenty-four
pounds. Experienced riders know that
a twenty-tWo-pound bicycle will run
very much easier than a twenty-eigrt-
pound wheel, and it is questionable if
a chainless can ever be built to weigh
less than twenty-five or twenty-siX
pounds and have sufficient rightly in
the frame to stand hard riding.
The advent of good, neat and SER
viceable gear cases for chain wheels
is also doing very much to solve the
problem which chainless wheels have
attempted to figure out The one great
objection to a chain wheel has been the
trouble with dirty chains, but if the
chain can be enclosed in a practical,
thorough manner, the advantage which
chain-driyen wheel has over a chain
less model in the matter of weight and
economical power transmission will en-
able it TO maintain its lead in the bid
for public favor.
one manufacturer of a very popular
make of wheel represented in Salt Lake
City has produced a chain wheel with
the chain and sprockets entirely en-
closed in an extremely neat, dust-proof
gear case, and the whole wheel, with
case, weighs less than twenty-one
pounds The chain runs through small
rubber tubes, and is perfectly noiseiess
The unprecedented sale of wheels in
this city still continues, and one flrm
has sold over 800 wheels in the past
six weeks. If the weather and demand
continue, the estimate of a sale of LOCO
new wheels in Salt Lake City this sea-
son Will fall far short of the actual re-
suits. In former years buying almost
ceased in June or July in anticipation
of reduced prices and important
changes for the coming year, but as
wheels have almost reached a standard
price, and changes from year to year
are small and unimportant, the buying
continues as long as the riding is at all
favorable.
A regular business meeting of the
Social Wheel club occurs at the club
rooms Wednesday, May 3.
S. J. Levy, manager of Calder's park,
has finally decided to bank the bad
turns on the bicycle track and a num-
Der of teams and men have been at
work raising the last turn and lowering
the inside Of the first curve. These
turns will be rolled down this week and
will be rideable before next Sunday In
the meantime riders liz training can
use the inside of the track next to the
pole for training purposes. The fast
ones will commence working out on the
track today, and the place will be one
re and activity this afternoon.
The programme for the Decoration
day races viii be as follows:
One-mile novice, amateur-First prize,
medal
One-half-mile, professional = First
prize, $25; second prize, $40; third
prize, IS.
-half-mile, amateur-First prize,
$25; second prize, SO; third prize, So.
One-mile, professional-First prize,
500; second prize, $40; third prize, $40.
The amateur values viii be given in
prizes and the professional purses will
be cash. These are the largest cash
prizes ever offered for track races in
the state, and the reputation of Mr..
Levy for fair dealing is assurance that
they viii be paid.
Charles Smith, jr., who has direct
of the bicycle end of the
says that the amateur
prizes and the cash for the profession
ais win be placed on exhibition and
in the hands of some outside parties be-
fore the day of the meet
Smith further says there will be no
loahng allowed in the professional
events. a time limit will be put on
these events, and the time must be
fast or the races will be run over. 1t
is possible that Tom Eck's scheme for
making fast unpaced races will be
adopted. This requires that each rider
must show up in front of the bunch at
least once during the race or he will
win no share of the money. This usual
~ results in scramble to get in front
before the finish, and, consequently,
makes fast gait for the entire race.
L. A. W DEFENDED.