Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-28

TO attend the meeting or delegates to
be held in London and which is con-
! sidered one Of the most important gather
ings OF cyclists OF recent years. The or
| ganization was partially perfected last year.
put owing to the non attendance OF some
OF the countries interested It was deemed
advisable to postpone the final organiza ion
until this year, when the Cyclists Tour
ing club OF England invited delegates TO
meet in London
The plan as outlined now is to so perfect
the organization that there wR- be a per-
feet reciprocity of privileges for all af-
filiated wheelmen in the countries Of Eng
land, France, Germany Italy, Switzerland.
Belgium. Denmark, Spain, Norway. Swe-
den, the United States. Canada and Mexico.
These privileges will include the exchange
of discounts at hotels, the supplying Of
Information by local officials, the use OF
road maps and guides, and in fact, any Of
the privileges OF the organization in which
tourist a member OF any OF the other
organizations may be riding.
1t Is thought this will be the most i'm
portant alliance of wheelmen ever per-
iected, as 1t appeals to the greatest class of
cyclists-those who enjoy the pastime purely
for the touring and general outdoor riding
1t affords them. 1t will be particularly ad-
Vantageous to members of the League of
American Wheelmen, as the large majority
OF tourists come from this country.
Accidents due to defective material In
forks and fork crowns were numerous last
year, but they are on the decline now, as
makers generally have strengthened their
machines at these points. There is. how
ever, another weak point that is being
md frz..
This is the handle bars According to
newspaper reports in different parts of the
country mishaps caused by the breaking of
handle bars are more common than those
due to any other single condition. In the
last few years handle bars have been
stronger than they we're formerly and the
immunity from accidents resulting from
their breaking has perhaps led makers to
believe that bars are unnecessarily stout
fall due to broken handle bar and one
caused by defective fork crown are about
on par as the most dangerous that could
happen through a break and machines on
which the bars grove defective suffer more
damage to reputation than a thousand
handle bars would pay for. There is less
excuse for defective handle bars than for
defective fork crowns because the brazing
work on the bars is done so that the work.
hah can see what ne is doing, which Is not
the case with the point OF the fork stem
and fork crown. A trade paper, speaking
about handle bars. declares that some
makers have come to regard them as good
subjects In which to utilize inferior ma
terial, and cites the case of one maker OF
adjustable bars who. to cheaper his cost
OF production. has substituted a casting for
forging at a certain vital place. This. If
true, marks deplorable tendency and one
that Will react severely upon the makers, as
did the production of weak fork sides and
fork stems. 1t will be better to lock the
stable door before the horse goes, how
ever. and for their own prosperity, as well
as the safety of riders, makers should spare
no expense in turning out handle bars
strong enough to Withstand the severest
test. In hill climbing, scorching or tour
ing over rough roads, handle bars are called
upon to stand big strains, and there should
be large factor Of safety in them. 1t
Is probable that the accidents reported in
volved mostly low-grade machines, but it
is not always so.