The record-union., 1899-01-07

is not keyed or secured on the crank
shaft, but is SO mounted that it can
rotate in the direction of the line of
the crank-axle. Thus arranged if the
sprocket wheel is held fast and the
crank is partly rotated backward the
disk side of the sprocket wheel near
est the said stationary disk is forced
against it and it then acts as a brake;
but when the crank is propelled forward
the sprocket wheel is forced away from
the stationary disk brake surface.
*
A bicycle that lays it's own track is
an odd contrivance recently invented
by an ingenious mechanic named j. E.
Bergsten When built of steel the ma
chine will weigh eighty pounds. The
existing model has four wheels but is
only for exhibition purposes. The biz
cycle resembles an old fashioned SPIN
ming wheel, and is propelled in the same
manner as an ordinary bicycle. AS i'm
pulse is given to the bicycle a square
wooden reel, connected by gearing with
| the front axle revolves, carrying with
| it an endless track, which proceeds con-
| tinuously underneath the trucks. over
! the supports and around the reel. The
| bicycle is steered by an ordinary handle
bar. The inventor claims that a speed
of twenty-five miles an hour can be
obtained from his novel machine.
Inc dl1fcudty of transporting the mall
to the gold fields, across the vast
stretches OF the Australian bush" was
a problem which was never solved until
bicycle post was established in 1894.
stamp is used for transmitting let
9 w tai o. n inc I,1F
as 1t costs the sender half a crown it
can readily be seen that the cycle post
man does not require to have weiyhty
mail bag to make each of his trips a
highly profitable undertaking. Some Of
the men who carry these mails have
undergone the most terrible privations.
the scarcity Of water, the heat and the
burning sands making their journeys
extremely trying. Not many years ago
one OF them nearly expired on the sandy
stretches outside Coolgardie, and he
was reduced to such extremities before
he was relieved by his companions that
he drank the oil that was intended for
his bicycle.
| The Capital City Wheelmen wound up
| the year 1898 by proving in fine, BUSH
ness-like reports that the club had
| lived within its income and still kept
its stroke along all the lines of good
| work in which it is engaged. The new
administration is now put to it's mettle
| to equal the good record made by that
of ex-President Goethe.
Says physician who is a cyclist him.
self: with care and proper attention,
cycling should be most beneficial ex-
ercise for the little ones, and during the
crisp, frosty. weather a spin in the park
or over a good country road will bring
the children home with healthy appe-
tites and rosy cheeks, feeling fit for any
| amount of work or play. Uphill and all
fast riding should be forbidden. a. thew
put too great a strain upon the heart
and lungs"
Comparatively few riders would be
able to put their machine together in
the event of somebody going to the
trouble of pulling it to pieces for them.
Yet there is no reason this should not
be taught at the riding schools, just
in the same way that people are
taught to keep their balance The one
is as important as the other. To thor
oughly understand ones machine means
much speedier, if temporary remedies
for many little accidents which occur
to high grade and low grade machines
alike.