The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-11-06

offers will be value received for all
given. 1t never has prom
ised and failed. The club stands so well
before the community for which it has
done so much that first call will pc
sure to be responded to with liberality.
The front forks are subjected to q
severe test in uphill riding. 1t is at
this point that the greatest number Oh
breakages occur. Indeed, in the last
two seasons, since cheaper bicycles have
come so much in general use, bicycle
repairers find that about one-ffth OF
their work comes from this source, the
smash mostly occurring at the crown.
As q bicycle is rendered useless by such
an occurrence wheelmen should make
sure that the forks are strengthened at
the crown In the cheaper grades OF
machines this important point is too
often neglected, it is said.
=
Two items are necessary to prevent
side slipping-a well inflated tire ana
even pedaling. It should be noted that
tandem tires, in particular, require 10
be pumped commensurate with the ex-
ira weight they have to carry. A tire
that is we'll inflated is a tire which
presents less surface at the point of
contact with the ground, and, as is
readily understood, has a much firmer
grip ON the road.
A rider IS years old has just died at
Brighton, England, with a score of Vs.
600 miles, ridden in the last thirty
years of his life. Old as he was, ne
had an ambition to obtain a century OF
thousands. The numerical side OF
cycling appeals to many riders in some
form or other. 1t is not a mans am
bition to do a mile in 1:3O. He wants
to do 100000 miles before he dies IN ,
ripe old age. It was the ambition OF
Major Knox Holmes to be convicted OF
furious driving before he died, nearer
80 than 80, and many an elderly man
keeps a strict cyclometer record TOT
talking purposes. Miles and /. minutes
have a fascination for many.
"If you intend cycling through the
winter months it would be we'll to have
your spokes thoroughly examined,
says a veteran. Sometimes the fitting
of the heads through the steel rim is
loosened, water enters and the tires get
damp. and rot sets in. A little touch
of enamel about the spoke heads Woulo
be serviceable in resisting wet. Tires
rarely wear out; they succumb to rot.
From painful experience 1 have found
70 in, hot runner
and canvas they will not dry In tight.
inflated tire"
Many wheelmen take their rides DUR
ing the summer months as sort Oh
constitutional, because wheeling gives
them the exercise that keeps them In
good health But with the approach
of winter, damp weather and muddy
roads. the constitutional" is aban-
doned and the bicycle slowed away
Why should not those riders who do
not care to brave miry roads, and yet
want cycling exercise, adopt what are
known as home trainers? In England
home trainers are unknown, but in this
country they are common. The april
ance is simple. There are two rollers
on which rests the rear tire, and these
rollers communicate with a forward
roller, on which rests the front wheel
You cycle on these rollers-you pedal an
immense distance, but do not advance
one inch. 1t takes little practice to
get into the way Of the home trainer.
but of it's usefulness there is no doubt
An incident in bicycle stealing is re.
counted by the Irish Cyclist."
rider named Smith left his bicycle out
side a shop. He emerged just in time
to see man named Munro riding away
with it. He took the machine nearest
by to go in pursuit, and this was
tandem. One of the riders saw Smith
take it, and, Selling another mans
wheel, a single, went after Smith. Inc
owner of the last mentioned wheel saw
no other bicycles handy on which to
give chase, and jumped into cab.
Smith. on the tandem, finally caught
Munro and the others, coming up In
turn, got their bicycles and salts
factory explanation. Munro was SEN
fenced to two months. Evidently his
pride was more wounded by the street
exposure than by the sentence, for nc
said that no single man on tandem
would have caught him had he not been
riding in long trousers.
A new brake for bicycle which will
be seen next spring has a rod con-
nected with the saddle, and this rod
has at the other end the usual rubber
skid. The saddle works on a lever, and
when the rider wants to apply the
brake he slightly leans back, and down
goes the brake on the back tire. Hap
PLY, the number of brakeless riders is
decreasing. Men are getting better
appreciation of the value Of their necks
Still, there are riders who do not fancy
brakes, relying on their back pedaling
Should they be going down a steep in
cline and find they are not strong
enough in back pedaling to keep abso-
lutte control let them slip one hand I'M
der the back of their saddle and grip
it tight. The power of resistance is
vastly increased.
It used to be said that American bicy-
Gle riders knew little of hill climbing
except as sought-for pastime. The
statement may have been true once,
but it no longer holds good. The
homes and haunts of wheelmen are not
in these days closely limited to city
and suburban districts. Thousands OF
riders are now to be found in the rug
ged semi mountainous regions of New
England, among the foothills of the
Rocky, Blue Ridge and Allegheny
Mountains, and. indeed, in all parts of
this country, without special regard TO
the typographical features. No doubt