The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-11-11
CYCLING FEATS BY WOMEN.
THE CCNTINI OrS CENTURY CRAZE
Ar VALLEY STREAM,
FsminInc Jealousy Prompts the Stupcndous
Exerti0u, and Guarantee the Correct
ne,s Of the Records -irscnic ard NIX
yomlca Used 20 stimulate the Riders.

Since long distant bicycle riding at Valley
Stream by women became prevalent all sorts
of questions have been asked concerning the
persons who indulge in it and the reason why
the fcats are undertaken. How the craze
started. whether the marvellous performances
have really been accomplished. and If they are
brutal exhibitions or sport, are debatable
points of which no satisfactory solution has
so far been presented.
The performance have been most remark
able and the set Of riders engaged in them va
riously estimated as persons Of wonderful
grit and physical qualities and rs fanatics.
In one sense the whole thing could not be
recognized as other than the purcst kline Of
sport, As those who entered upon a task OF
continuous century riding did 50 simply for
the sake Of surprising the feat Of some pre-
vious performer. No money was 10 be gained,
nor even n jewelry prize such as amateurs
on the track are permitted 10 accept. IL was
for the sake Of saying i beat YOU" and OF
being recognized in the cycling set TO which
they belonged ~ the most hardy century rider
that woman after woman strained hcr NJ
most 10 break previous records In another
sense the riding could hardly be regarded sport
because there was nothing in It to rouse in
tercst and partisanship among spectators,
4 crowd went out 10 see the riders on Sun
'shN =. va Wv NfAi' lilA' ~ '''f '~''A "''
to look At n bridge jumper who was pointed
out, or would stop at the place Of q glass eater.
Yet n number of Interesting facts were demon
stratcd hy these feats uf endurance awheel
The po~sibiitic, Of performance for a mill
tary scout or courier in a forced journey have
been greatly widencd and some new points
in dieting and training for road riding re-
vcaled
1t all began in a most natural way In the
spring Of 1879. There we're then a score II
women who made 1t a Iraotic" to 40 out with
almost every century run that started from
New York. The pride Of having a string Of
gold bars To prove their pruwess as rider led
them To join the New York state division ~
the Century Road Club Of America. u national
organization to promote and regulate century
riding and yearly mileage competition on
the road. These women became recognized
a. regulars on the century runs, they became
known to one another, and there was keen
rivalry between them concerning the number
Of centuries ridden in a season. Hall a dozen
women glOried In tho possession of a double
bar, gained by a double century Of 200 miles.
ridden within twenty-four hours. Then therb
were three or four who gained triple century
bars. SO matters stood for some time, every
one apparently agreed TINT a triple century
was enough of a feat for n woman and the
Limit. II was probably a mans Performance
Of ten centuries continuously that started the
ball rolling. the sturdy women riders coming
to the conclusion that they would do at least
half as well. So. early last year. Mrs. Irene
Brush Of New York became distinguished
aS the only woman who ever had ridden A
quadruplc century. As long a. there were
several wearing, bars for triples am honorS
were divided all seemed content. but this IN
diNIdual distinction aroused tie feminine Jcal-
ousN, rivalry ana ambition.
Soon after Ms, Jane {, ! alnan 81 New i3.k
Jane Lindsay Of BROOKLYN, q ne" rider. promptly
went out and rode 900. These were all ridden
uno>tentdtlou,ly and without any previous
announcement. On the regular century course
from Bedford avenue out over the Merrlck
road: Only a few chn,cn trend, wh1 acted
iormances until they were accomplished and
the evidence presented 10 the Century Road
had Heightened 50 as to involve three nights
without SLEEP and he need u more sySteinatic
which had been surveyed Tor the {. X; G, was
ch"~eH and "A hotel on the road made the head
gaartcrs for an 2i,emr, TX ~" iaiman to
the horror stories" Il the sensational paiers
and IN" protests from those who read them
against the rides. which, have continued ever
Miss Natman i n slender woman with too
trail a c2nstii .',on for such. work. She was
deal. She finished her task in a state 81 col
lapse. an einaClated. hy>tcrlcal l%nockerv 81
mr. y 9a 1II nm ,elii ,o 5'o wa va C carried +" II, ir ,Hnu her
MIR, Iindsay went ont and rode eight
centuries and at the finish walked, ~jaunlily
nrcyioi, rectrt,. 81" l,iS"lci mo- II EJECT.
That was he end Of il last year FOR the women.
but VIII IA Brown went out and rode fifteen
when lie started. In the spring of this year
Brown rod" twenty centuries, MARGARET Cast.
another newcomer. followed with ten: Mrs
Lindsay did fifteen. and then Miss ta,t rode
tMeniy-siN aud Wa. s'cBicd !!a'er threat, OF
one 81 these riGcs had any i'll effects on tho
principals. Mrs. Lindsay seemed the one
mos, drawn and i]9lisled at The nnish, 6ut
she has since Gained twon'y pounds in weight.
Besides these performances there was a ride
Of lorty-trc centuries in, thirty DAYS by Mrs.
J.. Il. Baync: but this. although n great feat.
doe moi class with the others, a. II was not
done in the same manner or under IA" -lre
rules. Mrs; Bayne's was "A consecutive
tinuous The rule of the Century Road club
allows fourteen hours for q sinai" century.
Jury. forty-eight for a quadruple, and 50 on.
in q continuous ride for any number. adding
twelve hours for each loo rilcs Mr. Rsyne
took thirty days for forty-iive centuries. with
the time allowance OF fourteen hours on singles
and twenty-four hours on double II she had
been riding la cUutinlOus fashion she would
have been obliged To finish In twenty-five
and a half day Mis- istnlan wa a SALES
woman Mr., i.udsay, a ho'is"kerr., for Ter
4 n.llner IN a Harlem store. They are all
enthusiast, WHO caught ~" %Ceniurv craze.
ana 10 WHICH lN'lN ana 10 I~lti' 10 ll'lla tftlt
would think that century riding and road
record, were the only thing worth living for.
The paCCnakpr- who asst the rider ere "a
mixed lot They are mostly moTber- Of The
G. n G.. proud Of any member who makes Il
record aud willing To assist There - one
ret that remains most OF the time. day and
uight They ARE bows out of Il IOslIioi. others
on a vacation, ldlers and u"'er-do-w-lls or
sons of wcil-to-do shupkreper-, who have u
good home and s'un industry
Some ge, Of for an afternoon or n dav. 9th ers
60 out at night and often remain III morning.
pacing twenty-five or iii'v miles a. Il stretch
with an haGr or two %. rr-t between. As NIGHT
quiet rrien~ some wakefUl idl - on the sioDp
spia. lamp lights ,p the road aud gives a shout
Of Here she Corp"s,' lEnn instantly all
spring up and rush out. TIE rider t.. assisted !
from her wheel. questioned ard l,Is>cd over /
To- the womrn friend In charge ul Ter FOR cnrc
IN the little lcan-to on thr west side Of tlr hotel
that serves for training quarters The chief !
riders wheel j. seized hv eager hands and thor |
oughlv gone over. cleaned aud fabricated, |
while the plc'nHkers also find rleuty 81 help ,
In cleaning, repairing and pumping II l. n
busy crowd OF volunteers ana the only Ofo-
that get ANYTHING out Of Il are tie chronic idlcr, |
who get FREQ hoard Thcy mr." welcome. as
their presence iislre- paC" ~ times when the |
weather or other conditions keep aAuy the |
Volunteers from Tie G'y |
THE question Of "bp thcV ready make those |
marvellous records" j. best u-w"r"d by a |
clear understanding az tic fi,i- IN" course
,.,l tbttiyh Arpltt tf ~ triangular IL. mt !