Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-02-16

O00AOA ~ ~ - SOA3
explanation Of the matter.
/ own both q chain wheel and q chain
less, and I will admit that ! ride the
latter most Of the time. I have been
puzzled as much as any one trying to
define the difference in the foot action.
and finally / have satisfied myself. What
I can tell. however, 10 not 30 much an ex-
PLANTATION as it IL a description OF SEN
s~ations, but I think 1t will be suf1cient to
settle the matter once and for all. Rid
ers will probably be able to recognize the
truth of my descriptions.
The best explanation that I had ever
heard offered for this difference was
phrase hat did not mean much. Just
the same it is the kernel Of the whole
thing.
A QUEER SENSATION.
The one sensation that after a study I
found in riding a chainless wheel was
that of bewilderment. I could never seem
to understand why the real wheel went
round when 1 turned the pedals. Even
now ! always seem to feel as il there was
danger that I might keep on pedaling
without turning the rear wheel. The
simple fact Is hat / annot feel the pull
that tells me about the work I am doing
the same as l can on q chain wheel. The
mechanism Of the chainless wheel, being
hidden, makes it all the more mysteri-
Gus.
o turn the franks and the rear
wheel turns. but for the life Of you you
cannot see why it does ut. / am always
overwhelmed by this mystery, and I find
that nearly all riders are affected in the
same way. Every one seems to be affect
ed with the same fear-that their pedals
will go round without turning the wheel.
Those h have experienced the feeling
will recognize it as belonging to the riders
of the chainless.
There is only one explanation Of this
mystery. On the chain wheel one al
both see and feel just what he is doing.
He Is aware Of the Transmission of power
from the pedals and crank axle to the
rear wheel by means of the chain. One
a feel the chain tighten and stretch and
the rear sprocket yield to the pull by turn-
ing.
One cannot feel any such sensations in
the chainless because the Transmission Of
the power is not graduated and seriatim
but instantaneous. 1t is the difference
between the chain Of many links and a
solid steel rod. Take it theoretically and
you will see in a momen why the feeling
from the pedals is so different.
An ordinary bicycle chain is composed
of from fifty to fifty-six links. Nearly
half of them are engaged in the work Of
pulling the rear sprocket and wheel
round. We know that after the topmost
n on the front sprocket is pulled by the
pedal action the pull u be taken up in
turn by the mex one rearward. n so
link after link is frightened and the pull OF
power is transmitted.
FOOT AND MIND.
The foot of the rider feels all this and
u~nthinkingly the min is cognizant. With
a steel rod running from the gears on
the front axle to those on the rear there
Is no such consciousness of transmission.
The power as applied act instantaneously.
There IS no lapse of eve fractions OF
time between the push M the drive.
They are identical-the push on the pedal
and the spin of the rear sprocket-and
it does not seem right or natural.
I have thought this matter out In
just this way by taking note of my sem
sations as l rode. 1t sums up In favor
Of the chainless wheel and its instantane-
thing is that the chain wheel has led US
so into the habit of feeling our work that
h prompt response of the chainless is
mysterious and bewildering.
The simple fact is that those who once
ride such a wheel are fascinated by the
experience and they do not like to think Of
returning to the old wheels. AS the re-
suit they tell their friends Of the result
of their experiment, and this quiet MIS-
sionary work will probably make the
chainless bicycle the popular wheel Of the
day. OF course there may be men who
do not like the new wheel. but I think it IS
safe to say that they are in the minority.
For my part / ride my new bicycle in
majority of the professional riders of my
acquaintance take a similar view of the
matter.
EMERSON CLAYTON.