The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-08
The Six Days Bicycle Race

The bicycle may have had it's day as
a means of fashionable outdoor rccrea-
ton 1t may also have had 10 give way,
to some extent, to modern vehicles for
purposes Of general utility, but bicycle
races are still popular, and of these the
most interesting. by far, 5 the inter-
national six days race held annually in
this city.
This years race, which began shortly
after midnight this morning in Madison
Square Garden, promises to be the most
spirited affair Of the kind ever seen in
New York. Engaged in it are several
It the most successful long-distance
cyclists in America, and they meet on
even terms what are considered to be
the strongest and most courageous long
distance wheelmen of Europe. Most Of
the riders have spent months in pre-
pairing for this weeks work and it is
safe to say that two-thirds Of them are
confident of being among the leaders at
the finish next Saturday night Past
failures of their countryInen in similar
events have not prevented German
cyclists from trying again this year, and
the same is true Of the Frenchmen. Ire
lands representatives may perhaps be
stimulated TO extra effort by reason Of
the fact that the only six days race
that has been won on this side of the
water by foreigner was captured by
the veteran Irish champion, TEDDY
HALE, in 1896.
Regarding the American riders, it
may be said that they are all powerful
Most Of them have been in six days
races before, and they are ready for
battle royal.
II We may believe the statements Of
experts intimately familiar with the con-
dtions under which six days races are
run, the champions in such tests are
about the most remarkable generators
and consumers of power in existence.
BY this is meant that they are, indi-
viduallv, capable Of producing more
power for a given amount Of fuel than
he best steam engine or electric dynamo
ever built, and further, that in the use
Of this power relatively less wear and
tear are sustained by the cyclists sys-
TEN than by any mechanical contrivance
known to man.
These conclusions have been reached
by experts especially appointed by the
Department of Agriculture at Washing
ton to study the conditions which affect
the six days rider, to compute the
amount Of energy he accumulatcs and
nd % -
matically with the facts as to other
producers Of power, animate and inani-
mate. A rider in one Of the l32-hour
races held in New York was found to
have done, within the first twontv-four
hours of the race, work equivalent to
raising 2o,ooO,O0O pounds a distance of
one foot. IL is estimated that the work
done by the average laborer in the same
time amounts to raising 1000, 900 pounds
to the height of one foot
The investigation tends to show that
the competitors in long-distance races
depend for their power more upon the
reserve store of strength in their own
tissues than upon the amount of energy
possible to gain by the consumption Of
food during the week. This explains,
in a measure why the efforts Of trainers
may be directed largely toward selecting
for the riders food which is palatable
and easily dgestble, instead of that
which is supposed to act as fuel or to be
muscle-producing.
The race now on ought to determine
to the satisfaction Of all who Is the best
continuous bicycle rider in the world.