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CYC LI N G.
[Br Spokesman.^]
The first day's racing in connection with the
Austral meeting on the M.C C. Grounds in Melbourne
was a great sncceas in every way, abont £516 being
taken at the gates, as agalnBt £347 for last year.
Lord and L«3v Brassey were present and spoke in the
highest terms of the management and the fairness
with which each rider tried to win. The first five
heats of the great Austral Wheel Bace were ran off,
and the final is to be decided next Saturday. The
South Australian representatives did not do as well
as expected, not one being placed in any of the heats
of the Austral. There are 20 riders left in the final,
and it looks a.good tiling for Walker or Elliott, with
Parsons second, Beeson third, and Pither fourth. Io
the International Mile Parsons and Kirk collided,
causing the latter to fall, and Parsons bad his foot
badly hurt, which undoubtedly lost him the race, as
he came second in spite of his injury. W. Martin
(America) was first and A W. Harris (England) third.
E. Payne won the Victorian mile, with Pither second
and Megson third. The half-mile Flying Stakes was
won easily by Martin, A. C. Bnngey (S.A) being
second and E I. Bower (Vic.) third.
- The Australian Natives' Association will hold a
grand national fhte in Melbourne on January 27, and
included in the cycling part of the program is a race
called the " ij.A. Great Wheel Bace" for £3§<>
(£260 first prize. £40 second, and £10 third)—one of
the largest, if not the largest, amount ever offered for
a cycle race. . Other important events are included,
the principal being—1 mile intercolonial scratch race
of 20 sovs., 6 miles track championship of Australasia
of abont 20 sovs . 1 mile open handicap of 28 sovs.,
I mile 2nd class handicap of II sovs.. and 1 mile 3rd
class handicap of 9 sovs. This is a splendid program
and will most likely attract riders from all parts of
the world.
Last Saturday several members of the South Aus
tralian Club took a run tip to StrathsJbyn, arriving in
time for tea and retaining to the city on Sanday,
having had a very enjoyable outing.
It is really wonderful to think of the improvements
which have taken place in cycle construction doting
the last few years. Compare a mount of 1888 (an old
66-lb. solid-tyred ordinary) to an up-to-date safety,
and it is astonishing to think how people conld have
found pleasure in riding five or six years »go on such
bone-shakers. From the old ordinary came the solid
tyred safety, then followed the cushion-tyre, and now
no good machine is made without being fitted with
pneumatic lyres. From about SO to 60 lb. the weight
has gone down to IS and 19 lb., and yet the bicycles
are far stronger to-day than when they weighed three
times as much. Then a few years ago nothing would
do but a heavy, solid, soft block chain, weighing five
or six lb., after which came the roller. This did not
stay long, as it was found to wear ont too quickly, and
it had to give way to the present-day improved light
block chain, without which no modern safety is com
plete. . In these two parts alone—the tyres and chains
—there is abont 10 lb, difference in .weight when com
pared with the '88 patterns. Another great improve
ment is now being brought forward in England—viz.,
the " Simpson Lever " chain. The advantages of this
are that friction is reduced to a mlnimum and that as
the poll on the pedals increases the back wheel is
almost lifted off the ground, and the wnik becomes 50
per cent, easier. Then a much higher gear can be
used; in fact it is said that a machine geared to 102
will be easier to pnsh than one at 70 with the present
system of leverage. Already some remarkable times
have been done on a "Hnmber" fitted with one of
these chains,'the following being the most noticeable—
Quarter-mile, 20 3-6 sec.
Half-mile. 44 4-6 sec;
One mile, 1 min. 39 sec., or at the rate of 43J
miles an hour.
These axe a lew of the record timeB done in England
by Messrs. Leitch and Pellant since its introduction,
but they are of the opinion that with proper training
and pacing fully 50 miles can be ridden in the hour.
We need not talk of flying machines any more—they
can take a back seat while one can get over the ground
at the rate of 50 miles an hour. America has pur
chased the rights at £500.000 and has to pay a heavy
royalty on every chain made. It is hard to say where
pace will reach its limit if as many improvements
take place within the next few years as have been
made since the introduction of the safety bicycle. In
the year 1900 our machines (or carriages) will be
geared np to abont 200, and, aided by electricity, we
shall be able to travel np hill and down dale at a
speed, say, of 100 miles an hour.
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