Show ASTRIDE THE WHEEL Ii I WHEELj j I IOu1e Points For the Benefit of Beginners HOW TO MOUNT AND DISMOUNT I I i I 1 Positions to be Avoided and Those to be I I ChosenWomen on BicyclesThe Safety Machine I j I ICYCLES are not hard to waster I I I To leant to ride I one only has to XLs5ta have a little patience eiL pa-tience and a little self confidence t I And moreover the i dangers of bicycle lik riding hare been kUlla greatly exaggerated exaggerat-ed Count up it i lutli you can tho number UkI num-ber of people whom you know ride bicycles bi-cycles and tuaUe ali a-li t of the number of injuries they bare received while riding Then take an equal number of horseback riders and compare com-pare the number of their mishaps with those of time bicycle riders nnd ten to one you will find tho last list tho longer of the two It founds somewhat paradoxical but it is at the samo timo true that most of the serious wheeling accidents occur to professional or thoroughly experienced riders Tho reason is that an old rider is apt to become careless Ho forgets that ho is on a wheel as ho spins over the smooth asphalt and H hen the stone or other obstruction appears ap-pears In his path he is not looking for it and consequently is not prepared So bilTl overlie over-lie goes A loss experienced cyclist on the other hand would have been watching the oad and would either havo avoided the obstruction ob-struction or have put himself in such shape in passing over it that it would at the worst have only shaken him up a trifle Professionals or those amateurs who take j > irt in races or tournaments however are time greatest sufferers from accidents There are two reasoiih for this First the racetracks race-tracks are of course crowded with wheels whose riders are all excited to a greater or less degree and are apt to steer wildly and run each other down Second a man ill racing form must lean forward over the handle bar of his machine thus throwing tho center of gravity beforo instead of behind tho hub and in such circumstances a pobblo or inequality in his path that would hardly have jarred him had ho been riding quietly along would send him to earth in an instant and tho unusual speed would add to tho probability prob-ability of serious injury Tho principle of tho bicycle can bo illustrated illus-trated very easily Take a coin and roll it over tho floor As long as it retains its mo iiicntum tho coin stays upright As it begins to go less rapidly it topples and finally falls That is all there is tobicyclo riding As long as you keep your wheel going it will not fall of itself If it goes over sideways it is your fault not the wheels You must use your bodys weight to keep the wheel upright When you feel it going over lean your body fJ I r A COASTING ACCIDENT tho other way If it persists in tipping give the handle bars a sharp turn in the opposite direction Unless it has gone too far that will euro it If a novice goes at the matter intelligently thinks the why of it out before be-fore he mounts the wheel two or three trials ought to give him full control of the equilibrium equilib-rium of his machine MOtWTINO AND DISMOUNTING The next thing to learn is to mount and dismount quickly and gracefully A rider should practice until he can get on and off without much trouble before ho ventures on Any much frequented streets The simplest way of mounting is of course best for the beginner be-ginner Grasp the handle bars with both hands and get directly behind your wheel Put ono foot on the mount step and hop along on the other un til you are under good head way Then rise on the foot which is on the step and with tho other catch the pedal as it comes around on the upnard turn With a little bnrmgto aid it the pedal will swing you into tho saddle The mount just described how over should 13 only resorted to by beginners begin-ners At best it has a tendency to be awkward awk-ward and Is slow and unsatisfactory Tho next mount to learn will not be difficult diffi-cult after the first has been thoroughly mastered mas-tered Walk on the left side of the machine with both hands on the bars Without breaking break-ing step cross the left foot in front of tho right and place it on tho step Then swing the right lag around behind tho backbone I = RACING FORM nod to the pedal on the upward turn rising with tho padol nnd sliding easily arid naturally natu-rally into the saddle Another cod by all means tliv be I > t U known as tho pedal mount VVilu on the left bide of yourma hiao at before but place tho left foot directly direct-ly on th i pdal ni it comes up ignoring tho rep anil i hi owing the right leg l over tho I bacU > on of till machine This U tho quickest quick-est and intel graceful way in t miiisr 5t upright zra pinj the handlebars handle-bars with your palms upward In thai way your elbows will be thrown in toward your body and your shoulders will be thrown back Drop or cow horn handle bars are considered preferable to the straight for many reasons Under no circumstances get in the habit of riding with your palms over the handles It brings the shoulders forward contracts tho chest and would undoubtedly sit i persisted in havo a bad effect on the lungs To lean forward as racers do is bad form on the road It is awkward unhealthy and dangerous Dont do it Another thing which should bo mastered early is the science of coasting This consists I con-sists ot putting the legs over the handle bars and lottimr her STO Of course when coast I > JJ I ing full control ot tao brake should retained retain-ed It is really much safer to coast down a I hill than it is to make the trip with the feet on the pedals With your legs over the handle han-dle bars a header is a matter of very little consequence for you aro certain to land right 1 side up like a cat I ADVANTAGES AS AN EXERCISE Contrary to the very natural supposition I bicycle riding is not merely exercise for the legs In fact nearly every muscle in the body is called into activity while riding and the beginner almost invariably feels tired In the muscles about the trunk particularly in those at the sides of the abdomen before he I does in the legs I Safety and hill climbing bicycles I have become conmon during the last year I or two They have some advantages over the big wheels but there are many riders who prefer tho latter and will probably I stick to their preference The safeties havo two wheels of more nearly an equal size The speed given by the greater circumference circumfer-ence of the large wheels is made up for by a multiplying device in the safeties Of course mounting and dismounting from the low machines is a comparatively simple matter mat-ter but as much care should be given to the position as is necessary on the high wheels WOMEN ON BICTCLES A comparatively recent invention is the womans bicycle It has already become i A WOMAN CYCLIST popular in the east notably in Washington Boston New York and vicinity and is rapidly rap-idly gaining favor in other localities In appearanceit resembles mans Safety to a certain extent but the saddle is supported by a backbone connected with tho rear wheel only and leaving ample room for the skirts between tho saddle and the front wheel and fork The wheels are joined by a low reach and the skirts are protected front the chain or other attachment which communicates the motive power from the pedals to the wheels by a wire or sheet iron guard A woman in riding one of these bicycles displays dis-plays no more of her ankles than in walking A good costume for women riders described in Cassells Magazine thus The gown must not bo over two yards in width or it may catch in tho wheels it must IM guiltless of steels or other dress improving arrangement it must be long enough to touch tho instep as it reaches the lowest pedal It must bo made plainly and neatly with no floating flounces or frilL A color calculated to withstand dust and grease is tho most sensible wear and jewelry colored ribbons artificial flowers etc are entirely out of place Shoes should always be wont and tho headgear should be chosen with a view to wind can and possible showers The large number of League bicycle tournaments tour-naments which are being held this month in various parts of the United States nnd Canada Ca-nada call special attention to tho sport at this time and next season will probably bo begun with a new set of records |