The Bicycling World, Vol 12, No 12
Articles in this issue
- Editorial confirming that the League's annual Meet will be held in Boston on 27, 28 and 29 May 1886, managed by the board of officers of the Massachusetts State Division with Chief Consul Ducker superintending; the treasurer's statement of the 1881 Boston Meet is reprinted, showing subscriptions from the Boston ($230), Massachusetts ($206), Crescent and other clubs.
- Editorial rebuking Herald cycling editor Mr. Morse for misleading articles fostering rivalry between the Massachusetts Bicycle Club and the Boston Club over management of the L.A.W. Meet, and replying to Editor Aaron of the League Bulletin on the question of direct benefits of League membership.
- Reprint of the Herald article of 11 January: the Massachusetts Bicycle Club, with 250 members and its own clubhouse, declines an equal footing with the 70-member Boston Club in managing the League Meet, and Chief Consul Ducker's plan is said not to suit the Massachusetts boys.
- A note reprinted from Wheel World explains that the American cycling term 'coast' (meaning to rush down a hill) derives from the New England practice of coasting on sleds in winter snow and is analogous to Canadian tobogganing, though it need not be adopted in British cycling usage.
- Correspondent G. R. J. humorously reports that five years of riding — from a 46-inch home-made boneshaker through Standard Columbia and Expert mounts up to a 58-inch wheel — has stretched his leg-reach six inches, and fears he will end as an animated pair of compasses astride an 82-inch bicycle.
- A. J. Wilson of the North London Tricycling Club claims 365 riding days in the open air in both 1883 and 1885, capping W. D. Wilmot's record; his 1885 mileage covered a Quadrant tricycle (4,510 miles), tandem tricycles (1,030), Rover safety bicycles (1,079) and various other machines.
- Wm. D. McCoy of Newark, N.J., corrects correspondent 5678's description of the Sparkbrook tandem tricycle, detailing its differential double-driving gear, large-link chains, cowhorn handle-bars and extra axle bracing, and notes the machines are imported by McCoy & Williams.
- W. G. Kendall describes the most enjoyable tricycle ride of his cycling life on the ice of Dorchester Bay and predicts a new class of records made on ice, faster than those on any other surface.
- W. G. K. answers a correspondent's query about long crank throw and fork rake, reporting nearly 4,200 miles this season on a machine with a six-inch throw of crank and a two-and-a-half-inch rake, praising its speed and its safety when rushing down hills.
- List of recently issued bicycle and tricycle patents furnished by Henry W. Williams, patent solicitor of Boston, including Thos. B. Jeffrey's bicycle, Joseph L. Yost's bicycle, and Thos. B. Williams's ice-tire of pronged pivotal links fitted over an ordinary bicycle tire.
- Frank A. Elwell of Portland outlines Bermuda's special advantages for wheelmen — over one hundred miles of hard coral roads, an equable climate, the quaint town of St. George's and the Hamilton Hotel — recalling last year's party of twelve cyclers and inviting wheelmen and their friends to join his forthcoming tour.
- J. T. Johnson, ex-champion bicyclist of England and the first to introduce the bicycle into England from France in 1867, has arrived in Philadelphia on the Britannic; trainer of champions including John Keen, George Owen, Fred Cooper, John Prince and James Moore, he will be managed by Ed. Cole and hopes to arrange a match with Prince.
- Fifth instalment of the illustrated series on odd velocipede patents, covering Numbers 19 to 23: E. N. Higley's 1878 hand-and-foot crank machine, the 1875 Bodel, Morse and Webster lever machine, Frank Fowler's 1880 first Humber-pattern tricycle, J. L. Hornig's 1877 treadle-propelled wheel, and J. Bolton's 1804 eight-passenger vehicle; the plates appear on the following page.
- News paragraphs: Wheeling's new editorial staff (W. McCandlish, F. Percy Low and E. A. Lloyd) as Harry Etherington retires from the editorship; W. G. Hurst of Toronto challenges any fancy bicycle and unicycle rider in America for $100 to $500; A. B. Rich is seriously ill with typhoid fever; the New Orleans Bicycle Club rode with Roman candles on New Year's Eve; and N. H. Van Sicklen succeeds John O. Blake on the Racing Board.
- Racing notes cover Miss Elsa Von Blumen's benefit at the Arsenal rink in Buffalo where she lost a twenty-five mile race to E. Williams by three laps, and a two-mile Christmas evening race at the Mammoth Rink in Denver between Mort Donaldson of the Colorado Wheel Club and Friedberg of the trick and fancy riders.
- Club reports including officer elections of the Suffolk Wheel Club of Boston (Captain Wm. E. Webber), the Chicago Club (President Thomas S. Miller, Captain N. H. Van Sicklen), the Owl Bicycle Club, the Penn City Wheelmen of Philadelphia and the Reading Bicycle Club, plus the presentation of an easy-chair to Captain Albert S. Button of East Saginaw.
- Official C.T.C. column from Acting Chief Consul C. H. Potter of Cleveland, giving dues, the list of State consuls from Connecticut to Wyoming Territory, and five provisionally elected membership applicants.
- Brief editorial replies to correspondents W. G. K., J. R. C., H. E. B. and K. K. on cyclometer records, official score sheets and bound volumes.