Vol 22, No 51
Cite this issue
Citation
The Cycle Age and Trade Review 22, no. 51 (1898). cyclearchive.com, https://cyclearchive.com/magazines/the-cycle-age-and-trade-review/vol22-51/
Page numbers are pages of the PDF, which can differ from the numbers printed on the page.
Articles in this issue
- The National Board of Trade of Cycle Manufacturers voted funds and legal counsel to help the Chicago local cycle board defend a $100,000 libel and conspiracy suit brought by the promoters of a 1897 fake cycle show, which the local board had publicly exposed and persuaded manufacturers and newspapers to shun.
- A series of letters between show promoter B. E. Greene and the National Board of Trade revealed that promoters had been offering the entire gate receipts and then 60 percent of net receipts to secure the Board's sanction, with the Board's secretary publicly clarifying that no negotiations were in progress.
- The Cycle Age argued that fraudulent or poorly organized cycle shows caused lasting harm to the trade by misleading consumers about manufacturers' actual 1898 model availability, associating leading brands with disreputable promoters, and undermining confidence in legitimate trade exhibitions.
- A survey of what British bicycle retailers sought from American manufacturers described demand for reliable delivery, better packaging suited to export transit, clearer instructions in English, and modest design adaptations to suit British road conditions and consumer tastes.
- A legal question arose whether bicycle dealers acting as agents for both a manufacturer and a jobber in the same territory required separate licenses under trade regulations, with the issue examining the legal and practical implications for the agency system.
- Argues that the sideline idea is being distorted by writers who would have cycle dealers imitate the department store, then weighs how many chainless bicycles and 30-inch-wheel machines the 1899 trade will sell, and discusses single tube pneumatic tire leaks and repairs.
- The issue reviewed the financial condition and organizational effectiveness of the National Board of Trade of Cycle Manufacturers, questioning whether its membership base and dues income were sufficient to sustain the legal, lobbying, and standards work the trade needed from a national organization.
- Under the head "Broken Pedals Are Usually Replaced" it describes when the repairer should mend or replace parts of a pedal rather than sell a whole new pair, given the difficulty of obtaining matching parts.
- Guidance on proper packing and consular marking requirements for bicycle exports was provided, covering crating standards, documentation, and the specific marking conventions required by the principal importing countries to avoid delays and fines at customs.
- Describes new brakes in two types, including W. D. Robinson's coaster brake of Philadelphia, H. F. Cuntz's chainless gear (patent 613,621, assigned to Pope Mfg. Co.), and a screw-cutting tool for an ordinary lathe.
- A technical analysis examined how tire width, inflation pressure, and wheel diameter affected the contact patch with the road surface, with implications for rolling resistance, traction, and the rider's perception of ride quality over different road surfaces.
- Trade news of 1899 models and sundries, including Sterling Cycle Works prices ($50 chain, $75 chainless), the Stearns locking automatic bicycle stand and the Thor eccentric hanger of the Aurora Automatic Machinery Co.
- Race reports including Bourrillon's win over Grogna and Deschamps at Calais, George Banker's defeats at the Turin grand prize meet where Jacquelin won, and the settling of the National Track Team Association's affairs at Springfield.