The Cycle Age and Trade Review, Vol 24, No 111
Articles in this issue
- The Cycle Trades Protective Association formally notified the American Bicycle Company that none of its members would take a license under the Smith-Owen bottom bracket patent, invited the A.B.C. to bring suit against a member, and promised to defend any such action to a final hearing at the association's expense.
- Trade observers believed the Eagle Bicycle Mfg. Co. would bear the brunt of the A.B.C.'s legal campaign over the bottom bracket patent, possibly because of bad feeling left from failed merger negotiations, though no suit had yet been formally authorised by the A.B.C.'s legal counsel.
- The Carlisle Manufacturing Co. announced it would exit the bicycle business from 1 January 1900 due to the ill health of M.W. Carlisle, and would sell off its entire plant and stock.
- Georgia's comptroller-general rejected the American Bicycle Company's attempt to cover all its subsidiary brands under a single $100 state bicycle license, ruling that each brand must pay separately, potentially exposing the combine to a tax bill of some $4,000.
- Twin Cities and Duluth bicycle jobbers were sending out salesmen early and taking orders for February delivery, aided by generally prosperous economic conditions in the Northwest that gave the outlook a brightness not seen in several previous seasons.
- The editors made the case that even small bicycle repair shops could profitably install power machinery, arguing that the time savings and quality improvements achievable with a small electric motor or gasoline engine justified the modest investment for any repairer doing more than a minimal trade.
- The seventh Paris cycle show drew large crowds to the American exhibits, which were judged far superior in design and quality to the French, German, and English displays, while the French manufacturers' press campaign against American machines was shown to have driven customers to the American stands rather than away from them.
- Toledo's independent bicycle plants were operating at full capacity while two of the three A.B.C. plants in the city were idle, with the Lozier factory the only combine operation running and independent travellers reporting doubled order books compared to the previous season.
- Newspaper reports suggesting unusually strong drop-frame bicycle sales in 1899 were investigated through dealer surveys, which found the proportion of women's to men's machines sold was little changed from 1898 and that the popular press had overstated any revival of ladies' cycling interest.
- Several Buffalo bicycle retailers reported that sub-agencies maintained in surrounding working-class neighbourhoods had contributed materially to their year's results, capturing customers who would not travel to central shops and often selling an entire family's supply of machines through convenient local outlets.
- A bill recently introduced in Congress by Representative Reeves as chairman of the House patents committee was described as potentially the most significant proposed change to American patent law in years, raising the interest of manufacturers nationwide because of its potential to alter the scope of monopoly rights granted under the current system.
- Several recent patent allowances were reviewed and found to represent largely worthless inventions, including a new style of bicycle storage rack designed for repair shops and another proposal for mechanically indexing bicycles in dense storage, both criticised for missing obvious practical requirements.
- A survey of ten Chicago bicycle dealers found all were keeping a watchful eye on the motor vehicle industry and most were planning to make at least one motorised bicycle or light vehicle in the coming season, though all were waiting for further developments before committing capital to the new line.
- The American Dunlop company announced an addition to its standard tire construction for 1900, incorporating a new feature into the otherwise unchanged design, along with detailed comparisons between the 20th Century acetylene gas headlight and oil lamp models for dealers planning their lighting stock.
- New Year's Day century runs and club events were held in cities across the country despite cold weather, with Chicago's 2:50 Club annual Pullman scorch won by O.P. Nelson in 34 minutes and similar events drawing good fields in Boston, New York, and other cycling centres.
- American rider Bill Martin won the Commonwealth Stakes at the Melbourne Bicycle Club's Austral carnival meeting in wet weather before a good attendance, with Jack Parsons showing strongly in supporting events at the high-quality racing gathering.