The Wheel: Journal of Bicycling, Vol 2, No 17
Articles in this issue
- A notes column covering the upcoming B.T.C. meet on May 27th, the wave of new race entries, and the impact of wet weather on club outings; the Lenox Club is noted as the most active despite the dreary spring.
- Reports from bicycle clubs across the country, including the Brooklyn Bicycle Club's election of officers (President S.S. Scott, Captain W.F. Gullen), the formation of the new Lowell Bicycle Club with fifteen members, and the Canandaigua Bicycle Club's annual meeting re-electing Dr. A.G. Coleman as president and captain.
- Letters from readers including Davy Derby of Lancaster County describing a flourishing cycling scene in Pennsylvania with Martin Rudy opening a bicycling school, and N.G.C. of Louisville authenticating Wm. Francke's 20-mile race time of 1h 14m 30s against St. Louis, and reporting on the Kentucky Bicycle Club's preparation for the Chicago meet.
- Official Prospect Park riding rules issued jointly by Captain W.F. Gullen of the Brooklyn Bicycle Club and Captain John Clark of the Kings County Wheelmen, covering dismounting at park entrances, lamp requirements after sunset, prohibition of racing on paths, and rules for hills including the Cemetery and Ravine descents.
- Boston correspondent 'Handy Andy' recounts a thrilling five-mile race at the Institute Fair building won by Underwood over Cory and Dean after a near-disastrous collision among Cory, Dean and Claflin near the finish, and urges the L.A.W. to cut the 'rag-tag and bob-tail' element from its parades and tighten racing standards before the Chicago meet.
- An editorial arguing that the League of American Wheelmen cannot afford to stand apart from the National Amateur Athletic Association; it contends that the League's failure to enact racing rules has allowed members to compete at county fairs and picnics, undermining amateurism, and calls for a joint championship arrangement with the N.A.A.A.A.
- Results of the Atlantic Athletic Club bicycle races postponed from Saturday to Wednesday due to rain; with handicapping by sprinter L. E. Myers, the handicap mile final fell to F.E. Davidson (150 yards) in 3m 14.2s while Thompson and Howard finished in a dead heat for second decided by a coin toss won by Thompson.
- Full report of John S. Prince's race meeting at the Institute Fair building, Boston, covering six events including the professional ten-mile championship of America won by Prince over Rollinson in 34m 27.7s, the five-mile amateur race won by Corey (with Claflin and Dean crashing near the finish), and Mlle. Louise Armaindo's easy five-mile win over Miss Ida Blackwell (credited to Bicycling World).
- Account of the Germantown Bicycle Club's first race meeting at Stenton, postponed from May 6th to May 9th; results include Abram G. Powell winning the one-mile scratch race in 3m 31s, Irvine Corse winning the boys' half-mile in 1m 46s, and Geo. D. Gideon taking the five-mile handicap in 17m 41s from scratch on a narrow track unsuited to fast time.
- A letter from the Weed Sewing Machine Co. of Hartford explaining the delays in delivering the Expert Columbia Bicycle to the Pope Manufacturing Company, blaming the nationwide scarcity of steel and metalworking shops overrun amid general prosperity, and reporting that machine work on several hundred Experts is now complete with daily shipments underway.
- An appeal from Frank W. Weston, Chief Consul U.S.A., inviting American wheelmen to join the international Bicycle Touring Club (B.T.C.), which has over four thousand members worldwide; annual fee is two shillings sixpence (about 62.5 cents) plus the cost of a silver badge.
- A calendar of upcoming club runs and race entry deadlines for May and June 1882, including events at the Crescent Athletic Club, Staten Island Athletic Club, and N.A.A.A.A. at Manhattan Polo Grounds, plus the Boston Bicycle Club's detailed run schedule through to the L.A.W. Meet in Chicago on May 30th.