A WONDERFUL BICYCLE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1743, 18 January 1888, Page 3

A WONDERFUL BICYCLE

A number of gentlemen interested m the adaptation of cycles to military purposes assembled at Hanwell recently to witness some tri .Is and experiments wi h • bioye'e « hich bad been constructed by Messrs Wilklns and Co , of Ho born Viaduct. Tbe bicycle, which m its general outward appearance resembles a machine of tho familiar Safety type, waß put through a series of the most extraordinary tea's with a result which greatly astonished and amused the onlookers. Startingfrom the centre of the town, a man rode the machine over half a mile or so of road to the bank of the river Brent, where dismounting, he proceeded to blow into a couple of small bays attached to tbe handles. The ip flagon occupied about a minute, and then ihe rider having thrown bis bicycle into the water, dived after it, swam aoross, and lauded on the other Bide He then rode over three or four miles of very rough ond varied country, including plough -d fields and swampy meadows, and, having re-crossed the river, regained Hanwell by Borne very rongh lanes, lilting his machine over the closed gates Altogether he covered a distance of about five miles, and hi_ time was a little more tban forty- o^e minutes. Subsequently a few well known cyclists who were among the v/nitora tried tl-e machine, and rode over the mofit uneven ground, up and down short and sharp hil's, bricks, and other obstructions, m a manner that greatly eurpri.ed military men and others who were present.