ON BICYCLES.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1707, 9 August 1879, Page 2

ON BICYCLES.

The work done during two coneocutivo weeks by pedestrians and bicycle riders at the Agricultural Hall in London shows incontestably that in a long journey the bicycle enables a man to get orer more than twice ai much ground as he ia able to cover on foot. Tho pedestrian! accomplished in six days 542 miles, and the bicyclists 1175 miles. The latter also had longer periods of rest than the former, although it is by no means certain that they could have done more with less rest. A new style of bicycle has lately been introduced, by means of which it is expected thet greater speed will be attained in short journeys, although at the expenditure of more power for the time being. It consists of three wheels, but only two of them touch the ground, so that it can hardly be called a tricycle. The third wheel is the one upon which the rider operates with his feet; it royolvei freely, and is connected by a band with a pulley on the axle of the front wheel, the proportions being such that for every revolution of the wheel manipulated—l beg pardon, pedipulated—by the rider, the ground wheel makes two revolutions. The speed of the machine is thug limited only by the strength of the rider. Whether there is any real practical advantage in the arrangement remains to be proved. There is also a unicycle, the invention of Mr J. Heronemus, of Copenhagen. The wheel has rim, and to this are fixed six or eight arms which are curved out to either side co as to leave room for the rider between them. The naves carry cranks connected by two bellcrank levers having each an upright arm in a position convenient to tho rider to take hold of for working them backward and forward alternately. The naves have legs which steady the machine when tho traveller is getting on board, and these can be thrown up out of the way after the start. Experience alone can decide whether there is any value in the contrivance. Even for short distances the bicycle can hold its own against an ordinary trotting horse, while for long distances, say a thousand miles, a man on horseback would require a change of four horses per day to keep pace with a man on a bicycle. It is therefore a matter of surprise that the bicycle is not put to more serious work than it has yet done. It is usually looked upon as a toy, whose highest purpose is to contribute to its owner's recreation.