Cycling and Motoring

Horowhenua Chronicle, 11 March 1914, Page 4

Cycling and Motoring

fc'rom the Duniop Rubber Company of Australasia for the week ending 28tn February, 1914. The Duniop Rubber Co. are in receipt of word from Paris that the Australian team of road riders who went to France to compete in this season's important long distance road races, arrived in good shape after a pleasant trip. Through the influence of Mr C. A. Proctor, one time secretary of the Australian Duniop Co, and now in charge of the Duniop interests on the Continent, the teoin has been engaged for the season on satisfactory terms by the ClementGladiator Company, one of the largest cycle concerns in France. This means that Messrs D. Kirkiani, I . R, Munro, C. Snell, C. Pfen-y, F. Keefe and G. Bell will have behind them the fine pacing organisation of the Cleinent-Glad-iator Company who have for many years maintained one of the largest and most successful racing teams in Europe. Without the backing and support of one of the big French firms, the outsider has very little chance against the cracks who have organised and systematic pacing and feeding arrangements to assist them. In this respect the Australian team start off with everything in their favour. They have gone into strict training, and some of them expect to take part in tTie ParisRoubaix race (IG4 2-3 miles) which takes place about the end of March, whilst later the pick of the team will compete m the classic Bordeaux-Paris event, and the great Tour do France, the longest, severest and richest road event held in tho world, the distance being 3400 miles covered in fifteen stagos with a spell every alternate day. TFie cash prizes amount to £1440, besides rich bonuses from the trade. The great contest is set down for dceision from June 28th to 26th July. Now that our crack roadmen have got a chance of showing what they can do when pitted against the. world's best, it is hoped that the climatic conditions will not interfere with their ! striking form. WEen they arrived in Paris the crty was under snow, witE the tKermometer down to six degrees below zero. The (loings of the Australians in Europe will be watcEed with great interest by many thousands of roacl riders in this country.

W. .]. Bailey, the English crack, who has beon the champion amateur sprinter of the world for many years, has now turned professional. As an amateur lie accompanied everything possible time after time, all the important international events being at his mercy whenever lie cared to mount, and no other ainateui sprinter of any nationality has had such a run of success in recent years. Bailey will race against the world's best, including F. Kramer (America) in Paris at an early date.

Some fast times were recorded last Saturday on the road near Adelaide in connection with the annual speed trials oragnised by the South Australian Motor Cycle Club. Half a mile was negotiated by W. B. Randall on a !U h.p. Rudge with" a full touring equipment on, in 27 1-5' seconds, equal to 66 miles an hour. In the stripped machine, class , "R. E. Foster on a ty h.p. Kent covered tn"e half mile in 26 1-5 seconds, equal to a speed of 68.7 miles per hour. These two " performances are the fastest yet recorded in Australia, but would not bo accepted as. records in Europe; for straightaway speed tests have to bo ridden in both directions, and ttie mean time taken. This is fo overcome advantages fßat may be derived from favourable wind, gradient, etc. It was a pity this was not done in Adelaide-, for the Times recorded are exceptionally good for the power of the machinea used.

The records recently accomplished in Paris by M. Berthet on a bicycle with a blunt-noaed torpedo body should interest motor cyclists who go in for competition work. If thfs addition to the ordinary pedal cycle ao far reduced wfnd resistance as to enable re< ords to be beaten, it should prcive still more effective to a motor cycle, where the pace is much greater, for the efficiency of auch a contrivance naturally varies the apeed. This development might also interest the ordinary tourist, especially if a sidecar is used, for if it is effective for speed work, it would have the additional advantage of providing the rider with protection from t£e weather and mud ; Jα bad weatTier tie motor cyclists' lot is certainly not a happy one. Ho has to specially clothe himself for the ordeal, but the protection thus afforded ia quite inadequate;, and he arrives at hie destination in a Tfrthy condition. With a torpedo body to hin motor cycle, the combination would certainly look outre, but tho public would soon get neustomed to its strange appearance, and if it ha iL™!_^ f ! Pct of wind

resistance and affording protection from wind and weather without too many incidental disadvantages it would probably be adopted by many ridere of the side-car combination. In England the experiment of using a stream like body on a motor cycle proved successful and resulted in two new world , ! records for J. L. Emerson rode a flying kilometre (KJ&.'J yards) in 27.8 seconds, equal to a speed of 80.4 miles per hour, whilst a flying mile was covered in 46 seconds, equal to 78 1-5 miles per hour. This is nearly tvrn miles an hour faster than tho previous best. Emerson used a 3J h.p. opposed twin, and established his records at Brooklands.