REMARKABLE BICYCLE RIDE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 267, 18 December 1909, Page 3

REMARKABLE BICYCLE RIDE.

OVER A MILE A MINUTE FOR AN HOUR. Particulars are to hand from franco of the most remarkable cycle ride of the decade, Paul GuignarJ, the crnek FretHi pace follower, having ridden the, astounding distance of 63 miles 2-25 yar Is in one hour. This feat was accomplished on the fine open-air track at Munich (Germany), behind a three-cylinder highpowered motor cycle driven by F. Hoffmann, the crack German pacemaker. Guign'ard's ride is so astounding that the ordinary lay mind can hardly grasp what it means. Fancy pounding along over a rough cement track, every inequality intensified a thousand times by the terrific speed, at ever a mile a minute! With gaze fixed stolidly on a steel roller placed a few inches from the back wheel of the pacing motor, sending forth a shrill screim'as the rider's front wheel, every now and then, comes into contact with it, daring to look neither to rigEt nor left, nor even above rile thickly-clad shoulders of the great | duffed-out driver who guides the monster machine on its way round and round the track, inhaling the deadly fumes of burnt petrol—think of the relentless monotony of it, and above -ill the terrible peril. Guignard is indeed no ordinary rider, and his ride is the' greatest cycling performance ever achieved.

For some years Continental panefollowers have set their minds on gaining the distinction of riding 100 kilnmetres (6'2 miles 245 yards) in the hour; Guignard, in liis previous record, approached within three miles of tile desired end. A. E. Wills (England) ;jut up over 90 kilometres (61 miles 1007 yards) in the hour, but not quite the full hundred, and now Guignard again l holds the record with a total of 101 kilometres 023 metres, or 03 miles 225 yards. There are few riders who can wrest that honor from him. Simple ns it may appear to follow like an automa.! ton the huge pace motor cycle tearing round and round at an almost incredible speed, it requires indomitable courage, magnificent stamina, ami (he, rarest, judgment. This is the third occasion upon -which Guignard 1 had held ii'.e coveted hour record.

AnTdea of his wonderful ride, can be gathered from the fact that the French crack rode one mile ninctv-six yards in every minute, or over thirty yards a second. During one lap (721 yards) Guignard rode at the rate of nearly 05(4 miles per hour . The merit of this wonderful ride can be gauged from the fact that the motor cycle record stands at 70 miles 105 yards, accomplished on a three»ii'e cement track. Guignard rode a machine geared to lOOin. A. E. Wil'q. who previously held the record at ?S miles 1007 yards, has already announced hi« intention of making an early attempt to regain it,