Sidebilder
PDF
ePub

double-tube and single-tube. In will go as far in one turn of the the former an inner tube of thin- pedals. It is found by multiplying rubber holds the air, while a thick outer one takes the wear, and in the latter the two tubes are united into one. Each form has its advocates. Many so-called "unpuncturable" tires are made; but, in general, if a tire is elastic and easy-riding, it is easily punctured; if tough and hard, it is non-elastic and hard to ride. Every rider should learn how to repair slight punctures, and should

the diameter of the wheel (generally 28 inches) by the ratio of the number of teeth on the front to those on the rear sprocket. Thus, if the front sprocket has 20 teeth and the rear one 8, the gear is 28 × 20, or 70; that is, the wheel corresponds to an old "ordinary" with a front wheel 5 feet 10 inches in diameter. The higher the gear the slower it is necessary to move the feet, but the

Fig. 12.-Lamp and Luggage Carrier.

greater the pressure that has to be put on the pedals. High gears make hill climbing more difficult. Most gears are between 60 and 76, and the lower ones are better for the general rider, though each one must decide by experience which I will suit him best.

Bicycle Racing. Races on bicycles are now included among the events of almost every outdoor athletic meeting. See ATHLETICS. Great speed has been attained on these machines. A bicycle can

[graphic]

carry with him one of the numerous, not only go faster than a horse outfits sold for that purpose.

Gear. With the old-fashioned "ordinary" wheel the relation between the revolution of the pedals and the speed of the wheel depended wholly on the diameter of the front wheel. The larger the wheel the further the machine would travel for one turn of the cranks. Hence the speed was limited by the size of the wheel. With the modern form, as the cranks are not fastened to the axle of the wheel, this relation depends on the relative sizes of the front and rear sprockets, and is not so limited. The larger the front sprocket is in proportion to the rear one, the higher the possible speed. What is called the " gear" of a wheel is a distance equal to the diameter of the old "ordinary," that

for a short distance, but it can keep up with one for a long distance. The League of American Wheelmen, which is the only national association of bicyclists in this country, though there are numerous local clubs, has now more than 100,000 members. It was formed in 1880 to secure the rights of riders in the courts, and, having done this, is now turning its attention to the improvement of highways. It has a division in nearly every State, the chief officer of which is called a Consul. It publishes a weekly paper called the "L. A. W. Bulletin," which is sent to each member for twenty-five cents. The following rules are condensed from those of the League governing bicycle racing, which have been adopted also by the National

Amateur Athletic Union, are follows:

as immediately becomes subject to track rules.

RULES FOR BICYCLE RACING. Records. The standard table of recognized records shall be 1-4, 1-3, 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, I mile, and all even miles upward; no intermediate dis

tances.

Records against time may be made at an open meeting, or in private, and with or without pacemakers.

The Board will consider flyingstart only in records against time; standing-start only in competition records.

A competition record must be made in a race between men.

Records made with the assistance of other than recognized cycling machines, propelled by man power, will be recorded separately.

In unpaced events, or during unpaced record trials, there shall be no pacing devices, and only the rider making the trial shall be on the track.

Tracks. Tracks shall be measured on a line drawn eighteen inches out from a well-defined, fixed and continuous inner curb or pole; no record shall be allowed on a track otherwise measured.

"

TRACK Rules.

Officials; their Powers and Duties. The officers of all race meetings and cycling events shall be a referee, who must be an amateur wheelman, three judges at the finish, three timekeepers, one starter, one scorer, one clerk of the course, with assistants if necessary, and one umpire for each turn of the track, or more, at option of the referee. The referee, judges, and clerk of the course shall constitute the Executive Board.

The referee shall have general supervision of the race meeting. He shall give judgment on protests received by him, shall decide all questions or objections respecting foul riding or offenses which he may be personally cognizant of, or which may be brought to his attention by an umpire or other officer.

The judges shall decide the positions of the men at the finish. In case of disagreement the majority shall decide.

The timekeepers shall compare watches before the races are started, and shall note any variance; they shall each time every event, and in case of disagreement the intermediate time of the three watches shall be the official time. Time shall be taken from the flash of a pistol. In case two watches of the three mark the same time, that shall be the official time.

Machines Excluded. The Board reserves the right to exclude from the racing path any and all machines which, in its judgment, do not come within the commonly accepted meaning of the term 'bicycle," either by peculiarity of construction The scorer shall record the laps or by undoubted mechanical advan-made by each competitor, the order tages which they may possess. of the men at the finish as given him Road Racing. The League of by the judges, and the time as given American Wheelmen regards racing him by the timekeepers. He should on the public highways as an unlaw- indicate the commencement of the ful practice, and refuses to recognize last lap by ringing a bell as the and legislate for such form of the riders pass over the tape for the sport except to forbid the competing final lap, but the riders must keep together therein or pacemaking one count of the laps for themselves. for the other, of amateurs and professionals.

Should any part of a road race be run upon the track, such part

It shall be the duty of the starter, when it has been reported to him by the clerk of the course that all the competitors are ready, to see that

the timekeepers are warned, and, on the programme. When it bebefore starting the men, to say, comes necessary to draw for posi"Mount"; in a few seconds after to say, "Are the timers ready? Are the starters ready?" and, if no reply to the contrary be given, to effect a start by a report of a pistol. Should the pistol miss fire, the start may be made by the word "Go." The starter shall announce to the competitors the distance which they are to ride. The starter may, at his

Fig. 13.-Tool Bag.

discretion, put back for a distance any competitor starting before the signal is given. In case of a false start, the competitors shall be called back by the starter by the ringing of a bell or pistol fire and restarted.

In case of a fall or accident within thirty feet of the scratch line, the contestants shall be recalled by the starter by the ringing of a bell or pistol fire, and the race started over again.

The clerk of the course shall call competitors in ample time for each event, and see that they are provided with numbers properly worn. He shall report the contestants to the scorers, see that they are on their appointed marks, and call the numbers for the scorers as they cross the line at the end of each lap.

It shall be the duty of the umpire to stand at such part of the field as the referee may direct, to watch closely the riding, and immediately after each race to report to the referee any unfair riding he may see. Positions. The drawing for positions in each event shall be done by the promoters of the meeting, and the positions of the men shall appear

tions on the grounds, the work shall be done by the clerk and starter in conjunction. In heat races the winner of a heat shall take the pole (or inside position) the succeeding heat, and the other riders shall take their positions in the order assigned them in judging the last preceding heat. When two or more riders make a dead heat, they shall start for the succeeding heat in the same positions with reference to the pole that they occupied at the finish of the dead heat.

When races are run in heats and a final, the winner of the fastest heat shall take the pole in the final, the I winner of the second fastest heat the next position, and so on. If more than one qualifies for the final from each heat, the second man in fastest heat shall be next outside the winner of slowest heat, and so on. Only the winners of positions in the trial heats, as stipulated by the terms of the race, shall compete in the final.

No one shall be allowed in a final because of a foul or an accident in a trial heat.

Should two or more riders make a dead heat of any qualifying place in a trial heat, they shall both be allowed to enter the final heat, except in the National Championship. Should two or more riders make a dead heat of any final, or a dead heat for second or any lower place for which there is a prize, they may decide by lot who shall take the prize, or may again ride the distance to decide the race, at the discretion of the referee.

Starts. All starts shall be from the inside of the track, and, except in a flying-start event, shall be from a standstill, with the left hand toward the curb, and the machines shall be held in position by an attendant (the front wheel touching the starting line) until the signal is given by starter. Attendants, when

[graphic]

pushing off competitors, must keep behind the mark from which the competitors actually start. Should any part of the attendant touch the track in front of the mark, the competitor may be disqualified. Unless excused by the referee, every rider who enters in a handicap race must start in same.

Finish. The finish of all races shall be judged by the first part of the front wheel which touches the tape fastened flat on the ground at the winning post, and no rider shall be allowed a finishing position who abandons the track and afterward returns and crosses the tape.

shall so mount at the extreme outside of the path.

Time Limits. The referee may place a time limit on any race except handicap, team, and lap races. The time limit shall not be announced to the contestants until their arrival at the tape, preparatory to the start of the race. If the competitors finish within the limit, they shall receive the prizes. If they fail to so finish, and the referee is convinced by their riding and the time that they endeavored to reach the limit, he may award the prizes.

Pacemaking. A general pacemaker may be put in any race by the race promoter, having previously notified the referee of the fact. He shall assist no single rider, but shall act to increase the speed of the race in general. He shall, if a single rider only, be entitled to any place or prize he may win, if he starts from the scratch, or may be rewarded by a special prize, within the

Riding. Riders shall pass on the outside (unless the man passed be dismounted), and must be at least a clear length of the cycle in front before taking the inside, but on entering the homestretch in the last lap of a race, the foremost rider or riders must keep to that part of the track first selected; and the hind-limits of the class. most rider or riders, when there is sufficient room to pass on the inside or anywhere on the homestretch without interfering with others, shall be allowed to do so. A rider shall not change from the inner to the outside of the track during any part of a race when another rider is so near that in altering his position he interferes with or impedes the progress of the rider. No rider shall touch another.

No rider during a race shall turn his head to look backward, remove his hands from the handle-bars, or otherwise ride in a careless or unskillful manner, thereby imperiling the safety of other riders.

Competitors may dismount during a race at their pleasure, and may run with their cycles if they wish to, but they must keep to the extreme outside of the path whenever dismounted. If a rider be dismounted by accident, or to change his machine, an attendant may hold his machine while he mounts it, and he

Tandems, or pacing machines carrying more than two riders, may be put in to pace competitions only by written consent of the member of the Racing Board in charge of the district.

Track Privileges and Decorum. No person whosoever shall be allowed inside the track except the officials of the meet. The handicappers of the meet shall at all times, however, have track privileges. Authorized persons shall wear a badge. Competitors or pacemakers not engaged in a race actually taking place shall not be allowed inside or on the track. No one shall be allowed to "coach" competitors on the track. No shouting or remarks by trainers or attendants to encourage certain riders or disconcert others shall be permitted.

Choice of Machines and Costumes. Choice or change of machine and choice of costume shall not be limited except that shirt shall not

bare shoulders, and breeches must no others shall score. reach to the knees.

In races distinctly stated on the programme of events to be for a particular class of machine, this rule shall not apply so far as choice and change of machine are concerned. Safety bicycle races shall be limited to machines whose driving wheel does not exceed thirty-six inches in diameter.

Competitors to Wear Numbers. Every competitor shall receive in the dressing-room a number corresponding with his number on the programme, which must be worn on his back or right shoulder during the race. He shall inform himself of the times at which he must compete, and wait the call of the clerk in the dressing-room.

Definition of Races. A novice race is open only to those who have never won a prize in a track race, and shall be the first race of the meet. A novice race is a class race. A class race is only open to those who, up to date of the closing of the entries, have not won the first position in a track race or trial heat in the same or better time than the class under consideration. In all class races the time limit shall be the time of the class. If the competitors fail to finish within the limit, and it is a good day, good track, and there are pacemakers, the referee shall declare it no race. If they fail to finish in the time limit, and there are no pacemakers, or it is not (in the judgment of the referee) a good day, or it is not a good track, and the referee is convinced by their riding that they endeavored to reach the limit, and were not able to do so because of the absence of any one or all three conditions, he may award the prizes.

In a lap race the position of the first three men shall be taken at the finish of every lap. The first man shall score three points, the second man shall score two points, and the third man shall score one point, and

The contest

ant who crosses the line first at the finish shall, for that lap, score four points. The competitor who scores the greatest number of points shall be declared the winner, but any contestant, in order to secure a prize, must ride the entire distance and be within 150 yards of the finish when the first man crosses the tape at the end of the last lap. The 150 yard mark must be marked by a flag.

In a team race the positions of all the riders starting shall be taken at the end of the race.

The first man shall count a number of points equal to the number of men starting, the second one less, and so on.

The team scoring the greatest number of points shall be declared the winner.

A team shall be limited to three riders, each of whom shall have been a member of the club entering the team for at least three months previous to date of event. Each team member must also have resided within five miles of the city or town where the club has its headquarters for at least six months previous to the date of contest.

In a heat race the position of each rider must be taken at the finish of each heat. The first man shall count a number equal to that of the contestants in the first heat, the second man shall count one less, the third two less, and on on. The competitor who scores the greatest number of points shall be declared the winner.

Or, as an alternative, which must be stated on the programme as rule or alternative, in running a heat race, such event may be conducted under the rule outlined below:

When the race is best two out of three heats, the winner is not reached until one rider has won two heats, either through virtue of finishing first or by the disqualification of a competitor or competitors who may finish in front and lose such

« ForrigeFortsett »