Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 61, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 April 1901 — Bicycles in 1901. [ARTICLE]

Bicycles in 1901.

The large and tempting stock of highly polished and niokle plated wheels in the dealers’ shops indicate that bicycle riding has not yet gone out of fashion. Dealers say it never will; that it did not start as a fad, never was a fad, and will last as lougas walking lasts. The bicycle has reached the perfection of mechanical construction in its present form, and alleged improvements this season are minor. Simplicity is still the keynote of making them. Whatever improvements there are, dealers say, are rather requirements than changes, the strengthening of parts tl)at have shown weaknes?, for instanoe.. The cushion frame is seen on some wheels. It lessens the jar in passing over rough places. There is an extension handle bar for riders with long bodies who like to have the bars further away from them. One inch tubing is back again, displacing the li and 1£ inch that has been recently used. As there is no improvement in construction, there is also none in price. The standard makes are offered at S4O to SSO. These prices buy the best of everything that goes in a wheel, including workmanship. There are plenty of the cheaper kinds. The chainless wheel is still prominent. It is not as speedy as the chaiu kind, and so is not as popular with younger riders. It is said that it is not as easy riding as the chain wheel when the latter is new, but the time comes when the latter gets more or less clogged with dirt, and for easy r.ding gives way to the chainless. Then the chainless requires so much less care that it is tempting to those who have no inclination, and think’ they have no time to “monkey’, with a wheel. It is popular with business and professional mßn.-Ex