WHEEL WHIRLS, Oakland Tribune, 08 Oct 1890, Wed, Page 3

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WHEEL WHIRLS.

Some Hints About Learning to Ride a Bicycle

Thomas Stevens, the around-the-world cyclist, is now traveling in Russia. He states that the Russian army has adopted cycles for war purposes.
An Irishman sitting in the park at dusk sees two riders pass by on a tandem and remarks: 'Be jabers, Mike, would you see then two dudes having a race wid each other.'
The attempted ride of Rowe and Barr across the continent is the first ever attempted on rear-driving Safeties.
The Long Island Wheelmen, of Brooklyn, N. Y., are talking of sending two representatives out to California next year. They intend breaking the record for riding across the continent.
Miss Maggie Kirkwood, the well known long distance rider, has just accomplished another century run of 116 7/8 miles in 12 hours and 9 1/2 minutes.
Colonel R. de Clairmont, formerly of San Francisco, Cal., and now holding a high position in the employment of the Gautemalan [sic] Government, was the pioneer 'cycler of the Pacific coast. He commenced riding one of the Parisian made bicycles in 1873.
R. A. Lloyd, on September 18th, at the Paddington Grounds, London, Eng., broke the three mile American record for the safety, his time being 7:56 4-5, thus breaking the American record by just 1 minute, 4-5 seconds.
All the roads have been in excellent condition since the rain, but are beginning to get dusty again. A great many riders have been touring during the past week, and evening runs were all the go.
Stephen Rice, the proprietor of the Oakland Cyclery, has become an enthusiastic rider, and can be seen every noon and evening pedaling his machine to and from his home.
The St. Louis Spectator gives the following hints to cycling tyros:
First catch your bicycle.
Teach yourself to ride. Knowledge obtained by one's own efforts is more valuable than what others will tell you. That is because it costs more.
Make your first essay on a crowded street. If there are plenty of small children and a few trenches dug for sewer pipes, so much the better.
If you find it impossible to keep your balance at first, alight as gracefully as possible, but alight somehow. Then try it again. After a few trials you will be able to fall off with apparent unconcern and a dozen bruises (also apparent)
Don't try and beat the record for fast riding the first day you experiment.
Don't try to ride over a seven-rail fence or through a brick house. It takes an expert to do this successfully.
Don't take a header until you come to a grassy place."