THE CRAZE FOR “DROP.”
The one thing accomplished by the lowered frame of 1898, which is the chief change of the year, is a small further lowering of crank axle; and this lowering or drop it is not quite easy to contemplate without impatience. The natural construction of the diamond frame would put the crank axle in line with the wheel axles, or very nearly so; the drop is a concession, serving no useful end except to make the mount and dismount easier for women. Within reason, it is therefore well; carried to excess, it involves the risks already pointed out; turned into an end and a sine qua non, it becomes foolishness. As a case for illustration, a bright young fellow who has quite a taste for bicycle mechanics recently came to the writer for advice. His question was whether to buy the Blank racer (a first-class wheel by one of the best makers) or the new model of his present make, with 30-inch wheels. The advice was to leave the latter alone, and the reasons were given, to wit: that the 28-inch size was not reached arbitrarily, but as the best practical adjustment of all the conditions of the case, and after a long trial, which included both 32 and 30 wheels, separately and in combination; that enlarging the wheel means increase in weight, and lengthening of the already awkward wheel-base; that it involves special rims, tires, and spokes, together with added cost and trouble in frame-making, just when makers are trying to reach uniformity; and that bringing out this size seems to be a mistaken sop thrown to fadism and one which cannot last. But—this was the plea—a greater drop of the hanger could thus be had, and it was an aid to steadiness in balancing to get nearer the ground. More drop, yes; but what of that? Memory recalled how, in England, the smaller wheel was met by the argument that on a high wheel the rider could get a wider view of the country by being raised higher from the ground; and how, when the writer, in 1882, brought over the Facile, the first specimen of a small bicycle seen in America, so far as appears, the scorcher of the day viewed it with lofty contempt, and “wouldn’t like to be found dead on that thing.” Its wheel was 44 inches, but it was esteemed lowly; now, the scorcher is willing to forego the broadening of his horizon to be attained by being a foot or two higher above the ground and wants the aid in balancing to be had by a saddle an inch and a half nearer the ground! The young fellow in this present case went away, perhaps convinced but not satisfied, and in a few days appeared with the coveted 30-inch wheel; the 4-inch drop had had its way. Great is the sway of fashion, and if drop is to be the fetish, should it not be observed that if the wheel is only made large enough the drop can be made low to suit? Why rest satisfied with a drop of a few inches?
The foregoing would be misconstrued if any desire to decry the small maker were read into it. He has a right to live if he can, and to grow into the large maker by natural evolution. Yet it may be said against the assembler of component parts that the admitted evil of changes from year to year—changes, not improvement, but for the sake of change—may be laid in good part at his door. In the view of political economy, it cannot be deemed wise that a slight change in the height or shape of the silk hat—a change in the round of possible changes—should compel the purchase of the very latest (perhaps a return of one of the earliest) and the discarding of one not seriously worse for wear. The silk hat is not head gear for work, and the crow is no such student of fashion plates that he requires the latest curl in brim; and if it be said that new production furnishes employment to labor, why not have labor employed in adding to the stock of usable things instead of replacing needless waste? Of course, as chroniclers, we must describe what changes are in the 1898 bicycle product; yet this does not preclude the comment that these changed frame shapes are not one whit better—in mechanical design, ease of running, strength, or even in appearance, unless one chooses to believe so—than the 1897 wheel.
CHAPTER XVI.
TANDEMS AND MULTICYCLES.
The word “tandem” is of Latin derivation, and means at length, and, like a great deal of our cycle nomenclature, it was taken from the horse and carriage trade, where the word was intended to express a harnessing of horses one before another instead of side by side, but it was, however, not strictly limited to two horses, and meant any number that might be driven in this fashion. What is known as a tandem bicycle, however, is one carrying two persons only, one in front of the other, but if more than two persons are carried the vehicle is then classed as a multicycle. For instance, one carrying three people is called a triplet; four, a quadruplet; five, a quintuplet; six, a sextuplet; seven, a septuplet; eight, an octuplet; nine, a nontuplet, and the only ten-seater that has ever been built is called the “Oriten,” because it is built by the makers of the Orient cycles. Its proper name, however, would be decemtuple.
Multicycles, as they are called, are only made by a few of the makers. The makers of the Dayton, World and [Andrae] make triplets and “quads.” The makers of the Tribune and [Wolff-American] make triplets; the makers of the [Stearns] make a septuplet; the makers of the Orient make triplets, “quads,” “quints,” “sexes,” septuplets and the “[Oriten]” already referred to. Triplets are not very largely used for road riding and touring, and the few “quads” seen on the road are, as a rule, owned by clubs, and manned by crews of these clubs; and one of the most popular makers of multicycles for club use is Peter Berlo of Boston. Mass., who, in addition to being a builder of multicycles, is well known as a professional racing man. The development of paced races among the Michael-Starbuck class, paced by multicycles, has undoubtedly added largely to the popular interest taken in multicycles. They form a pretty picture indeed on a circular track, with their riders mounted in gay costumes, and the speed and skill with which they are handled arouses the spectators to greater enthusiasm than any other form of cycle racing ever introduced.
