The Sportswoman's Library, Vol. 2 of 2

by Unknown

Fig. 2.

From a woman's point of view too the effect of ankling is still more important, as beside the gain in speed, it promotes gracefulness. The rise and fall of the knee in riding, is reduced by one half when the ankles are used properly, and the result to the onlooker is consequently more pleasing. For the skirt to hang gracefully and the rider to look well, there should be as little movement of the knees as possible. Therefore, if you sit sufficiently high and use your ankles properly, you will not only be using your powers to the very best advantage, and lessening fatigue, but will at the same time be attaining gracefulness, and in every way improving your appearance in the saddle.

Fig. 3.

Another important point is to keep the legs straight up and down when riding. The knees should not be allowed to go either inwards or outwards on any account, and there should be no "wobbling" in the leg action. The toe and heel should be in a line, at right angles across the pedal, that is, exactly parallel with the crank all the time. Take care that the heel does not twist at all (Fig. 4) on the stroke.

Fig. 4.

Learn to mount from either side of the machine, and to do so lean the machine a little toward you with the outside pedal up, and rather forward, then place your foot on the pedal furthest from you, and as you raise yourself into the saddle, the weight of your body will bear on that pedal, thus sending the opposite one up to meet the other foot.

The dress should be caught in the hand as you put your foot across the machine on to the pedal, and if any further arrangement should be necessary you will, when you are at home in the saddle, find it easy to do this as you go along. A slight pull to the side will be all that is required. When once in the saddle, do not be anxious to find the other pedal, simply keep the machine straight, as it will run a surprising distance of its own accord after the start given to it by the act of mounting, unless, indeed, you should be mounting up hill, which is never desirable for a beginner to attempt. If the foot which was on the ground is allowed to hang downwards as soon as the rider is seated in the saddle, it will find the pedal quite naturally, in fact the pedal will come round to the foot. In dismounting as in mounting, the rider should learn to do it with equal ease and confidence from either side. When the pedal is coming upward, throw the weight upon it—this stops the momentum of the machine—at the same time rising out of the saddle, then pass the other foot over the cycle and step down in front of the pedal, on which the weight of the body is resting. A firm grasp should be kept on both handles, and the machine inclined towards the rider, on the side she dismounts.

The rule of the road is usually ignored by cycling women, but nothing in connection with the pastime is really more important. To observe it always whether necessary or not, is to reduce the possibility of accident to a minimum. It then becomes a habit, and in an emergency the instinct is to do the right thing immediately, the value of which can scarcely be over-estimated. Always ride then to the left side of the road, whether there are vehicles about or not. Remember, it is the unexpected that always happens, and should a cart or cycle suddenly appear from a bye road, an accident will almost surely happen if you are on the side that should be free for them. If in spite of your caution an accident happens, you will at least have the chance of being compensated if you can prove that you were on your proper side at the time; you certainly would not, if you were on the wrong side. There are only two occasions on which this rule is deviated from, viz.: when passing a vehicle which is going in the same direction or when passing a led horse going in either direction. When overtaking a vehicle, never pass between it and the pavement or side-walk, for the tendency is for the driver to pull in toward the left when he hears anything behind him. With a led horse the custom is to keep the man in charge always between oneself and the led horse, no matter in which part of the road the latter may be. The reason is obvious, led horses being sometimes playful with their heels.