if they essay feats they should not attempt. Many decide that a thing
must be easy of accomplishment because they have seen some one do it
easily. Easy muscular work, however, is the result of strength,
confidence, and precision of movement, which come only from practice.
All new muscular movements and combinations of movements must be
learned; they cannot be acquired hurriedly with good results. People who
can work well are usually patient with a beginner who is doing his best,
knowing themselves what it means to work hard and to face disappointment
and failure and what is involved in repeated effort. The ambitious are
liable to over-exertion, the timid not to practice enough.
There is much prejudice against athletic exercise for women and girls,
many believing that nothing of the kind can be done without over-doing;
but there is a right way of going about athletics as everything else.
Prejudice can be removed only by showing good results, and good results
can be accomplished only by work done under proper restrictions. To do a
thing easily is to do it gracefully; and grace, without properly
balanced muscular action, is impossible; grace is the embodiment of
balance, strength, and intelligence. Jerky movement indicates lack of
muscular development and training.
The human machine is capable of a seemingly unlimited series of muscular
movements and combined muscular motions. Any training or practice of
mind or muscles assists to fit them for new combinations. But little
time is necessary to learn to know how to do and what to do, though the
subjects to be considered, mechanics and physiology, are exhaustive and
extensive in their range.
It is always a pleasure to do a thing well, whether it is handling a
needle or using a screw-driver; and the art of using either successfully
is not difficult to acquire. With the bicycle it is necessary to know
what to do; the human motor, unless pushed beyond reasonable limits, is
self-adjusting. Over-taxing is the result often of too great ambition,
of failure to keep in view the proper aim of exercise, and sacrificing
health and ultimate success for passing vanity. The bicycle is but the
means to the end, first of all, of health--health of mind and body. The
human mechanism is far more difficult to adjust when out of order than
the mechanism of the bicycle. In bicycling, the two machines are one and
interdependent. The foot on the pedal pushing the crank is but one point
of application of power conveyed by a series of levers, actuated by
muscles, controlled by nerves, supplied and directed by accumulated
power.
[Illustration: ADJUSTING A WRENCH.]
We hear of horse-power as a unit; we have also human power--the amount
of power the average individual can exercise. Food supplies material to
be converted into power, stored and transmuted in the human system
either for use or waste, as the case may be. Energy or power, unless
applied within a specified time, is given off as heat, etc. Less food
is needed, loss of appetite follows, if too little work is done. The
muscular tissues become almost useless, it is an effort to do any kind
of work; the power is not there. By gradual and persistent practice,
strength is acquired, and power stored in reserve. Exercise tends to
strengthen, not to weaken; over-exercise uses up stored power and newly
acquired power as well; longer periods of rest are needed to renew the
wasted tissues than is necessary when exercise is not carried to excess.
It must be kept in mind when bicycling that rider and wheel are a
complete, compound, combined mechanism, and mechanically inseparable.
The wheeler’s weight, when shifted or inclined, affects his equilibrium,
and wheeler and bicycle are as much one as a skater and his skates.
Levers and their application; power, stored, distributed, or wasted; how
to prevent waste and acquire reserve; proper adjustment to mechanical
environment, translated to mean the use of a few common tools, and their
application to the adjustment of the bicycle; and the care, adjustment,
and proper preparation of the machine for work, are points of such
importance that too much stress cannot be laid on them. A little
thought, a little attention at the right time, prepares for emergencies,
for cheerful work, and for the enjoyment of the exercise, and the health
and accumulated benefits sure to follow.
_CHAPTER XIV._
_Tools and How to Use Them._
“A nut is a piece of metal adapted to screw on the end of a bolt.” “A
bolt is a stout metallic pin adapted for holding objects together.” The
nut is to the bolt what the knot is to the thread, to keep it from
slipping through. Iron and steel are fibrous materials, and very hard;
though strong, they are also brittle. Indeed, these metals, and metals
generally, resemble molasses candy in their nature more than any other
familiar substance that will serve for illustration. When heated, they
become soft and liquid; when cold, they are tough, hard, and even
brittle. A few powerful, sharp blows with a heavy object are enough to
fracture a piece of metal. Direct, heavy blows or tapping on the end of
a bolt will flatten and alter its shape sufficiently to cause the edges
to project, a very little seemingly, but enough to render it useless.
[Illustration: APPLYING POWER.]
If you wish to remove a bolt that seems to fit too tight and resists
ordinary methods, place the nut on the bolt, and screw it on level, so
that the end of the bolt will be flush or even with the top of the nut.
Then lay your piece of wood, quite smooth and flat, on the nut and bolt,
covering both, and hammer gently on that with a heavy hammer, with
gentle, short, sharp, even strokes. The most obstinate bolt will usually
yield to this method of persuasion. Should a burr have formed on the end
of a bolt, a file is necessary to remove it; and filing off a burr is a
somewhat lengthy and tedious operation.
Unscrew a nut gently and examine it. On the inside will be found a
spiral groove and a spiral ridge or thread. Examine the bolt, and
observe a similar spiral groove and thread. These, when screwed
together, prevent slipping, and the nut cannot be pulled or pushed off.
To remove the nut, it is necessary to turn it; and always turn one way,
from left to right, if the nut lies uppermost.
To keep a nut from unscrewing by jarring, etc., screw it down until it
jams, as it is called, firmly against the surface it rests on. If
screwed too tight, it will burst or break the thread, or if enough force
is applied the bolt may break. This hardly seems possible until we
realize that in the wrench we possess a very powerful lever, capable of
destroying quite a large bolt and its accompanying nut. If pains be
taken always to start a nut on square and to turn gently and firmly and
not too fast, the previous instructions may prove unnecessary.
There are usually two kinds of wrench in a bicycle outfit--an adjustable
wrench with sliding jaw, and one or more key-wrenches, so called because
made to fit particular parts of the machine, and to be used for them
only. The adjustable wrench with sliding jaw should be used with the
pressure or pull coming on the angle of the head, and the sliding jaw
so placed as to hold its position, the wrench applied so that the
greatest strain is taken at the strongest part; then the faces of the
jaw keep smooth and true, and will not deface the plating or polish of
the machine.
There is another point to note--that a properly adjusted wrench starts a
nut easily, while if the strain is taken on the movable jaw of the
wrench, there is give enough in the wrench itself to prevent the nut
from starting, and the wrench slips off the nut without effecting its
object. The handle of the wrench acts as a lever, and the head of the
wrench forms a right angle with the handle; it is here that the power is
centred, not at the angle made by the movable jaw. Of course, this
position seems the reverse of proper until it is analyzed; but once
understood and adopted, it will prove most effective.
There are various screws in and about the machine. A screw is defined as
a bolt or bar having a thread cut upon it spirally, so that it will
enter a hole in which a corresponding spiral groove and thread have been
cut, or on which they will be formed by the screw entering the hole. The
thread and screw interwind and prevent the screw from being withdrawn
unless it is turned. To turn the screw, a notch is cut on one end, which
is made flat for that purpose, and the other end of the screw is
pointed, to enable it to enter the hole easily. After a screw is placed
and started in its proper hole, it is only necessary to turn it until it
is driven home. To turn the screw, a short bar is flattened thin to
enter the notch on the end of the screw.
[Illustration: SCREWING UP.]
The screw-driver should be held and turned with one hand, and steadied
and guided with the other. Metal is not so hard but that the leverage of
the screw-driver is enough to bend the notches on the end of a screw,
and thus render it useless. The question may be raised, Why are not
screws made harder? If metal is tempered too hard, it becomes brittle,
and flies. A well-tempered screw should be neither too hard nor too
soft, but adapted for its particular use or position.
A screw should always be made clean before it is screwed home, any
particle of dust or rust being liable to injure the thread and spoil the
screw. If the screw is oily or greasy, it will work loose. All screws,
bolts, etc., therefore, should be carefully wiped, and never placed
where there is any chance for even a little dust to settle upon them. A
nut with a small grain of sand inside will burst or break the thread of
the bolt.
Bolts and screws are used to hold different parts together or in place
and to give strength and firmness.
There is usually an oil-can belonging to every machine, and a bicycle
should be provided with a good one, small, light, and easily carried;
and special care should be taken that it does not leak. A greasy oil-can
is unpleasant to handle and almost useless, as it cannot be handled
properly. The least possible amount of oil that can be used is the
proper quantity. Greasy bearings only collect dust, and the dust follows
the oil back into the friction surfaces, where its presence is always
undesirable.
Two kinds of lubricant are used on a bicycle--oil and graphite. A
lubricant is used to diminish friction where two or more surfaces move
over each other. If these surfaces are of the same material and the same
degree of hardness, they do not slip; but the unevennesses of the
surfaces engage each other and cause resistance, which produces
friction, and friction causes heat, and the parts move more and more
slowly, until at last they stop. Now, if a substance of a different
character, like oil or graphite, is introduced between the moving
surfaces, it forms little cushions, which prevent the two surfaces from
coming into close contact; and, as the oil or graphite splits up readily
into minute particles, the surfaces slip upon that, instead of holding
fast. A smooth surface of metal is full of inequalities, perceptible
when magnified, and slipping past each other with as much difficulty as
would surfaces of sand paper. Only oil of the best quality and pure
graphite should be used. Nothing sticky or gritty in its nature should
be allowed near bearing surfaces.
The pump is an all-important and indispensable adjunct of the pneumatic
tire. Each tire is fitted with a valve, and accompanied by a pump with
which to inflate it. A valve is a lifting, sliding cover, connected with
an aperture to prevent the passage of air or other fluids, and so
constructed that the pump forces the cover down, and the air pushes
past. The cover is held in place by a spring and air pressure, and,
fitting tightly against a washer of some soft, impervious material,
makes an air-tight joint, and will not move unless displaced. The pump
itself is fitted with a valve to fill its cylinder or barrel with
air, and to hold the air after the cylinder is full and when the plunger
of the pump is forcing the air out of it again. A flexible tube coupling
is used to connect the pump-barrel with the valve of the tire.
[Illustration: UNSCREWING.]
The valves are of many patterns and sizes, and there are pumps made to
fit special tires, and pumps that will in a manner suit almost any
ordinary valve. It is most important to note that all the washers about
the pump and valves are in place. Deflated tires are often caused by a
misplaced washer; and though valves are so constructed that it is not
easy to disturb the washers, still it is well to know where they are and
when they require attention. Washers wear out and require renewing, and
sometimes a defective washer should be replaced; they are usually made
of rubber or leather, but metal washers are sometimes used where there
is much pressure or friction.
The metal used in bicycle construction must be finished, smoothed, and
prepared to resist the corroding effects of the atmosphere and to
present an attractive and durable exterior. The metal used for the
different parts must be smoothed and polished; all foreign substances,
like grease, removed from their surface by a chemical process; and
lastly a coating of nickel deposited on the surface by means of
electricity. The nickel in this way becomes a part of the original
metal, and protects its surface from rust and corrosion. A well-nickeled
piece of metal, beautifully polished, and kept free from finger marks,
loses its lustre only when neglected. Of course, there are other ways
of finishing the surface of the metal parts of the bicycle; other
plating metal may be substituted for the nickel, and other finish than
polish used.
Light wheels cannot be recommended for rough country or for very fast
work over only moderately good roads. A certain weight of material has
been taken from the bicycle to make it light; the machine begins to lose
its rigidity and consequently its accuracy, and cannot maintain its
direction, but wavers, and really travels further to attain a given
distance. The weight of a bicycle should depend on the roads it is to
cover and the purposes it is to serve. Very light wheels wear out
quickly; they cannot stand the strain of practice. Beginners, therefore,
should choose a wheel that can endure the handling they will give it.
A very light, well-made, and delicately adjusted bicycle can carry a
skilled cyclist anywhere; but a light wheel sooner loses its accuracy,
and is then more difficult to work than a heavier wheel that runs true.
Heavy wheels are not to be endured; light wheels, too light wheels, not
to be encouraged.
_CHAPTER XV._
_Solving a Problem._
When choosing a wheel, you should know what you want and why you want
it. Machines are built for special purposes, and any reliable dealer can
help you in selecting a machine and will guarantee satisfaction.
Bicycles wear out, of course, but with proper care they may be made to
last a long time.
Careful examination of your wheel should always be made before starting
for even a short ride; and on returning it is well to test gear and
pedals, to look at spokes and tires. Any needed repair can be noted, and
attended to at convenience. Always examine your bicycle thoroughly after
a collision, for shocks are dangerous even to the toughest metal, and
such precaution may prevent a serious accident.
On returning from a ride the wheel should have a thorough going over,
the enamel dusted, and any mud washed off with a wet sponge. The chain,
if your machine has one, should be taken off every two or three hundred
miles of dusty road, and soaked in kerosene over night; the nickel or
metal well dusted, rubbed with a chamois, and polished; and all the
bearings, axles, and gear carefully wiped, and dust and grit removed.
Then the chain should be replaced, oiled, graphited, and the bearings
oiled.
The chain is a complicated mechanism, consisting of many repetitions of
parts; it should be kept clean and well lubricated. To apply graphite,
turn the wheel upside down, hold the graphite still against the chain,
and turn the wheel. The oil is needed in the joints of the chain; the
graphite where the chain engages the cogs. The other parts used for
applying power need the usual care given to the best machines--absolute
cleanliness, freedom from grit, and thorough lubrication.
The chain is at present a mechanical detail only, and the application of
power to the wheel capable of a great variety of forms. The principle
remains the same, the application of power; the mechanical contrivance
for transmitting it is a detail of construction. The difference of
individuality can be compensated for in the length of the lever, size
and number of gear, size of wheel, diameter of wheel, and width of
tread.
The ideal machine requires little adjustment. The less the screws, the
nuts, and the bearings are wrenched, the more perfect is the machine,
the more free from wear and dents and scratches. To apply a wrench is a
serious responsibility that should not be undertaken lightly. It seems
easy, and yet skilled men are employed just for that kind of work, for
it is work requiring the precision of the trained mechanic.
[Illustration: PREPARING TO TURN THE BICYCLE OVER.]
After purchasing a watch, the owner does not at once investigate the
machinery; yet many, because the tools are at hand, are tempted to
experiment on a bicycle. A bicycle, like a watch, should be ready to
run, and only require winding up to keep it going. It should be
adjusted; and if it needs regulating, this should be done by people who
understand the machine and have the requisite knowledge and
responsibility to do well what is to be done. Two rules may be laid down
for one who does not study mechanical details--never to touch the
bicycle except to ride it; and never to let any one else touch it who
has not skill and experience.
This practice will prove satisfactory until some day, miles from home,
the bicycle will not go; you carry it more miles to the nearest
conveyance, and send it home. There you have it examined, and find that
a touch sets it free; just as sometimes, when your watch will not go,
you take it to a watchmaker, and he examines it, winds it up, and hands
it back, telling you there is no charge. After learning to wheel a
bicycle, therefore, the next step should be to learn to care for it.
Unless somewhat familiar with machinery, it is bewildering to
contemplate taking the thing apart and putting all those parts together
again; even more bewildering is it, having taken the thing apart, not to
be able to put it together. In such case, there is nothing to do but to
gather the pieces of the puzzle, and send them to be set up. If in this
extremity a friend who knows all about a bicycle should offer
assistance, it is well to hear what he has to say before he undertakes
the work. “I do not think your wheel is just like mine,” perhaps, or
“Where do these things belong?” is enough for the wise. Better send to
the shop for a machinist at once. All the parts of the bicycle are made
to go together in one way, and any attempt at experiment may injure the
mechanism.
When you undertake to investigate a bicycle for the first time, take an
old one as a subject, and endeavor to put it in perfect running order.
If an old bicycle cannot be had, proceed with much circumspection. Go
where you will be undisturbed, where there is plenty of room, and where
a key may be turned if there is possibility of interruption. There is
sure to be some oil and grease spattered about, in spite of the utmost
care, and it is well to remember this while making preparations. Have
ready a pile of old newspapers, some cups, plates, and boxes, and a
painting apron if you possess one; if not an old skirt and apron, and
sleeves well rolled up. For tools, a monkey-wrench, two or three
screw-drivers, large as well as small, a hammer, one or two pieces of
wood, the bicycle kit, oil, graphite, a can of kerosene, some
cheesecloth and canton flannel, and a large wooden box.
Take two newspapers folded in half, and put them on the floor for the
saddle and handle-bars; then turn the bicycle upside down, and arrange
the newspapers under the saddle and handles. If there is a bell, take it
off, or place a block under the opposite end of the bar to balance it.
Before turning the bicycle over, remove the lantern, if there is one on
the bicycle, as the oil will be spilled out if the lamp is turned upside
down.
[Illustration: TURNING THE BICYCLE OVER.]
Begin by carefully removing all mud and grit from the bicycle. Wear
old gloves, and remove mud with the hand when possible, finishing with a
cheese-cloth duster and an old oily cloth. Go over all the joints where
the wheels turn, and remove every particle of grit, then remove mud and
dust.
An experienced worker, to save labor, cleans each piece as it comes off,
but the beginner must work more slowly. Have ready a shallow box or tray
to receive the parts as they are removed. Lay each part, as it is taken
off, in the tray, with the oily side up, for a guide. First, remove the
chain, turn it until the nut of the little screw-bolt is found. This
little bolt forms one of the link-pins, and can be found quite readily.
One end of the bolt has a screw-head notch, and the other a nut and
thread. Use the small bicycle screw-wrench for this, a large
screw-driver, and a small screw-driver to fit the screw. Turn the chain
until the bolt is in a convenient position, then take the large
screw-driver or a rod, and place through the spokes of the rear wheel,
letting the bar rest on the frame. This will prevent the wheel from
turning, and keep the pedals and sprocket-wheel in position; your
fingers may be caught and badly cut if this precaution is not taken.
Fasten the small wrench on the little nut, and hold it there with one
hand, with the other unscrewing the little screw with a small
screw-driver. Should the screw fail to yield easily, a drop or two of
kerosene will soften the rust and grit, and help to start it.
Return the nut to the screw end, and place it on the tray. Take hold of
one end of the chain, and remove the bar that steadies the rear wheel,
then turn one of the pedal cranks, and the chain will come off in your
hand. The chain should be placed in kerosene and left to soak.
The enamel of the frame should then be carefully rubbed and polished
with canton flannel. A clean piece should be kept for the purpose, for
if greasy it gives a dull look to the enamel. The plating should be
first polished with a cloth, and then if dull with whiting. Nickel
plating takes a beautiful polish with electro-silicon used on canton
flannel.
Go carefully over each oil-cup, and be sure it is cleaned, and work
around the ends of the axles. Ascertain if either wheel needs adjusting,
and look carefully to see that the rims are true. A good way to do this
is to hold a pencil-top on the frame against the rim of the wheel, and
spin the wheel. If it touches evenly all around, the wheel is true; if
uneven, take the bicycle to a repair shop and have the wheels trued as
soon as possible.
After cleaning all the bearings, put oil in the oil-cups and replace the
chain. It is well to leave the chain soaking in kerosene, and later hang
it up to drip, and when dry, it will be found bright and clean; or keep
a can of lubricating oil in which to soak the chain, and after draining
it thoroughly, wipe clean before replacing on the machine. Take an
oil-can, and oil each separate rivet. Start the chain on the sprocket,
and pull it over the rear sprocket by turning a pedal crank, bringing
the ends on the lower side. Place the bar across as before, to keep the
sprocket from moving, and then replace the little screw-bolt, using a
small wrench, and a screw-driver that fits the screw. Remove the bar,
see that the chain is not too tight, and note if it requires any taking
up, an adjustment that is done in the rear wheel.
[Illustration: THE BICYCLE TURNED OVER.]
Hold the stick of graphite on a convenient surface of the chain, and
turn the cranks; then dust the chain to take off any small lumps of the
lubricant, and the wheel is ready to be run. Examine the tires and
valves, see that the tires are not too soft, and inflate them. See that
the valves are in order, then set the wheel right side up. Replace bell
and lantern, rub off any finger-marks, and the bicycle is ready.