There is a very general complaint of the high prices maintained by the
manufacturers of velocipedes, and it is claimed that they are pocketing
immense receipts, at the expense of an excited and incautious public.
Though there is no doubt that they can be manufactured at prices much
below those at which the best machines are now held, and still yield
a handsome profit, a reduction in price will not be probable so long
as the demand so far exceeds the supply. And now that it is found that
the machine is patented, we will not have the so much wished for cheap
velocipede, which would assuredly have followed the competition that
had commenced, before it was known that one man only held the exclusive
right to their manufacture.
But it must be remembered that as long as materials and labor are so
dear, the cost of manufacture must necessarily be great. A manufacturer
requires draughtsmen to design his improvements, pattern-makers
to prepare models for the foundry, blacksmiths to do the forging,
wheelwrights for the wheels, machinists to turn and fit the work,
foundry-men to cast the pedals and braces, bolt-makers to make the
rivets and bolts, saddlers to prepare the seats, and painters and
varnishers to finish the machine for the wareroom. The wear and tear
in the ordinary use of the velocipede is so great as to require the
very best of material in its construction. There is no other kind of
vehicle which receives such severe usage. The weight of the rider and
the concussions of the road are not only borne by two wheels, but
the necessity of giving the fore wheel a sidewise motion, render it
indispensable to connect the two by a frame, whose peculiar form and
character make it exceedingly liable to be deranged and broken. This
frame and its appendages must be of wrought iron, steel, and brass, and
all its work must be of the best quality, or else the machine will soon
get out of order and become useless. The fittings of the two wheels,
their axles and their journals, must also be of the best workmanship.
The same is true of the wheels themselves. No wood that is not
perfectly seasoned should be used for them; and the hubs, spokes, and
felloes must be built with the utmost care and thoroughness; otherwise
they will soon become wabbling and unsteady, so that speed and comfort
will be out of the question.
The price of a good machine will not fall much below a hundred
dollars, until there is a general decline in the price of all sorts of
commodities.
We advise the purchaser, by all means, to get a _good machine_. It is
now possible to buy cheap velocipedes; and they will, no doubt, be
manufactured much cheaper, and yet be dear at any price. The best are
none too good, and are certainly worth more than the difference.
The hall velocipedes are, for the most part, slim affairs; the frame
made entirely of cast iron, without metal gearings, brakes, or springs,
and useful only for floors. It is uncomfortable for the rider to go
over roughnesses without springs, and a well-built machine is required
to stand the jar of uneven roads.
It is no better policy to purchase a cheap velocipede, than a cheap
ready-made shoe or other article of clothing.
It is a prevalent but erroneous idea, that the larger the bicycle, the
greater the beauty and the greater the speed. A machine with a front
wheel of a diameter of forty inches, is the largest that can possibly
be rendered practicable. Thirty-eight inches is much better; and good
riders prefer that of but thirty-six or thirty-seven inches diameter
for the road.
Before purchasing any machine, especially the cheaper ones, examine
them thoroughly; or if not a judge of good mechanical workmanship, ask
a friend to do it for you. Many defects are concealed by the coatings
of paint, particularly in the castings and forgings; and a machine that
is weak in any point, is a dangerous one in fast riding. Be sure that
every bolt is properly secured by nuts that cannot be shaken off; they
should be riveted into the bolt, as they will soon work loose if not so
fastened. The crank should never be keyed into the shaft, but fastened
on to a square head; or, what is better, shrunk into the shaft.
The ingenious way of supporting lanterns on the machine, is a waste
of time and expense; better some kind of clamps to secure a light
umbrella in front, when the sun shines hot, or it rains; and clamps for
fastening a travelling bag or shawl in the rear, particularly if one
looks forward to country excursions and summer trips.