318 PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY, 



we have no means of discovering from these records what the highest 

 speed of a bicycle rider may be. It is inconceivable that there should 

 be no fatigue for 50 or 30 miles. If the record speed over 30 miles 

 be 23.77 meters per second, the speed over 2 miles should be much 

 greater. If the same law of fatigue held for bicycle riders as for run- 

 ners, walkers, swimmers, and skaters, the speed at 2 miles should be 

 approximately Vl5 or 1.40 times greater ; viz., 33.3 meters per second, 

 or 74.4 miles per hour. There is no proof, however, that the same law 

 of fatigue applies, and the air resistance at such high speeds might in- 

 fluence the results. It is, however, evident that the speed at 2 miles, 

 or similar distances, is kept down abnormally to that at 30 miles. The 

 explanation suggests itself that the records are all made on a circular 

 track of considerable lateral inclination. The cyclist, on short runs, 

 perhaps attains the highest speed that he dares and not the highest 

 speed that his muscles could develop. When travelHng at 23.75 meters 

 per second (53 miles per hour), careful steering must be needed to keep 

 on the track, and perhaps the records indicate the limit of steering 

 nerve rather than the limits of speed and endurance below 30 or 50 

 miles. The case is somewhat similar to that of automobiles in this 

 respect. The track records of heavy-weight gasolene automobiles, as 

 given in " The World Almanac " for 1906, indicate speeds of 30 meters 

 per second (67 miles per hour) at 1 mile, and hardly any reduction 

 up to 10 miles, or no sensible fatigue within those limits. At 1000 

 miles (1609 kilometers) the speed is 20.35 meters per second (45.5 

 miles per hour). But on the straightaway courses, as distinguished 

 from track courses, the speed averaged 46.77 meters per second (104.5 

 miles per hour) at 1 mile, and fell off distinctly with distance at a 

 rate very similar to the fatigue rate of racing animals. Until, there- 

 fore, we have a wide straightaway course, say 5 kilometers long, pro- 

 vided for cyclists, of as good quality throughout as is presented in 

 circular tracks, the cyclist's maximum speed will remain a matter 

 of doubt. 



Summary of Results. 



A summary of the results of the various analyses in regard to 

 accuracy is presented in Table XL Column I refers to the table con- 

 sidered. Column II, the character of the race. The total number of 

 records in each table appears in column III. The range of distances 

 covered is given in column IV, both in miles and in kilometers. The 

 sum total of the percentage deviations, without regard to their sign, 

 as found for each table, including every record, is given in column V. 

 The quotient of the sum in column V, by the number of records in 



