THE CYCLISTS 



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figures were revised, C. A. Smith, on one of the few 

 occasions on which he deserted the tricycle for the 

 two-wheeler, accomplishing the double journey in 6 hrs. 

 6 mins. 46 sees. On the 22nd of the same busy month 

 Edge for the fourth and last time took the record, 

 on this occasion by the margin of 14 nuns. 16 sees. 

 The road then knew him no more as a record-breaking 

 cyclist, and his achievement lasted — not days, but 

 hours, for on the same day Dance lowered it by the 

 infinitesimal fraction of 12 seconds. On October 4th 

 W. W. Robertson set up a tricycle record of 7 hrs. 

 24 mins. 2 sees, for the double journey, and then a 

 crowded year ended. 



The much-worried records of the Brighton Road 

 came in for another turn in 1894, W. R. Toft, on 

 June 11th, reducing the tricycle time, and C. G. 

 Wridgway on September 12th lowering that for the 

 bicycle. This year was also remarkable for the 

 appearance of women speed cyclists, setting up records 

 of their own, Mrs. Noble cycling to Brighton and back 

 in 8 hrs. 9 mins., followed on September 20th by Miss 

 Reynolds in 7 hrs. 48 mins. 46 sees., and on September 

 22nd by Miss White in 42 mins. shorter time. 



The season of 1895 was not very eventful, with 

 the ride by A. A. Chase in 5 hrs. 34 mins. 58 sees. ; 

 34 sees, better than the previous best, and the lowering 

 by J. Parsley of the tricycle record by over an hour ; 

 but it was notable for an almost incredible eccentricity, 

 that of cycling backwards to Brighton. This feat 

 was accomplished by J. H. Herbert in November, as 

 an advertising sensation on behalf of the inventor of 

 a new machine exhibited at the Stanley Show. He 

 rode facing the hind wheel and standing on the pedals. 

 Punctures, mud, rain, and wind delayed him, but he 

 reached Brighton in 7 hrs. 45 mins. 



On June 26th, 1896, E. D. Smith and C. A. Green- 

 wood established a tandem-cycle record of 5 hrs. 

 37 mins. 34 sees., demolished September 15th ; while 

 on July 15th C. G. Wridgway regained his lost single 

 record, beating Chase's figures by 12 mins. 25 sees. 



