1906

as though it was time he took a back seat among the crocks. Well I’m not yet 31, but my beard and general appearance on a bicycle lead people to think it simply ludicrous for an old fellow like me to ride a speed iron with wood rims, tubular tyres, dropped bars etc.

I rode this light machine for ease, usually; and at other times for revenge, in giving lessons on speed and staying powers as per above; for experience has taught me that no man can be speedy on a heavy machine.

On several evenings this machine served me well, after of which I will relate a few instances.

One evening after tea I left home for a ride on the London Road, and had proceeded about a mile slowly when I heard a motor byke puffing along behind. This familiar sound quickly woke me up to the possibilities of some pace which I was pleased to take.

I gradually accelerated my pace till when the motor was level me I was travelling at the same pace as it and prepared to fall in behind, when I noticed a young man mounted on a racy looking mount, hanging on behind, who looked at me in a scornful sort of way and shouted to the motorist to go on and “put it through him”. That set up my bristles, and I reckoned that young spark would have a rough time before I finished with him. The motorist clapped on full speed ahead, and I dropped onto our friend’s back wheel. We approached a slight hill with a long gentle slope for two miles beyond it; the hill fairly paralyzed the speed man, and the motor was leaving him, I dashed past him, took the back wheel of the motor, and away we sailed leaving the would be pace follower. Naturally the motorist mistook me for his friend, and kept tearing ahead till a sharp bend in Hadleigh village brought him up, when he looked round, and was so shocked to see the despised stranger behind him instead