Page:Burke, W.S. - Cycling in Bengal (1898).djvu/20

 with water to the destruction of the tyres and the rusting of the working parts; if he can strip off the nickel plating wholesale, his joy is perfect. In short, he regards a bicycle committed to his care as something to be rendered unserviceable and unsightly as rapidly as possible, and if left to his own devices, he completely carries out his theory. Many things in this country tend to prevent the cyclist from grooming his own mount; but if the Aryan is to perform the work, the owner's interests are secured by nothing else than constant and minute examination. And while on the subject, we may say that the thing can be over done.

A good clean-up is desirable once in a while, but not absolutely necessary, as regards the outside. If a man's natural instinct does not teach him to keep his wheel spick and span, the wheel will not necessarily suffer. It may be covered with mud or grease and run as easily and give the rider just as much satisfaction as the most fastidiously kept bicycle, provided, of course, the running parts are in good condition, which is a simple matter to attend to.

It must not be understood that we are in favour of dirty bicycles, inside or out, but people before this have been deterred from purchasing wheels through a mistaken sense of the requirements necessary to keep them in serviceable condition, and it is our purpose to show that no great sacrifice of time or energy is required. What is in reality a simple matter has, to the uninitiated, assumed forbidding proportions, chiefly because it is customary to give too many directions. Most riders, after a time, by contact with others, naturally and without effort,