To the oscillating features found in the human organism the genius of man has added a full circular revolving mechanism, pushing further nature’s aspiration to roll. Nature rolls a little, and then rolls back again; man has so improved upon himself by the addition of a wheel that he can roll on forever. It is quite evident that by such means he saves much energy; let us now determine if possible how this saving can be still further increased. The whole question of the advantages of the cycle method or wheel locomotion must resolve itself into one of reduction of organic friction as shown by fatigue in the body. All inorganic friction, such as metallic friction in the machine and upon the road, must be finally overcome at the expense of organic friction due to the exercise of the muscles in man. Without stopping to discuss such profound questions as to just what organic friction is, or as to how the display of energy creates friction, we will confine ourselves to the more tangible problem,—to wit, improvements upon the improvement; that is to say, granting the cycle method to be an improvement upon the leg method, we will discuss improvements in the cycle method. We feel perfectly justified, from our own experience and observation, in adopting, as a basis upon which to build all future improvements, the broad principle underlying the intervention of continually rolling wheels between the rider and his road-way. Now, we ask, what are the requirements appertaining particularly to this wheel method? In order to approach the subject logically, I repeat that the fundamental requirement is the reduction of organic friction or fatigue of the body. The above requirement is met in two ways: First, directly; that is to say, by working the muscles of the body to the best possible advantage; secondly, indirectly, by reducing the inorganic friction such as is found in the machine and in its action upon the road. We shall attack first the reduction of direct organic friction by discussing the manner of applying the energy of man to revolve the wheel; his position and economy of power; and secondly, the reduction of the indirect or inorganic friction in the machine by regulating the size of the wheels and weight thereof, the jolt or jar, the friction of the parts one upon another, loss of momentum, and such other problems as may present themselves in the course of our discussion. The terms used in this book hereafter will be largely arbitrary. Man-motor and locomotive carriages, velocipedes, unicycles, bicycles, tricycles, tandems, and all such terms will be included more or less in the broad terms “cycle” and “cycle-method.” Wherever any distinctive feature is to be made prominent, then such qualifying adjuncts or special terms will be used as express it.