Mr. C. H. Reed, inter-collegiate bicycle champion for 1883, has written a long letter to the Acta Columbiana in which he unwisely condemns the action of the delegates at the recent meeting of the Inter-collegiate Athletic Association in deciding to have the two mile bicycle race in future run in heats. Mr. Reed says that a two mile race is particularly exhausting and claims that hardly anyone is strong enough to ride two two-mile heats in an afternoon. He mentions that "in 1883 the winner spent the night after the race in an agony, fighting for breath with the assistance of five mustard plasters." If this is the case we should strongly advise that winner never to race again. A two-mile race is considered a hard race, but anyone ought to be able to ride two or even three heats in a afternoon with half an hour's rest between. As to the strength necessary we wonder at Mr. Reed's statements, for among bicycle riders it is usually the custom to ride two races in an afternoon's sport.

Mr. Reed's next argument is the old and worn out one, that if a race is run in heats the best man often does not win. This reason goes for nothing when it is considered that all short distance running championships, the one and five mile Bicycle Union bicycle championships, the one, five and ten mile Bicycle Union tricycle championships, are all run in heats. In 1883 the first and second mile in the five mile tricycle championships had to run four heats, i. e., 20 miles during an afternoon. In one of these heats the record was broken and three out of the four were fast. There was no complaint that the best man didn't win. Staying power must be taken into account, and he is the best man who has combined most stay and most speed.

Mr. Reed's next statement is that the Polo Grounds' track is wide enough to start two rows of riders without mishap. Though last year a fall occurred from bad starting, yet the danger is more in the number of riders at one time on the track than the number starting. Besides the starters rarely know their business and dangerous falls are sure to occur if the number of starters is large. Mr. Reed mentions that there is a rule which provides that the race be started again if the starters fall within 10 yards of the start. This rule is well enough but gives small satisfaction to the man in front whose machine is smashed to bits by a bad starter behind, as in the case of Mr. Rood last year.

We happen to know that this rule of the race in heats was strongly urged by Harvard's delegates who knew that the gentlemen who will represent Harvard this year do not wish to take any chances to being killed either by ignorant starters or a crowd of riders on the track. Mr. Reed closes his article by urging the formation of an Inter-collegiate Bicycle Association. This would be a capital plan, but we doubt if the interest taken in bicycling in the colleges is great enough. In a few years will be the time for such a movement to be made.