Montreal Bicycle Club
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      • 1870's Ice Velocipede >
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        • 1885 Notman Composite Photograph >
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          • Toast to Bertie Lane
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      • 1893 Annual Report
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        • 1894 CWA Racing Rules
      • 1895 Annual Report
      • 1896 Annual Report >
        • 1896 Montreal Star Bicycle Issue
      • 1897 Annual Report >
        • 1897 Notman Composite Photograph
      • 1898 Annual Report >
        • 1898 Queens Park Velodrome Verdun
      • 1899 World Championship Speculation >
        • 1899 Major Taylor sets World record
        • 1899 World Championship Report
        • 1899 Montreal Gazette 10 Aug
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      • 1901 Annual Report
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Montreal Bicycle Club Scrapbook

1887
Back
Bertie Lane & CDN hill

Picture
Master Lane and bicycle, Montreal, QC, 1885
  
From MBC Minute Book 16 June 1887.
Picture

Picture
Canadian Wheelman July 1887

Hill Climbing Contest

he Montreal Herald of June 15 says: Decidedly one of the most meritorious performances in the shape of bicycle riding took place last night, when Master Bertie Lane, son of Mister A.T. Lane, succeeded in riding up the whole of the steep and by no means well-laid, Cote des Neiges hill, beating his father, J. Robertson, J.T. Barlow, F.Scott, and E. P. Baird thus winning a most unique and hard contest.   The distance is just over a mile, and the angles of the hill, which is shaped like three exaggerated steps, have been calculated to be about 26 degrees. Messrs L. Smith, T. Gaendigner and L. Rubinstein officiated as judge, each taking charge of a third of the distance. Precisely at 7:30 p.m. Mr. Palmer sent of Robertson.  He succeeded in reaching as far as the bend opposite Beard’s Ave, when he commenced to tire,and, endeavoring to turn towards the farm wall, lost command and fell. Two minutes were allowed between each competitor.   J.T. Barlow was next to try, but he succumbed at the same spot that knocked Robertson out.   Mr A.T. Lane and his boy, Master Bertie, commenced together, the father leading until McGregor Avenue was reached.  Here the severity of the hill told its tale, and his progress was very slow.  Bertie Lane, riding with wonderful ease and command over his bicycle, then passed his father, amid the cheers of a number of spectators ; then, taking a corkscrew course up the rest of the hill gradually made his way up the severe bit just below the lookout over the Priest’s farm, which, should be stated was very rutty.  Some five yards before the crest of the road the little boys legs seemed to stop motion, but ere the conveyance could topple over he was at it again, and most pluckily did he stick to it, for a minute later he had accomplished the ascent, and having ridden about five yards further, tumbled onto his feet the winner of the silver and gold medal presented by Sport and the vanquisher of the Association’s best Wheelmen.  Bertie Lane’s exact time was 10m, 20 s.  After a rest, the M.B.C., thirty two in number, rode to the Athletic Clubhouse.  “H.R.H.” Allen Lowe, Le Mesurier, T. Barlow, and Mr. Baylis delighted the large crowd with their songs, the first-named “In spite of the pants, got there all the same”.  H. Joyce was in command.


Concours d'escalade
L'Herald de Montréal du 15 juin dit: Décidément, l'une des performances les plus méritantes en forme de vélo a eu lieu hier soir, lorsque  Maître Bertie Lane, fils de monsieur A.T. Lane, a réussi à remonter l'ensemble de la colline Cote des Neiges, en pente et pas bien emportée, battant son père, J. Robertson, J.T. Barlow, F.Scott et E. P. Baird gagnant ainsi un concours unique et difficile. La distance est d'un peu plus d'un mille, et les angles de la colline, qui a la forme de trois étapes exagérées, ont été calculés à environ 26 degrés. MM. L. Smith, T. Gaendigner et L. Rubinstein ont été nommés juge, chacun prenant en charge un tiers de la distance. Précisément à 19h30. M. Palmer a envoyé de Robertson. Il a réussi à atteindre le virage en face de l'avenue Beard, quand il a commencé à se fatiguer, et, en essayant de se retourner vers le mur de la ferme, a perdu le commandement et est tombé. Deux minutes ont été autorisées entre chaque concurrent. J.T. Barlow était à côté d'essayer, mais il a succombé au même endroit qui a frappé Robertson. Monsieur A.T. Lane et son garçon, Maître Bertie, ont commencé ensemble, le père menant jusqu'à l'avenue McGregor a été atteint. Ici, la gravité de la colline a raconté son histoire, et ses progrès étaient très lents. Bertie Lane, avec une grande facilité et un commandement sur son vélo, passa son père, au milieu de la joie d'un certain nombre de spectateurs; Puis, en prenant un parcours de tire-bouchon, le reste de la colline remonta progressivement le lourd morceau juste en dessous de l'avant-garde de la ferme du Prêtre, ce qui, disait-on, était très rutty. Quelque cinq mètres avant la crête de la route, les jambes des petits garçons semblaient arrêter le mouvement, mais avant que le moyen de transport ne puisse remonter, il l'était encore, et il s'arrêta de lui, pour une minute plus tard, il avait accompli l'ascension, Et ayant parcouru environ cinq mètres de plus, se sont déchaussés les gagnants de la médaille d'argent et d'or présentée par Sport et le vainqueur des meilleurs Wheelmen de l'Association. L'heure exacte de Bertie Lane était de 10 m, 20 s. Après un repos, le M.B.C, trente-deux en nombre, se rendit au Athletic Clubhouse. "H.R.H." Allen Lowe, Le Mesurier, T. Barlow et M. Baylis ont ravisé la grande foule avec leurs chansons, le premier "Malgré le pantalon, c'est tout de même". H. Joyce était au commandement.
Picture
    The exact route followed is a bit of a mystery.  The Goad map from 1881 shows the location and names of the roads at that time (1887).  I believe that the "lookout over the Priest's farm" was on the south side of Cedar Ave where the present day Montreal General Hospital stands. It does have a excellent view of the College de Montreal, a former Seminary.  The high point of CDN road is near the present day Trafalgar Apartments which looks out to the area west of the Seminary is also possible.

   They may have started at Sherbrooke and Simpson, then passd  McGregor (present day Dr Penfield). The section north of Dr Penfield to Pine Ave is now called McGregor. There is a small laneway to the McConnell house, located at what was marked at S.W. Beard's land called Avenue Steyning.  If this laneway existed in 1887 it may have been called Beard's Ave.  To reach the lookout over Priest's farm they would go on Pine Ave then up a steep section of Cedar.   The "severe bit" just below the lookout would be the steep section of Cedar Ave just east of the Montreal General Hospital.

   Alternatively they may have started at Cote Des Neiges and Sherbrooke., and proceeded up CDN  to Cedar Ave. Then approached the lookout from the west by going up Cedar Ave. Again there would be a "severe bit " near the look out a;though not as steep as the eastern approach.  In this case "the bend opposite Beard's Ave" would be the bend in CDN at Pine Ave which does indeed lead to the S. W. Beard estate.  The look out could have been at the Montreal General Hospital if they followed Cedar Ave or the Trafalgar Apartments if they continued on CDN.
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  • About
    • How to join
    • Contact us
    • Issues >
      • Greene Ave Petition
      • Dalle park Turcot petiton
      • Sherbrooke Street Bike Path
      • Claremont Intersection
  • Minute Book
    • 2 Dec 1878 Meeting
    • Club Minute Book 1878-1904
    • Sobriquets used in modern Minute Book
    • 2017 Annual Report >
      • 4 March 2017, Nuit Blanche
      • 21 March 2017, Re-Founders Meeting
      • 25 March - Earth Hour / Turcot Bicycle Overpass
      • 02 April - Fixture Ride highligthing Issues
      • 18 May Atwater Library Lunchtime Series Talk on Club
      • June - Fixture rides
      • July - Fixture rides
      • August - Fixture rides
      • September - Fixture rides
      • October - Fixture rides
      • November - Fixture Rides
      • December - Fixture Rides
    • 2018 Annual Report >
      • March 2018
      • April 2018 >
        • Pittsburgh to Washington DC Excursion
      • May 2018
      • June 2018
      • July 2018
      • August 2018
      • September 2018 >
        • Park(ing) Day in Westmount 2018
      • October 2018
      • November 2018
    • 2019 Annual Report >
      • January 2019
      • February 2019
  • MBC Blog
  • Fixtures Calendar
    • Submit New Fixture Event
    • Instructions on Adding Fixtures to personal Google Calendar
  • History
    • 1867-1874 Velocipede era
    • 1874-1878 High Wheel arrives in Montreal
    • 1878-1918 Bicycle Organizations >
      • MBC Uniforms and Symbols
      • Canadian Wheelmen's Association (CWA) Annual Meets
    • 1881-1890 Elite high wheel era
    • 1890-1899 Safety bicycle craze
    • 1900-1918 Everyday transportation
    • Bio's >
      • Joseph Drury
      • A.T. Lane
      • Louis Rubenstein
      • C.J. Sidey
      • Henry Sturmey
      • Major Taylor
      • H.S. Tibbs
    • Scrapbook >
      • 1870's Ice Velocipede >
        • 1878 MBC By Laws
      • 1880 MBC Meeting to join LAW >
        • 1882 Group Photo and early race
        • 1883 MBC History from CWA The Bicycle
        • 1884 Mr Jenkins Ottawa-Matane tour >
          • 1884 CWA request for funds by Karl Kron
        • 1885 Notman Composite Photograph >
          • 1885 Fixtures and race reports
          • 1885 kangaroos and tricycles
          • 1885 W.G. Ross, early champion
        • 1886 Fixtures, race and CWA parade reports
        • 1887 Bertie Lane & CDN hill >
          • Toast to Bertie Lane
        • 1888 Ottawa Meet >
          • 1888 CWA Belleville Meet
          • 1888 Gnaedinger Cup
        • 1889 CWA St Catherines Meet
      • 1890 MAAA grounds & road racing >
        • 1890 CWA Ottawa Meet >
          • 1891 Road Race, Safeties vs Ordinaries
        • 1891 Arrival of Safety Bicycle >
          • 1891 CWA Hamilton Meet
          • 1891 MAAA grounds racing
          • 1891 Annual Report
      • 1892 Springtime News >
        • 1892 Racing News
        • 1892 Kingston Meet
        • 1892 Century Run
      • 1893 Annual Report
      • 1894 Sarnia to Montreal Relay Ride >
        • 1894 CWA Meet Montreal
        • 1894 CWA Racing Rules
      • 1895 Annual Report
      • 1896 Annual Report >
        • 1896 Montreal Star Bicycle Issue
      • 1897 Annual Report >
        • 1897 Notman Composite Photograph
      • 1898 Annual Report >
        • 1898 Queens Park Velodrome Verdun
      • 1899 World Championship Speculation >
        • 1899 Major Taylor sets World record
        • 1899 World Championship Report
        • 1899 Montreal Gazette 10 Aug
      • 1900 CWA & CCA
      • 1901 Annual Report
    • Records >
      • Books and papers on subject
      • Online Sources
      • Where to find Artifacts
      • detailed references
      • Historical Points of Interest
      • Historical maps of Montreal
      • 1894 CWA Meet Montreal Map