By Steve James

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bicycle messengers have been such a part of Manhattan life for so long that they rarely rate a second glance, even when riding the wrong way up one-way streets or intimidating pedestrians with aggressive whistles.

But since the Sept. 11 attacks toppled the World Trade Center, and because of the recent anthrax scare, they are coming under closer scrutiny as businesses tighten security.

And because so many offices have been closed for nearly six weeks in lower Manhattan, these paid pedal pushers are making less in commissions.

In a city where two wheels often beat four on the clogged streets, and deals can be won or lost in a New York minute, the cycle couriers once ruled.

Now they find themselves barred from corridors and offices they used to roam freely, forced to drop off important packages in lobbies teeming with security staff.

Photo ID's are mandatory now and they are screened and questioned more closely than ever before. And if that is just an occupational hazard, the national anthrax scare also has many fearful of what they might be carrying.

"There's so much more security now, you can't go inside a lot of buildings," said Sharon Figueroa, 28, emerging from the Times Square lunch-time traffic, a bag full of packages strapped across her back. "It makes it much more difficult and takes longer. I work on commission, so time is money."

"It's getting really tough now, man. You have to show ID and they check all your bags," one courier said outside the New York Times on West 43rd Street, who gave his name as Carlos.

"IT CAN GET REAL TOUGH"

"It takes more time to deliver, but it's not hostile, as they (security personnel) try to do everything as quickly as possible. If you have a package with no return mail, that's when it can get real tough," said Carlos, 26, who came to New York seven years ago from Mexico City.

"Or they make you wait while the person it's addressed to comes down."

He has been riding around Manhattan for three years, earning as much as $500 a week to help put himself through school, where he is studying computer science.

Carlos told Reuters that since Sept. 11, business has dropped and he's only earning $300 to $400 weekly. "After the disaster at the World Trade Center, a lot of companies closed down there, some areas have been closed and there's no access."

Peter Kambasi, from Ghana, has been a bike messenger for 16 months. "I am losing money now," he said, wearing a photo ID around his neck that he has to show everywhere he delivers. "Last week I only made $270; before, I was getting maybe $375."

Brazilian deliveryman Fabricio Rocha was pushing a cart of office supplies up Seventh Avenue. "It's a lot more difficult now, there's a lot more hassles," he said. "They want to see ID all the time and it takes much longer to do your work."

Sam Pritchard was delivering a bouquet of roses on his bike to a Midtown office. He also owns his own messenger service, employing three other riders.

"The key now is timing -- you go in and you go out. ID is checked, packages are checked. Most places you can't get past the lobby now -- Reuters, New York Times? No way. Many places now have a message center."

Asked if he had seen physical violence because of new restrictions, Pritchard said: "This business is always aggressive. This is New York, people are walking on paranoia here, man."

QUICKLY IN AND OUT

He said there was some concern about what they might be carrying. "But most of the work we do, you know who's sending the package, and who it's going to."

The mailroom dispatcher at one major office building in Manhattan said that since several cases of anthrax had been traced to mail deliveries, the messengers are eager to drop off their packages as quickly as possible.

"They're just in here quick and straight out. All they want to do is get rid of the packages -- just like us!" he said, holding up a pair of latex gloves he uses for mail.

Even deliveries by established companies are coming under scrutiny now. A FedEx driver who gave her name as Giselle was wearing a visitor's pass from a Midtown office building.

"Now, between 11 and 3 you have to get a pass as well as showing ID. It makes no difference to me, as they know me and so they already have the paperwork, but if someone comes to deliver for the first time, it takes much longer."

It all makes sense, said Russ Owens of security firm IPSA International. "When a major disaster like this happens, most companies respond across the board, and they look at perimeter security of the building.

"The first thing is always access control, especially in a major metropolitan area."

Owens said he was visiting clients in New York last week and in some buildings there were lines of 10 to 15 people waiting to pass lobby security.

"They were taking their time checking ID's and papers, and you know what? Nobody was complaining."

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