Winnipeg Free Press
By Linda Quattrin, Staff Writer
Crouched low over the handlebars,- they take corners at warp speed,swerve deftly to avoid lane- changing buses and squeeze through impossiblecurbside parking spots.
If you do a lot of downtown driving, you may have thrown a few choicewords in their direction.
But, like it or lump it, a handful of bicycle messengers are out thereproving that in the competitive world of couriers, two wheels are oftenbetter than four.
"Sometimes they're faster, especially when the traffic is ridiculous,"says Renee Lawson, owner of a St. Boniface courier company which has useda cyclist for deliveries to the downtown core for the past four years.
"He's so efficient at it, he was away sick one day and we had allkinds of calls asking when he'd be back."
It's a job that seems to attract a motley collection of self-motivatedindividualists, mainly young men, with all sorts of different experiences.
Winnipeg's corps of bike couriers once included a former lawyer andpart-time comedian; a ballroom dance instructor started riding last year.
After eight years in the military reserves, Dan Capek is one of thecity's veteran cycling couriers, with more than two years experience underhis trim-waisted belt.
He says a lot of rookies start out in search of the ruggedly glamorouslife of the urban rebel, typified by Kevin Bacon, in the 1986 box-officebomb, Quicksilver.
"After a couple of days they realize it's nothing like that, saysCapek, 26, who, as well as clocking hundreds of kilometres each week withhis job, takes to the trails for some high-speed mountain bike "trashing"on weekends.
"You just wind up dirty at the end of the day."
The potential hazards scary drivers, "road rash" from occasionalskin-on-asphalt spills, perilously high winter snow banks are nothing outof the ordinary for full-time bikers.
For most of their working year, these pneumatic roadrunners look morelike warmly-dressed aliens than bearers of important packages and legaldocuments.
They get used to the elevator stares from the downtown business set,and their typical remark of amazement: "You ride a bike in this weather!"
Dedicated couriers will pump the pedals in any weather. And they'lldeliver any kind of package, no questions asked.
Capek once ferried a cowboy outfit complete with boots and fringe jacketto a local deejay.
Last Christmas, office party-goers asked Ron Forest, Lawson's seasonedrider, to haul a case of 24 beers from the vendor in a snow-storm.
"I would have done it, but I didn't have the $30 on me," the29-year-old says with a laugh.
A year ago Forest, a former furniture mover, traded the life of delivering"photocopiers from hell" for the hustle of the cycling courier.
A traffic accident his first day on the job landed him in hospital fora few stitches in his elbow, but he's never looked back.
"It was raining, my brakes didn't go and I needed six more inchesto stop' Forest says.
"But you get used to the minor stuff
That includes dealing with regular tires and on-the-road repairs. Messengersall carry repair kits and have been known to help out a courier in needwho works for a rival company.
But there's also a little friendly sabotage going on between them.
"The toughest part of the job? Having my levers shifted or toestraps tightened (by the other messengers)," says Don Kropla, ballroomdance instructor-turned-biker." Most of us do that kind of stuff,it's harmless fun."
Practised bike couriers say they can spot the rookies in a minute: theydon't lock their bikes, and they look awful uncomfortable in dress pantsand shirt
For the veterans, the uniform is nothing but biking shorts, colourfultee-shirts a pair of gloves and funky shades, and of course, a helmet.
"This is what I do," Forest says. "Do you want me tolook good or work good
While messengers won't get rich dodging traffic in pursuit of a fasterroute across town, cycling couriers are paid commission and most say theyearn between $250 and $400 a week.
Mind you, they've got to keep up the pace to bring in the bucks.
"You have to ride on the edge of being sick," Capek says,"because there's no time to get sick with this job."
As well, the biking business has other more tangible costs.
Capek has had two locked bikes stolen Kropla has lost one to thieves.
Forest has been lucky so far; he's only had one attempted robbery ofhis lock.
Even so, dedicated bikers say they wouldn't trade their daily routinefor another job.
If you have comments or suggestions, email me at messvilleto@yahoo.com