Detroit Free Press, May 14, 1997

Caption: Eddie Ryce adjusts his helmet and prepares for the day'sdeliveries in downtown Detroit. Below, Ryce rides in the early morningdown Larned.

Just a few weeks ago, Eddie Ryce was toiling in an Inkster machine shop.He had no idea that the job of his dreams was just around the corner.

Today, as Detroit's first bicycle messenger, Ryce rides his 24-speedmountain bike 70 to 80 miles a day in central Detroit, from the river northto Canfield, east to the Belle Isle Bridge and west to 14th Street.

"I feel so much serenity," he says.

Ryce, 31, is the first bike courier hired by ASAP Delivery, a 2-year-oldRomulus-based company. ASAP has walking couriers in the Renaissance Centerand the First National Building and van and car drivers making deliveriesall over the city.

But as owner Jim LaLonde says, the bicycle is the most efficient methodof getting around a growing downtown. Growing with General Motors movingits world headquarters and 9,000 employees to the RenCen; growing as casinosand stadiums get built and more people live downtown.

"Once the traffic gets worse, it's going to be even more important tohave more bike messengers and walkers downtown," says LaLonde, 25. "Ourcommitment is to the downtown."

On one recent day, there were 50 jobs that could have been done mostefficiently on bike. With just one bike messenger, about 30 of those jobshad to be done by car messengers.

Denein Jones, support services supervisor for the law firm of Lewis,Clay & Mundy, says the bike service can cut delivery time by as muchas 10 minutes.

"Everything's that delivered from our firm is hot," she says. "We don'thave a lot of leeway. Time is always a factor."

Jones says downtown parking is at a premium near large office buildingssuch as the First National Building, where her office is.

"There's not parking on Woodward, and on the side, there may be abouteight spots for metered parking and it's always taken up. With a bike,you can bring into the building, so it's very convenient and efficient."

Ryce started March 28; a second bike messenger came on Monday. Withina few weeks, LaLonde hopes to have hired two more. Finding people likeRyce hasn't been easy.

"They're unique," says LaLonde. "They're addicted to biking. They justenjoy riding their bike and this is a good opportunity to do what theylike to do."

Messengers work on 50-percent commission. Bike jobs cost between $5and $15. So if you did 10 deliveries at $5, you'd make $25.

Prospective couriers must have their own wheels, helmet and tire patches.And they must be able to act professionally, including while wearing Lycrashorts when delivering documents to the courthouse on behalf of law firms.

Ryce -- who lives in Warrendale in Detroit with his wife, Rebecca, andchildren Demitrius, 8, and Meagan, 7 -- has been riding his bike everyday for the last eight years. Rain, snow or shine, he has always riddento work.

The longest bike commute he's had in his working career was 14 milesone way. It took him 45 minutes.

He ran track at Detroit's Mackenzie High School and says biking is notonly good exercise, but a way to stay calm in a hectic world.

"It was a way that didn't have to worry about traffic tickets, gas andinsurance," he says, adding that he's found Detroit drivers to be prettyrespectful of his bicycle.

Most of the challenges of riding for a living have to do with makingdeadlines. ASAP offers a 15-minute guaranteed service in the downtown area,but Ryce tries to do it in 10. He tries to stay away from traffic and beatpeople to elevators and doors.

Sometimes, a run will have him going to an office building, lockingthe bike up outside and walking in to pick up a package. Other times, packagesfrom various offices are brought to a central drop-off point in the lobby.

Since he started at ASAP, he has had one accident. He was turning acorner and his chain snapped. An ASAP van driver picked him and took himto the bike shop for repairs. Later that afternoon, he did three or fourmore runs.

With his portable stereo attached to the back of his $1,200 Cannondalealuminum mountain bike, Ryce listens to smooth jazz most of the time.

He's a bit of an oddity in a city unused to such sights.

"I get that all the time," he says of people's surprise. " 'I've beento Washington and New York and I didn't know Detroit had messengers.' They'lltell me to be careful of traffic."

Ryce chooses to work a long day -- 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. -- so that hecan hit the busiest delivery times, first thing in the morning and endof the day.

A few weeks ago, Ryce made more money in one week than he had as a computerizedmachine operator at the machine shop. He made almost $300 in commissions.He also makes a small salary because he will be supervising new bike messengers."And I enjoy what I'm doing."

If anything that frustrates him in the job, it's that he doesn't getlonger rides.

"Sometimes I try to push it," he says. "There was a Grosse Pointe Parkrun that I really wanted to do."