Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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o L' ^ r' J * ; _ JMp \ Freshman James Poppy locks his bi U-Locks instead of chain locks to se Get a handl By MICHAEL CODDINGTON Staff Writer The potential for making mistoLoc to o1ii;o\7e nrpot Hiirino the laivvo 10 cnyyajo givui uui n?^ rush to schedule classes. You might find yourself wishing that you had paid closer attention to the times and places of the classes. I The ordeal of rushing from the Coliseum to Gambrell after a pro- j fessor has kept you over time; dash- ; ing through crowds; contending with time, heat and frustration. Do j these situations sound familiar? Maybe you're just lazy and don't want to walk. There are several possible reasons for considering an alternate form of transportation at USC, and the choice is die bicycle. But who knows how to buy a bike these days? Gone are the simple days when a half-rusted Huffy three-speed had you begging for a 1 ride. Bikes are advanced, bikes are complicated, bikes will fly you to 1 the moon if you get the proper ' model. - ; Considering the enormous task of > purchasing a new bike, I decided to speak to Jim Busser and Brian Curran, the managers of the Cycle Center and Out-Spokin', respectively, the bike shops closest to campus. Both men agree that you must decide what you want to do with your bike before you purchase it. Some bikes are for street riding only. More expensive bikes are for serious off-road or mountain biking. There are also hybrids that can do both. The prices for these bikes range from $199 to $500 for the street or hybrid bikes. For serious off-roading, $500 is the minimum. For people who want to get to classes and who will off-road only during the weekends, $350 should fetch a useful bike. Here are more criteria to consider before buying a bike: Wheels. Some wheel rims are steel, some are aluminum. Aluminum wheels make the bike lighter and improve braking in the 1 ^V %.* J^V |p |^^^^H|fl[ ^^jEjpj| cycle to a light post. Bike shop own cure their bikes. e on buying rwo students ride across the Ho kntu/oon flaggpg anH IIdI lopui lauui i L/v/inv/v.. rain. Aluminum does not rust; I Handlebars. Some are straight, j some curve upward. For street rid- < ing, uprights are recommended 1 because they improve your posture; Gear Shifters. A matter of taste to ] some degree. Some are push button, ' some you have to turn by hand. Some are above the handlebars, ; some are below. Shifters can signif- < icantly affect the price, so choose only what you need; Tires. Street tires are smooth, mountain tires are knobby. For hybrid fans, look for knobby tires that have their knobs connected at * - r* *tn I 'K rto A Af"Q me center ui uic inc. mtav ansmoother for the road; Cables. Having exposed cables along the sides of the bike means it's less likely the cables will rust and stick inside their tubing; Frame. Better frames are reinforced with chromium and molybdenum, which makes them much stronger. Look for bikes that have "Cro-mo" written on the frame. When you go to buy your bike, talk to the salespeople about their service policies. The Cycle Center and Out-Spokin' offer a one-year Emily Peterson/THE GAMECOCK ers suggest students use a bicycle Emily Peterson/THE GAMECOCK rseshoe. Bicycles provide quick '.Mi ..-V/-4 oninnrM if | UIUUI IU VsClI I ipuo. ree adjustment policy after your aurchase. The Cycle Center now offers an additional three-year service policy for $50. Look at the bikes, and see what grabs you. Ride the bike to know what it's like. Don't jump in blind and buy a bike you know nothing about and haven't ridden. You'll be disappointed. Bike shops want to help you. They will not sell you a bike that vou do not like. The salespeople are J not your enemy. Many of them are enthusiastic riders who can tell you quite a bit if you take the time to ask questions. Even before you buy your bike, they are ready to offer advice. "Get a U-Lock," Busser said. ? "Don't go in for cable locks unless you're just locking up during the day." Make sure the bike is appropriate for the activities you plan to use it for. "Look for a bike that's going to suit your needs," Curran said. "If you try to settle for less, it's going to end up broken,, and you're going to be mad." k i i i^-vri i?-r\ MliO AINU I PICK /^Twonderlf \ CALL ! ( he's calling J r-^g".U Own your own BEEPER Monthly airtime and a one-time 4 ff activation fee are not included. You own the pager! \l ii^ ) # ^ovv monthly airtime rates! Tiy^iT ^ 9 ^e/'ob/e Pa9'n9 sen/ice! ^4995ANDUP Serving South Mi nD Avn Carolina Since BRAVO 1 Q , rs H| Numeric Display I VOz Pager ~] Some Resourceful Thinking... pjHnMHHrssTT ^H^HSaSEC 1 V use xK' " ^gvj . f" i lapil O, %Jx 3 A " -L /| >7ij ? ^11 L M \ ?- ' \ Will IM s ^ 0 3f% * ~inJ I I ' \ \ I ^ ^ I Earn up to $130 per month For Donating Plasma... Call Today! 254-2280 - uv A PI Af\MA nnNHR RRPAITSR *T*1 LIFE IS EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS P Make an appointment by calling Premier BioResources, Inc. . 254-2280 , 1620 Gervais Street Columbia, SC 29201