Some students are opting for a ride with two wheels instead of the traditional four.

The cause of rising gas prices and in an effort to “be green,” some Ames residents are opting to ride bicycles, which provide an alternative to driving a car or taking the bus.

Krystina Smith, senior in forestry and sales rep for Skunk River Cycles, 308 Main St. #1, said bicycles are “a way of the future.”

Smith said she’s noticed “big increases” in bike sales in the one month she’s worked at the store.

Committing to riding a bicycle, Smith said, is a “serious lifestyle change.”

“When people come in [they] seem serious about commuting to work [via bicycle],” Smith said.

If you’re interested in buying a bicycle, Smith said research is important in finding a quality bicycle. You’ll feel more confident riding it if you know what you’re investing in and it has quality parts, she said.

Smith said riders should also remember to keep safety in mind while riding, including wearing a helmet and having lights on your bicycle.

Smith said to check blind spots when riding. She said she recommended it from experience, since she was almost hit by a car once.

Some may choose to ride a bike in part to “be green,” but Smith said she hopes people continue riding even if the trend of being green passes.

“I would like to think it’s here to stay,” Smith said.

Jerry Stewart, director of public safety, said 5,330 bicycles are registered on campus and within the city of Ames.

“[Bicycle registration] is a cooperate venture between the city and university,” Stewart said.

Bicycle registration is free, and forms are available on campus and online, as well as various locations across Ames.

The registered bikes are stored on a shared database, Stewart said.

“Students need to only register their bike once,” he said.

Stewart said bicycle registration is a smart precaution to take in the case your bicycle gets stolen.

“[Having your bicycle registered] really helps us find owners,” Stewart said.

The start of the school year brings more bicycles to campus.

“Typically we see a large number of registrations completed during the turn of each year,” Stewart said. “I think our compliance with registration is fairly high.”

The university makes sure there is enough bike racks for all the bicycles on campus, Stewart said, and a lot of forethought and planning go into the placement of bike racks.

Stewart said the parking division has contributed $50,000 per year to maintain bike racks in the city and university.

“We maintain a map by facilities planning management to determine more racks as needed.”

Stewart said the department is currently working on a path near Stange Road.

Steve Lauber, store manager of Bike World, 126 South 3rd St., said bikes are important as a way of transportation, not only for recreational purposes.

“People are seeing bikes as transportation,” Lauber said. “[They are] a convenient way for people to get around town.”

Another contributor to the increase in people riding bicycles, Lauber said, are gas prices.

“Our whole year has been significantly up,” Lauber said. “We’re selling more bikes than we have before.”

Bicyclists can take advantage of the many bicycle paths in Ames, such as trails in McFarland Park, 56461 180th St.

“A bike in Ames is the most convenient transportation,” Lauber said.

Where to ride your bike:

If you’re tired of fighting students on foot and want to take a leisurely ride through Ames, the Skunk River Greenbelt Recreational Trail System provides a scenic trip up the Skunk River.

Iowa bike laws you need to follow:

Obey traffic signals

Ride in the right lane

Never ride against traffic

Use hand signals to indicate turns and stops

Use lights at night

Don’t ride bikes on interstate highways

Follow land markings

Don’t “ride double”

Don’t pass on the right

Ames regulations:

Don’t ride more than two abreast on a street

Operate a bicycle equipped with a brake that will enable a braked wheel skid on dry pavement.

Yield the right-of-way on an off-street bicycle path to traffic traveling on a public roadway.

Operate at reasonable and prudent speeds under existing conditions.

Always yield to pedestrians.

Alert pedestrians to your presence before passing.

You can’t ride a bike on sidewalks along Main Street, from Duff Avenue to Clark Avenue, Welch Avenue, from Chamberlain Street to Lincoln Way, or along Lincoln Way, from Stanton Avenue to Hayward Avenue; and bikes are not allowed on Grand Avenue.

ISU regulations:

Use designated bike paths or designated bike path lanes. On streets regulated by Iowa State that do not have marked paths or lanes, bicyclists may use the existing roadway and are subject to motor vehicle regulations.

Don’t ride a bike on campus sidewalks, except those specifically designated as bicycle paths.

Keep off of lawns.

Don’t take a bike inside any university building except in areas authorized by the Department of Public Safety.

Park bicycles in the bicycle racks provided.

Do not park bikes on lawns or sidewalks.

Do not chain bicycles to trees, light poles, fences, benches, etc.

Bicycles improperly parked may be impounded — locking devices may be cut and removed when necessary. Or particular concern are bicycles parked on disability access ramps. Bicycles found on these ramps will be immediately removed and impounded.

— Information from: www.cityofames.org/worksweb/trafficdepartment/Bike.htm