Vote in the Campus Cruiser Contest
03. Sep, 2010 
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It was very difficult narrowing our entrants down to just a final few. So we have SEVEN finalists and they are all from different colleges in different states.
Vote for your favorite and help choose the final winner of the beautiful Nirve Starliner that one lucky college student can take with her to college!
The basic voting rule is this–you may vote once every 24 hours from your IP address. The voting period for those contestants will go until midnight, September 13, 2010. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, September 14th.
Heather Garoufalis—University of Massachusetts Lowell
Three months ago, I found my passion. While out shopping one day, I fell in love with a red and white cruiser bike. I bought the bike on the spot and coasted out of the store. In the following weeks, what started as love at first sight bloomed into a solid relationship. I went to my bike with my problems, and we rode until I figured them out. Then last week, disaster struck. Outside of my apartment, someone cut the chain off my bike and stole it. It felt like I lost a friend. I have been looking to replace my bike, but as a college student, money is tight. I would like to win this contest and in turn, find peace in riding again. It’s been too long, and I miss riding a lot. Thanks!
Taylor Gardner –Evergreen State College
The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington will be my home for the next four years and I am in need of a bike. I currently live in Indiana and am leaving for Olympia on September 17th (perfect timing eh?). I won’t be bringing a car to campus because I want to be as eco-friendly as possible and my bicycle will be my only form of transportation. It would help me out tremendously if I didn’t have to worry about being able to afford a quality bike, and I would be using it for many years to come. In the great words of Queen “I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike.”
Elizabeth Laurent –Southern Virginia University
I am college student at Southern Virginia University and I am about to start my last year of college. I currently have an old 70s bike that has been turned into a fixed gear. I love my bike, but it will not be practical for me in the coming months. I am pregnant and due in December and cannot currently ride my bike, because not only is it a little unsafe, but forces me to be completely bent over, a difficult position while one is pregnant. If I win this bike I will also be able to tote my new baby around with it, as it is much safer than a fixed gear. My husband will hopefully be attending graduate school next fall, so we will be moving to another college town and I hope to be able to bike with my baby around campus and town there as well. Since, we are college students it is not within our budget to buy me a new bike for when the baby comes, so I would probably end up not biking around as much if a free bike like this one did not come my way.
Thank you for giving me this opportunity!
Janie Stringham –University of Utah
Salt Lake City connotes Mormons and rocky reds, but my little home of hills is also on the verge of a two wheeled explosion–and I want in. My commute to the University of Utah is an uphill battle through bipolar weather, so seven speeds will be my seven muses to wake up for classes! Also, a flowery bike will be the ideal vehicle for arrival in poetry workshops of equally flowery words. Winter looms, this bike will be my inspiration to fight the hibernation urge, and I know other Salt Lake ladies feel the same. When I get my feet on this bike I’ll join their Sundae shuffle crew and promote strong female biking in our city! Yes, please.
Natalie Gilliam –Texas State University
I’m not a bike enthusiast or hipster interested in looking cool. I don’t care about image. What I DO care about is not being overweight my freshman year. While the rest of my skinny friends were out tanning, working, or with their boyfriends, I spent my summer inside the four walls of the gym. It pretty much sucked, but I lost 20 pounds and am feeling really great. Still, I need y’alls help. I don’t have a car and Texas State University has huge hills on campus. I know it seems a stretch riding up and down hills all day, but I’m willing to try. I don’t want to be another short, “curvy” Mexican from San Antonio!
Hallie Magee –Louisiana State University (LSU)
My name is Hallie Magee. I live in Park City, Utah and attend LSU. I am the oldest of nine crazy children. I learned my lesson last year when I gained the freshman fifteen that I should probably have a more active lifestyle at school. Having this bike would prevent me from hopping on the bus, and instead pedal those calories away in hopes of not gaining the sophomore sixty! It’s hard not having a car at school because everywhere I need to go is just outside of walking distance. A bike would make life much easier getting to class and running errands. I live on a lake and can’t wait to finally be able to ride my bike around!
Jordin Jacobs –University of Idaho
My 1970s Schwinn Varsity was not only my means of transportation, but he was also my non-motorized grocery-getter. It turned into my sensory overload device when I wore my headphones and biked around the lake. I was extremely ecstatic about being able to cruise my friend around new scenery at the University of Idaho this semester, but I guess someone needed Schwinn more than I when whomever made the decision to capture him, shiny baskets and all. I hope they find him as enjoyable as I did, but it would be nice if I was back on wheels again, especially with a pair of headphones on.
The Contest is now over–thanks everyone! Check out the winners and prizes here!
Cycle & Style and Nirve have an expectation that the winner of this contest will actually use this bike. A few months after receiving the bike, the winner will be expected to send in a short article and photos to show how they are using the Nirve Starliner.
Vote For Your Favorite
- Hallie Magee –Louisiana State University (38%, 1,838 Votes)
- Elizabeth Laurent –Southern Virginia University (25%, 1,226 Votes)
- Heather Garoufalis—University of Massachusetts Lowell (18%, 859 Votes)
- Janie Stringham –University of Utah (7%, 349 Votes)
- Taylor Gardner –Evergreen State College (6%, 306 Votes)
- Jordin Jacobs –University of Idaho (5%, 248 Votes)
- Natalie Gilliam –Texas State University (1%, 12 Votes)
Total Voters: 4,839
good luck to all!
I own three bikes, and one of them happens to be the Electra Tiki beach cruiser. It puts a smile on my face every single time I ride it, no matter what is on my mind or what mood I’m in. Instead of “walking down the aisle”, my husband and I rode away on our cruisers. I feel they bring out the kid in everyone. Good luck to all of you, and happy riding!
What a great contest! I hope the most worthy rider gets the prize!! What a grand prize it is!
Go Taylor!!! Love, Mrs. Ketcham =]
Jordan Jacobs!!!! My vote is for her
This is fun! I love the creative spin that Janie of the University of Utah displays in her writing. She should win on her writing skills alone.
Ok, yes Hallie is a really cute girl, but that isn’t the only reason she is getting all of these votes. Hallie is an awesome all around girl with great grades here at LSU. She has made many friends in the past year who are all supporting her! Here at LSU everyone is rallying with her because of these degrading comments. So keep ‘em coming, we’ll keep voting!
So when does voting close exactly? Is it on September 13, 12:00:00AM or 11:59:59PM?
That makes a huge difference. Thanks!
BP–it will be the latter: 11:59:59 pm.
VOTE FOR JORDIN! I had a bike stolen and it sucks when that is your only transportation.
Vote for Heather. It’s a true story and she deserves a new bike. Go Heather!
Hallie babysits for me – I live near LSU and she needs this bike to ride to my house and earn money. Keep voting for her!!
Vote for Hallie! She is one of the nicest and most deserving people I know. Good Luck Hal
ELIZABETH ALL THE WAY!!! HER AND HER HUBBY ARE THE SWEETEST EVER. I hope you win girl! And Congrats on the baby! Can’t wait to see pictures!
You should vote for Elizabeth she is so sweet and she is truly deserving this bike.
This contest is for someone in need! Elizabeth from SVU is a sweet, married, and pregnant girl who needs something safe and comfortable. The sensible thing to do whould be voting for her!
I believe each candidate is worthy of winning this bike. Nobody expressed a “need” for this bike, so I would rule out sympathy votes and just leave it where it is: a popularity contest.
Chances are you came to this page as a result of a link on facebook or twitter, so you already know who you’ll vote for and nothing will change that. But for the few who are apathetic, I ask you vote for my friend Heather.
Heather has made countless contributions to the university both as a student and a student employee. She is a great RA and an excellent resource to her students. She has given so much to make a difference in her residents’ lives, to the point where she stresses herself. To see her on her red and white cruiser, with an enormous grin on her face, was proof that she too deserves to be happy. Her bike was her one true joy, a great source of stress relief. It was so tragic to see her one source of happiness literally cut away from her. So let her ride once again; give her your vote. ^_^
Vote for Taylor Gardner, she’s working very hard at being eco-friendly and is a hard working student. She could really use this bike for it will be her only mode of transportation. She is moving approx. 1800 miles from home for her college education. Good luck and best wishes from your uncle Adam……………………..
WOW … how exciting is this contest!! I love the enthusiasm from the friends and family members of our 7 finalists!!! NOW … something that you all need to know – and that is who wins when the contest is over – WELL … “like us” on facebook AND you will be the first to know!!!! Also use our facebook page and our website (www.cycleandstyle.com) to keep up with other monthly contests, human interest stories, product reviews, great places to cycle, recipes … you name it – it’s probably there!!!! SO … please “Friend” us!! We <3 friends!! This way you can tell us what you think on certain articles and give us suggestions on what you would like to see us work on!! We are also on Twitter … do you Twitter!? THANK YOU READERS!!! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!
Heather has done a lot of good on the UMass Lowell campus. She has dedicated a lot of her time to make UML a better campus.
Having a bike was a means for her to relieve some of the stresses of being a full time student and an RA. Winning this bike will make a huge positive difference in Heather’s life.
I hope Heather wins. She deserves to win.
GO HALLIE! EVERYONE LOVES HER AT LSU!!
Go, Elizabeth! We are supporting you!
Elizabeth, Hallie, Heather, Janie, Jordin, Natalie and Taylor,
You are all doing so well and we don’t want you to feel like you will be walking away totally empty-handed. Cycle & Style will have some prizes for our runners-up, etc.
Heather should win. She has dedicated so much time for UML. She deserves to win!
I think all the girls are most likely exceptional, dedicated, lovely, hard-working students who must all love bikes! So,it’s like comparing apples to oranges. I’m sure they are all equally deserving.
Loved your essay, Janie. Poetry and spunk. You go girl! Would be nice to “go” on that sweet little bike.
Yaaaa! Heather
not only is hallie good looking, she is the best bike rider on this side of town. she will put that bike to good use. i can only hope the bike has pegs so she can give me a ride to class.
Lizzie is the sweetest girl ever!!! She really deserves the bike!!
Hallie Magee!!! Great girl and family. /hp