Rep. Roland Smith should be easy to spot at Wednesday’s Pedal With Your Politicians event in Columbia. He’ll be the 72-year-old with the cracked helmet.

Smith hopes to be joined by other cycling enthusiasts and dozens of politicians, from local officials to state legislators. Columbia Mayor Bob Coble will use the event to announce the city’s plan to earn a “Bicycle Friendly City” designation by 2009.

The cyclists will take a 2-mile tour of downtown Columbia, starting at 7 a.m. at the north side of the State House.

The event, part of Bike to Work Week, gives Smith a chance to tell his story, which drives home both the value of cycling and the hazards on South Carolina’s roads.

Smith started cycling about eight years ago when his cholesterol hit dangerous levels. His doctor prescribed medication. He opted for changes in his exercise and diet routines.

“I started attempting to run, but that hurt my knees,” Smith said. “I tried to jump rope, but that hurt my knees. Then my wife bought me a mountain bike.”

He quickly was hooked on the aerobic high that put little stress on his joints. “It clears your mind to get out and get away from the telephone,” Smith said.

He wore out that first department store bike, got a more expensive bike and has used it so much it had to be rebuilt.

The Aiken County Republican often rides 25 miles a day when the Legislature is not in session. He has put about 8,000 miles on the bike. But the important number is his cholesterol level, down to 177 from 295.

“It’s accomplished what I wanted to do without medication,” Smith said.

But he also has seen the negative side of cycling on S.C. roads. During a slow uphill climb on one of his Sunday rides near his Warrenville home, a truck brushed him. He managed to stay upright but suffered hip and arm injuries.

Smith cracked his helmet in an accident that was all his fault. He was trying to carry a box on his bike. The box hit his leg, and he took a spill. He likes to show others the crack in his helmet to remind them of the importance of wearing helmets.

The Palmetto Cycling Coalition appreciates cycling legislators like Smith, said executive director Natalie Cappuccio-Britt. The coalition wants the state to consider cyclists in its highway planning, whether through designated bike lanes or wider traffic lanes.

“We have to make our roads safer so that families and children can cycle and walk to school and get off the couch and into an active lifestyle,” Cappuccio-Britt said.

Reach Holleman at (803) 771-8366 or jholleman@thestate.com.