Tulsa Cycling is a “hidden” gem
I have recently been planning some trips to immerse my brand in local communities around the US to plug in and see how Natural State Carbon Repair can do more to help local shops and riders. It’s no surprise that the cycling industry is going through a very uncertain and stressful time. Bikes are more expensive as ever and margins for locally owned shops are razor thin. We have partnered with shops in key areas around the US and plan to continue to grow those relationships and build new ones to keep riders on the bikes that they already own and making sure shops still get an appealing margin on our services.
Admittedly, I have not made the time to check out Tulsa’s cycling scene even though it is practically right next door to Northwest Arkansas. Tulsa Tough has a larger than life personality so I was pretty excited to see the shops and community that pours so much efforts into an event like that.
On Thursday night, I rolled into town just in time for the City Cycles (In Jenks, not far from downtown Tulsa) group ride which had a surprisingly big turn out. Four groups ranging from “melt your face off fast” to “chill and social” set out along the same route they do each week. I really like this approach to group rides. It gives those wanting to go fast the opportunity to flex the legs and those that want to enjoy the company around them the space to do that while having a couple options between the two for everyone to get what they are looking for. Having the riders all on the same route means anyone who gets dropped from one group can sit up and roll in with the next one. It also gives a sense of confidence when it comes to local vehicle traffic since the cars are used to seeing large groups of cyclist at the same time each week. The morning after the ride I popped by the shop to chat with Carter and Caleb, co-owners of City Cycles. Both of them were incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about bikes. Bike shops are a dime a dozen these days but bike shops that are staffed fully by people who truly want to be there and want to make a difference are few and far between. Hats off to City Cycles, I will be back to ride for sure!
I also wanted to see what else Tulsa had to offer in the bike shop space so I drove to Spoke House next. This shop was extremely nostalgic for me walking in. There were a ton of bikes displayed outside ranging from a very striking Scott to some super reasonably priced “get around town” bikes. Inside I was greeted by Zach who was helping a rider with some wheel bearing issues. Zach took the time to chat with me about his experience in the industry and answer my questions regarding what they stock, how they operate, and how Natural State Carbon Repair can fit into their business model.
From there I hopped back in the van and headed over to T-Town Bicycles. This shop was the most familiar feeling as I spent a few years working for Specialized in a couple different roles. The store was clean and merchandised with everything from the lightweight Aethos to some flat bar E-bike models which everyone loves. T-Town has a pretty big footprint when it comes to square footage and it had a ton in stock to put your hands on and look at. At the service counter I spoke with Jason who also spent a decent chunk of his career in Little Rock and we shared stories about mutual acquaintances. I personally try to run my business in a way that makes people feel like friends even if we have never met. Shoot me a text after dinner, call me on the weekends. I’m here as a sounding board for your bike concerns just as much as I am as a business person. I felt like Jason was in a similar boat and I left there feeling like I just caught up with an old buddy that I had never met.
Back in the van, I headed to Tom’s Bicycles. As soon as I walked in I was greeted by Clarence who had a ton of info to give me about the local riding especially when it came to some of the Turkey Mountain MTB expansions. They have a solid selection of bikes in stock and also have a rental fleet for those Turkey Mountain trails. I was a little taken aback when Clarence told me that he was the “new guy” having only started in 2013… I don’t know what Tom is doing but it must be something special. I’ve been in the industry for quite some time and have never heard of a shop having a staff of people who had ALL been there for over 12 years. The industry is very much churn and burn, inflate and then the bubble pops, but Tom’s seems to somehow be immune to the washing machine that chews up employees and spits them out. Hats off to that!
From there I cruised on over to Phat Tire. Being in Northwest Arkansas I am familiar with the company including many of the employees in this market in particular but had never experienced their Oklahoma based stores. I walked into a super clean store and was greeted by a super friendly guy behind the counter. We chatted a bit about business and then a rider in need of help popped in so I took a minute to check out the rest of the shop. They had nice spread of inventory with some solid MTB options. I expected this shop to be stacked with drop bar bikes but was a bit surprised to see some really solid mid travel mountain bikes. Unfortunately, I didn’t grab the employees name before leaving because he was in a deep conversation with the rider about his equipment. I genuinely appreciate that type of social awareness. I have been in several shops where an employee will talk to a sales rep to avoid doing work or to pretend like they don’t see a rider there that obviously needs help. For this guy to prioritize a rider deserves a high five.
On my last day in town I hit Bixby Bikes just south of Tulsa. I had some power issues at my campsite the night before that caused my AC to cut off and I spent way too much time sweating in the middle of the night to wake up early and make it to their regular Saturday morning group ride. I was excited to get out on the road and see what this group was all about. I was able to make it by the shop which was bigger than I expected. They too had a nice spread of inventory from recumbent trikes and BMX bikes all the way to Cervelo’s latest aero bike that Jumbo Visma is racing right now in the tour. I was able to bug John for just a minute while he was repairing a rider’s bike to chat about what we do and how we can work together in the future. The shop was pretty busy for a Saturday morning so I didn’t want to linger for too long but I would definitely recommend this shop for anyone wanting to put hands on product that you don’t get to see too often outside of online stores.
All in all, Tulsa was a great place for getting to know some of the riders and shop staff and I will be sure to go back sooner than later. I think I will wait until the heat index comes down a couple dozen degrees but I will be back for sure. I plan to continue the momentum and meet passionate people in their home communities. Where should we check out next? Send us an email or message us on Instagram if you live in or have visited a community that is stoked on cycling!