BIXBY BICYCLES CHOSES TWO BICYCLE LINES

Deciding to just carry two major lines of bicycles Felt and Fuji, might sound challenging to some, however being in the business of providing the best product to our customers, I feel it was a good decision. With the holidays fast approaching, a new Felt bicycle from a bicycle shop that specializes in Felt bicycles would make the perfect gift for the cyclist in your family – or for yourself. Below is a repost of that article. To learn more and see the newest Felt bicycles, buy parts or have your Felt bicycle serviced, stop by Bixby Bicycles and Accessories. Your Felt bicycle specialist.  



 

VeloNews published an updated article December 19, 2014 by Lennard Zinn highlighting the six reasons Felt is making one of the world’s best bicycles.

  

 

SIX REASONS WHY FELT IS MAKING SOME OF THE WORLD'S BEST BIKES

By:  Lennard Zinn, Published Aug.5, 2014, Updated Dec.19,2014

1. Seatpost clamping

You may think that how a seatpost is clamped to the bike is a yawner. However, with a material like carbon that only works well in tension and not in compression, it’s a significant issue. A seat binder generally works by compressing both the top of the seat tube and the seatpost. But to optimize stiffness of both the frame and the post, both are built with stiff fibers that can’t tolerate being pinched; the fibers will crack if deflected very far over a short distance by the seat binder clamp. Felt’s solution for clamping aero seatposts is unique and game-changing, and its solution for clamping round posts puts reliability above weight and style considerations.

 Because it isn’t round, an aero seatpost cannot be clamped inside an aero-shaped seat tube with a constricting band clamp. Instead, the clamp has to push on the trailing or leading edge of the post to wedge the opposite edge tightly against the inner wall of the seat tube or clamp. Felt uses a completely different seatpost-clamping system that also cuts the weight and the vertical rigidity of its aero posts. (And its aero posts can be huge, from the UCI-legal (3-to-1 depth-to-width ratio) aero seatposts on its AR-series aero road bikes and DA-series time trial bikes, to the extremely huge UCI-illegal (more like 8-to-1) aero seatposts on its IA triathlon bikes.)

Instead of clamping around the post or wedging it from the front or back, Felt clamps each wall of the aero seatpost against each inner wall of the seat tube by means of a vertical slot running down each side of the post. On each side, a bolt extending out of a thickened area at the top edge of the seat tube passes through the seatpost slot and threads into a separate aluminum plate conforming to the inner shape of the seatpost wall. Tightening each bolt simply clamps each wall of the seatpost flat between each aluminum plate and the wall of the seat tube.  To illustrate the concept, consider driving over a flat carbon-fiber sheet on a smooth concrete floor versus driving over a carbon seatpost. Obviously, the car tire will not crush the sheet of carbon, because there is no air space to compress it into, but it will crush both a round and an aero carbon seatpost.

The benefit to Felt’s clamping system is not just reliable clamping; it is also reduced weight, increased comfort, and increased frame durability. Since it does not have to withstand crushing forces to hold it in place, the seatpost walls can be very thin (you can easily flex the side walls of Felt AR, DA, and IA seatposts with your fingers) and hence lightweight. This also provides a slight amount of vertical compliance to a seatpost shape with which comfort is hard to come by. Finally, it prevents tearing the frame apart by tightening the seatpost, which is what wedge clamps are doing.

Clamps that wedge the seatpost from the back are effectively trying to tear the back of the seat tube off (so it has to be overbuilt and heavier to withstand it), and systems that wedge the seatpost from the front are effectively working to tear the top tube away from the seat tube. This may be part of the reason that you sometimes see bikes of pro riders tear apart in a crash at the wedge clamp inside the top tube that pushes against the seatpost; the rider standing out of the saddle is twisting at this area stuffed with carbon in a much less effective layup than throughout the rest of the frame.

Beyond a great clamping system, Felt builds a little suspension into its big “Vibration Reducing Aero” seatposts by encasing 3T’s “Difflock Comfort Module” saddle clamp in them. This 3T system fits into the large cross-hole in the top of the post. It surrounds the rail-clamping core with an elastic polymer allowing the cylindrical clamping module to twist and return when the rider hits a bump. The clamp also will accept all of the different available shapes of saddle rails without interchanging clamp parts. Finally, the seatposts are flip-position with different offsets available.

 Even Felt’s round seatpost-clamping systems are different from the run of the mill. In its carbon F-series road racing, Z-series endurance road, and ZW-series women’s road bikes, Felt doesn’t chop weight by using a thin, single-bolt clamp. Instead, F, Z, and ZW frames all have taller two-bolt aluminum seat binder clamps, despite the battle to get frames below target weights, like the magical sub-700-gram weight. The 700-gram Felt F FRD frame does have a pair of titanium bolts threading into a scandium nut bar in the tall clamp; do does the F1. And rather than using a single slot, Felt has two slots on opposite sides of the seat tube, to reduce the amount that any individual fiber is forced to bend.

2. Materials

Carbon frames and forks used to have a woven top layer for aesthetic purposes that provided little additional strength or stiffness, while adding weight. Perhaps you assumed, as I did, that the checkerboard-weave top layer of Felt’s top frames is like this, but it isn’t. Instead, that layer of TeXtreme fabric actually saves weight and adds toughness to Felt frames, but it costs around 10 times as much as the unidirectional fabric it replaces.

TeXtreme Spread Tow Fabric offers the strength and toughness of two layers of unidirectional carbon in a single layer of the same weight as one of those unidirectional layers. Unidirectional carbon layers cannot stand alone for the same reason that a bulletproof vest made out of fibers all running the same direction could not stop a bullet; an impact can split the fibers if crossing ones are not there to hold them together.

Since the broad packets (“tows”) of TeXtreme fibers cross at 90 degrees, forming the checkerboard pattern, they provide the toughness of two crossing layers of unidirectional fabric with a single layer. Furthermore, the weaving allows thinner fibers to be used in the fabric without it being too delicate for human hands to wrap around a frame shape.

 For added security, Felt uses a TeXtreme layer on the inside of the frame as well — the first layer workers put down. This can prevent “mystery” carbon frame failures by preventing fibers from imploding inward on impact. If a carbon frame takes an impact, it is often difficult to tell that there has been damage on the surface. But the sharp application of force can break internal fiber layers, which can splay out inside of the frame. Cracks can then propagate from there, and a rider’s frame may suddenly fail while JRA (“just riding along”), but the failure was actually due to a prior crash. Felt’s layer of woven TeXtreme inside can prevent severed unidirectional fabric fibers from splaying into the interior of the frame tube on impact, and can therefore stop the propagation of a crack.

 TeXtreme fabric is made in Sweden, and due to laws intended to prevent strategic materials from falling into the hands of the Chinese military, Felt had to import it to the United States, have it impregnated with resin certified as being non-weapons-grade, and then send the pre-preg fabric, refrigerated, to China for use in its frames. You can imagine the added costs. Once Felt bought enough of it, TeXtreme went through a certification process with the U.S. government so that it sends the fabric to China directly, and it is pre-pregged there; this cost savings has made it possible for Felt to now use TeXtreme in a second model from the top in each frame series.

3. Molding methods

 Carbon bikes are no longer made by laying fabric pieces into mold cavities because the layers can’t overlap properly at the seam, and the molds are too hot from the previous frame to lay pre-preg fabric in without becoming sticky. Instead, workers (in a cool room) drape cold carbon pre-preg fabric pieces around a mandrel shaped like a smaller version of the finished piece. Heat and pressure make the resin flow like water; computers calculate the resin viscosity with temperature to optimize flow through the layers. Mold channels let resin and air escape. For premium frames, the mandrel is often EPS foam (Styrofoam) dipped in latex. Once the clamshell mold closes around it, air is pumped into the latex bladder, applying pressure against the carbon layers.

Felt’s top models, by contrast, are done with “inside-out” molding. Rather than molding a solid mandrel out of EPS in a clamshell mold with two female halves, Felt molds two separate “coffee-cup”-like mandrel halves, which, when put together, form a hollow version of the frame made out of a thin and tougher, denser foam. This takes two male-female clamshell mold halves for each clamshell “coffee-cup” mandrel half, or four molds total for just the mandrel.

The hollow mandrel halves are taped together, and, rather than dipping the resulting mandrel in latex repeatedly to get the desired thickness, it is coated with silicone. Jeff Soucek, Felt’s director of R&D, said the silicone layer is smoother and more uniform than multiple layers of latex, which can form drips and be uneven in thickness and surface finish, and it has higher a heat resistance. Soucek said the precision of the shape of this mandrel means the layup moves very little during molding, so he can reduce the frame weight by minimizing overlap of layers. He said with an EPS foam mandrel, overlap must be around 5mm, whereas 1mm overlap is possible with the clamshell mandrel.

Air is pumped into a nylon bladder inside of the clamshell mandrel, which is uniform and tough and can’t blow out with temperature or due to uneven thickness the way Soucek said a latex bladder can, causing a section of the frame to not be compacted properly. On Felt’s second-tier frames, which are done with a solid EPS-foam mandrel, it is encased in a nylon bladder rather than a latex one.

4. Bottom bracket shells

Many of today’s carbon frames are “net-molded;” nothing is machined or bonded in afterward to make the bearings in the bottom bracket or headset fit. Thing is, there is no shortage of riders complaining about their carbon bikes creaking, caused by movement of the bearings or bearing cups in the frame.

     As a bike mechanic, especially if you are installing internal electric wires for electronic shifting, it may be beautiful to look inside the bottom bracket shell of a top end carbon frame and see that it is completely hollow; you can look right up inside the seat tube, down tube and chainstays. It’s obviously very light, and it’s easy to route cables and wires through. However, you can imagine that the bottom bracket bearings of, say, a press-in BB30 bottom bracket may be more free to move around relative to each other if there is nothing but a big hollow space between them.

     By contrast, even on the 700-gram F FRD frame, Felt molds a separate carbon cross-tube — a bottom bracket shell — and then bonds and molds it into the frame. This keeps the bearings lined up with each other so they don’t creak and to extend their life. Of course, you don’t have such easy access to the big hollow tubes to stuff the rat’s nest of internal electronic wires and junction box into them.

5. Head tubes

Again, veering from the “ideal” of a net-molded frame, Felt does not depend on molded carbon seats to hold the headset bearings. Rather, it bonds in thin aluminum bearing seats to ensure precision of the bearing function.

6. Aerodynamics

No, Felt does not have its own wind tunnel. However, it has a legacy in aerodynamics that started with Jim Felt, while he worked at Easton, making custom aero frames for triathletes out of special aero Easton aluminum tubes. Furthermore, Felt does not restrain itself from making no-holds-barred aero bikes that the UCI does not allow. While other manufacturers tend to sell their UCI-approved time trial bike as a triathlon bike and make some changes in components to speed it up a bit, Felt just went ahead and made the fastest bike it could, with some parts of the frame being over twice the 3-to-1 aspect ratio mandated by the UCI. Felt claims its IA frame has net lift in crosswinds (negative drag, so an aerodynamic propulsive force rather than a drag force) and that the AR road bike and DA time trial bike also have an exceptionally “high yaw profile,” meaning they can go to high yaw (sidewind) angles before the bike “stalls” (the point where the drag force suddenly increases dramatically).

Felt claims its “soft airfoil” shape on many of its aero-bike frame tubes performs better in crosswinds by improving reattachment of air after passing the tube, has a higher frame stiffness, and interacts better with a water bottle than sharper or truncated airfoil shapes. It’s also lighter than a sharp airfoil because added material is required to form the sharp edge, as carbon cannot make a sharp bend like that. The company says other shapes have a place; it uses sharp airfoils for the trailing edges of handlebars and truncated airfoils (Kammtails) on vertical tubes that don’t have a wheel or any other parts behind them. Judging by our test of the Felt AR3 against other aero road bikes in the wind tunnel (August 2014 issue of Velo) Felt’s tube shapes work, as the AR3 was the clear winner in any kind of crosswind.

Felt claims its UCI-legal time trial bike, the DA, is the fastest UCI-legal bike straight out of the box (i.e., with no changes in component spec). However, it claims that its UCI-illegal IA triathlon bike is faster yet: 4.5 minutes faster over an Ironman than the DA — a full 100 watts of power savings over a road bike! Felt’s road product manager Dave Koesel recommends that triathletes NOT buy bikes with the UCI-approved sticker, saying, “that thing is a parachute” (in order to get the UCI certification, a manufacturer must make the bike slower than it otherwise could).

There are other items to mention as well – things that Felt has quietly been doing for some time that now others are trumpeting loudly about doing. Hollow dropouts are one example — where the chainstay and seatstay form a continuous hollow loop past the dropout area, and only the last small bit where the wheel clamps is compression-molded. This allows Felt to make the F1 PR frame — the frame Thor Hushovd and Magnus Bäckstedt used at Paris-Roubaix — that has become more relevant due to the surge in popularity of racing road bikes on gravel. By bonding custom aluminum dropouts into the hollow chainstay/seatstay loop (in place of compression-molded carbon ones) of the top-end F1 road frame, raising its brake bridge, and lengthening its fork (with bonded-in compression-molded carbon dropouts), Felt has lengthened the rear end and wheelbase and kicked the seat and head angles back by 1.2 degrees. This allows it to easily accept 28mm (and even bigger tires) and increases the bottom bracket drop (so that the bottom bracket is lower with a 25mm tire and about the same with 28mm or 30mm tires as the F1). This amounts to a super light, confident-handling bike for cobbles and gravel roads.

The hollow dropouts forming a loop can also be used as a leaf spring; this feature is incorporated into the Edict 4-inch-travel cross-country race 29er. The Edict is a single-pivot bike that behaves like a linkage bike because of this flex at the dropouts. When you remove the Edict’s shock, the shock-actuation lever snaps down (you have to pull up on it to fit the shock back in) because the spring formed by the hollow stays at the dropout springs open. This means the bike springs to its sagged position, even without the rider on it, so the frame is doing more of the work and the shock less, similar to the anti-squat built into a linkage frame.

Another example of something Felt has been quietly doing for a long time that is now being touted by major brands is size-specific tube diameters and layups. Just like it did to Jim Felt when he was making custom aluminum frames, Felt always made carbon tubes smaller in diameter and with different wall thickness for small bikes than for big ones. The only area where this doesn’t hold true is for specific aerodynamic shapes for aero frames, but the wall thicknesses are still thinner on the smaller frames.

Felt has invested heavily in its product — in its engineers and the designs, tools, and materials they come up with — and not much in marketing. So consumers just may be surprised at how light, fast, snappy, and tough a bike they’ve barely heard of can be.

Read more at http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/08/bikes-and-tech/6-reasons-felt-making-worlds-best-bikes_339460#Gx0FTIdeSsCHhkgw.99

 

 

SHOULD YOUR CHILD RIDE A BICYCLE TO SCHOOL?

Are you reinforcing teaching with experience, or living in the world of, “do as I say not as I do,” or “don’t worry about me just do as you’re told.”  Both the medical and the psychological community have proven young children adopt the attitudes, principals and practices of their parents. They begin to change when they are offered options outside of the home; when they are exposed to differing environments and begin to communicate beyond the immediate family. There is a proven exception to this rule however when it comes to exercising and physical activity, particularly in the sport of bicycling.

Whether a parent is bicycling for exercise, for competitive racing, or just for fun, children who have ridden on the back of a parents bicycle, or found themselves clutching the handlebars can’t wait to get a bicycle of their own. The Safe Route to School website reports; In 1969, 48 percent of children 5 to 14 years of age usually walked or bicycled to school, In 2009, 13 percent of children 5 to 14 years of age usually walked or bicycled to school.

When parents moved to the suburbs and became dependent on automobiles, children became dependent on parents and school buses to get to school each day. The further out parents moved, the more dependent the family became. The absence of sidewalks and the neighborhood school and the distance children now had to travel coupled with concerns of safety, walking and bicycling to school became less of an option. There are more children today who have never been on a bicycle than ever before in the history of this country. Yet mountain biking, commuting by bicycle and the sport of bicycling is growing nationwide.

            Allowing a child to bike to school – even if you follow them in your car, gives them a sense of freedom and independence. The simple act of allowing a child to choose the bicycle they want, the color, the style, the sound of the bell or the size of the basket on the front or back of the bicycle empowers independent thinking. Yes, the world can be a frightening place and it is our job as parents to protect our children, however riding a bicycle to school instead of being dropped off by parents or riding a school bus has health benefits, involves decision making, stimulates learning and is a lot of fun.

            At Bixby Bicycles we offer classes for beginning cyclist, for families interested in family bicycle tours and bicycle checkups, fittings, safety tips, helmets, locks, accessories and maps. We will help you find the safest route for your child to take when riding a bicycle to school.

 

         More adults than ever are commuting by bicycle, yet their bicycle is the only one in the garage. Inner city biking and the addition of inner city bike trails is catering to the city dweller. Why should living in the outer limits of a city or in a secluded suburb diminish a child’s opportunity to ride a bicycle to school? Yes, they can ride up and down the street in front of the house, around the corner and back or be taken to a “safe” parking lot or park to ride. It’s just not the same. Bicycling makes a great family activity, whether you’re doing a tour, bicycling for exercise, or accompanying your child on their first bicycle ride to school.    To learn more contact Buster Brown, USA Cycling Coach at Bixby Bicycles and Accessories in Bixby Oklahoma.       

NOTE:  “The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that children have 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day. If riding a bike to and from school takes a half hour each way, your child has met this requirement without even trying. With many schools eliminating recess, this twice-daily activity may be your child’s best hope for movement”….. http://www.biketoworkblog.com/why-you-should-let-your-child-bike-to-school/

CHILD BIKE SAFETY - RIDING A BIKE TO SCHOOL

Bixby Bicycles inspects, repairs and performs routine maintenance on children's bicycles.  You will feel safer when your child leaves each morning if you know they are on the right equipment for their age and size, their equipment is safe and in good repair, their helmet is a good fit and they have clothing appropriate for bike riding. Oklahoma weather is constantly changing.

Today's bad weather clothing is light weight and can be easily stored in your child's backpack. In addition make sure your child's backpack is suited to be worn while riding his/her bicycle and in the Oklahoma heat we highly suggest an attachable water bottle. If your child is riding in a group or with another person, knowing the rules of Group Riding are important. Our Group Ride and Pace Line classes are free and we offer a Cycling 101 Class for new riders. In addition to helping with accessories your child might need, we can also review bike routes - a child attempting to climb hills or circle curves on the wrong bike can be dangerous. 

     Bixby Bicycles is more than a bicycles store. Our patrons are our neighbors - members of our community, the people we see and interact with each and every day. We are here to make you and your family's bicycling experience everything it should be. Riding a bike to school should be easy, safe and most of all fun. Read the reminders below then call us, or stop by the store - bring the bicycles – Bixby Bicycles is here for you! 

CHILD BIKE SAFETY - RIDING YOUR BIKE TO SCHOOL

If your child's school has not already started, it will be starting soon. If you live in Oklahoma there is a good chance your child is riding their bike to school. To help parents when they have "the talk", the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration / Parents Control blogged safety tips and reminders to make this talk easier. We've shared those here and added a few of our own. 

Riding Your Bike Too School

Source: PARENT CONTROL /NHTSA

Riding a bicycle to school can also be enjoyable for your child, but involves a little more skill than walking. Before your child begins riding to school, take time to practice riding skills in a safe place with no traffic, like an empty parking lot. 

Practice.

Children should work on important skills such as starting and stopping, riding in a straight line, looking over their shoulders, and signaling to vehicles. The better children are at riding, the less likely they are to crash.

Use The Right Gear.

Your child should only use a bicycle that is the right size, not one that is too big or too small. One of the smartest things your child can do to stay safe on a bicycle is wear a helmet. If your child falls or crashes, a helmet is the best protection against head and brain injury. A helmet is most effective when it fits properly; it should fit low on your child’s forehead, just two fingers above the eyebrow. Your child should be able to look up and see the helmet; otherwise it’s too far back. Your child should dress to be visible to motorists at all times of the day. Just like pedestrians, bicyclists are most easily seen when they wear bright-colored clothing. Riding at night can be dangerous. If your child has to ride at night, you or a responsible adult should ride along. Put a white light on the front of the bicycle and a red reflector on the back to make it easier for drivers to see your child’s bicycle at night.

Remember The ABCs.

Your children should always make sure their bicycles are ready to go. Before every ride, they should check the:  

• Air in their tires
• Brakes
• Chain.

Be Street Smart.

Remind your child that a bicycle is a vehicle, not a toy. Your child should ride with at least one hand on the handlebars at all time, and with only one rider per seat. Kids need to use their eyes and ears to stay alert, so they should never use headphones or cell phones while riding. Your child should ride on a sidewalk when one is available, or ride in the same direction of traffic if there is no sidewalk. Ride with young children who aren’t familiar with the rules of the road and remind them to be careful around driveways and parked cars. Just like with walking, the safest place for young bicyclists to cross the street is a corner or intersection. Your child should get off the bicycle, look left-right-left, and walk the bicycle across the street when no traffic is coming. 

National Center for Safe Routes to School

Before riding your bike

• Talk with your parents. Are you allowed to ride by yourself or with friends? What route will you ride to school?
•  Practice riding the route to school with your parents. Doing so will help you know where to stop, signal, and walk your bike.
•  Dress to be seen. Wear brightly colored clothes and reflective gear, such as a reflective vest, book bag tags, or pant leg straps. Remember, just because you can see a driver doesn’t mean the driver can see you.
•  Tie and tuck. Loose laces and pant legs can get caught up in your bike and cause you to crash. Tie shoelaces and tuck the hanging ends into your shoe, and tie wide pant legs with a reflective strap or tuck them into socks.
•  Check your bike for safety. Make sure the tires have enough air, the brakes and gears work, the chain isn’t loose, and the wheels and bolts are tight. You should also have reflective gear on your bicycle. Have your parents help you fix anything that’s not right.
• Put on your helmet. Make sure it’s properly adjusted, fitted, and buckled. See sidebar for instructions on checking helmet fit.  

While riding your bike

Look and listen for traffic. Also, look for things that could make you fall, like potholes and storm grates. Never use a cell phone or wear headphones.

• Watch for vehicles going in and out of driveways.
• Keep both hands on the handlebars, except when signaling. Carry books and other items in a backpack or bag designed to fit on a bicycle.
• Stop before crossing the street, entering a road, or turning. Look left, right, left, and behind you for traffic, including pedestrians, bicycles, and cars.

If you are allowed to ride in the street,

• Ride single file and in the same direction as cars.
• Ride to the right side of the road, but far enough from parked cars to avoid any car doors that suddenly open.
• Obey traffic laws. Follow all traffic signs, signals, and lane markings.
• Be predictable. Ride in a straight line, not in and out of cars. Use hand sign

5 Simple Strategies for Overcoming Race Day Nerves

 

 

5 Simple Strategies for Overcoming Race Day Nerves

Friday, July 17, 2015 | By Carrie Cheadle

 

61There are many reasons why athletes feel nervous before an event. Whether it’s your first race or your 50th, when you roll up to the start line or you’re standing on the beach waiting for your swim start, you’re probably going to experience some race-day anxiety. It’s normal to feel nervous when you’re about to take on a new challenge or about to tackle something important to you and you’re unsure of the outcome. These are situations when you may find yourself thinking:

• What am I doing?
• I don’t belong here.
• I should have trained more.
• What if I don’t finish?
• What if I let my down my family/friends/teammates/sponsors?

The nerves you feel are a part of your fight-or-flight response. Your heart starts to beat a little faster and your palms get sweaty. It’s hard to focus, your breathing is shallow, your stomach is in knots, and you’re looking at the line for the bathroom wondering if you have time to go again before your race starts.
Usually race day anxiety comes from either not feeling prepared or putting too much pressure on yourself and when the event holds more importance to you, you will tend to increase that pressure even more. Of course there are things you can do leading up to the race to help you feel more confident and prepared going in, but here are 5 tips to quell your anxiety on race day:

1. Accept the Nerves

It’s OK to be nervous. Expect it and accept it. In fact, there are some athletes that will tell you they’re more concerned before an event when they don’t feel nervous. Anxiety can actually be a facilitative emotion if you don’t let it get the best of you. Another thing to accept is that you probably won’t sleep well the night before your race. Don’t worry about it. Worrying about it only makes you feel worse and it turns out that lack of sleep the night before a race might not feel great, but physiologically you will still be able to perform the way you would with a good night’s sleep¹.

2. Reframe the Butterflies

The extra adrenaline in your body that kicks in when you ignite your fight-or-flight response triggers a whole host of physiological responses, one of which is that feeling of butterflies in your stomach. If you perceive your physiological symptoms as “bad”, then when you feel butterflies you label yourself as being nervous. Changing your perception of those butterflies can help with your nerves. When you start to feel nervous on race day, reframe the butterflies by telling yourself that you’re not nervous, your body is just getting excited and getting you ready to race.

3. Give Yourself an Emotional Boost

Your emotions play a very big role in your behavior. Your emotional state will alter your feelings of motivation and confidence as well as govern how much effort you put out. You feel your emotions because there are different physiological changes associated with different emotions and those physiological changes can either boost or dampen your physical performance. One recent study showed that outcomes were significantly enhanced for sprinters when the athletes imagined a very happy moment in their lives immediately before their performances². Give yourself an emotional boost by thinking about your best performance, your favorite scene from a funny movie, or any happy memory from your past that makes you smile, laugh, and feel good.

4. Stop Comparing

Are you looking around at your competition and feeling like you don’t stack up? Are you worried about how you’re going perform compared to the people around you?  Comparing yourself to your teammates and competitors can fill you with anxiety.  You need to gauge your success based on YOUR goals and YOUR performance regardless of what anyone else does around you. It’s your day, it’s your goal, and it’s your race. Don’t compare race-to-race either. Even if you’re racing the same race in similar conditions - every race day is different. You need to trust yourself, trust your training, and just focus on your own race and your own journey.

5. Stay in the Moment

This is one of the most important and impactful things you can do to alleviate your anxiety and improve your performance– and one of the hardest. Keep your mind in the present moment. Stop time traveling into the past thinking about the training you think you should have done. Stop traveling into the future worrying about the outcome of the day. Stay right here in the conversation of the race and you’ll be more likely to adjust and adapt to the race day challenges that come. Breathe, stay in the moment, and enjoy the day.
Carrie Cheadle is a featured presenter for the Endurance Coaching Summit on July 28-29. ECS brings coaches and experts together to advance the business of coaching. Learn more about ECS. ​

1. Reilly, T. & Edwards, B. (2007). Altered sleep-wake cycles and physical performance in athletes. Physiology and Behavior, 90(2-3), 274-284.
2. Rathschlag, M. & Memmert, D. (2015). Self-generated emotions and their influence on sprint performance: An investigation of happiness and anxiety. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 27(2), 186-199.

CUSTOMERS AND RIDERS CELEBRATE BIXBY BICYCLES

 

"One year ago Bixby Bicycles opened up. We opened with a few tools, a couple of work stands and the hope that we would make a difference in the cycling world. My vision was simple "to create new cyclist / rider - and to help the ones that have been riding get better. The first race we hosted, 25% of entries were first time races.

At our open house on April 5, 2014 we received our first 10 bikes. We had pizza, sodas and lots of friends that came by to support us. Today we have over 80 bikes and not much room left. We have more saddles loaned out to our customers to try before they buy then we first purchased. We are on our third club order of clothing and the list goes on an on! We have put on two races, held several camps, took a tour bus to HHH, organized three group rides per week (our average number is running about 45 cyclists per ride), started a race team that is winning races with lots of top 10 places, started a spin class, hired three part time employees, and made a lot of good friends. Share with me what a few of our riders, customers and friends are saying about Bixby Bicycles."

Clay Smith…. Glad to have joined you and your team Buster! Just in the short time I've know you and been riding with you guys, I've learned so much, and have developed some useful skills and techniques. Everyone I've met are super helpful. Vince & Joe are assets to your dream!

Jc Raines Happy…. 1 year Buster thank you for the opportunity to be involved in a great group , bike shop and Race team I really like the way you reach out to people to help them enjoy cycling and learn how to get better Thanks Buster !!!

Jason Watts….. I couldn't have found a better group of people to ride with and learn with. Everything from cool gear to cool people! Thanks Buster Brown, you and your team deserve nothing but success.

Ariel Wyant….. Bicycling has taken on a whole new, inspiring, learning and growing opportunity since joining the bixby bicycle rides. Buster Brown is a fantastic leader and truly inspires in a way that you can only get better being around him and the shop!

Bruce Marsh…. Glad you took this leap buster! We have all contributed and shared in the rewards of your success! Glad to be a part of the team!

Vince Hess…. Just being around you is transforming me into a better person. Thank you for everything Bixby bicycles. And Mr. Buster Brown.

Jason Holland… We celebrate the success of the shop and movement with you Buster. Thanks for all you and Joe do and we hope the shop continues to grow and expand and succeed.

Dale Nicola… thank you buster for all you do for us. This place will be here for many years. Your friend.

Steve Nave…. You've come a long way in a short time. We all look forward in growing, right along with the shop.

stated above, we are grateful for the deposits into our lives by the movement known as BBW! Although I am one of those that raced for the first time last year, cycling has become more than a bike a...See More

Kendra Franklin….. I've loved growing with BB! It's been such a welcoming experience.

Brett Woodward Is there a more generous bicycle store owner? I think not. Congratulations on your first year.

Charles Nadal….. Great shop great people great time thanks Buster

Alan Semento….. Buster, you are doing a great service to the whole community, thank you.

Sherry Rumsey …..Great work Buster ! I love my bike I purchased from your shop!!

Bixby Bicycles, Bigger and Better

BIXBY BICYCLES & ACCESSORIES FAMILY

We are growing!  Bixby Bicycles and Accessories, also known as Bixby Bicycle Works is expanding as we celebrate a one year anniversary. Thanks to Bixby Oklahoma and the surrounding communities we have realized our vision and seen our mission come true. Throughout the year we have created new cyclist, and coached and supported existing and mature cyclist and racers with cutting edge products from road bikes to mountain bikes, from family bikes to cruisers in an honest, fair, friendly and courteous buying and training environment. Like any other retailer we have had out slow days, however over all our sales of comfortable appropriate bicycles and accessories, thanks to the cycling community, have been great. 

Educating the cycling community and fostering a healthy fun method of exercise and sustainable fitness was a personal goal. As a USA Cycling Certified Coach I have had the opportunity to work with individuals and groups at all levels of cycling ensuring their ongoing development and safe participation in the sport of cycling.  As a teacher, motivator and adviser I’ve seen first time cyclist become competitive racers and seasoned racers achieve sustainable goals. I’ve had the pleasure of scheduling group rides, organizing competitions and events, and planning and organizing tours. Working with cyclist on physical abilities, time constraints, performance, and strategy and seeing the winning results has been one of my most fulfilling achievements.

As the seasons change and race season approaches we have a lot planned. On the retail end our footprint will be expanding and more space means more, new and innovative products. As a professional cyclist I know cycling in America revolves around the bike shop. Bixby Bicycles and Accessories will continue to stand behind our products, provide experienced mechanics, have riding experts as sales associates, and concentrate on selection, safety, comfort and fit. We will continue to offer the latest cycling information, technically advanced products, and bike paths and maps as part of the first-rate customer service you’ve come to expect.
   

On April 10^th and 11^th, 2015, our staff, riders, supporters and friends will come together for our one year celebration bash. Our Tuesday and Thursday Indoor Group Rides will continue through the month of March, then it’s outside until late fall. Saturday Group Rides are ongoing and we will again be sponsoring the Bixby Bicycle State Road Race. The Hotter-N-Hell Tour is scheduled for August and the Bixby Bicycle Challenge scheduled to end March 29^th has been a success.

National Bike Month is May 2015, National Bike to Work Week is May 11-15, and Bike to Work Day is May 15, 2015. If you’re not on a bicycle take the challenge. You’re never too young or to old and it’s never too late to join the fun. Start now and you’ll be ready to celebrate National Bike Month with the Bixby Bicycle and Accessories family of riders.  

Thank you for supporting Bixby Bicycles and Accessories 

BUSTER BROWN, Owner

MOTIVATING WITH SMART GOALS

Get motivated, keep those resolutions, stay the course, achieve your goals! It is in every inspirational speech, in motivational books, on desk calendars, notepads and heard from parents, teachers, spouses and coaches. They all want us to “Make It Happen”, however remaining motivated isn’t easy. There are a million things standing in your way. Fast Food restaurants are everywhere, soft drinks taste good and go down easy, its been a long day, the weather is bad and its hard saying no to family and friends. 

"If you're very hungry, I can't imagine that any amount of willpower will keep you from eating a cupcake," Mark Muraven, Ph.D.

SMART GOALS
I have learned over time crafting Smart Goals for your exercise or workout program can spur motivation and inspire perseverance. In short, write it down.
 

Make it SPECIFIC. Determine the what, when where and why of your workout. Write it down and be specific. Choose days that fit into an existing schedule and make the time consistent. Forming a habit is easier when a pattern is developed

Make it MEASURABLE. Set daily goals and track your progress, reaching each milestone is motivational. Hire a coach to keep you moving forward – to guide and instruct when things get hard and to acknowledge and applaud your successes.

Make it ATTAINABLE.  Setting an impossible goal is setting yourself up for failure. Hire a trainer or coach who can assist you in setting reasonable attainable goals. Remember you have a life outside of training, whether for fun, exercise or racing. Sure your quest is to follow that star, however dreaming the impossible dream leads to frustration and disappointment.

Make it REALISTIC. Look at where you are now compared to where you want to be and set a realistic goals. It’s important to take work, family, obligations and leisure time into consideration, and most importantly to set goals you believe in. Convincing yourself that all things are possible, will not lead to success. Be honest with yourself and with your expectations.

Make it TIME SPECIFIC.  You are surrounded by electronics, gadgets and tools designed specifically for tracking fitness and health. Determine how long it will take you to achieve your goal. Use a tracker to set mini-goals – a specific date to start and a specific date to end. Name days of the week, hours of the day and the length of time you will be involved in each exercise. If you decide on an hour a day, do an hour a day. Building endurance slowly inspires dedication and prevents injury.

TWEAKING. Things don’t always go as planned. As you progress be prepared to tweak your goals and each component of the SMART GOAL. Life isn’t consistent and things change from day to day. If you build flexibility into your exercise or workout, you’ll find it easier to rearrange a schedule or readjust a goal.  

“There’s no shame in tweaking your goals. In fact, it shows a level of maturity

that will serve you better than the bravado so many cling to as they run themselves

into the ground.” By Craig Hill, Staff writer February 14, 2015 

CHOOSING THE RIGHT BICYCLE SHOP

Choosing the right bicycle is just as important as choosing the right bicycle shop. With the growing popularity of bicycling in the U.S., media, print and online resources have commercialized that special bond between kids and bikes. Often however, the quality of the information you find online comes nowhere near the quantity of sites available. With the recent explosion of the bicycle market choosing a bicycle of any type for any purpose can be a daunting task. As a child your first bicycle was chosen for you, handed down to you, or magically appeared on Christmas morning, shiny and new with training wheels, streamers and a bell you could ring. Brand, shape, size and fit didn’t play into this “rite of passage”.  Making the transition from a bicycle chosen for you to one fitting your specific needs can be challenging. Choosing the right bicycle shop leads to choosing the right bicycle.

Knowing how much you want to spend is important. Bicycles range in price from hundreds of dollars to thousands, not including upkeep, maintenance, gear and accessories; then there’s the overwhelming choice of products. The right bicycle shop offers a trained, knowledgeable sales team asking the right questions, be local to the community you live in and the places you ride, have reasonable hours of operations and an approachable repair and maintenance staff.  Maintaining your bicycle is important. Whether you’re riding for pleasure, for exercise, commuting or racing, having the right bike shop repair and maintenance personnel will keep your bike riding smoothly. A good bicycle shop will quote prices, give estimates and make appointments – with pickup dates and times.

Are you riding off-road, are you riding on pavement, do you need a mountain bike, road, hybrid or commuter bike?  All important questions – easily answered on the internet, however understanding fit, testing various models, test riding, assembly, adjustments, training, access to certified coaches and the comradery of other riders will only happen in a brick and mortar store. Purchasing the wrong equipment, having a bad fit, being unprepared for weather and road conditions and the absence of proper gear and accessories can lead to discomfort, frustration and injury.

The right bicycle shop will provide personal service from a cycling professional who will explain budget (often includes more than just the bicycle), brands, fit, equipment, gears and accessories. The customer service focused bicycle shop will include individual and group training sessions, group rides, and accessories such as helmets, all weather clothing, shoes, protective wear and nutritional products.  The riders physical fitness, experience and riding goals are considered when choosing equipment, providing maps, bicycle trails, access to events and in developing a coach/rider training program.  

Fitting the person to the bicycle and not the bicycle to the person should be the mission and the goal of each customer interaction.  Specialized service, Individualized training plans, a concentration on fitness and injury prevention, coupled with a wide range of products, a knowledgeable staff, and bicycle training and coaching in a clean, safe and friendly environment makes knowing and understanding the options an easy one. Local to and invested in the community, the right bicycle shop is open to new, novice and experienced riders and racers. With the right brick and mortar bicycle shop, you’ll enjoy the experience and enjoy the ride.

BUSTER BROWN, USA Certified Cycling Coach