CycleBar Norman and Chisholm Creek - A Party on a Bike
Pat Fitzgerald is big on high-fives, endorphins, and personal transformation. He’s also really tall, with a shock of white hair, a solid handshake and a warm personality. A graduate of Mount Saint Mary’s High School and SWOSU (where he and his wife, Barbara, met), he’s had an enviable career: Vice President and General Manager at iTunes, an executive at Disney for 8 years, 10 years with Campbell’s, and a stint as a (legitimate) banker in the Caribbean. Upon his return to Oklahoma, he advised the George Kaiser Foundation on various projects and served as Special Advisor for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Entertainment as a cabinet member to Gov. Mary Fallin.
His latest career move may seem incongruous at first, but CycleBar is actually a perfect fit for Fitzgerald, whose new personal mission is to make it perfect for you, too. He, Barbara and their children Morgan, Ryan, and daughter-in-law Amanda own the CycleBar studios in Norman and Chisolm Creek. “Our kids went to the University of Oklahoma, and we thought after college they’d move back to California, but they didn’t. They stayed here, so we came back to Oklahoma, and we all started looking for something we could do together to leave a positive legacy.”
The family knew their business couldn’t just be about profit, it had to be about giving, too. “When we were looking for our business, we had three criteria it had to meet. It had to be good for people, build community and give back. Those were our non-negotiables,” Fitzgerald says. Other non-negotiables? “We want our clients to have what we call a four-wall experience. The moment they walk in they’re greeted, usually by name, and offered assistance every step of the way. They don’t have to bring a thing. We’ve got cycling shoes, water, towels, a locker with their name on it, bananas, coffee and granola bars for after class, toiletries so they can freshen up, and then there’s the class itself. It’s a party on a bike.”
His time with Disney shows up in the way CycleBar staffers interact with clients, which is to say impeccably. Their game is on point. Friendly, cheerful, helpful, and supportive. It feels like a community. His time with iTunes shows up in the incredible sound systems in the Fitzgerald family CycleBar studios. “The sound systems are phenomenal. We felt strongly that we needed to upgrade the standard sound system CycleBar corporate had recommended. It’s about a $60,000 system but it changes the experience. We were the first in the country to use it and help develop the experiences as well. Our bike technology is the best available as well.”
What that means is that the bikes are intuitive. If your bike senses that you’re keeping up with the class and have a little energy to spare, it will increase your resistance to optimize your ride. Likewise, if it senses you’re pushing too hard, the bike will lower your intensity. This ups both your safety and your calorie burn.
CycleBar offers multiple class formats. The Classic Ride is a mix of high-energy music and a little choreography, like seat touches, with a 5-minute arm workout done with either a four- or six-pound bar. The Connect class style is a quieter, more unplugged, Zen-like ride and Empower classes are straightforward endurance rides, sans choreography. There’s also a 30-minute Express class, easier to squeeze into a lunch hour or packed day. “In the winter we see more road cyclists in Empower classes, to help keep up their mileage,” Fitzgerald says.
Are you CycleBar-curious? Your first class is complimentary. Once you’re hooked, expect your mood, energy level, and general positivity to increase. You’ll find yourself smiling more, and that propensity for high-fives? Turns out it’s contagious!
photos: Ryan Magnani