Wheeler Crits are back! Enjoy this cycling event beginning on June 29

After an uneventful past year for most sports, Oklahoma City cyclists and community members are encouraged by the return of Wheeler Crit races this summer. The first race will happen on Tuesday, June 29 at 5:30 p.m., and races will continue on bi-weekly basis throughout the months of July and August. With cooler temperatures in September, races may happen on a weekly basis until the season ends on September 28. 

The Wheeler Criterium races began in 2014, before much else was happening in the Wheeler District. This year will be the first time the racecourse will be held on the neighborhood’s streets.

“It’s been the plan since day one to have it running through the neighborhood,” said Wheeler District’s Vice President of Development Ashley Terry. “In the interim, we were able to have a fun, placemaking use of the former downtown airpark site. The crits were hosted near the Ferris wheel and were more of a festival type of event. Now that it will be running through the neighborhood, we are able to use some of the amenities offered by the Wheeler District. People can enjoy food and beverages from Terminal Commons and The Big Friendly as they watch the races.”

Boxcar General Manager and Wheeler Crit Race Director, Chad Hodges with Ashley Terry, VP of Development at Wheeler, and Tammy Fate, OKC Chamber Sr. Manager of Retail Development

If you haven’t been over to the Wheeler District lately, you may not have gotten the chance to enjoy the rustic pan pizza at Terminal Commons or taste The Big Friendly’s beer direct from their taproom. Both places are perfect venues to set the stage for successful community events and celebrations. The Terminal Commons has a playground, promoting the family-friendliness of the area intended for everyone to enjoy.

Years before The Big Friendly opened their taproom, they brought their beer bus to the Wheeler Crit events. Joe Quinlin, Partner of The Big Friendly, came to Oklahoma City from San Diego in 2007, and his story is one many in our community can appreciate. “I had some family who moved out to Oklahoma, and it was a big contrast from San Diego. I enjoyed my time here a lot better. The pace of life slowed down quite a bit, and there were less barriers to starting a business…it seemed like it was wide open in terms of opportunity.”

Initially, Joe began making beer with his brother, Will, for personal enjoyment. They eventually became more serious about getting into the business. The brothers worked at Chamber member COOP Ale Works before The Big Friendly took off, and Will served as the head brewer at COOP for six years. “People in the brewing industry are very generous and hospitable. Seems like everyone helps everybody when it comes to that stuff,” said Quinlin.

After The Big Friendly bus found success in serving beer to the public in 2015, the brothers decided to open a permanent location. In 2016, they began talking with Wheeler about opening a brewery in the district. They’ve seen a lot of positive momentum since they opened their taproom. The return of the Wheeler Crits, with a new course starting and finishing on the street immediately south of their building, will only add to it.

“We get so much support from neighbors and the development itself,” said Quinlin. “It’s probably the event that I am most excited about here in Oklahoma City. I have been looking forward to bringing people to the district and being able to share the beer we’ve labored over for the past decade. This place has a lot of life both inside and outside of the brewery. The crits are such a fun thing to be a part of and they are happening outside of our taproom. It’s a gift for us.”

Joe’s brother, Will, and their business partner, Jonathan Bean, are both cyclists. As enthusiasts of the sport, there couldn’t be a better brewery to serve as a backdrop of the races.

Tony Steward, owner of the Bike Lab OKC, has raced in the Wheeler Crits in previous years. “Wheeler Crits created Oklahoma’s version of what we’ve seen around the country,” he said. Modeled after cycling communities like Austin’s, where crit events have nationwide interest, the weekly event offers an approachable, low-cost, reputable option for individuals interested in getting into racing.

There is an element to crit racing that goes beyond the competition; participating in these events is deeply rooted in community. “It’s a race. You’re excited. You look forward to it. It’s a chance to see your friends and enjoy something unique to break up the week. I love the racing environment, and Bike Lab as a shop will definitely have a presence this year,” said Steward, who, along with many other cyclists, are excited to see the races move to the neighborhood streets. This change helps make the experience akin to other crit races across the nation.

Terry noted the involvement of the cycling community in the development of the neighborhood. “When we were getting into the nitty gritty of street design, we invited Chad Hodges out to help look at the design. He provided suggestions to keep cyclists safe, ensuring the curbs and corners were constructed at proper angles, and the street materials were cycling-friendly.”

Hodges, who is the general manager of Boxcar Coffee and Bicycle Shop and the Wheeler Crit Race Director, said, “It’s been really nice to partner with the Wheeler District. The whole process has been really thought out. To have a partner visit with us and ask ‘What kind of curbs are good? What kind of corners are good?’ has been fantastic. Hopefully we’ll get people sitting on their porches and ringing cowbells and hanging out during the events.”

In addition to a new location, several other exciting changes are happening this year to make the production easier on organizers and participants, including a move to online registration. “We’re trying to do it a little different this year. We want to avoid long lines so people can get in their warm-up laps and focus on prepping for the race,” said Evan Bybee, assistant race director. “There will be three categories this year, A, B, and C, and it won’t be sanctioned in order to keep costs low for everyone. It makes it really simple. These practice races aren’t meant to be anything more than practice. It’s a platform in the city that’s not being done anywhere else and a low-risk place to try new things. If it doesn’t work out, no sweat.”

Though the races will be low-key, they will still require smart cycling practices. Bybee adds, “with the course being in the neighborhood on newer streets, it’s going to be a lot more technical. You’ll need a good skillset.”

Aside from the general excitement surrounding the sport, each year a local artist designs a unique poster for the season. The artists are given creative freedom, though the image must include a brown bear on a bike wearing an aviator cap. The aviator cap is clearly a nod to the history of the downtown airpark site, but few are as familiar with the reasoning behind the bear’s presence on the poster which recognizes another part of Wheeler’s history: the former zoo.

When Oklahoma City resident, banker, and civic leader James B. Wheeler donated 44 acres of his neighborhood development in 1902 to create Wheeler Park for the Oklahoma City community, individuals began donating animals to the property. The first animal donation was a deer given by a local man.

The park quickly became known as a zoo, including bears, pheasant, rabbits, ringtails, prairie dogs, fox, mountain lions, lynx, squirrels, bobcats, owls, opossum, coyotes, peacocks, alligators, and more. Individuals traveled from around the region to see the animal-filled park. On the weekends, between three to five thousand visitors came specifically to see the bears.

The bear who has become the Wheeler Crit mascot was named Old Bruin. He entertained the crowds of people through Sunday performances where he climbed to the highest branch of a tree to collect a slice of sugar-covered bread.

This year’s poster was designed by Joshua Boydston, Oklahoma-based designer, illustrator, and writer. His playful depiction of the bear on the bike extends an encouraging “welcome back” to all who plan on attending the races.

History buffs will note that the Wheeler Crits come long after the first time a cycling event was hosted in the area. On Labor Day in 1903, during the formal dedication ceremony of Wheeler Park, bicycle races were held in order to draw crowds in support and celebration of the space. City leaders hoped that the capital improvements that were made at Wheeler Park would help make Oklahoma City a contender in the race to be “the most attractive city in the southwest.” Arguably, we’re still a decent candidate for that title. 

Wheeler Park still exists just north of the river from the Wheeler District and is owned by the City of Oklahoma City. Its days as a zoo have passed, but Oklahoma City's Zoo and Botanical Gardens, only a short drive across town, offers a visitors a chance to see bears in their "Oklahoma Trails" habitat.

With safety a top priority at the races, there will be barricades at every intersection to make people aware of the incoming cyclists. Neighborhood residents are eager to support the upcoming events, welcoming the broader community into their space. Though there has already been a generous level of volunteer interest in supporting with the event’s safety and logistics, if you are interested in volunteering, you can email [email protected].

In sharing his expectations for this year’s events, Evan Bybee said, “My hope is that everybody that does it becomes a better rider for having done it. I also hope more people that don’t ride look at it and say, ‘Wow, this is pretty cool,’ and decide to look further into the sport.”