Our Staff truly defines Schlegel Bicycles.
We all share a passion for riding, however not all of us do it the same way. That is why we hand picked our employees from enthusiasts with a variety of cycling expertise.
We each have our own love of the sport; let our staff help you find yours.
Steve Schlegel Leslie Schlegel Marty Buchanan Joey Mesa Daniel Mesa Steve Swanson Aaron Smathers Jessica Herford Emma Krueger Morgan Thompson
Steve Schlegel – store manager/ ceo Steve started in the bike business in 1980 when he got his first job at House of Wheels on NW Expressway so he could pay for the repair of his bicycle. He was only 12 years old. Little did Steve know this would turn into his life’s passion. Steve has ridden all types of bikes and knows more about them than most people. He has won multiple Oklahoma State Championship medals (gold, silver and bronze) in all disciplines of cycling (road, mountain, cyclocross, timetrial, triathlon and criterium racing) from 1986-present. He has also competed as a Cat 1-2 in many regional and national races. Steve was awarded the Jim Thorpe Cycling Man of the Year award in 2004. Steve has also been recognized in his business career. In 2005, he was nominated for OKC Biz Forty Under 40.
Steve is always looking to learn more on bicycle fitting and injury prevention. Recently Steve has attended the Serotta Cycling Institutes Fit Symposium as well as, Trek’s Fit Certification. Steve is vice president of the Oklahoma City Velo Club and is a member of several organizations including the United States Cycling Federation, the National Off Road Bicycle Association, the International Mountain Bicycling Association, the United States Triathlon Association, the Bicycle League of Norman, the Oklahoma Bicycle Society, the Oklahoma Earthbike Fellowship (OEF) and the Oklahoma City Tri Club. Steve also serves as a board member for the Redbud Classic.
Steve continues to share his passion for cycling with the community, and he races and rides in many local events. He has also joined the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training and Team Young Life as a cycling coach to help cyclists achieve their fitness goals of completing a 100-mile bike ride. He enjoys being a part of the local cycling community and working with local city organizations to improve the future of cycling in Oklahoma City. steve@schlegelbicycles.com
Leslie Schlegel – general manager/ cfo Leslie has been doing bookkeeping and accounting since 1995 and in 1998, Leslie started Schlegel Bookkeeping, Inc. which grew to have 3 employees and 29 clients (including Schlegel Bicycles). She specialized in small business. In 2000, Leslie and Steve were married and in 2003, Leslie closed her bookkeeping company and joined the team at the bike store full-time to handle the accounting, marketing and manage the office. Lucky for Steve he has a wife who is as smart as she is hot. Shortly after Leslie met Steve, she started riding a hybrid around Lake Hefner and not long after that, she took on mountain biking, until an accident at Lake Tahoe. Leslie then decided to try road cycling and fell in love with it (no trees). In 2007, only eight months after a total hip replacement, Leslie joined Team in Training and completed 56 miles at Lake Tahoe. Not long after that Lake Tahoe ride, Leslie had baby number three. She is back on her bike and looking forward to Lake Tahoe this year. leslie@schlegelbicycles.com
MARTY BUCHANAN – SERVICE MANAGER Marty joined the team in April 2007. He has proven to be a great asset to the company and yes, his accent is real! Marty knows first hand what it’s like to move from one type of biking to another. In his native Wales he was an avid downhill mountain biker, but since his transplant to the U.S., he has learned he can get that same rush of adrenaline traveling 40 mph on his road bike. In 2010, Marty started competing in Time Trial events (TTs) and this is now his main focus in racing. He really enjoys working with the awesome Service Staff of qualified and experienced mechanics at Schlegel Bicycles and has admitted that he “…pretty much learns something new every day!” marty@schlegelbicycles.com
Joey Mesa – senior Mechanic Joey started working for Schlegel in April 2008. Joey has been a bike mechanic for many years and has worked at several stores in the OKC area. His favorite part of working at Schlegel Bicycles is its fun working environment with great co-workers, non-stop action and lots of cool bikes and equipment to work with. Joey likes working in the bicycle industry because it’s been his main hobby for the last 30 plus years and it’s what he knows and enjoys. Joey began as a BMX enthusiast and now also road races and cyclocrosses, and he bikes to work almost every day.
Daniel Mesa – Mechanic Seem familiar to you? Yes, Daniel is Joey’s brother! Keeping it all in the family, Daniel came on board in May 2011. He has worked in bicycle retail for the past 8 years and currently is an Elementary Education student at the University of Oklahoma. Daniel is married and the father to one little girl. When asked what Daniel likes about bicycle retail he responded, “What’s not to like? I like to promote the sport.” We completely agree, Daniel. The types of riding he does are mountain, road and town… in that order. He also says he likes working here because the people are cool and working with his brother is a plus too!
Steve Swanson – Assistant sales Manager “Little Steve” as we lovingly call him, has been with the company since March 2011. Steve is like a mullet, the perfect blend of business and party. He can always bring a smile to your face with his lighthearted attitude. Working at Schlegel Bicycles is a joy to Steve because of the easy going environment and his like-minded coworkers and customers. Steve enjoys road biking – the sights, sounds and smells of riding in the country and the challenge of exercise. A former chef and bartender, his hobbies include cooking, running and educating himself in the world of lagers and ales. When asked if he has any awards, Steve said, “voted coolest person to ride a bike… ever.” sswanson@schlegelbicycles.com
AARON SMATHERS, m.s. – bike fit specialistAaron earned a masters degree in Exercise Science from the University of Oklahoma and most recently has been working in clinical orthopedics. He is a former professional road cyclist, multiple Oklahoma road race, crit and time trial champion, as well as a two time Hotter N’Hell champion in the pro 1,2 event. He holds an Expert Level USA Cycling Coaching license and has experience from multiple development camps with USA Cycling at the Olympic Training Centers in Chula Vista, CA and Colorado Springs, CO as well as The Serotta Cycling Institutes Seminar on Bike Fit. He has more than 10 years of performance testing experience with endurance athletes and has published research on low bone mineral density in elite cyclists. aaron@schlegelbicycles.com
JESSICA HERFORD – MARKETING DIRECTOR/OFFICE MANAGER Jessica personifies the “behind every great man, there is a great women” saying. As office manager, Jessica helps keep the business flowing smoothly. She works hard to complete the monthly newsletter and is the woman behind Facebook and Twitter. She also helps the guys at the store in the back office with purchasing and managing inventory. Jessica has been with Schlegel Bicycles since September 2008. She is a recreational cyclist and loves to hop on her bike and cruise around the neighborhood. office@schlegelbicycles.com
Morgan Thompson – Office Assistant Morgan has been working at Schlegel as an office assistant since November of 2009 and is planning to stick around for a while. She feels like she has finally found her home at Schlegel and loves working in the down-to-earth atmosphere with fun, energetic people who care about her. Morgan is one of our trail riders and has even ridden trails in Silverton and Breckenridge, Colorado. When Morgan isn’t helping out at Schlegel, she spends time with her husband doing automotive work.