Cirrus Cycles is a new business born from a partnership between former frame builder and garage engineer Paul Barkley CPA and local event producer and cycling aficionado Charlie Heggem.
Paul Barkley the inventor of the Bodyfloat™, started in the cycling industry
in the early 70’s, working in numerous shops and eventually founding
Kulshan Cycles in Bellingham, WA. He gained a solid reputation as a
custom bicycle frame builder and built the early prototype and team
frames for the Softride bikes from 1989 to 1992. In mid 90s he left
the cycling business to finish a BA in Economics at the University of
Washington and earned his CPA certification. Barkley served as a
business financial consultant to clients ranging from manufacturing and
agricultural businesses to nonprofit organizations. He designed the
first BodyFloat™ for transportation when assisting village development
groups in Kenya and Uganda.
Charlie Heggem is owner of NorKa Recreation, a Whatcom County, WA based recreation production company that creates, builds and delivers recreation events to the community and region. NorKa’s marquee event is Festival 542, a multi-sport-recreational festival held annually in the foothills of Whatcom County. Heggem began competitive cycling in the late 80’s and eventually turned pro in the mid-90’s as a world cup level rider. Always with a saddle under him, Heggem has shared his passion for cycling with thousands of participants through a diverse resume of events, including : The Vietnam Challenge, Face of America, Riding Through History, BC Bike Race, USA Pro Cycling Challenge. Heggem brings a breadth of innovative ideas, valuable marketing platforms, events, unique experiences and diverse resources to the table.
Jim Clevenger is a Cat. 3 road racer, a Cat. 2 cyclocross racer and a veteran of more triathlons and multi-sport races than he cares to admit to completing. He spent the last 15 years in the running specialty world with his own online store and brick and mortar store.
Our key staff:
Larry Davis: Larry is Cirrus Cycles Master Machinist and has over 40 years of tool and die making experience. His attention to detail is exquisite. Larry is also a master welder, general good guy and a uni-cycle aficionado.
John Pratt: John is also a former Cat. 2 road racer, long-time cycling photojournalist and commercial photographer. As our "media" guy, he brings his eye for design and passion for cycling into our family. John also heads up customer service.
The BodyFloat™ Story
The
BodyFloat™ came about as the blend of two passions: cycling and the desire to
help others.
Twenty
years ago, BodyFloat™ inventor Paul Barkley was serving in the Peace Corps in Uganda,
using his old Softride suspension bike to navigate the rough
African roads.
Years later, the Softride long
since gone, Barkley again found himself assisting rural village development
groups in Kenya and Uganda. Needing to cycle between remote villages, he was
looking for a spring seatpost to ease the ride.
None of the available
spring seatposts provided the features he was seeking, so he was inspired to
build one himself.
He found that the first prototype worked so much better than expected that he continued refining the design,
building several more versions, improving the spring rate, travel, durability
and weight.
What emerged in the spring of 2011 was the
patent pending dual spring version that allowed the BodyFloat™ to be lighter,
more compact and suitable for performance road bikes.
At the end of summer 2011, Barkley and
Charlie Heggem formed Cirrus Cycles to
bring the BodyFloat to market allowing him to pursue two of his
passions, cycling and sustainable grassroots development.
