Who I am and Why We're Here
Okay, let's set the record straight. A lot of people say, "You started your business because you were short and you couldn't find a bike that fit, right?" Wrong. I started my business to follow my intuition. No ulterior motives here at all.
Against my Dad's wishes, I bought my first bicycle, a fire engine red, single speed Schwinn girl's model. I rode that bike everywhere. It ignited a little fire in me that has burned with varying degrees of passion over the years. The freedom, the exhilaration, the independence of cycling-just perfect for me.
When I was finishing my B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, our senior project was to build a vehicle. Each group was given a nice little two stroke engine and told to make something neat...efficient...totally cool. Some of us were cyclists, so we set about building the best of both worlds. I found the tubing and Ed supplied a torch, flux and rods. We worked out of the basement of an old house. On a hot September afternoon, I watched Ed brazing a joint. There was something very appealing about the glare of the torch on his face, the perspiration. And it wasn't a romantic appeal either.
I wanted a piece of that. So when Ed took off his goggles, wiped his face and said, "wanna try it?" I grinned and had my first lesson in brazing. It was like looking at a nonsensical throb of hot color. I couldn't tell base metal from rod, from flux. Everything was swirling around. I must have done okay, because the joint held, but I didn't know why and that intrigued me.
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Why We Sponsor Team Terry
After reflecting over my last racing adventure I've come to realize that this year I have learned so much about racing on a team and trying to be that "perfect teammate".
I have learned that for the success of the team, you often must give up - or re-evaluate your own personal race goals. For instance, there may be many a time that you know that you could be in the "winning move" of a race but you must first act in accordance to your team. i.e., If your teammate is up the road - no matter how much your legs/brain are telling you that YOU could be up there too, you have to ask yourself, "Am I acting in a way that is in the best interest of the team?" If the answer is "No" - then re-evaluate.
One must also realize that no matter how much you feel that you've assisted/helped your teammates - the winner on the team will always get the most credit. To be a good team player your own personal sacrifice must be rewarding in itself. Don't expect a ticker tape parade when you roll over the finish line if you helped your teammate succeed - be happy with yourself internally that you acted in the best way possible to help your team triumph.
Naomi CermakTeam Terry Rider
What I Ride
At last count, six Terry bikes are currently in use.
When the weather is good, I take Moo (a cleverly disguised Mt. Marcy from 1988) out every morning for a run around the neighborhood. A great way to start the day!
Training rides are almost always on a Fast Woman. This one, slightly scratched and dinged, was found languishing in our warehouse.
On longer rides or on hillier rides, you'll find me on either a titanium Isis or an older hand-built Terry made of Prestige lightweight steel tubing.
When winter closes in, I ride two other hand-built Terry Precision models: one on the rollers and another on a trainer.
And no, I don't have a favorite. I never met a bike I didn't like.
So two years later, I bid a very fond farewell to the corporate world, bought a torch and some rod, read up on the metallurgy of brazing, and had a friend teach me the basics of safe torch operation. And then, in my own basement, I began the process of learning to build bicycle frames. It was as confusing at the outset as it had been at college, but, bit by bit, the pieces fell into place. Soon, brazing was like a good bike ride. I just got into the rhythm of it and it seemed like I could will the silver to go anywhere.
Eventually the word got out and I found myself building for others. I noticed a lot of women coming to me with common complaints-aches and pains, no off the rack bikes available. The MBA part of my brain pushed past the engineer and screamed, "Wake up! Crunch the numbers. Let's go! Your personal revolution is about to take off."
All these little voices inside me. They eschew even the slightest suggestion that someone knows more about me than they know. They're apolitical, selfish little fiends. They provide the fire, I chase down the flammables. These little pals are inside everyone. You just have to shut down the interference and listen. When all is said and done, it's going to come down to you and them. I'm really glad I heard mine from the beginning.
ABOUT TERRY
