I tried out this bagel recipe:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Boiled-Bagels/Detail.aspx
While the results were tasty, they were overly chewy right out of the 
oven, and then after a day or so settled into a texture that was more 
like a traditional bialy than a real bagel. What factors go into 
determining fluffy vs. chewy? Should I have boiled them for more or 
less time, did I overknead them, or not let them rise enough? They 
are a bit on the flat side, though the dough had a nice rise to it 
before I shaped them. I can't seem to find any reference about 
technique, just more recipes.