Saturday, February 27, 2010
Century Cycles does the Cleveland Auto Show!
If so, then look for this Giant Dash 3 bicycle, on loan from us to Sunnyside Audi to show off the recreational equipment-hauling abilities of their vehicles.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Photos from our Staff Retreat
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Surly Big Dummy Demo Bike Has Arrived!
50% Off ALL In-Stock Tires and Inner Tubes - Hot Deal #9
50% Off ALL In-Stock Tires and Inner Tubes!
If you're not handy with changing your own tires, we'll also do the work for you, at our normal labor rates.
If you've been riding your bike on an indoor trainer all winter, your rear tire is sure to be due for replacement. Even when riding outside, the rear tire wears out faster than your front, since that's where most of your weight is. However, you shouldn't swap your front and rear tires to help them wear evenly; you always want your best tire on the front, because your front tire plays the biggest role in helping you maintain control in slippery conditions.
It's safest to replace both tires at the same time, but if you must save a few bucks, move your front tire to your rear wheel and put a new tire on your front wheel.
The Fine Print: Hot Deal #9 is good only Febuary 25 through March 10, 2010; In-stock items only, while supplies last. In-store purchase only; no online or phone orders accepted. No coupon necessary.
More Great Deals!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
"Missing Bike...No Reward" Poster
Monday, February 22, 2010
Interview with a Bike Mechanic
This week's interview features Erik Olson, Service Manager for Bicycle Alley. You can read the whole article here.
My favorite part is his response to the question,"Do you ever have people come in after they've botched their own repairs?"
"Car mechanics, they're the best. 'Buddy, I rebuild transmissions. I'm pretty sure I can work on a bike.' The next day they're in, 'Yeah, you were right, I shoulda just left it here.'"
Sunday, February 21, 2010
All three stores CLOSED on Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Our regular Hours of Operation are in effect for all other days this week.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Surly Big Dummy: One of 51 "Perfect Things"
Friday, February 19, 2010
More magazine coverage for Electra Bicycles
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Women's Health Top Picks for Bicycles
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Super-Sneak peak at the 2011 Raleigh Rx 1.0
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Introducing the Raleigh Misceo 1.0
I'd describe this category as somewhere between a traditional hybrid bike (like the Raleigh Route 4 or the Giant Cypress DX) and a flat-bar road bike or "fitness" bike (like the Raleigh Cadent FT 1 or the Giant Rapid 3). It's a performance hybrid. Or some have taken to calling it an "urban mountain bike," but I think that's misleading; that sounds like it's meant for this kind of riding, which it definitely ain't.
Who needs this bike? Somebody who wants to do every kind of riding in between the extremes. It's not a mountain bike, so it's not for extreme off-road riding, and it's not a zippy road racer, either, but it's anything else you can think of. Every-day urban and exurban commuting. Paved/dirt/gravel road touring. Coffee shop/pub exploring. Hook up a cargo rack or trailer, and I see it as the perfect bike for an overnight adventure on the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail or Great Allegheny Passage. Finally, and I hate to say it, but this is the bike for the person who really just needs a traditional hybrid, but wants something more sporty and hip-looking instead of a "grandpa bike."
This sample bike is a Medium frame, but it won't be around for long. Give us a little notice, though, and I'm sure Sean would be willing to bring it back some time if you want to check it out.
(Notice the available disc brake mounts on the rear left chainstay.)
Monday, February 15, 2010
Giant 29er Has Arrived!
If you're not yet familiar with the 29er concept, the idea is to use larger-diameter 700C-sized wheels on a mountain bike, as opposed to the traditional 26-inch wheels. The larger wheels give you more traction and better pedaling efficiency.
In addition to the bigger wheels, the Giant XTC 29er 1 gives you everything you'd expect in a race-ready mountain bike, and more. It features Giant's ALUXX SL aluminum frame, a Fox 32 F29 suspension fork with 100mm of travel, a 27-speed Shimano drive train with Deore/XT/SLX components, and Avid Juicy 3 hydraulic disc brakes, and Kenda Karma 29x2.0 tires. The 15mm thru-axle in the front fork and hub, combined with Giant's new tapered head tube frame design, give you increased stiffness and control in the front end.
Take ours for a test ride (as long as the mountain bikes trails are dry enough) through our Demo Bike Program! We have a Medium frame size available for demo or purchase; other sizes available by special-order. It's currently in our Peninsula store; call us if you'd like to check it out in either Medina or Rocky River!
You can see here that our model comes in at 27 pounds, 2 ounces (including test ride pedals).
Sunday, February 14, 2010
What the?
A customer in the Century Cycles store in Peninsula brought in a hub and rim for Derrick to rebuild into a new wheel. The rim was unmarked with any brand name or model, and the hub was unrecognizable, other than an unfamiliar web site address. This make picking the right spoke lengths a little more challenging than usual, involving taking measurements and making calculations, instead of the usual just looking it up in a database.
Once that was done, the wheel came together without a problem. However, we got curious, and looked up the web site from the hub. Turns out, it's a company that specializes in motorized bicycles and parts to adapt motors to standard bicycles and other equipment. The photo gallery on the site was a real treat, showing the likes of these Frankenstein-like creations, among others:
You can check out more at: www.staton-inc.com
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Metroparks Serving Summit County Reports Increased Attendance
Attendance at all Summit County Metroparks jumped by 382,000 visitors, for a total of 4,918,122 visitors in 2009, an al-time record. This includes the Bike & Hike Trail and the 18-mile section of Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail that is within the county's jurisdiction.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Final WINNERS from the Rock and Roll Trainer Night Rides!
Highest Wattage, Men: Brent Forrer (960 watts)
Highest Wattage, Women: Meghan Karchefsky (382 watts)
The highest wattage winners are awarded cycling jerseys from Sierra Nevada Brewing Company!
Longest Distance, Men: Bryan Ashman (0.80 miles)
Longest Distance, Women: Andrea Chisnell (0.60 miles)
The longest distance winners are awarded t-shirts from Sierra Nevada Brewing Company!
Here's a video from this morning's drawing for the grand prizes, the Men's and Women's Raleigh Special Cruisers:
Congratulations to winners Dick Kight and Melissa Guthrie!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Results, photos, and video from the final Rock and Roll Trainer Night Ride
Here's our weekly photo album from the evening's festivities:
And our traditional video highlights:
And here are the power and mileage results for the night:
Name | Wattage | Distance |
Steve Lindas | 469 | 0.58 |
Kevin "Kevlar" Madzia | 619 | 0.75 |
Brent "The Destroyer" Forrer | 960 | 0.70 |
Sean Burkey | 776 | 0.60 |
Jocelyn Buckey | 259 | 0.58 |
Mandy Kidder | 380 | 0.56 |
Brandon Halleen | 718 | 0.74 |
Brandon Halleen (try #2) | 768 | 0.74 |
Jocelyn Buckey (try #2) | 371 | 0.58 |
Harley Gheen | 275 | 0.55 |
Jo | 304 | 0.52 |
Laura Povinelli | 53 | 0.24 |
Kathy Presley | 140 | 0.41 |
Adam Bolt | 583 | 0.65 |
Check back here soon for video of our drawings for the final grand prizes, the Raleigh Special Men's and Women's cruiser bikes!
Thank you to all of you who came out and had a good time with us, and helped support the Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association's TRAILS FOREVER Legacy Fund!
Thanks to our partners and sponsors: Century Cycles, Raleigh Bicycles, Kinetic Trainers, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, and The Winking Lizard Tavern!
Party down with "Frazz" cartoonist Jef Mallett!
50% Off Selected Giro and Bell Helmets - Hot Deal for Cold (and Snowy) Days #8
Giro Indicator Helmet $19.99 (regularly $39.99) | |
Bell Slant Helmet $27.49 (regularly $54.99) |
Patti The Buyer offers another Hot Deal on a bicycling essential - a helmet. These two models provide superb ventilation, weigh very little and look great. The Giro Indicator has a visor, 20 vents, and Giro's AcuDial fit system for comfort. The Bell Slant has a removable blade visor, 21 large vents, and Bell's ErgoDial fit system with Cam-Lock strap adjusters. Either model works great for adults or older kids. Stop by Century Cycles for a custom helmet fitting and to save big!
Patti The Buyer's Tip O' The Day
Maintain your helmet's integrity. Do not store a helmet in an attic, garage, car trunk or other area where heat can accumulate. Excessive heat may cause bubbles to form and other heat damage. Speaking of damage, avoid loaning your helmet to others - you won't know what it went through on someone else's head. In the case of any crash or impact, a helmet should be replaced, even if everything looks okay. I also recommend a helmet be replaced after five years, even if it has remained crash-free. UV light, weathering and even pollution can weaken its components over time.
The Fine PrintHot Deal #8 is good only Febuary 11 through 24, 2010, or while supplies last. In-store purchase only; no online or phone orders accepted. No coupon necessary. Other colors in addition to those shown above are available.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Electra Bicycles - There's An App For That!
The app is free to download from your iPhone or the iTunes stores, and it will also work on other iPhone-app-compatible devices, such as the iPod Touch and the new iPad.
The app features Electra's "Way To Roll" video, catalogs of their six bicycle lines (Ticino, Townie, Amsterdam, Cruiser, Tandem, and Kid's), and exclusive wallpaper downloads. You can also share your photos and Electra experiences with the "Way To Roll" online community.
The app also has a built-in dealer locator to help you find the nearest place to buy Electra bicycles and accessories no matter where you are. Of course, if you're in the Cleveland/Akron area, you already know where that is...
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Results from last week's Rock and Roll Trainer Night Ride
Here are the photos, video, and results from last week's ride:
Name | Wattage | Distance |
Doug Charnock | 432 | 0.66 |
Tracey Bradnan | 186 | 0.41 |
Chip Warren | 442 | 0.60 |
Andrea Chisnell | 290 | 0.60 |
Sean Burkey | 664 | 0.70 |
Al Graf | 320 | 0.63 |
Mark Slater | 350 | 0.45 |
Kevin "Kevlar" Madzia | 612 | 0.74 |
Brent "The Destroyer" Forrer | 467 | 0.69 |
Bob Cook | 419 | 0.58 |
Mike Frastaci | 387 | 0.51 |
Bonnie Borosky | 200 | 0.41 |
Steve Harsch | 424 | 0.73 |
Bryan Ashman | 467 | 0.80 |
Jerry Bradnan | 417 | 0.71 |
Kevin Guthrie | 788 | 0.69 |
Michelle Lemak | 371 | 0.58 |
Kevin Kovach | 629 | 0.72 |
Matt Obenayer | 314 | 0.61 |
Steve Lindas | 486 | 0.65 |
Roy While | 326 | 0.66 |
Gary While | 310 | 0.66 |
Mandy Kidder | 373 | 0.59 |
The Rock and Roll Trainer Night Rides are sponsored by Century Cycles, Raleigh Bicycles, Kinetic Trainers, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, and The Winking Lizard Tavern.
Monday, February 8, 2010
The Bourne Cyclist
Read all about it in this recent article from Bicycling Magazine.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Masi Speciale Fixed Ultimate Frameset
Stay tuned for more pictures once the complete bike is assembled.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
How many bicycles does your household own?
Some avid cyclists get by with just one bike that they ride everywhere. Others have a whole fleet of bicycles, each one best suited to a particular style of riding. Cycling families might have one or more bikes for each member of the family.
How many bikes do you own? Let us know by taking our latest online poll.
(You can see the results of past polls on the same page.)
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Staff Profile: Michael Williams
It’s pretty cool that Century Cycles’ only grandpa on staff also has the nickname “Road Dog.” Michael Williams, 59, joined the Century Cycles team six years ago after retiring as a dairy manager at Tops grocery store. He lives in Oakwood Village with his wife, Carolyn, and they keep very busy with five grandchildren who are all under the age of 5.
Q: What do you like about working in a bike store?
A: It’s not as stressful. There are no expiration dates on bikes like there are on dairy products.
Q: How many bikes do you own?
A: Four, plus my wife rides and we have trailers for the grandkids. I also have a Harley motorcycle. I spend most of my time on two wheels.
Q: What’s your favorite trail or ride?
A: My buddies and I have a ride we do through the inner city, through downtown and along the Shoreway. We also rode around Lake Erie about four years ago. That was a real good time.
Q: What’s the best piece of cycling advice you’ve received?
A: If you’re riding in a pack, don’t watch the wheel of the bike in front of you -- watch the rider’s back.
Q: What’s the most frequent piece of cycling advice you give?
A: People tell me they want a bike that doesn’t hurt their butt. I tell them to spend more time in the saddle and their butts won’t hurt. They also say to me “You’re how old?! You can’t be that old!” I tell them that bicycles keep you young.
Q: What’s your favorite bicycle?
A: My Marin road bike.
Q: What was your first bicycle?
A: A big old Schwinn. It was red and gray.
Q: What do you like to drink after a long ride?
A: Coke or Pepsi.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
5 Tips: Riding More Miles
According to our recent online poll, the most common bicycling goal for this year is to ride more miles than last year. The reasons range from wanting to be more fit, to saving money on gasoline, or to just finding more ways to enjoy our favorite pastime. Whatever your reason, here are five suggestions for how you can squeeze in more miles on your bicycle in 2010.
1. Join a club or informal riding group. There's nothing like peer pressure to get you motivated to do anything. If you make plans to ride with somebody else, you'll be more likely to stay committed to those plans. There are a variety of clubs in the region, with riders of all different skill levels. You can find a list of local clubs on the Cleveland/Akron Bicycling Resources page on our web site. If you're not the club-joiner type, find one or two friends who ride at a similar level as you, and make standing plans to ride on a regular basis.
2. Commute to work or school by bike. This is the biggie, and could fill a whole book of tips and suggestions. If you're intimidated by the distance or terrain, then start small. Just ride one day a week; as you get used to it, move on to two days, then three. Drive to a park-and-ride facility, then bike the rest of the way. To help keep you committed and organized, get your riding clothes and other gear ready to put on the night before. For more ideas, see our Bicycle Commuting Excuse Busters and Myth Busters pages on our web site.
3. Run short errands by bike. Studies show that 40% of urban travel in the US is trips of 2 miles or less, and 90% of those trips are by car. Two miles is a very manageable distance by bike for anyone, no matter their fitness level, and you don't need a high-tech, lightweight racing bike to do it. Many avid cyclists have an older, rarely-used bike sitting in the garage. Set this bike up as your "errand" bike--put a cargo rack on it, a half-decent set of lights, and platform pedals. This way, you can jump on it and ride down to the corner store, coffee shop, or anywhere whenever the need arises, without having to change your clothes, shoes, or do any other preparation. Remember to still wear your helmet!
4. Extend your riding hours with a good lighting system. Riding in the dark presents its own set of challenges, but lots of people do it enjoyably and safely. The best way to insure you're seen by vehicles behind you is a good flashing taillight, such as the Planet Bike Superflash or the NiteRider Cherry Bomb ($29.99 each). If you're riding mostly in neighborhoods with good street lights, then a basic battery-operated headlight is sufficient to light the road directly ahead of you and alert traffic coming in the opposite direction. The Serfas SL-200 or the CatEye Uno ($29.99 each) are both good choices. If you're riding in more dark and secluded areas, a high-intensity headlight does a better job of showing you what's on the road or trail ahead of you. The NiteRider MiNewt Mini USB ($99.99) is a good all-purpose choice. Its lightweight lithium-ion battery gives you about 3 hours of run time per 4.5-hour charge. Step up to the NiteRider MiNewt.X2 ($209.99) to get about a third more brightness and almost double the burn time. Of course, you should also wear brightly-colored clothing with reflective accents to increase your visibility even more.
5. Learn how to maintain your bike. Don't be stuck at home with your bike hanging in the garage just because you have a flat tire. Sign up for one of our bicycle maintenance classes, or show up for one of our FREE Fix-A-Flat Mondays. Even if you don't think you can ever reach the skill level of a professional bike mechanic, having a basic understanding of how your bike operates, and knowing how to change a flat tire and make some minor adjustments will increase your overall comfort level while riding. This, in turn, will help motivate you to do more riding alone, so you can take the opportunity to ride when you have the available time.
Monday, February 1, 2010
New Product: Bar Mitts
- A Mountain/Commuter version that works with mountain bikes, hybrids, cruisers, and other bikes with a flat or upright handlebar.
- A Shimano Road version that works with drop handlebars and most Shimano integrated shift/brake levers that have the cable coming out of the side of the lever.
- A Campy/SRAM/Dura-Ace Road version works with drop handlebars and integrated brake/shift lever that have internal cable routing (Campagnolo, SRAM, and some of the newest Shimano Dura-Ace).
Order yours today; $64.95 per pair!
(Photos from the manufacturer's web site at: www.barmitts.com)