Friday, September 30, 2011

Rest in peace, Yehuda Moon

Back in June, we were thrilled to announce we carried the new Yehuda Moon book, created right here in Northeast Ohio. Today, we're sad to tell everyone that the Kickstand Cyclery has closed.

But Rick Smith has extended one last gift to the Northeast Ohio bicycling community. He has authorized Century Cycles to give away its remaining supply of Yehuda Moon books, one each free to the first 27 people who donate $10 or more to the Jimmie Malone Scholarship Fund at the All Hail the Ale Night Ride for Cleveland Beer Week on October 15th. So you can help a great and very worthy cause while getting what will soon be a collector's item in cycling literature.

Please join us in wishing Rick Smith and Brian Griggs all the best in whatever their bicycling future holds.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

October 1st Night Ride dedicated to Marda Charnock

The October 1st Night Ride on the Towpath Trail this Saturday is dedicated to Marda Charnock, the mother of Doug Charnock, who has worked for Century Cycles in Peninsula for over 10 years and has biked (as well as photographed) countless Night Rides. Mrs. Charnock passed away unexpectedly and her funeral was today.

In her memory and with deepest sympathy for Doug and the entire Charnock family, we will be collecting donations at the Peninsula store and at the Night Ride to her beloved charity, the Hospice of Medina County.

Monday, September 26, 2011

POW! 2012 Raleigh Revenio Carbon 1.0

Aaron Maughan in our Rocky River store just built a 2012 Raleigh Revenio Carbon 1.0 and saw a bunch of things he really liked on this bike. But let's let him tell you all about it:




We have the 2012 Raleigh Revenio Carbon 1.0 ($1999) in stock in 54cm, 56cm and 59cm -- ready for you to test ride. We couldn't let this blog post go without letting Sean Burkey, our Raleigh rep, get down and dirty with some bike geek details:

  • The frame is T700 carbon or what they call a high modulus carbon frame -- which means less resin and more carbon. For comparison, the T700 frame weight is 980g on a 57cm and average T600 frame weight is 1090g against the same size.
  • That large chainring is a 50t, providing that much better usability by 95% of the riders out there while maintaining enough gearing for a rider to pull some good speeds. (And as Aaron put it: "No more wondering if you are going to make it up the hill.")
  • Tiagra offers light, fast, accurate shift action with a short stroke of the lever, plus it has a gear indicator, so you don't have to take your eyes off the road to look down at the cassette to determine what gear you are in.
  • Don't forget the full monocoque carbon fork, which is a light 360g, including the tapered steer tube that impressed Aaron so much. He says, "It goes where you're looking -- pow! -- so start looking where you're going!"

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Rainy Day Option: Showers Pass Touring Jacket

Unfortunately, it's time to plan for wet and chilly days, which means it's time to stock up on a good rain jacket. We recommend the Showers Pass Touring Jacket ($149.99), which is full cut and full featured -- windproof, waterproof, breathable, lightweight, and durable without stiffness.

This is a good-looking jacket that allows you to wear your street clothes underneath it or layer up for more warmth. If you are outside all day in the rain, the Showers Pass Touring Jacket will keep the elements off but also gives you the ventilation options you need to stay comfortable. Perfect for the weekend warrior or daily commuter.

Showers Pass products are designed by cyclists in the Pacific Northwest where rain, wind and cold weather IS the environment. Its gear is technically engineered for racers, commuters, messengers and everyday cycling enthusiasts.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

The highwheeler is how Medina rolls



When ya gotta highwheeler in your logo, you gotta have a highwheeler to ride.

Video Credit: Cameraman/Producer/Editor/Music Director/Best Boy/Grip Justin Stark

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

All Hail the Ale on a ride for Cleveland Beer Week on Oct. 15

PENINSULA, Ohio (September 21, 2011) – Celebrate Cleveland Beer Week on two wheels at the All Hail the Ale Night Ride on the Towpath Trail on Saturday, October 15, at 7:30 p.m. hosted by Century Cycles, the Winking Lizard Tavern, and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.

This FREE nighttime bicycle ride will begin at Century Cycles in Peninsula (1621 Main Street/Route 303) and will end with a special tapping of cask-conditioned Sierra Nevada Dry Hop Torpedo beer at the Winking Lizard Tavern next door. For more information, go to www.centurycycles.com/for/CleBeerWeek.

The All Hail the Ale Night Ride is in celebration of Cleveland Beer Week and is in tribute to the special place hopped beverages hold in the hearts of many bicyclists. Plans include:

• Decorate yourself or your bike in tribute to the event theme “All Hail the Ale!” While beer costumes are not required, they are highly encouraged. Those in costume can win post-ride prizes donated by Century Cycles, the Winking Lizard and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, plus they won’t have their beer loyalty questioned.

• Pedal your bicycle with a crowd of fellow bike-and-beer lovers on a 13-mile nighttime bicycle ride on the Towpath Trail. It will roll out at 7:30 p.m., but plan to arrive earlier to admire your fellow rider’s beer-inspired garb, take a spin on the Blender Bike, and enjoy the pre-ride festivities.

• At the ride’s halfway point, there will be Oktoberfest-themed snacks – pretzels, sausages, cheeses and other salty delicacies – to fuel the ride back to the Winking Lizard Tavern and make you REALLY thirsty for some good beer.

• After the ride, head to the Winking Lizard Tavern in Peninsula for a special tapping of a cask-conditioned Sierra Nevada Dry Hop Torpedo. Not to be a buzzkill, but there will be no beer (except root beer) allowed or distributed on the Night Ride until the tapping.

• The All Hail the Ale Night Ride is free and no pre-registration is required. However, bring a few extra bucks, because the All Hail the Ale Night Ride wants to further celebrate Cleveland Beer Week by supporting its charity, the Malone Scholarship Fund. Cash donations will be collected pre-ride and post-tapping.

• Century Cycles is also donating a bicycle to the silent auction to benefit the Malone Scholarship Fund at BREWzilla, the party that culminates Cleveland Beer Week. For a chance to bid on the bicycle and other auction items donated by local breweries and companies (plus enjoy more amazing beer), attend BREWzilla on October 22. Tickets and info are at http://www.clevelandbeerweek.org/.

“The post-ride beer is a long and sacred tradition in bicycling, and this event helps us honor that while we celebrate Cleveland Beer Week,” said Scott Cowan, owner of Century Cycles. “Last year’s All Hail the Ale Night Ride was a huge hit – over 170 people biked with us and most had decorated themselves or their bikes in some sort of beer-inspired way.”

Last year, Century Cycles conducted an online survey to ask Northeast Ohio bicyclists which style of beer they prefer after a bike ride. The overwhelming favorite among the 114 respondents was Ale/Pale Ale/IPA, which garnered 44% of the votes. That was followed by Wheat/Belgian (21%), Porter/Stout (18%), Light Beer (10%), and Lager (7%).

All the pesky details:

While the Night Ride is FREE and requires no advanced registration, Night Riders must sign a waiver before participating and are responsible for the purchase of their own beer and food at the Winking Lizard. This ride is at night, in the dark woods on an un-lit trail. That is why bicycle lights and helmets are REQUIRED. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult; young adults under 21 should ignore all the excitement about the beer tapping. Finally, make sure those beer costumes don’t hang or catch in a bicycle’s spokes or chain (falling off your bike tends to ruin the fun) and that you can still wear your bike helmet in costume.

About Century Cycles Night Rides

Now in their 16th year, Century Cycles Night Rides were in the national spotlight in 2009 when Bicycling Magazine, the world’s #1 bicycling publication, dubbed them one of America’s great local rides. They are casual, ride-at-your-own pace bicycle rides (not races) about 12-15 miles long. All skill levels are welcome, but knowledge of bicycling etiquette and experience riding the Towpath Trail are recommended. Night Rides begin and end in the parking lot at Century Cycles’ Peninsula store (1621 Main Street, on Route 303). Parking is available at the Lock 29 Trailhead, just north of the store.

About Cleveland Beer Week

The third annual CLEVELAND BEER WEEK will take place from October 14-22, 2011, and will feature hundreds of craft beer tastings, dinners, demonstrations, leisure activities, educational programs, and specials at bars, restaurants, and grocers throughout Cuyahoga County. Established in 2009 as the first event of its kind in northeast Ohio, CLEVELAND BEER WEEK is a not-for-profit, collaborative celebration that raises awareness of the strong craft beer industry while promoting patronage at local establishments and energizing the region’s retail economy. http://www.clevelandbeerweek.org/

More bike-touring visitors in Peninsula

Roger and Theresa are from Virginia. They doing some bike touring the casual way, packing light and staying in hotels and bed & breakfasts. They explored some of the Great Allegheny Passage before driving to the Cleveland area, doing some city riding, and are now spending a couple of days riding on the Towpath Trail. They looked to be having a great time, despite the wet conditions today!

You can see more photos of bike-touring visitors to our stores in the Century Cycles Bicycle Touring Photo Gallery.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

5 Tips: Care and Feeding of Your Bicycle's Chain

The chain might be the most important component on every bicycle. Composed of hundreds of plates, links and rollers, the chain contains more moving parts than the rest of your bicycle combined. So, regular maintenance of your chain is essential to keeping your bike working smoothly and reliably.

At Century Cycles, the advice we give to every new bicycle buyer is to regularly "clean and lubricate your chain." How exactly do you go about doing this? And how often is "regularly?" These 5 Tips provide some basic pointers for cleaning your chain, properly applying lubrication, and other ways to take good care of it.

1. Do a "quick and easy" cleaning using a rag and some degreasing solvent.

You can get most of the built-up dirt, grease, and gunk off of your bicycle's chain using this method. Put your bike in a workstand if you have one, or lean it up again a wall or shelf so that you're able to freely rotate the pedals backwards. Take a rag, fold it over a couple of times, and pour or spray a generous amount of degreaser on it. Wrap the rag around the lower part of the chain and hold it in place with your left hand while you pedal backwards using your right hand. Hold the rag firmly enough to wipe the gunk, but loosely enough that the chain is able to move freely. Apply pressure to the chain alternately to the sides and the top and bottom. Remove and re-apply the rag so that you re-position the chain to a clean area of the rag. Repeat this process several times until the chain appears about as clean as it's going to get. There will still be some gunk inside the rollers and between the plates that you won't be able to get to, but this is good enough to get you going in a pinch. Apply new chain lube (see #3 below) and start riding!

2. For a complete and thorough cleaning, use a chain cleaning device.

A chain scrubbing device (such as the Park Tool Cyclone) is ideal for giving your chain a complete cleaning. You fill it with liquid degreaser, place the chain inside the device (you don't have to remove the chain from the bike), and spin the pedals around. As the chain moves through the device, several sets of brushes get inside all the nooks and crannies of the chain to thoroughly clean all the gunk off.

An even better method of completely cleaning your chain is to remove it from the bike, and let is soak for several hours in a bucket of degreaser. Many chains have a quick-release master link that make it easy to remove and re-install the chain without the need to use a tool to disconnect the chain links.

Wipe the chain with a clean rag and let it dry before re-applying chain lube.

3. Apply lubricant to the chain and wipe off the excess.

Shift your bike into the middle gear on your cassette or freewheel (the set of gears on your back wheel). With your left hand, hold the tip of the chain lub bottle over the chain near the gears, and pedal backwards with your right hand. Squeeze the lube bottle to make a light but steady stream onto the chain. You want to lube the chain only; it's not necessary to put lube on the gears. Keep spinning the pedals until you're sure you've gotten lube on the whole length of the chain. Take the lube bottle away, and spin the pedals a few more times and let it sit for a few minutes to be sure the lube has a chance to work its way into the rollers and pins of the chain. Then, take a clean rag and wipe away excess lube from the outside of the chain.

There are many different brands and types of chain lube, and which is best for you depends on the type of bike you have, and the conditions in which you ride. Stop into our stores and talk to our experts for help on choosing the best chain lube for you.

4. If you do anything at all, it's better than doing nothing.

Many people go for months, or even years, without doing any cleaning or lubricating of their chain, either because they don't have the time or knowledge to do it. Or, they are afraid that unless they can do it perfectly, they should try it at all.

Yes, it's better to clean your chain before re-applying chain lube, but if your buddies are tapping their feet waiting to get started on a ride, and you notice that your chain is dirty and squeaky, it's better to give it a quick squirt of lube than to leave it dry. Yes, it's better to do a complete cleaning as opposed to the "quick and easy" cleaning, but doing the quick and easy cleaning is better than no cleaning at all.

5. Check your chain periodically for wear.

As your chain goes through its range of motion over the course of months of riding, the surfaces inside the link rollers wear down, effectively making the chain slightly longer. This is sometimes referred to as "chain stretch." As the chain stretches, space between the links no longer matches up exactly with the space between each tooth on your gears. At this point, your chain starts wearing down your gears.

The key is to periodically check your chain for stretch before it gets to the point where it starts to wear down your gears. It's a lot less expensive to replace your chain than it is to replace your gears. However, even with replacing your chain on a regular basis, you will eventually reach the point where you'll have to invest in a new cassette or freewheel to replace your worn gears, and eventually even worn chainrings on your front crankset.

The best way to keep an eye on your chain wear is to use a chain wear indicator gauge, such as the Park Tool CC-3. One side of the chain tells you if the chain is stretched to the point of requiring replacement, and the other side indicates that both chain and your cassette/freewheel need to be replaced. This is the same tool that we use in our workshops, but it's a worthwhile investment for even the casual do-it-yourself mechanic to keep tabs on your chain.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Weekend visit in Medina by cross-country cyclists


Touring duo Laura and Saul started their journey in Syracuse, NY and are headed to San Fransisco via New Orleans. They stopped at Century Cycles in Medina for some additional clothing, accessories, and some bike maintenance.

They are former NYC school teachers turned adventurers. We enjoyed making them feel welcome and outfitting them with the very latest in touring style T-shirts, seen here.

For more information on Laura and Saul go to: http://aboutaroute.wordpress.com

For more pictures of people traveling by bike who have stopped by our stores, see the Century Cycles Bicycle Touring Photo Gallery.

Towpath Trail Closure - today through Wed. Sept. 21

The National Park Service is doing maintenance work on the Lock 29 Trailhead and Parking Lot in Peninsula. The purpose of this work is to help prevent future flooding, and avoid the need to close the parking lot and trail as often in the future due to flood damage.

The Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail will be closed between the Lock 29 Trailhead and the Boston Store Visitor Center from today (Monday Sept. 19) through Wedneday, Sept. 21.

Please note that the Lock 29 Parking Lot will be CLOSED between 7:00am and 6:00pm on these days. This means that you will NOT be able to access the Towpath Trail to go north or south from Lock 29 during this time.

Our rental bike service in Peninsula will remain open during this time. However, note that you will need to make a brief detour to access the Towpath Trail. There are two detour options to head south on the Towpath:

Option 1:
  1. From our store, turn right onto Main Street (State Route 303).
  2. Go across the bridge, and take the next left onto Canal Street.
  3. The street will dead-end, and you will turn left onto a small access trail.
  4. At the end of the access trail, turn right to proceed south on the Towpath Trail.
Option 2:
  1. From our store, go across the street (Main Street / State Route 303).
  2. Turn right and walk up the sidewalk on the left side of the bridge.
  3. Just after the end of the bridge, step over the guardrail to access a set of stairs. Please step carefully, as the guardrail is about three feet high, and the stairs may be wet.
  4. At the bottom of the stairs, turn right to proceed south on the Towpath Trail.
We will update you as needed if there are any delays or changes in this maintenance schedule. Thank you for your patience and cooperation!

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Congratulations, Josh and Rachael!

Today Century Cycles' Joshua Ronschke is marrying the love of his life, Rachael Vivolo! Please join us in wishing the happy couple all the very best as they begin life's ultimate tandem ride.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Bill passes; Sen. Brown supports bike funding

The League of American Bicyclists has announced that the Transportation Bill passed. Bike funding will remain 2% (and not 0% as we feared).

Thank you for all of you who emailed or called -- it made a difference! -- and stay tuned in March 2012, when this extension expires and we'll need to make our "I Bike. I Vote" voices heard yet again.

Those folks who emailed Ohio's senators received the following response from Senator Sherrod Brown:
Thank you for sharing your support for transportation enhancements, such as biking and walking paths.

Transportation enhancement programs — which provide funding for bicycle and pedestrian trails — bring aesthetic and environmental improvements to our surface transportation system and expand travel choices throughout the nation.

I agree that these projects are an important part of our nation’s infrastructure. As transportation legislation comes before the Senate for consideration, you can be sure I will support appropriate funding to meet the nation’s highway and transit infrastructure needs.

Thank you again for being in touch with me.
Thus far, there has been no response from Senator Rob Portman.



Thursday, September 15, 2011

Mmmmm...Pumking

Deagan's Kitchen and Bar tapped Southern Tier Pumking Imperial Pumpkin Ale today, just in time for Deagan's Bike Night tonight. Coincidence? We don't think so.

What IS a coincidence is that we can never think of Pumking without thinking of Krista's costume at last year's "All Hail the Ale!" Night Ride for Cleveland Beer Week. Doesn't she look beer-riffic??
Which reminds us: It's not too early to start planning YOUR beer costume for this year's Night Ride for Cleveland Beer Week, which will be Saturday, October 15. (Click here for all the event details.)

Beer costumes are not required to ride, but wearing one will certainly ensure that your loyalty to the holy alliance between beer and bicycling is not questions. Plus they're fun, dammit.

To help inspire you in the next 30 days, we will be periodically posting pictures of other beer-riffic Night Riders from last year. You know what else will help inspire you? A beer. And a bike ride. See? FUN.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Email your senators NOW to preserve bike funding

Every bicycling group in the country -- from the League of American Bicyclists to People for Bikes to Rails-to-Trails Conservancy -- is mobilizing today to alert bicyclists that federal funding for bicycling is under serious attack.

Today or tomorrow, Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma will introduce an amendment to eliminate dedicated funding for Transportation Enhancements, which is the main source of funding for bike projects of all sorts. Take action TODAY by emailing your senators to urge them to oppose and defeat Mr. Coburn's amendment -- click this link to do it all online in just a few minutes, or reference the contact info below for Ohio's senators.

Here's some background:

Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted on a six-month "clean" extension of the federal transportation bill ("SAFETEA-LU"). There was strong bipartisan support to continue all transportation funding, including trails, walking and bicycling, for six months to give Congress time to agree on a multi-year bill.

The Senate will then vote on this House bill. While there is a report of a transportation deal, Senator Coburn wants to kill funding for biking/walking projects, now around $700 million of transportation funds (still less than 2% of total transportation dollars, but Coburn would make it a big fat ZERO), by killing the Transportation Enhancements program – the primary funding source for the past 20 years for bike lanes, trails, racks on buses, education and the like. Money for bike lanes? Gone! Money for Rails to Trails conversions? Gone!

If it's eliminated, the money will NOT be used to reduce our national deficit! It will simply go to road projects instead of biking and walking programs -- popular, cost-effective programs that research shows generate more jobs per million dollars invested than regular road projects.

Email or call today!

Senator Sherrod Brown:
Washington, DC: (202) 224-2315
http://brown.senate.gov/contact/
Toll Free: 1-888-896-OHIO (6446) or
Cincinnati: (513) 684-1021
Cleveland: (216) 522-7272
Columbus: (614) 469-2083
Lorain: (440) 242-4100

Senator Rob Portman:
Toll-Free: 1-800-205-6446 (OHIO)
Washington, DC: (202) 224-3353
http://portman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-form
Columbus Office: 614-469-6774
Cincinnati: 513-684-3265
Cleveland Office: 216-522-7095
Toledo Office: 419-259-3895

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Cyclocross 101 Clinic: Re-Cap and Photos


We had a blast at our Cyclocross 101 Clinic -- and we were the ones WORKING at it! Last Thursday, over 20 people braved the torrential downpours that fell on every part of Northeast Ohio EXCEPT this corner of Reagan Park have fun with us learning all about cyclocross.

Kevin Madzia from our Peninsula store provided the history and background of cyclocross, Sean Burkey from Raleigh gave attendees the lowdown on the bikes, Gregg Brekke from the Northeast Ohio Cyclocross Series shared race requirements and the local racing schedule, and Tom Wiseman from CC Medina told folks how to prep themselves and their bikes. One of Tom's tips? Don't lube your chain right before a race -- it will attract too much dirt and sand. Instead, lube it a few days before and be sure to wipe off the excess.

Then it was time to move to rotate through the four skill stations we set up -- obstacles, barriers, hills, and turns. Century Cycles staff from all three stores provided instruction and then consulted as each rider tried the skill for themselves. Kevin and Tom were joined by Chris Walters from CC Medina, Wes Flickinger from CC Peninsula, and Josh Ronschke and Aimee Adams from CC Rocky River. After they tried each skill, attendees were invited to combine all the stations and ride them as a mini "course."

We took LOTS of photos -- check out the slideshow below -- and have saved all the skill stations for future CX fun. Special thanks to Grunt Girl Racing for their assistance and support, and to everyone who came!


If the slideshow above is not appearing for you, click here.

Monday, September 12, 2011

The Hancock ride commemorated 9/11

This past weekend, we were proud to be a part of the Hancock Horizontal Hundred for the 10th straight year. We were also proud that they remembered and honored the 9/11 tragedy by giving this commemorative patch to every rider.

The weather cooperated for the 41st annual HHH -- over 800 people participated, including lots of first-time century riders!

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Peninsula's latest bicycle-touring visitors

The early arrival of autumn weather seems to have stemmed the flow of self-supported bicycle tourers passing through our area lately. It was still pretty hot and steamy, however, when this group of young adventurers stopped by the Peninsula store on August 28.

Pictured left-to-right are Tuyen Thai, Joel Solow, and Ruth Solow. The trio are riding to Mobile, Alabama on the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route. They were accompanied by two un-named local friends riding with them for the day. You can read about the trip on their blog at: http://southerncycle.wordpress.com

See more pictures of bicycle tourers that have visited our stores in the Century Cycles Bicycle Touring Gallery.

Speaking of bicycle touring, the Adventure Cycling Association annually recognizes organizations and individuals who promote bicycle travel and improve conditions for bicycle tourists. Have you had an experience while bicycle touring that merits recognition? Through September 30, you can submit your nominations for the ACA's 2011 Bicycle Travel Awards. Click the link for more details about the awards and how to submit your nominations.

Friday, September 9, 2011

A bicyclist was born at Century Cycles

Manager Mike Petcher at our Medina store shared this story with us last Tuesday:
Had a great experience at work today teaching someone to ride a bike who had never ridden before. Took the pedals off a bike, had her coast down a grassy slope repeatedly to figure out balancing, put the pedals back on and voila! She is now pedaling happily and deciding which bike she likes best.
What's the big deal? Well, she was 52 years old!
How awesome is that? The bike they used to teach her was the Electra Townie -- a bicycle so easy to ride, it's even patented.
Is there an adult or older child in your life you'd like to teach to ride a bike? Check out this video we posted back in 2009 -- it really works and is the same technique Mike and the Medina crew used.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

A Steamy Manatoc Experience

It was great to hang out with all the mountain bikers and cyclocross racers at The Manatoc Experience last Saturday, despite the fact that the temperatures were pushing up to 100 degrees. Check out the photos below (crank up your heat if you want to really feel like you were there)!

For mountain bike race results and photos, head over to 331 Promotions and for CX results and photos, go to the Northeast Ohio Cyclocross Series.

If you didn't get a chance to visit us at Manatoc and want to test ride a new Raleigh cyclocross bike (new 2012s arriving daily!), or a Surly Pugsley, or any of our mountain bikes, just stop in one of our stores. If you have a particular bike in mind that you'd like to test ride at your nearby Century Cycles, just email us at info@centurycycles.com and we can transfer itthe bike there for your convenience.


If the slideshow above is not appearing for you, click here.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Define your life. Ride a bike. Play volleyball!

Folks who know Century Cycles owner Scott Cowan know that besides bicycles and barns, he also has a huge passion for playing volleyball. Needless to say, if he's on the team, we know exactly what t-shirts the team will be wearing!

Scott plays in the Rocky River Rec Department upper B league, and this team has been together for almost a decade. If you, too, play volleyball and happen to see Scott on the other side of the net, be sure to aim your spike at that setter!

Also pictured with Scott (who is front and center in yellow), from left to right: Big Ben Monter, Jenny "Spikin' Mama" Huter-Keene, Carol "The Digger" Akel, Jumpin' Joe Railey, and Smokin' Jeff Tylicki.

Go Team Century Cycles!

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Cyclocross excitement: New clinic speaker, new bikes, new sponsors

Today's cool and crisp weather is getting everyone in the mood for our free Cyclocross 101 Clinic this Thursday at 6pm in Medina. We're thrilled that Gregg Brekke from the Northeast Ohio Cyclocross Series will be joining us at the clinic, to chat with attendees about their race schedule, how to qualify and register, and (most importantly) what you can win.

You can also check out some of Raleigh Bicycles' newly expanded line of 2012 cyclocross bikes at the clinic. Cyclocross Magazine announced all eight new models and recently spotlighted the Shimano CX70 cyclocross components in this wrap-up and video. Bike Rumor even got the top-secret scoop on a special CX frameset collaboration between Raleigh and Twin Six in their review of the line. (We've seen it in person and that frameset is simply stunning.)

Speaking of Raleigh Bicycles, the manufacturer put its money where its mouth was on the local cyclocross scene by stepping up as a title sponsor of the Northeast Ohio Cyclocross Series. Congratulations to all -- especially local CX racers!

Still wondering if cyclocross is for you? Then read check out this article from Bicycling Magazine -- Why I Race Cyclocross. Somewhere between love and mud, there's cyclocross.....

Gotta see what the CX buzz is all about? See you at Thursday's clinic! To attend, RSVP on Facebook by clicking here, or call the Century Cycles in Medina at 330-722-7119.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Please pardon our sauna in Rocky River

We will rejoice in our Rocky River store when the new air conditioner is installed on Tuesday. In the meantime, please accept our apologies for the wall of heat that accompanies our friendly "hello" upon your arrival and remember to hydrate -- before, during and after your visit!

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Can't-miss events for the long holiday weekend

Who needs Julie the Cruise Director? We've already got your Labor Day weekend all planned out! And the really good news is we're starting the weekend TODAY. Here's what you're up to:

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
Kick off the first day of the September round 30 Days of Bicycling by riding to Deagan's Bike Night in Lakewood tonight! Deagan's Kitchen & Bar is famiily-friendly, with everything a parent needs -- a kids menu, booster seats, baby changing stations, and beer.

THRU SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
Be sure to shop our Summer Clearance Sale before it ends on Sunday and score great deals on bicycles, clothing, shoes and more!

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
This is our crazy day -- not only are all three stores open from 10-6pm, but we'll be at two huge bicycling events:

STOMP (Summit Tour of the Metroparks) Bicycle Adventure -- Road ride with a few thousand of your closest friends on either 10, 25, and 63-mile routes!

OR

The Manatoc Experience -- Celebrate mountain biking with a few thousand of your other closest friends at Ohio's biggest mountain bike festival at Camp Manatoc in Peninsula!

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
Did we mention the Summer Clearance Sale ends Sunday? Again: Score those deals!

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
And on Monday we rest, with plans to enjoy flame-grilled food, chilled beverages and long bike rides with our friends and family -- and you should do the same. Our stores are CLOSED.

And while you have that calendar out, be sure to plan ahead:

Cyclocross 101 Clinic: September 8
Hancock Horizontal Hundred: September 11
Night Ride on the Towpath Trail: September 17