Monday, August 31, 2015

The Plain Dealer visits Peninsula while biking the Towpath Trail

Photo: Tim Warsinskey/The Plain Dealer
Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Tim Warsinskey and artist Ted Crow took a 2-day bicycle trip the entire length of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail from Cleveland to New Philadelphia, Ohio. The trip was chronicled in an article for the newpaper that was published on Sunday, August 30, 2015. You can read the full article here.

Along the way, the duo stopped by the Century Cycles store in Peninsula and spoke to manager Doug Charnock about how the village and the surrounding Cuyahoga Valley National Park has become a "bicycle boom town."
Bike rentals are available at several shops near the park, the busiest of which is Century Cycles in Peninsula, which has more than 50 bikes available. We had not planned to visit the shop until my front derailleur bent out of alignment and was in need of repair, as it happened, just outside of Peninsula.
I have visited the postcard-worthy town all my life and have never seen it more vibrant than in recent years. During most weekends, the streets are full of hikers and bikers who hop off the trail and come into town, or begin their journey there.
"We have seen growth every year because of the towpath," Century Cycles manager Doug Charnock said as he straightened my derailleur. Charnock has worked there 17 years. "The towpath is getting more and more popular.
"It's an easy park to get to. It's safe. You don't have to do an epic, 12-mile hike to see something really cool. Brandywine Falls is a short hike, and so is Blue Hen Falls, but you can do long hikes if you want to."




Thursday, August 27, 2015

Bike Winner from Bike to Breakfast at Herb's Tavern of Rocky River

Congratulations to Christine Cowen, the winner of the Raleigh Bicycles Circa 1 bike at the finale party for Bike to Breakfast at Herb's Tavern of Rocky River on August 23!

Christine (no relation to Century Cycles owner Scott Cowan) first went to Herb's Tavern earlier this year, to kill time while waiting for our Rocky River store to open to get a flat tire fixed on her bike. She ended up coming back to Herb's (and Century Cycles) multiple times, which really helped her odds of winning the bike! She was so confident that she was going to win, she RAN from Lakewood to Herb's so she could ride the bike home!

Christine is pictured above (in white, second from left) with Herb's Tavern owner Kim (on the left) and Josh from the Century Cycles store in Rocky River (with his baby girl Layla).

Stay tuned for Bike To Breakfast at Herb's Tavern in 2016!

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Cycling Makes Sense Fitness Ride - Thursday, August 27, 2015 at Lake Medina

For the past few years, Century Cycles, in partnership with the Medina County Parks District, has organized Cycling Makes Sense Fitness Rides.

These FREE beginner-friendly rides are a great way to get out on your bicycle for a non-aggressive ride and experience the wonderful multipurpose trails of the parks of Medina County.

The final ride of the 2015 season will take place tomorrow:

  • Date: Thursday, August 27, 2015
  • Time: 6:30pm
  • Location: Lake Medina (meet at the Route 18 parking lot)

Lynne from the Century Cycles store in Medina will start the 6-10 mile ride with some basic tips for how to keep you and your bike fit.

Adults only; helmets are required. No pre-registration is necessary.

Here's a photo from the last Cycling Makes Sense Fitness Ride on August 4:

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Night Ride on the Towpath Trail Photos - Aug. 22, 2015

We had a great turnout for our latest Night Ride on the Towpath Trail this past Saturday, without almost 150 riders! Thanks to everyone for joining us!

Our next Night Ride is on Saturday, September 5, and then our final ride of the 2015 season is on Saturday, September 26. Hope to see you there!

More photos:

Click here if the slide show above is not appearing for you.

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Bike to Breakfast at Herb's Tavern: Finale Party this Sunday, August 23

Fans of bikes and breakfast food have been enjoying our first-annual Bike to Breakfast at Herb's Tavern of Rocky River since May! Ride your bike to Herb's for breakfast, Saturday 8:30 - 11:30am, or Sunday, 8:00am - 1:00pm, and get 15% off your bill!

This Sunday, August 23, 2015, is the Finale Party for Bike to Breakfast! At 1:00pm, we'll hold the drawing for this Raleigh Circa 1 hybrid bike, valued at $500:
The winner MUST be present! Sorry, the bike cannot be exchanged for a different size or color.

Herb's Tavern is located at 19925 Detroit Road, Rocky River, Ohio 44116 (right next-door to the Century Cycles store in Rocky River).

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Ride Report: Sunday Service Group Road Bike Ride in Medina

Thanks to the seven people who came to the Century Cycles store in Medina this past Sunday, August 16, 2015 for our monthly Sunday Service Group Road Bike Ride!

Ride leader Cathy (center above, in the yellow jersey) reports that the day was beautiful, starting out pleasant, but warming up quickly. The group navigated their way around the many construction zones in the Medina area, but are looking forward to when Branch Road re-opens.

We've still got two more months of Sunday Service Group Road Bike Rides left, and hopefully two more months of good weather to go with them! The next rides are:

For the full schedule, go to: http://centurycycles.com/for/SundayService

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Thanks for coming to Bike Night at The Burntwood Tavern!

Thanks to everyone who came out for the second annual Bike Night at the Burntwood Tavern of Rocky River! And congratulations to Mo and Tom Marshall, the winners of the Raleigh Bicycles Circa 1 hybrid bike at the Bike Night Finale Party on Tuesday, August 11, 2015!


Friday, August 14, 2015

We are one of America's Best Bike Shops for the 17th year in a row!

Yesterday, we learned that for the 17th year in a row, we have been named one of America's Best Bike Shops in a survey by the bicycle industry trade association National Bicycle Dealers Association. We couldn't do it without our dedicated staff, but most of all, thank you to our loyal customers for helping us make it happen!

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Ride Report: Bike MS Buckeye Breakaway

It has been almost two weeks now since the inaugural Bike MS Buckeye Breakaway! Thank you to all of the riders, and most of all donors, for helping to make Team Left Hand / Century Cycles the #1 fund-raising team, with over $53,000 raised to help the over 20,000 people in Ohio living with Multiple Sclerosis.

The new route and the new overnight location at Ashland University have been almost universally praised by all of the participants. Thanks to the National MS Society - Ohio Buckeye Chapter for organizing a successful event, and thank you to all of the generous sponsors and volunteers!

A special thanks to Left Hand Brewing Company for teaming up with Century Cycles, and for providing the libations for the post-ride party on Saturday in Ashland.

A big Thanks to Debbie Petch (aka Lady Petch) for taking all of these fantastic photos and sharing them with us!

Chris Lennert from Left Hand Brewing Company in Longmont, Colorado, and national team caption for Team Left Hand and co-captain of Team Left Hand / Century Cycles, reports that he enjoyed riding the rolling hills of Ohio. He adds, "I personally had a great time over the weekend, and was humbled and honored to get to spend time with all of you the last few months. Thank you for doing what you can for others! And big shout out to all the volunteers, all of our sponsors, and, of course, the great crew @ Century Cycles for making it all happen."

Joe Darwal, mechanic from the Century Cycles store in Peninsula, said "Loved the new route, second half of ride going into Ashland with easy rolling hills was a wonderful change of scenery. Dorm was convenient, and a welcome choice instead of a gym floor. Nice to have all the riders in one place at finish, got to see everyone and mingle instead of spreading out across Sandusky after the finish in prior years. Beer truck, couches, ice bath, live music and tent were all first rate from our partners at Left Hand Brewery. The university welcomed us, and dinner and breakfast was plentiful and fantastic."

Cathy Kasper, our sales floor manager in Medina, says, "This year's MS Ride was certainly different from the Pedal to the Point. Overall, the experience was nice. The route was doable. Many people would like the fact that the ride was mainly flat. I liked the hills and rollers because it's nice to have some variance in elevations. The scenery was beautiful with all of the pastures and fields and rolling hills off in the distance.  The weather was perfect both days, except as the day rolled on it became increasingly warmer. I'm a fan of warm weather but not hot weather."

"The accommodations in Ashland were wonderful! Clean bathrooms, clean and private showers and brightly lit. The food in the cafeteria was absolutely marvelous!!! So many choices! If anyone walked out of the cafeteria hungry, then it was their own fault! The next morning, breakfast was just this endless smorgasbord of food as well! It was nice to enjoy the air conditioned atmosphere and there was no one rushing you to leave."

"The food in Brunswick was just as good as in years past. The volunteers along the route were smiling, friendly and encouraging. As always, it is nice to support a wonderful cause such as the MS Society."

Mike Petcher (aka Petch), General Manager in our Medina store, said:
"New route: Great! Much more scenic than to Sandusky.
Food at Ashland: FANTASTIC!
The weather - stellar, couldn't have been any better.
Team Left Hand/Century Cycles: awesome! Kudos to Left Hand Brewing for delivering big-time on the whole event."
In addition, Petch added a plug for his new bike:
"Giant Defy Advanced 2: Excellent! LOVE the carbon frame, and the D-Fuse seatpost is a real plus for absorbing butt-damaging shocks."

Kevin Madzia, our bicycle fit specialist and IT Manager in Peninsula, says, "If you looked at the route profile ahead of time, it might have seemed intimidating, because it appeared mostly uphill for much of the day to Ashland. However, we were pleasantly surprised that it was very flat and at worst gently rolling. Probably an even easier route than the old one to Sandusky. I hope once the word gets out, more people decide to re-join the ride next year. Also, my Surly Cross-Check bike felt great; the ride confirmed this bike's place as my go-to for long days in the saddle."

Bob Soroky, sales associate in our Medina store, echoes Kevin's thoughts on the route: "I know the big threat out there for months were the hills, but they never really materialized. If anything, I would say it was actually a bit easier than the Sandusky route." He added, "Food was AWESOME. Done."

You can see all of Debbie Petcher's photos in this slide show:
Click here if the slide show above is not appearing for you.

There were only a few negative comments heard among all the feedback from the ride. Many thought that the sections of State Route 82 and State Route 18 were too busy with motor traffic; if there were a way around these, that would make the ride a little more pleasant. Same goes for the final hill on Grafton Road coming back into Brunswick. The heat in the dorm rooms got a little too much for some. A couple people wished that the after-ride festivities on Saturday would last a little longer into the evening.

Sunday, August 9, 2015

Attention Mountain Bikers! Give your input to Geauga County Parks!


Attention all mountain bikers! There is another opportunity coming up to help get more places to ride in Northeast Ohio. Geauga Park District is considering mountain biking trails in Geauga County parks. At the Geauga Park District's monthly meeting, there is an open comment period where you can make your wishes known. Please attend if you can!

When: Tuesday, August 11, 2015 3:30pm
Where: Donald Meyer Center, Big Creek Park, 9160 Robinson Road, Chardon, Ohio 44024

If you can't make it to the meeting, you can also call, write, or email to:

Phone: (440) 286-9516

Geauga Park District
9160 Robinson Rd.
Chardon, OH  44024

info@geaugaparkdistrict.org

Even if you don't live in Geauga County, your input is appreciated. If you've ever visited Geauga County for a bicycling event (e.g. Sunday in June, Road Apple Roubaix), be sure to mention that, and mention that you'd visit even more for mountain biking!

Friday, August 7, 2015

Got aching feet while cycling? Some tips to help...


Do your feet get sore during long bicycle rides? There may be an easy fix -- check out these tips from Bicycling Magazine, 5 Easy Ways to Soothe your Aching Feet.

More stubborn foot issues, as well as other aches and pains that you may be having on your bike, can be addressed by a session with our Bicycle Fit Specialists. We've got trained experts in all three Century Cycles stores that can do a one-on-one consultation to make sure that your bike is set up perfectly for you to provide you the optimum comfort and performance.

For more information, see: www.centurycycles.com/get/fit

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Finale Party and Prize Drawing for Bike Night at The Burntwood Tavern - Tues. Aug. 11

It's the FINAL Bike Night at The Burntwood Tavern of Rocky River! Ride your bike to Burntwood and get 15% off your total food and drink bill!

Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Time: 6:00pm to closing
Location: The Burntwood Tavern, 19304 Detroit Road, Rocky River, Ohio 44116

We'll start drawing for prizes at 7:30pm, which will include Gift Cards from Century Cycles and The Burntwood Tavern, other items from Century Cycles and Raleigh Bicycles, and the GRAND PRIZE of a Raleigh Women's Circa 1 hybrid bike (valued at $500)!

Winners MUST be present!
Raleigh Women's Circa 1 Bicycle
Sorry, the bicycle cannot be exchanged for a different size or color.

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Happy Holidays! Sales Tax Holiday, that is.


The Ohio Department of Taxation has enacted a Sales Tax Holiday to help families preparing for the back-to-school season. The Sales Tax Holiday will take place this Friday, August 7 through Sunday, August 9, 2015.

The sales tax exemption during the Sales Tax Holiday period applies to certain clothing and school supplies items. For complete details about what is included and what is not, see the Ohio Department of Taxation Sales Tax Holiday FAQ page.

Based on that information, we have determined that the following clothing items available in our stores are eligible for the sales tax exemption this Friday through Sunday:
  • Bicycling jerseys
  • Bicycling shorts
  • Jackets and vests
  • T-shirts and sweatshirts
  • Pants
  • Hats, caps, skullcaps, and ear bands
  • Socks
  • Shoe covers and toe covers
  • Shop aprons
There is no limit on the total amount of your purchase to be eligible for the sales tax exemption, but each INDIVIDUAL ITEM must be priced at $75.00 or LESS to be eligible. Partial exemptions can NOT be given for items over $75.

The following items are NOT eligible for the Sales Tax Holiday:
  • Bicycles and bicycle parts
  • Bike locks, other bicycling accessories, and tools
  • Bicycling shoes
  • Bike helmets
  • Other protective equipment (e.g. elbow and knee pads)
  • Cycling gloves
  • Sunglasses
  • Bike rental
  • Labor and service
If you're in need to stock up on bicycling clothing, this weekend is a great opportunity!

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Chris from Left Hand Brewing rides the CC high-wheeler!

Last week, in preparation for the Bike MS Buckeye Breakaway, Chris Lennert from the Left Hand Brewing Company was visiting the Century Cycles store in Medina. To provide him with a proper initiation into Team CC, he tried out our signature high-wheeler bicycle!

Click here if the video above is not appearing for you.