Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Closed for Easter Sunday
Monday, March 29, 2010
No Spare Tube? No Problem!
Don't forget--our FREE Fix-A-Flat Clinics continue this Thursday, April 1 (no foolin!) at 7:00pm at all three Century Cycles stores. No bike or reservation is necessary; just show up!
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Share your Towpath Trail stories

- How the Towpath Trail motivated you to walk more and lose weight -- and how much you lost.
- A time hiking or biking the Towpath Trail which let you spend an afternoon with your family and friends.
- What kind of wildlife you saw and experienced along the Towpath Trail.
- Your favorite place to walk or bike along the trail.
- Your favorite spot to stop and relax.
(Hat tip to Petch, who already submitted a few of his Towpath Trail stories, for this info. Photo by Doug Charnock.)
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Today's "Frazz" comic strip has special meaning

Friday, March 26, 2010
Ohio Bicycle Events Calendar has arrived!

Twitter question: iPhone handlebar mount or bike speakers?
Do you have a recommendation for an iPhone handlebar mount and/or Bluetooth bike speakers?
Here's our response (shared with all in case anyone else was wondering the same thing!):
We can get the iHome Bike Speaker System or the Tommyca Bicycle Sound System through one of our bike suppliers. Unfortunately, neither is Bluetooth-enabled. However, the iHome Bike Speaker System (pictured above) has a wireless handlebar-mounted remote. Our main supplier does not have any iPhone-specific mounts at this time. We'd be happy to research other suppliers after the craziness of our annual spring sale is over.
One last point: Topeak handlebar-mounted phone bags would work (the "plus" size, which we have in stock in Rocky River and Medina -- and are 20% off during the sale this weekend!), but they don't have a clear case that allows you to use the device while you're riding.
Thanks for the question and hope this info helps!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Spring Break Sale STARTS TODAY!
Soak up the savings with our biggest sale of the year! The Spring Break Sale at all three Century Cyclces stores starts TODAY, March 25, and runs until this Sunday, March 28! Find at least 10% OFF All Bicycles and 20% OFF All Accessories and Parts (this includes clothing, shoes, car racks and cargo boxes, indoor trainers, and MORE!).
Plus, look for the following HOT DEALS and other specials in each store:
CatEye Enduo 8 Computer $17.99 (reg. $34.99)
Pearl Izumi Select Gloves * $10.99 (reg. $21.99)
Bellwhether O2 Shorts * $19.99 (reg. $39.99)
Bell Solar Helmet $17.99 (reg. $34.99)
Serfas Koil Sunglasses $17.99 (reg. $34.99)
Pearl Izumi Quest Shorts * $24.99 (reg. $49.99)
Serfas Combo Pump/Tool Kit $19.99 (reg. $39.99)
RavX Road Value Pack $39.99 (reg. $69.99)
RavX MTB Value Pack $39.99 (reg. $69.99)
Nantucket Cobblestone Wicker Basket $19.99 (reg. $29.99)
Blackburn Voyager/Mars Light Set $19.99 (reg. $32.99)
Thule Spare Me Car Rack $109.99 (reg. $169.99)
Saris T-Bones Car/Storage Rack $149.99 (reg. $379.99)
SmartWool Rambunctious Jersey $49.99 (reg. $99.99)
Plus take 40% Off most winter clothing items and all remaining in-stock Sidi shoes!
* Both Men's and Women's sizes available!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Night Ride season is just one month away!

Featured in Bicycling Magazine's "Think Your Ride is Great?" section and in The Plain Dealer, our Night Rides have been helping northeast Ohioans enjoy the Towpath by moonlight for 15 years. They are free, they are fun, and they are open to everyone! And there are plenty of chances to join us for one (or all!). Here's the 2010 schedule:
Don't know what it's all about? Click here for all the details. Hope to see you there!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Raleigh Misceo 1.0 Now In Stock!

So, just in time for the great weekend weather we should be having, we've got new shipments of this and many other of our best-selling bicycles from Raleigh, as well as Giant, ready to test ride!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Click to vote for a grant for CVNPA

Now, through May 14, there's another way we can help the CVNPA, and it doesn't cost a penny!
CVNPA is a candidate for a $5,000 grant from Tourism Cares, which has created an initiative called Save Our Sites, a grant opportunity specifically focused on national parks.
The CVNPA is already ahead in the voting by more than double the next competitor, but keep on voting to make sure they stay in the lead! You can vote once per day through May 14.
Citizen's rally today at 6:30 p.m.

Friday, March 19, 2010
Bike To School Challenge awarded Project of the Year

We don't usually go all official on this blog, but this proclamation has a lot of worthwhile whereas's and therefore's we have to share. Before we do that, we must first say a huge THANK YOU to all the fine folks in Bay Village -- from the council who gave BTS such wonderful recognition to the school system that makes it all possible to all the kids and teachers who love to ride their bikes. We can't wait for the start of the 2010 Bike To School Challenge on May 3!
WHEREAS the Bike To School Challenge began in 2007 as a student driven initiative to encourage students and staff of Bay High to ride bicycles to school instead of driving automobiles highlighting the need to become less dependent on fossil fuels and raise awareness of environmental issues; and
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Celebrities who bike: Jeff Bridges
"Oh, wow what a great city. Just loving it. You know, tooling around Stanley Park a lot on my bike. And getting up to Grouse Mountain."So there you have it. You can read the full interview here.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
The making of a Giant bicycle's carbon frame

Pictured above is a Giant Defy Advanced 3 (a size XL just arrived yesterday in Rocky River). It's made with Giant's Advanced Composite Technology, in which superior performance begins with bare carbon thread and ends in an entirely handmade frame constructed of strategically layered UniDirectional (UD) carbon.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
March 2010 eNewsletter

The latest issue of our monthly eNewsletter just hit the airwaves a couple of days ago. You can read it online here. If case you haven't read it yet, here's what you're missing:
- Spring Break Sale (Mar. 25-28)
- More Upcoming Events! Night Rides on the Towpath, Cleveland Bicycle Week, and FREE Fix-A-Flat Clinics
- Friday Night with Frazz (link to event photos)
- Summer Hours Return
- Our Latest Online Poll
- Staff Profile: Neal O'Donnell
- 5 Tips: Early Season Riding
To sign up to receive future editions of our monthly eNewsletter in your Inbox (and to catch up on past issues), go to: www.centurycycles.com/get/enewsletter
John Moss: Ten Years of Bike Travels in North America


It went uphill from there.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
5 Tips: Early Season Riding

Most riders want to get a head start on logging some miles as soon as the spring weather starts to peek through the clouds. Mother Nature can be fickle, however, and there are other factors to keep in mind to ride comfortably and safely in the early part of the cycling season:
- Dress for changing weather conditions. The weather can change in a heartbeat during late winter and early spring, so plan accordingly before you head out for your ride. Dress in layers so that you can peel off extra clothing if it warms up. Even if it feel warm when you're starting out, stuff a lightweight jacket or vest into your jersey pocket in case it cools down. For even more versatility, get one of those jackets with zip-off sleeves to convert it to a vest for so-so conditions.
- Set realistic distance goals. Even if you've kept up with an indoor training regimen during the winter, there's no substitute for the real thing when it comes to riding outside on the road or trail. Don't bite off more than you can chew on your first few rides until you've built your fitness level back up.
- Wash your bike more often. The sloppy leftovers from winter, as well as the variable rain and other conditions of spring, can leave a gritty, grimy residue on your bike and its components. You'll want to observe a careful cleaning regimen more often than usual during this time to keep your bike's frame shiny and like new, and avoid undue wear and tear on your drive train. See these tips on our web site for How To Wash Your Bike and How To Clean Your Chain And Drive Train.
- Rinse off road salt. The salt used to melt snow on the roads during winter sticks around for several weeks until the spring rains have a chance to rinse it away. Salt is like kryptonite to your bike; left around for too long, it corrodes the inside and outside of any surface, whether it's steel, aluminum, titanium, or carbon fiber. If you can't take the time to do a full cleaning of your bike after each ride (as described in #1 above), then at least just rinse the salt and other road grit off using a garden hose. Use very light water pressure from the hose, and don't spray directly into your hubs, bottom bracket, headset, or other bearings. Wipe everything dry with a soft, clean towel.
- Watch out for new hazards on the road or trail. The freeze and thaw cycles of winter can be hard on paved streets and other riding areas. Even in places that you are familiar with from riding in years past, keep an eye out for new potholes, cracks, and washed-out sections.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Staff Profile: Neal O'Donnell

Q: What do you like about working at Century Cycles?
A: For the first time in my life, I am doing something I love. Before working at Century Cycles, I had never experienced looking forward to going to work. It’s really cool. I’m really appreciative to Scott for giving me a chance.
Q: How many bikes do you own?
A: I have two mountain bikes. My favorite bicycle is my Surly Karate Monkey. Josh turned me on to it. My other mountain bike has a XXL frame and 26” wheels, and I feel a bit like Herman Munster because I’m so tall. But the Karate Monkey is a 29er – a big steel monster that’s great for someone who is 6’4”. It’s black, but I got creative with duct tape and added some rasta stripes.
Q: Why do you like mountain bikes?
A: I’m an old hippie and I love being out in the weather and the woods. I’m not a road guy at all.
Q: What was your first bike?
A: One of those bikes with the banana seats like Scott has hanging on the wall here. I rode it to church one day and didn’t lock it up and it got stolen.
Q: Since you’re a big reggae fan, what artist do you recommend we listen to?
A: We have a hidden gem right here in Cleveland – Carlos Jones and the Plus Band. Carlos used to play in I-Tal and First Light, if you remember those bands, and he is insanely good. I’m going to see him Saturday night at the Grog Shop. He’s opening for Michael Rose from Black Uhuru.
Q: What three words describe how you feel on a bike?
A: Free. Euphoric. Peaceful.
Q: What the best piece of cycling advice that you’ve been given?
A: Do the kind of biking that makes you happy. People see my long legs and always want to get me on a road bike, but I just don’t like it.
Q: What advice do you give to a customer looking for a new bike?
A: If someone is new to bicycling, I try to determine if they are going to be happy just cruising around the neighborhood or if they are going to get bit by the bug. If they are looking at hybrid bikes but think they might get bit, I show them the next step up, like a flat bar road bike.
Q: What’s your post-ride beverage of choice?
A: Just water. I’m a bit of a health nut. I haven’t had a soda in about 30 years.
Q: What’s your favorite trail or ride?
A: I went to Reagan Park in Medina last summer with Josh and Brad and that was really fun. I like it better than the park on W. 49th and Grant. There are more that I need to investigate, though, like West Branch.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Winter bike storage

Hot New Product: Saris Solo Car Trunk Rack

Thursday, March 11, 2010
Masi Speciale Fixed Ultimate

He's planning some upgrades, which will include Miche track hubs and crankset, in blue to match that sweet saddle!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
In the news: PD urges ODOT to listen, plus Towpath update
In an editorial in today's Plain Dealer, the newspaper's editors urged ODOT to listen to their boss about investigating adding a protected lane for bicyclists and pedestrians to the Inner Belt Bridge project. Click here to read the whole editorial. Here's a snippet:
"But for Strickland's call to make a real difference, ODOT planners need to bring open minds to a review they have staunchly resisted. Ideally, they will go back to the drawing board looking for ways to provide bicycle and pedestrian access, not searching for excuses to continue blocking it."
In other news:
Officials optimistic that Towpath Trail work in Cleveland can begin in 2012. (The Plain Dealer)
Thanks, Jef, for your very kind words about Century Cycles! (Jef Mallett Blog)
Just in time for the warm-up: Crunching the numbers ($$$) on bike commuting. (Treehugger)
And just in time to continue to envy/emulate (maybe-hate-a-little) Portland: Here's a new online museum celebrating the bike culture in the city. (Tall Bike Tales)
Go By Bike with Google Maps
Biking directions added to Google Maps!
Advanced Frozen Beverage Technology

Tuesday, March 9, 2010
News Update: Bikes on bridges and bikes on trains
- Gov. Ted Strickland has jumped into the fray over whether to add a bike lane to the planned Inner Belt Bridge project, ordering ODOT to study it again. (The Plain Dealer)
- Bicycles are being factored in for another local transportation project. One of our customers, John from Seville, was listening to a radio show about proposed passenger trains in Ohio. When he emailed to ask if train passengers could bring their bikes, he got a personal response from Stu Nicholson at the Ohio Rail Development Corporation: "Yes! We will be encouraging communities with station stops to provide accomodations for bicycles and we will also allow bikes on trains. I ride myself, and I would love to be able to do that." (Sound of Ideas on WCPN)
- Road trip! Brompton Folding Bike Championships will be held March 20 in Philly. (Treehugger)
- A pedestrian/cyclist collision causes an ethical dilemma. (The Ethicist. second item: New York Times)
- We always knew our customer Lynne "Less talk, more monkey" Nagy was a Fashion Flash. (The Plain Dealer)
- Work bikes that get the job done. (Slideshow on Treehugger)
Monday, March 8, 2010
Jef Mallett adds "Frazz" artwork to Rocky River bathroom wall

Jef Mallett drew his "Frazz" character underneath, appropriately holding an umbrella to protect himself from Bob Roll's--well, you get the idea...

Thanks to Doug, Petch, and Kevin for all of the pictures.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Saturday Morning Ride with Jef Mallett
The sunshine was bright and we left around 10 a.m. from the marina parking lot. A few of us got to talking about how biking just seems to make for a good day. That was certainly true on Saturday. Jef rode his "Trizophrenia" tri-bike and we were joined by Mike, Gary, and my brother Joel, up from Columbus for the weekends events. Thanks again to all who joined us and made the weekend a success.
US Senator Brown adds voice of support for Innerbelt Bridge access
This comes on the heels of letters of support from several other officials, including US Representative Dennis Kucinich (not to mention Century Cycles owner Scott Cowan).
Green City Blue Lake has a great web page summarizing all of the activity surrounding this project. Check it out to find out how you can thank the above people, and the many others, who have shown their support, and how you can contact other officials to voice your opinion.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Photos from Friday Night with Frazz
Here are a few pictures; many more to come!
Congratulations to the winners of our raffle, the proceeds of which will go to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association's TRAILS FOREVER Legacy Fund. The winners of the two large sketches that Jef created during his talk were Jeff Smith and Diane Homza-Dacek. Diane was also the lucky winner of the GRAND PRIZE, an original "Frazz" comic strip hand-drawn by Jef Mallet that will run as one of his regular nationally-syndicated strips later this month.
Friday, March 5, 2010
From Wisconsin: Bicycling in the state tops deer hunting
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Kevin to speak at monthly Lake Erie Wheelers meeting

Kevin Madzia, the Century Cycles webmaster based in our Peninsula store, will be a guest of the Lake Erie Wheelers bicycle club at their monthly meeting. Kevin will present a slide show and talk about his bicycle trip from Cleveland to Guatemala that he took (with Ray Query from our Rocky River store) in the fall of 2008.
When: Tuesday, March 9, 2010, 7:00pm
Where: Lakewood Public Libary, 15425 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, Ohio
The meeting is open to the public--LEW members and non-members are welcome!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
"Trizophrenia" on two wheels


Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Current Surly Stock
Here's an update on what Surly Bikes we currently have in stock:
Medina:
- Cross-Check, 52cm, Beef Gravy Brown
- Long Haul Trucker, 58cm (700C wheels), Blue Velvet
Peninsula:
- Cross-Check, 54cm, Beef Gravy Brown
- Cross-Check, 56cm, Gloss Black
- Long Haul Trucker, 56cm (700C wheels), Truckaccino
Rocky River:
- Big Dummy, 18in, Military Green
- Cross-Check, 62cm, Misty Mountain Grey
- Long Haul Trucker, 52cm (26-inch wheels), Truckaccino
As always, if you want to try any of them out in the store that's nearer to you, give us a call, and we can send it over at no extra cost or obligation on your part.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Friday Night With Frazz: Just 4 days away!
