Bike touring is fun for the whole family!

Bicycle touring is something that the whole family can enjoy! For proof, look no further than Theresa and Robert, who left their home in Brooklyn, New York on their Surly Long Haul Truckers with their 4-year-old daughter Zoe in tow on a Weehoo trail-a-bike!

They stopped by the Century Cycles store in Peninsula yesterday. They were hoping to eventually reach California by the end of the summer, but were making a little slower pace than expected, so hope to reach Minnesota before school starts in September.

You can see more photos and notes from their journey at:

thisfamilyrolls.tumblr.com

You can see more photos of long-distance touring cyclists who have visited all three of our stores in our Bicycle Touring Photo Gallery.

Independence Day Holiday Hours

Contrary to what we reported in our latest email newsletter last week, the Century Cycles store in Peninsula will be OPEN from 10:00am until 5:00pm on Saturday, July 4, 2015. Bicycle rentals for the Towpath Trail will be available (weather permitting); bike rental closes at 3:30pm and bikes must be returned before closing time of 5:00pm.

Our Medina and Rocky River stores will be CLOSED on July 4th.

All three stores will be OPEN for our regular hours on all other days of the holiday weekend.

Ohio to Erie Trail a popular destination for bicycle touring

The Ohio to Erie Trail is a 300-mile route between Cleveland and Cincinnati. It has proven to be a popular destination lately for touring cyclists who have stopped in our stores. About 85% of the route is on dedicated bicycle/hike trails, with more work on trail connections continuing.

Tom Olson (above) stopped in the Century Cycles store in Peninsula yesterday on his way south on the route.

You can see more photos of bicycle touring visitors to all three of our stores on our Bicycle Touring Photo Gallery.

What We Ride: Dan Ward - Salsa Mukluk 2

Dan Ward is our Bicycle Fit Specialist at the Century Cycles store in Rocky River.

Dan has been enjoying his 2014 Salsa Mukluk 2 snow bike for year-round adventures and commuting since he bought it that year.

Q. Why did you choose the Salsa Mukluk 2?

A. I was sick of not being able to ride as much in the winter. The race and event ride season starts early in the spring, and it's hard to quickly get back that fitness that you lose all winter. A snow bike was the obvious choice, and there are a lot of options out there now, but I really fell in love with the color of the '14 Salsa Mukluk 2.

Q. What additions have you made to the bike?

A. I've added Crank Brothers clipless pedals, Portland Design Works fenders, and a headlight and taillight.

Q. Do you have any other upgrades planned?

A. I'm working on adapting the bike to fit 5-inch wide tires. It's possible, even though it was designed for 4-inch tires, but there are some challenges making some adjustments to the drive train to avoid having the chain rub on the tire. But, I figure if 4 inches wide is good, then 5 inches wide is that much better! Part of that project might involve converting from a 2x10 to a 1x10 drive train, which would also make the bike lighter and simpler to maintain. Next year, I may try out some studded tires and convert to tubeless.

Q. Where do you like to ride the bike?

A. I commute to work on it almost every day. I've taken it on the All-Purpose Trail in the Cleveland Metroparks, as well as the Bedford and Royalview mountain bike trails. I have always enjoyed mountain biking, including at night, which makes for a different experience. Riding the Royalview Trail after a full snowfall was another totally different experience. You have a narrow track of packed snow, so it's more of a challenge than usual to stay on track. If you have to stop and put a foot down to catch yourself, then you sink down in a foot of the unpacked snow!

Q. Any final thoughts on the bike?

A. It's a gas! The winters in Cleveland can be long, dark, cold, and depressing. The Salsa Mukluk has re-energized not only my winter activity, but has revived my excitement about cycling overall. The bike opens up new horizons for me.

Photos from the Pajama Party Night Ride on the Towpath Trail

Thanks to the 191 bicyclists who came down to Peninsula for our annual Pajama Party Night Ride on the Towpath Trail on June 6!

More photos:

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

Happy Pink Flamingo Day! Nutcase Helmets brings you Flamingo Fun!

Today is National Pink Flamingo Day. Who knew there was such a thing?

The Nutcase "Flamingo Fun" helmet, a flurry of pink beauties on a classy matte black surface, is perfect to declare a love for all things pink and showy, while remaining understated.

This and many other fun designs from Nutcase Helmets are in stock in all three Century Cycles stores!

Nine riders for yesterday's Sunday Service Group Road Bike Ride in Medina

Thanks to the nine cyclists who showed up for yesterday's Sunday Service Group Road Bike Ride in Medina yesterday (June 21, 2015)!

Ride leader Cathy reports that despite the forecasted storms on the weather radar, the rain held off. We are using a new route in Medina to avoid some road construction. The new route a a little more hilly, with some rolling ups and downs, but don't let that stop you from joining us!

The next road bike group rides are July 5 in Peninsula, July 12 in Rocky River, and July 19 in Medina. All rides start at 8:00am. For the full schedule and details, go to:

www.centurycycles.com/for/SundayService

We've also got more training rides scheduled for Team Left Hand / Century Cycles for the Bike MS Buckeye Breakaway! For the schedule, see:

www.centurycycles.com/for/BikeMS

Vote for Century Cycles in the Cleveland Magazine "Best of Cleveland" Poll!

Voting is now open for the 2015 "Best of Cleveland" poll by Cleveland Magazine!

We'd like to thank all of our loyal fans and customers for your support in helping us win the "Best Bicycle Shop" award in the Best of Cleveland poll every year since 2010, and hope we can count on your support this year!

To place your vote for the Best Bicycle Shop and your other Cleveland favorites, go to:

http://clevelandmagazine.com/bestof

Ride and win with the Summit Metro Parks Summer Biking Spree!

Go out and RIDE during the 3rd annual Summer Biking Spree, brought to you by the Summit Metro Parks!

Participants of this at-your-own-pace cycling event who complete five different sections of the multipurpose trails managed by Summit Metro Parks (the 34-mile Bike & Hike Trail, the 6.2-mile Freedom Trail in Tallmadge, and 22.4 miles of the Towpath Trail in Summit County) between July 1 and August 31 can earn spree rewards: a bicycle license plate and reflective sticker for first-year riders, and a reflective sticker for veteran riders.  

One lucky spree participant – drawn at random from submitted forms – will win a new Raleigh bike from Century Cycles. The drawing will be held October 16. The number of completed forms will determine the odds of winning.

Find spree forms at Century Cycles in Peninsula and all Acme Fresh Market locations. For more information, visit summitmetroparks.org or call 330-865-8065.

Express your Thanks or Disapproval to your US House member for bike/pedestrian funding action

Thanks to Laura Faulkner for the image

Without any warning last Tuesday, there was a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives to eliminate funding for projects that make new transit systems safer and more accessible for bicyclists and pedestrians. Please take the time to weigh in with your Representative and let them know how you feel about their vote.

The Emmer Amendment would have overridden the local planning process to prevent any funding for new start transit projects from being used for sidewalks, bike lanes, bike parking, etc., at train and bus stations. Fortunately the amendment failed, but just barely. The final vote was 212-214.

This fight in Congress is far from over as both sides of the chamber continue to debate the best way to fund the federal transportation bill. Let your legislator know that their future votes matter -- and you're watching. Click here to send a thank you to those who voted down last week's amendment or express your disappointment with those who voted yes.

The image above shows Ohio's U.S. House members and how they voted on the amendment. An Aye vote indicates approval for the amendment, i.e. AGAINST funding for bike/pedestrian access.

And be sure to share this with your networks so lawmakers in Congress hear loud and clear: I bike, I vote.

A BIG thanks to the League of American Bicyclists for keeping watch on our lawmakers' activities and getting the word out about this issue in time!

Photos from the Team Left Hand / Century Cycles Silent Auction Fund-raiser

Last Thursday (June 11), a small but enthusiastic crowd enjoyed beer from Left Hand Brewing Company, fine Winking Lizard food in the Bedford Heights party room, the Cleveland Cavaliers game, and a silent auction that raised $1000 for Team Left Hand / Century Cycles fund-raising efforts for the Bike MS Buckeye Breakaway!

Thanks to Sara Gould and Jeff  Bologna from Left Hand Brewing Company for making the trip to Ohio to join us!

Event photos:

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

Introducing the Salsa Cycles Cutthroat, made for the Tour Divide Race

Salsa Cycles announces the next generation of off-road touring bicycle, the Cutthroat. Like its older sibling the Salsa Fargo, it's a drop-bar mountain bike designed for carrying self-supported touring gear, and tested on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route.

The Cutthroat shares the carbon fiber Salsa Firestarter fork with the Salsa Fargo 2, which includes the 3-pack bolt system for mounting the Salsa Anything Cage or Anything Cage HD to haul stuff. Most of the similarities end there, though.

First off, don't be put off by the violent-sounding name. The Cutthroat is named for the Cutthroat Trout, the official state fish of all five US states that the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route passes through.

The Cutthroat features a full carbon fiber frame, with thru-axles front and rear for stiffness and stability. The oversize main triangle allows more capacity for carrying touring gear (fit an XL size frame bag in a size LG frame). The frame has three water bottle cage mounts, plus new custom top-tube mounts for an as-yet-un-announced new top tube pack from Salsa.

The bike is designed for 29-inch tires up to 2.4 inches wide. In a nod to the bike's origin's, there a map of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route in the graphics on the bottom of the frame's down tube.

The Salsa Cutthroat will be available this fall, in two complete bike options: with a SRAM Rival drive train and SRAM Roam 40 tubeless-compatible wheelset for $3,999.99, or with a SRAM X.9 drive train and DT Swiss/Stan's NoTube wheelset for $2,999.99. It will also be available as a frameset, including frame, fork, headset, and seat collar for $1,999.99.

The complete Rival bike comes in at only 21 pounds, or 23 pounds for the X.9 version (size Medium, without pedals).

The Salsa Cutthroat is currently being tested as we speak on the 2015 edition of the Tour Divide race, by past winner, course record holder, and Salsa-sponsored athlete Jay Petervary.

Jay Petervary at the start of the 2015 Tour Divide in Banff, Alberta on Friday, June 12

You can track the progress of Jay and all of this year's Tour Divide racers here.

Read more about the new Salsa Cutthroat:

• Salsa Cycles Blog - Introducing: Cutthroat (with full specs)
• The Radavist - Introducing the Salsa Cycles Cutthroat Tour Divide Bike
• Bikepackers Magazine - Salsa Cycles Cutthroat - A Tour Divide Dream
• Outside Magazine - Will this bike win the Tour Divide?

Congratulations to Ohio's Bicycle-Friendly Communities!

This past Wednesday, the League of American Bicyclists released its list of new and renewing Bicycle Friendly Communities for Spring 2015. Congratulations to these Northeast Ohio neighbors who have renewed their status as Bronze-Level Bicycle Friendly Communities:

• Akron
• Cleveland
• Cleveland Heights
• Lakewood

And, welcome and congratulations to the city of Oberlin for being named a NEW Bronze-Level Bicycle-Friendly Community!

Congratulations to these other Ohio communities who have renewed their Bronze-Level Bicycle Friendly Community status:

• Athens
• Cincinnati
• Columbus
• Dayton
• Dublin
• Westerville

Congratulations to Troy (near Dayton) for being named a NEW Bronze-Level Bicycle Friendly Community!

For the full announcement and links to lists of all the Bicycle Friendly Communities in the USA, click here.

Giant Defy 3 wins Bicycling Magazine Editor's Choice

The editors of Bicycling Magazine were so impressed on their test-rides of the 2015 Giant Defy 3 bicycle earlier this year that they named it one of their "Editors Choice" bikes, saying "This is a full-buy recommendation—have fun, get fit, go places, change your life ..."

The Giant Defy 3 strikes the perfect balance of solid, dependable components at a price that's easy for first-time buyers. The Shimano Sora 18-speed drive train is a capable workhorse, and the ALUXX aluminum frame with Giant's Advanced carbon fork "carried its weight with a matter-of-fact demeanor, and it can, on downhills, push past the limits of its pricing."

Come test-ride the Giant Defy 3 in one of Century Cycles' stores! Size and color selection may vary by store. Click here to read the full review.

Cycling Makes Sense Fitness Rides in Medina County - starting this Thursday!

In partnership with Medina County Park District, Century Cycles presents 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 park's wonderful multipurpose trails. Lynne from the Century Cycles store in Medina will start each 6-10 mile ride with some basic tips for how to keep you and your bike fit.

All rides begin at 6:30pm. Adults only; helmets are required.

You must pre-register at: www.medinacountyparks.com

Schedule:

• Thursday, June 11, 2015 - Buckeye Woods (meet at the ball field parking lot)
• Tuesday, July 7, 2015 - Lester Rail Trail (meet at Lester Rd trailhead)
• Tuesday, August 4, 2015 - Chippewa Rail Trail
• Thursday, August 27, 2015 - Lake Medina (meet at the Route 18 parking lot)

New Products: SweatX Sport Detergent and Deodorizer

Have you ever noticed a funk in your cycling gear or other athletic equipment that washing in the laundry just can't get rid of? As active people, we put demands on our clothing that regular detergents just aren't equipped to handle.

Enter SweatX! Sweat X Sport Laundry Detergent is a specially formulated high performance sports detergent that is designed to remove even the toughest stains and stench from technical fabrics. It's biodegradable, non-toxic, and compatible with all types of fabrics and washing machines (including High Efficiency machines).

Its ultra-thin formula works on a nano-scale to remove odors, as well as 99% of all bacteria that cause MRSA, STAPH, and acne.

Not convinced? Stop into any Century Cycles store for a free sample (while supplies last)!

For items that can't go in the washing machine, there's SweatX Extreme Odor Eliminator Spray. Spray it in your helmet, shoes, gloves, knee and elbow pads, etc. SweatX replaces sweat stench with the smell of victory!

Plus, SweatX is joining Team Left Hand / Century Cycles in our fight to crush Multiple Sclerosis! For every SweatX product sold in our stores, SweatX will donate $1 to our fund-raising efforts for the Bike MS Buckeye Breakaway!

June cycling events

June is here, and it looks like we finally have June weather to go with it! Mark your calendars for our many bicycle events throughout the month:

Every Tuesday evening, 6:00pm - Closing - Bike Night at The Burntwood Tavern of Rocky River

Every Saturday, 8:00 - 11:30am, and every Sunday, 8:00am - 1:00pm - Bike to Breakfast at Herb's Tavern of Rocky River

Saturday, June 6, 9:00am - 3:00pm - Main Street Medina Kid's Day

Saturday, June 6, 9:00am - 1:00pm - ABC's of Summer Safety at Medina Meadows Rehabilitation and Health Centre

Saturday, June 6, 10:30am - Bike MS Training Ride organized by the Cuyahoga Valley Cycling & Craft Beer Club; start at The Chalet in the Cleveland Metroparks Mill Stream Run Reservation

Saturday, June 6, 8:00pm - Pajama Party Night Ride on the Towpath Trail

Sunday, June 7, 8:00am - Sunday Service Group Road Bike Ride (Peninsula)

Tuesday, June 9, 6:30pm - Team Left Hand / Century Cycles Bike MS Training Ride (Rocky River)

Thursday, June 11, 6:30pm - Cycling Makes Sense Fitness Ride (Medina County, Buckeye Woods Park)

Friday, June 12, 12:00 - 8:00pm - United Way of Medina County Unity in the Community

Sunday, June 14, 8:00am - Sunday Service Group Road Bike Ride (Rocky River)

Sunday, June 14 - Cleveland Touring Club's Sunday in June Ride (Burton)

Saturday, June 20 - Night Ride on the Towpath Trail

Saturday, June 20 - Saturday, June 27 - Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure (GOBA)

Sunday, June 21, 8:00am - Sunday Service Group Road Bike Ride (Medina)

Tuesday, June 23, 6:30pm - Team Left Hand / Century Cycles Bike MS Training Ride (Medina)

Sunday, June 28 - Northeast Ohio Tour de Cure

Tuesday, June 30, 6:30pm - Team Left Hand / Century Cycles Bike MS Training Ride (Peninsula)

New Bike MS Training Rides Scheduled

Several members of the Cuyahoga Valley Cycling & Craft Beer Club have joined Team Left Hand / Century Cycles for the Bike MS Buckeye Breakaway. They have scheduled two training rides that we've added to our training ride calendar:

1. Saturday, June 6, 2015 - Meet at 10:30am at The Chalet in the Cleveland Metroparks Mill Stream Run Reservation. The ride will be 30 miles on the road with varied terrain (mostly Valley Parkway). There will be two groups, one averaging 14-17mph with hills, the other 10-13mph with few hills. Post-ride refreshments at The Brew Kettle in Strongsville.
2. Sunday, July 12, 2015 - Meet at 8:30am at Shannon's Mini Mart (2776 State Route 307, East Austinburg, Ohio). The ride will be 75 miles on the Western Reserve Greenway; it's a dedicated bike path that is paved and mostly flat. It will be out-and-back, so you can easily make the ride shorter if you wish. Pace will be minimum of 14mph. Bring plenty of snacks and hydration, as there are not many place to stop along the trail. Post-ride refreshments at The Cornerstone Brewing Company in Madison.

Bicycling Magazine: 5 Great Helmets Under $50 (and we've got 4 of them in stock!)

Bicycling Magazine recently posted an article on their web site highlighting "5 Great Helmets Under $50." They actually mention eight helmet models, and it just so happens that we've got FIVE of them in stock in all three Century Cycles stores!

Giro Revel bike helmet (available in many more colors!)

The Giro Revel bike helmet is easily mistaken for one of Giro's pricier models. It's got Giro's Acu-Dial system to fine-tune the fit, and 22 air vents to keep you cool.

Giro Verona women's bike helmet (available in many more colors!)

The Giro Verona bike helmet is the women's-specific version of the Revel, with the same fit and comfort in a slightly smaller size.

Giro Bishop bike helmet (also available in Black)

The Giro Bishop bike helmet features the same design and comfort as the Revel and Verona, but in an XL size for heads up 65cm in diameter.

Bell Piston bike helmet (available in many more colors!)

The Bell Piston bike helmet has a rounded, more casual look for the recreational rider or commuter. Bell's ErgoDial fit system keeps it snug on your head.

Bell Strut bike helmet (available in many more colors!)

The Bell Strut bike is the is the women's-specific version of the Bell Piston. Fit slightly smaller, the ErgoDial fit system is also ponytail-compatible!

Stop in any of our stores to see our complete selection of bicycle helmets from Bell, Giro, plus Nutcase! Click here to read the full article from Bicycling Magazine.

Fun events for the whole family this Saturday in Medina!

Hey, Medina residents! Before you head up to Peninsula this Saturday evening for our Pajama Party Night Ride on the Towpath Trail, there are two more fun and FREE family events in town during the day!

Join Main Street Medina and their project partners for a full day of FREE family fun on the Medina Square. Check out the book sale by Project:Learn; kick off your summer reading with the Medina County District Library, play games with Medina Funtastic Toyz, Rinky Dink, Bricks 4 Kidz and more. Create a fine work of art with All Fired Up! and be a part of a fine arts show in July. Learn and explore Safety Town with Medina Hospital, featuring safety forces and vehicles from around Medina County as well as bike safety and so much more! Sponsored by Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital and presented by Medina Hospital, Main Street Medina and Westfield Insurance.

When: Saturday, June 6, 2015, 9:00am - 3:00pm
Where: Medina Square, 2 Public Square, Medina, Ohio 44256
Cost: FREE!

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For the last 11 years, Medina Meadows Rehabilitation and Health Centre has hosted a community event on behalf of children call ABC's of Summer Safety. This informational event is for school-age children and their families that will focus on preventing and protecting children from some of the leading causes of child injury. There will be booths relating to first aid, summer storm safety, swimming safety, car seat safety, bicycle safety, fire and burn prevention, camping safety, Stranger Danger, bullying, Internet safety, and more!

When: Saturday, June 6, 2015, 9:00am - 1:00pm
Where: Medina Meadows Rehabilitation and Health Center, 550 Miner Drive, Medina, Ohio 44256
Cost: FREE!

Bring your bicycles to both events for a FREE safety inspection by the experts from Century Cycles!

Pajama Party Night Ride on the Towpath Trail - Saturday, June 6, 2015

This Saturday, June 6, 2015, our regularly-scheduled Night Ride on the Towpath Trail will be transformed into a Pajama Party Night Ride!

The free event festivities begin at 7:00pm with cycle-your-own-smoothies and glow-in-the-dark goodies in the parking lot of the Century Cycles store in Peninsula. Pajama-clad bicyclists will depart on the Night Ride from the parking lot at 8:00pm.

At the 14-mile bicycle ride's halfway point, there will be slumber party snacks (popcorn, cookies, and Twizzlers). After the ride, bicyclists are welcome to gather next door in the Peninsula Winking Lizard party room to trade bicycling (and ghost) stories.

For more information, including directions, parking information, preparation and safety tips, and photos from past rides, go to:

www.centurycycles.com/for/NightRides