Friday, September 29, 2017

Rent One Get One Free for Bike Your Park Day - Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017

As part of their continuing mission to encourage more people to discover the joy of traveling by bicycle, the Adventure Cycling Association has designated Saturday, September 30, 2017 as Bike Your Park Day.

To join in the celebration, discover new parks or experience your favorite parks in a new way. You can make it your own experience: ride your preferred distance; go with friends, family or join a group; bike on trails or roads. Share photos of your ride on social media using the hashtag #BikeYourPark.

If you don't have a bike, we're going to make it easier for you to enjoy riding the popular Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Bike Your Park Day will be RENT ONE, GET ONE FREE DAY for our Towpath Trail Bike Rentals in Peninsula! Just bring this coupon!


Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Night Ride on the Towpath Trail for Bike Your Park Day - Sept. 30, 2017

Join us this Saturday for our final Night Ride on the Towpath Trail of the 2017 season!

For this ride, we join the Adventure Cycling Association in celebrating Bike Your Park Day! Share photos of your the ride on social media with the hastag #BikeYourPark.

When: Saturday, September 30, 2017, 7:00pm
Where: Century Cycles, 1621 Main Street, Peninsula, OH 44264

The ride is FREE as always, and no pre-registration is necessary. We start riding at 8:00pm sharp.We'll ride NORTH on the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail to the Station Road Bridge and back (about 14 miles round-trip).

You must have your own bicycle, helmet, and headlight. Children are welcome, but must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

The store will be open before the ride if you need any last-minute bicycle supplies or repairs (within reason). Parking is limited at the store; we recommend using the Lock 29 Trailhead or Overflow Parking Lot, both located on Mill Street.

For more information on our Night Rides on the Towpath Trail, go to www.centurycycles.com/for/NightRides for and safety tips and photos/videos from past rides. Check the event on Facebook for the latest updates.

Hope to see you there!

Monday, September 25, 2017

Extended Summer Sunday Hours END in Peninsula - Oct. 1, 2017

PLEASE NOTE: Effective October 1, 2017, the Century Cycles store in Peninsula will be returning to our regular hours of operation on Sundays. Our hours for all three stores are now:

  • Monday through Thursday: 10:00am - 8:00pm
  • Friday and Saturday: 10:00am - 6:00pm
  • Sunday: 12:00 - 5:00pm
Also note the bicycle rentals for the Towpath Trail in Peninsula close 90 minutes before the store closing time (now 3:30pm on Sundays).

As usual, you can also find our current hours of operation at:

Saturday, September 23, 2017

Gears for Good Ohio Ride 2017

The Gears for Good - Cleveland Ride is a local event partnering with the Hemophilia Federation
of America supporting the Northern Ohio Hemophilia Foundation’s emergency assistance fund, a critical safety net for those with bleeding disorders in Northeast Ohio.

Participants can choose between a leisurely 8-mile ride through a challenging 50 miles along
the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail. Whether riders are confident cyclists or beginners, the
“Bike Aboard!” option will be available. Just flag down the train at one of the Cuyahoga Valley
Scenic Railroad stations and bring your bike on board to the finish line, where everyone will
enjoy a delicious Finish Line Celebration buffet.

DATE: Saturday, October 14, 2017

BEGINNING AND ENDING  LOCATION:
Ohio & Erie Canalway Towpath Trail
Station Road Bridge
13512 Station Road
Brecksville, Ohio  44141

Find more details and registration at the event web site, including details, FAQ, donate, and links to register as an individual, create a team, or join a team.

Friday, September 22, 2017

Water Cycle, Chapter 1 - River Bikefishing for Steelhead (a film by Blackburn Design)

Inspired by the 71% of the planet covered by water, Blackburn Design has created WATER CYCLE, a new film project. The project follows different people who use a bicycle to help them further explore their relationship with water, in all its forms.


Chapter 1: River — Bikefishing for steelhead

In this first chapter, we follow Brian Ohlen, an avid fisherman and hunter from Montana.  Brian also has a passion for cycling, and he combined the two by loading his waders, tackle, and rod onto his bike, to go in search of Steelhead along the rivers on the Pacific Coast from Canada to Mexico.  The best Steelhead fishing happens to be in the dead of winter.  Brian faced nearly constant rain, snow, and ice for a chance to spend but a moment with one of these elusive creatures.  Along the way, he found some beautiful quiet moments and the simple joys that life on a bike can bring.

If the video above is not appearing for you, go to blackburndesign.com/river to view it, and find more information about how you can help preserve access to public rivers and streams.

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Medicine of Cycling Conference

This is the second in a series of guest blog posts by Tom Wiseman, our Assistant Service Manager and Bicycle Fit Specialist at Century Cycles in Medina. In the first post, Tom had the story, photos, and videos of his bucket list trip of bicycling up and down Pike's Peak. The report below is from the main purpose of his Colorado visit.

Medicine of Cycling Conference

The Eighth Annual Medicine of Cycling Conference (MOCC) was recently held at USA Cycling headquarters in Colorado Springs, CO August 18-20, 2017. The conference is presented by the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, and Medicine of Cycling in collaboration with USA Cycling. The purpose of the conference is to educate medical professionals and help them to provide better care for injured cyclists. These courses are valuable continuing education for all types of medical providers, including Physical Therapists, Doctors, and First Responders from all over the world. This year, people attended from 11 different countries.

There are 3 different courses offered over the 3 day weekend. These include Medical Emergencies in Cycling Conference, The Medicine of Cycling Conference, and the Bike Fit Symposium. Being a bike fitter at Century Cycles, I chose to attend the Bike Fit Symposium portion of the Conference.

The faculty for this event is like a who’s who of the bike fitting and cycling analysis world:

  • Curtis Cramblett LPT CFMT, has worked with the Garmin Cervelo Pro race team as both a fitter and Physical Therapist. He is the Owner of Revolutions in Fitness in Palo Alto, California.
  • Kit Vogel MS DPT, Educator and Owner of BikeFit, has presented at various bike fit symposiums, including the International Cyclefit Symposium (ICS) in London (2012), SICI International Cycling Science Symposium in 2007 and 2008.
  • Todd Carver, Chief Fit and Education officer at Retul in Boulder, Colorado.
  • Andy Pruitt EdD is an internationally known athletic trainer, physician assistant, author, and the Director of the Colorado University Sports Medicine and Performance Center in Boulder, Colorado.
  • Greg Robidoux PT, Owner and primary educator at Serotta International Cycling Institute (SICI).
  • Paraic McGlynn, Founder and Chief Technologist at Cyclologic in Scottsdale, Arizona. Prior to founding Cyclologic, Paraic was instrumental in technology development at FASTER, the world’s first cycling-specific wind tunnel and retail center.
  • Michael Sylvester, Owner at Bicycle Fitting Services in Portland, Oregon. He has created fitting schools and curriculum for Trek, Raleigh, and Serotta. He has over 35 years experience fitting all types of riders, from Tour de France Professionals to commuters, and even former President George W. Bush on the White House lawn.

Day one was a whirlwind of lecture topics, and a wonderful meet and greet of all the presenters and attendees. It was nice to put faces with the voices of people I have talked to on the phone and catch up with some old friends and instructors from past coursework I have taken. Sitting in a classroom setting for entire day taking information like it was coming from a fire hose was a little overwhelming. Subjects like biomechanics and anatomy were covered, as well as the importance of “evidence based fitting.” The discussion on normative values was interesting because of the sheer volume of data that was compiled to get to the average values we fitters often use to determine position for new riders or people with little experience and feedback. There was also a lengthy interaction about the differences between static and dynamic kinematics in cyclists. This was a comparison of static fitting using a goniometer/inclinometer and plumb line compared to 3 dimensional motion capture fitting systems, looking at the finish position of both methods. Ironically, both are effective for different situations for different reasons. Bottom line is the first day of fitting lecture was really informative and much more information than I could absorb in such a short time. Thankfully, all the notes and slides were supplied for us to look at later at our leisure.

Day two was mostly hands-on biomechanics and assessment instruction. There was a short lecture at the start of the day covering Kinesiology Tape and its implications on fit and function. It was nice to see the science behind the product and real evidence of its successful application in the fitting environment. The primary focus of day two was to cover body assessment and compensation techniques used in fitting evaluation. Exercises like the Unilateral Bridge Endurance Test and the Functional Single Leg Squat were not only shown extensively, but we broke into groups and performed these tests multiple times to witness many different compensatory reactions of different people. Seeing the many people do the tests made it possible to see the ways each exercise can help identify issues with how or why they interact with the bike like they do. This was a very interactive and informative session and working closely with all the Physical Therapist and medical professionals was truly the most valuable portion of the whole weekend for me as a fitter. Everything from spine issues to neck and shoulder interventions to evaluations of how the foot works under load were covered in depth. Fascinating stuff, and again, so much more information than I could process in a single day. But the hands-on, practice-what-you-see approach was very helpful, indeed. This day closed with a group road ride through the Garden of the Gods Park. A beautiful day in the park with a head full of new fitting information.

Day three was the application of the information we has been given over the previous two days. We used a “test subject” for our fitting, and applied the needed assessment techniques and practiced those things on an actual person, with much discussion of different possible approaches to the issues presented. It was really amazing to see different people talk about the ways they would deal with fitting the subject, and just how different each mind addressed the problems. There were both “on bike” and “off bike” intervention approaches to solving the issues we were presented. Some people wanted to work on flexibility and mobilization of the body, while others wanted to adjust the bike to accommodate the issues until the rider could improve the off the bike options in the weeks to come. The importance of testing each change for a favorable result was continually stressed as we moved from one change to the next. The realization that mechanical limitations in equipment is a very common hurdle to an ideal position was also experienced. These limitations made the possibility of an ideal fit unrealistic, and the decision to pursue an accommodated fitting was worked toward for the remainder of our time together for day three.


Applying the information with the chance to ask questions and try different methods was a very rewarding experience for me as a fitter. The conference reinforced many of the things I practice in all of my fittings. It also gave me plenty of new things to practice and incorporate in my future practice as well. The continual reminder of the importance of gathering evidence, making changes and testing for a positive result before moving on to the next change was a very strong thread throughout the weekend. The idea that what works for some people might not be a solution for others was not only stressed but proven through the course of the conference. The information I gained over three days was more than many of the other fitting classes I have taken combined. Simply put, it was worth every penny, and I will have research and reading material for months to come. I am very glad to have been able to attend the Medicine of Cycling Conference and am planning to go back to Colorado next year.

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

New cycling shoes in stock from Giant and Liv Cycling

In addition to our full line of cycling shoes from Pearl Izumi, Shimano, and Giro, we're trying out a few from Giant Bicycles and Liv Cycling. We have the following models in stock at the Century Cycles store in Rocky River:

Giant Sojourn 1 cycling shoes
The Giant Sojourn 1 is a trekking shoe, suitable for touring, commuting, light-duty singletrack, and recreational road riding. They are compatible with Shimano SPD pedals and others that use the two-bolt cleat mounting system. Features include the Force Drive Nylon midsole and rubber outsole with TourGrip™ Tread, 2X Stable Upper with multilayered air mesh, removable Velcro straps on top of the laces with a lace pocket for safety, and ErgoComfort footbed with TransTexturaPlus anti-odor Tech. $100.00 per pair.
Giant Line MES cycling shoes
The Giant Line MES is an aggressive off-road cycling shoe featuring a full-coverage rubber tread for stability and traction, wider range fore and aft cleat position adjustment, seamless hydrophobic material upper to provide protection and ventilation, QuickFit upper buckle and two hook-and-loop straps for on-the-fly adjustments, and ExoBeam molded nylon midsole plate providing pedaling stiffness with the flexibility you need for better stability and traction on rough terrain. $140.00 per pair.

Liv Cycling Fera off-road cycling shoes
For women who like to rip, the Liv Cycling Fera shoes feature the ForceDrive Nylon midsole and rubber outsole, SPD clipless-compatible with the TrackBone™ Tread, enhanced stretch resistance synthetic leather upper, three large Velcro straps, and ErgoComfort footbed with TransTexturaPlus anti-odor Tech. $100.00 per pair.
Liv Cycling Avida fitness shoes
The Motion Efficency System (MES) of the Liv Cycling Avida fitness shoes combines a stiff and highly efficient pedaling platform with just enough torsional flex to allow for natural foot, ankle and knee movements during the pedal stroke . The ExoWrap hugs the foot to create a customized, secure fit. Removable cover for the window of the cleat makes the shoe compatible with flat pedals or 2-bolt cleats. $110.00 per pair.

Saturday, September 16, 2017

West side trio rides the Ohio to Erie Trail

Kevin, Mary, and Steve Ditto are from Westlake, Ohio. Mary and Steve are married, and Kevin is Steve's brother. They set out from Cleveland on September 10, 2017 on the Ohio to Erie Trail bicycle route. During that first day's ride, the stopped by the Century Cycles store in Peninsula.

Their overnight destination for the day was downtown Akron, and they expected to reach Cincinnati yesterday (Friday, Sept. 15). Hope you had a great trip!

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

Friday, September 8, 2017

Bicycle Touring 101 Class - Sept. 12, 2017

Ever thought about taking an extended trip on your bicycle? Whether you want to take a one-night trip, or a month-long excursion; camping or staying in 5-star hotels, traveling by bike is a rewarding experience.

Learn what you need to know to make it happen, from what to pack, how to equip your bike to carry it all, how to plan your route, and how to train for your ride.

Century Cycles has partnered with our local business neighbors Appalachian Outfitters to present this FREE class. One of our bicycle touring experts will team up with their camping experts to offer you advice on all the best gear for your trip of a lifetime.

When: Tuesday, September 12, 2017, 6:30pm 
Where: Appalachian Outfitters, 60 Kendall Park Road, Peninsula, OH 44264 

Space is limited; please RSVP by calling Appalachian Outfitters at (330) 655-5444. Follow the event on Facebook for the latest updates.

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Cross-country bicyclist visits Rocky River

Ryan (on the right in the photo above) left Florence, Oregon on June 10, with a destination of Boston, Massachusetts. He stopped at the Century Cycles store in Rocky River on Sept. 2 at the recommendation of a local friend for some work on his rear wheel. He hopes to finish his ride in Boston in about 2 weeks and plans to donate his bike before he heads back home.

Ryan had not done much cycling at all before this trip. When asked if he had any words of wisdom to share, Ryan's response was, "Just go. Just start riding."

Safe travels, Ryan, and keep the rubber side down!

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

Regular hours of operation return to Medina and Rocky River on Sept. 10, 2017

ALERT: Beginning Sunday, September 10, 2017, the Century Cycles stores in Medina and Rocky River will return to our normal Sunday hours of operation (12:00noon - 5:00pm).

Extended Summer Sunday Hours in Peninsula (10:00am - 6:00pm) will continue for another couple of weeks; stay tuned for updates!

As always, you can find our current hours for all three stores at:

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

A Day on the Mountain

A guest blog post by Tom Wiseman, Assistant Service Manager and Certified Bike Fit Specialist at Century Cycles in Medina:

The Pikes Peak highway has been open to bicycles for several years now. When I first heard about this, I could hardly wait to do the climb up the mountain and come screaming back down at high speed as my reward for making the ascent. This year, I had the chance to do the ride after attending the Medicine of Cycling Conference at USA Cycling headquarters in Colorado Springs.

My wife dropped me off at the “highway gate” where I paid my toll, checked in at the gatehouse, and noted the altitude of 7800 feet. I asked the nice woman at the booth if there was anything I needed to be aware of before I started. She explained there was some minor construction just a few miles up the road and I would need to follow all the same laws that are required of automobiles. After a quick photo I began my ride. It was only about a mile into the ride at “Camera Point,” which overlooks Ute Pass, that I started wishing for a few lower gears.
Ute Pass
The 34x28 was going to be my home for the next few hours and not quite low enough for how I was feeling at that moment. Nevertheless, in a bit, I came to the “mile sign” indicating that I was one mile of altitude below the summit (Photo:Mile Sign ).
Mile Sign
Knowing I had 16 more miles of riding to cover before reaching the summit, I really started to take in the enormity of the situation I had gotten myself into. The ride is 19 miles from gate to summit, with 6,200 feet of climbing, and I had only climbed about 1,000 feet to this point. I pressed on, but pedaling became more difficult every moment. At Crowe Gulch, I got my first glimpse of the peak in all its glory (Photo: First View of the Summit). I stopped to snap a photo and reminded myself not to stop for very long - the only way to the top was to stay on the pedals.
First view of the summit
I continued on past the Crystal Reservoir Visitors Center and up to mile marker 7.5, where the famous Pikes Peak Hill Climb Auto races start. Putting my head down, I slugged on for about a solid hour without stopping just trying to get some elevation under my wheels. Glen Cove arrived at 11,400 feet, and all I could see from there was up. I had trouble believing a road could go higher than this point without an elevator. I could see cars way up the mountain, far above me, above the treeline. They looked sooooo small. I told myself not to look up for awhile and just pedal.
Looking up at the W's
I persisted through the switchbacks (or the W’s as the locals call them). Here the road went back and forth and up, up, up … very steeply up at times. The turns were sharp and it was now I noticed the distinct lack of guardrails. While crawling up slowly at 4-6 mph I didn’t think much of it, but I would become very aware of their absence on the descent later. At the top of the switchbacks is a place named Devil’s Playground, which is above the treeline, and at this point everything started to seem surreal (Photo: To of the W’s).
Top of the W's
I was now 3 riding miles from the top at an altitude of 12,800 feet, and I noticed that my heart rate was not coming down below 160. I then decided to stop more frequently. My average heart rate for the whole climb ended up being 157, but at the moment I was struggling to keep it under 170. I started to break it into little jumps. Make the next turn. Take a rest. Find the next mile marker. Take a rest. Bighorn sheep. Take a rest. Marmots and picas … rest. Some cars would stop and say supportive things but nothing registered - I saw lips moving, but I could only mutter “thank you” and continue pedaling. The 10% grade made every pedal stroke near-agony.
12,800 feet
Rounding a turn, I spotted the Cograil Train tracks and knew I was close to the top. The last half mile above 13,500 feet, it became a matter of sheer will to continue, but I was determined to make it. I’m going to make it! Seeing the summit house and parking area was the most welcome site I may have ever seen on a bicycle in my life. After riding 3 hours and 5 minutes I reached the top at 14,115 feet ( Photo: Summit).
Summit of Pike's Peak
Having thought about this moment for the past couple of years, I thanked God I made it and wondered how I would ever make it back down. I had some people take my picture at the summit sign, and after a few minutes of recovery, I spoke with many folks who wanted to say everything from I was “crazy” to “job well done.” There was on older Asian couple who waited until I was done taking photos and were speaking in their native language, which I did not understand. They approached and said a few things I didn’t get, and then they said just one word in English … ”Respect” the man said slowly with a bow. Truly humbling. I thanked them profusely and dressed for my ride back down the mountain. I heard a passerby say that they drove through some rain on the way up to the summit, which was a balmy 39 degrees. I didn’t like the sound of that one bit! After experiencing beautiful sun and warm weather on the way up, I noticed clouds were moving in. I was not particularly prepared for rain or any other weather surprises. I put on my Smartwool cap, Warmfront, and the winter gloves I had carried up the mountain. I started the GoPro and pointed my Foundry Chilkoot down the mountain. About 2 miles off the peak, I hit the beginning of the rain, which quickly turned into freezing rain, and finally to sleet. My heart just sank. I then realized I was doing over 40 mph! Slowing down and making turns was not as bad as I thought it would be, but still very nerve-wracking, with no guardrails for the most part. The rain and sleet only lasted about 15 minutes but it was enough to make my hands and feet numb. I was soaked to the bone and really starting to wonder how the W’s were going to be in this rain.

Just about the time I got to the switchbacks at 12,000 feet, the sun broke through, and it began to warm up. When the road was dry I could let go of the brakes and really open up and dry off. By Glen Cove I was dry, but still very cold. I had been in the drops for a full 30 minutes without pedaling. I was sore and tired. I rested in the gift shop and warmed up by the heater for a few minutes before continuing on my way. There were fewer hard turns and I could really let the bike fly here. I spent the next few miles at 35-40 mph. Strava and Garmin says I hit 71.4 mph through here, but I find that hard to believe. It was still a big rush for sure, and a cyclist’s dream downhill. Before reaching the park gate, I hit a wall of fog and visibility was reduced to a couple hundred feet. I figured if I made it down just a little farther, I would get out of the clouds and it would be smooth sailing back down to Colorado Springs. Under 8,000 feet, I came out of the fog, visibility improved to normal, and I got on US 24 headed down into Manitou Springs. A few miles on a 4 lane highway (legal in Colorado) was amazing - I was cruising at 55 mph without pedaling as the drivers stared in astonishment at me. After 28 miles of descending, and dropping 7800 feet into Colorado Springs, I made it back to where we were staying. I was tired and sore but had accomplished something I knew I would never forget - I had earned respect the hard way.

Videos:
Switchbacks - Descending off Pikes Peak in rain and sleet 8/23/17

Glen Cove - Just below treeline. Glen Cove after a rest and warming up.

To the Park Gate - This starts out at over 60mph. Really awesome part of the descent. Great flow.