Century Cycles Blog

Poll: Have you ever biked to work?

2013-05-20T20:08:00.001-04:00

Left-to-right: Brad, Dan, Krista, Adam, Neal, Ray, Scott, Tracey, Matthew

In honor of National Bike to Work Day this past Friday, 100% of the staff of the Century Cycles store in Rocky River rode to work!

Have you ever ridden your bike to work? Take our latest online poll to let us know!

Last month's online poll asked "How do you prefer to carry things by bike?" The overwhelming majority of responses (62%) were "Bag or panniers on rear rack." A distant second-place was "Backpack or messenger bag." You can see the full results of the last poll here.

Get Chance to Win Shimano Pedals at June MS 150 Clinic

2013-05-15T15:50:00.000-04:00

Look what just arrived from Shimano!

One lucky attendee of our free clinic on June 4, "Preparing For And Riding the Bike MS 150," will WIN this pair of Click'R Pedals (a $69.99 value)! Click'Rs are easy-in, easy-out, and make for an ideal clipless pedal for MS 150 riders.

For more clinic details and to RSVP, go to www.centurycycles.com/for/EventRideHQ.

See you June 4th, and THANKS SHIMANO!

National spotlight shines on Bike to School Challenge

2013-05-12T14:31:00.000-04:00

Huge thanks to Bicycling Magazine executive editor, David Howard, who spent National Bike to School Day at Bay Middle School to witness Century Cycles Bike to School Challenge and wrote the story, "The Land Where Kids Ride: In suburban Cleveland, an astonishing number of children ride to school. Here’s what we can learn from them” at http://bit.ly/ZUztVW.

Bike to School Challenge was also featured in a report by the Atlantic Cities (www.theatlanticcities.com, a division of The Atlantic Monthly magazine) in a story titled, “How to Make Your Town into a Bike-To-School Mecca” (link: http://bit.ly/12m9qFD).

Happy Mother's Day!

2013-05-12T11:30:00.000-04:00

Everyone at Century Cycles wishes all the moms and kids out there a wonderful Mother's Day!

Bike to School Challenge: Record-Setting Week One!

2013-05-11T13:46:00.003-04:00

Century Cycles Bike to School Challenge (BTS) in Bay Village, Medina and Rocky River concluded a hugely succesful Week One on May 6-10 with the students breaking more biking records, all but one school in the program showed double-digit growth over last year’s ridership, and three of the five schools logging record days! Special prize days sponsored by Subway and Raleigh Bicycles kept the students excited and motivated, and middle school students are already submitting entries in the BTS Prose and Photography Contest.

Overall, the program averaged 1,275 bicyclists to school per day this week at the five schools, for a total of 6,375 bike-rides to school. The highest overall ride day of the week was Thursday, May 9, on which 1,394 students biked, a new BTSC record.

6^th annual BAY BIKE TO SCHOOL CHALLENGE

Bay Middle School averaged 576 bicyclists to school this week – averaging an astonishing 70% of the school and up 22% over their 2012 per-day average of 474. The highest ride day at BMS this week was 634 bicyclists to school on Wednesday, May 8 (National Bike to School Day), a whopping 77% of the school – a new Bay Middle School and BTS record! Bay High School averaged 123 bicyclists to school this week, down 9% from their 135-per-day average in 2012.

Student check-in at Claggett.

2^nd annual MEDINA BIKE TO SCHOOL CHALLENGE

Bike-riding is up significantly at both Claggett and Root Middle Schools this year. This week, Claggett Middle School averaged 83 bicyclists to school per day (9% of the school), up 28% over their 2012 per-day average of 65. They handily beat their high-ride day of 78 in 2012 on May 9, when 94 Claggett students arrived at school by bicycle. At A.I. Root Middle School, an average of 156 students biked each day this week (or 18% of the school), up 22% over their 2012 per-day average of 128.

Rocky River Middle School.

3^rd annual ROCKY RIVER BIKE TO SCHOOL CHALLENGE

It was a record first week of the challenge at Rocky River Middle School, which logged a record high-ride day on Thursday, May 9, when 377 students biked (61% of the school). On average this week, 338 students biked each day – 55% of the school and up 24% over their per-day average of 273 in 2012.

Century Cycles’ Bike to School Challenge on May 6-24, 2013 is the largest and most successful student bicycling program in the United States, motivating more than 4,000 middle school and high school students in Bay Village, Rocky River, and Medina to ride their bikes to school as much as possible for three weeks each May -- to help the environment, improve their health, win prizes and have fun. For more details, go to www.centurycycles.com/for/BTS.

New Contest for Bike to School Challenge Offers Two More Prize Bikes

2013-05-09T16:41:00.000-04:00

Great Lakes Courier, Raleigh Bicycles and Century Cycles are teaming up to offer middle school students taking the Bike to School Challenge a special contest that encourages them to creatively express their love of bicycling to school for a chance to win being published and a new Raleigh bicycle.

"Great Lakes Courier is pleased to help amplify the voice of the cycling community in Northeast Ohio, and never more so than when we have the opportunity to recognize the accomplishment and creativity of kids who bike to school," said Michael Gill, editor of Great Lakes Courier (www.greatlakescourier.com) and a contest judge.

Here's how the contest works:

WHO: Middle school students in Bay Village, Rocky River, and Medina can write or photograph something inspired by the theme “Bike To School” – capturing what bicycling to school means to them, their friends, and/or their community – then enter their creation in this contest by May 21.

PRIZES: One prose winner AND one photography winner will be chosen for each Bike To School Challenge program. The winners will receive a new Raleigh grand prize bicycle, plus their winning entry, name and photo will be published in the July issue of the local biking newspaper, Great Lakes Courier. Contest winners will be announced at each school's closing ceremony assemblies.

WHAT: Written submissions can be a short essay, poem, song or any other written expression (250 word limit). Photographs can be taken by camera or smartphone. Students can submit as many entries as they create.

HOW TO SUBMIT: Email each submission to BikeToSchool@centurycycles.com by Tuesday, May 21, at noon. In the subject line, put “Contest entry from _____________” and the name of the student's school. In the body of the email, please put student's name, grade, school, and age. Photos should JPG attachments and can come from a phone or computer. Written submissions can be in the body of the email OR attached as a Word document.

For more details about Bike to School Challenge, go to www.centurycycles.com/for/BTS.

Introducing: Bicycle Fitting Services at Century Cycles

2013-05-07T15:20:00.000-04:00

Do you want to be comfortable on your bicycle? Do you want to ride stronger for longer distances? Then a personalized bicycle fitting is just what you need.

Bicycle Fitting can benefit ANY type of rider, whether you're riding for recreation, fitness, commuting, or racing; any kind of bike you have, any brand purchased from any store. Our Fitting Service, developed in conjunction with Raleigh Bicycles, uses flexibility, range of motion, and biomechanics to determine the best position your body can achieve on your bike, taking your personal goals and preferences into account.

Rates:

Standard Fitting: $150.00
Standard Fitting with a new bicycle purchase: $100.00
Applying our fitting to an additional bicycle: $75.00 - Must meet the following conditions:

Within one year of the original fitting session.
No injuries, surgeries, or other conditions that affect fit have occurred.

Call us to schedule an appointment!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is Raleigh Fitting Services?

A. Raleigh Fitting Services is a professional bicycle fitting service offered by Raleigh Bicycles dealers. Although new for 2013, the program was designed by Michael Sylvester, the foremost expert on personalized bicycle fitting. Based in Portland, Oregon, Michael practically invented the modern bicycle fitting industry, and has been fitting people on bicycles for over 30 years. He has designed and implemented fitting services for other major bicycle manufactures. Our staff received hands-on training in bicycle fitting from Michael himself.

Q. What Fit System do you use?

A. Raleigh Fitting Services is not based solely on numeric measurements, nor is it based on whiz-bang technology like video or laser scanners. We start with an extensive personal interview process to evaluate your overall fitness, flexibility, history, and future goals. We take all of this into consideration to give you a personalized fit. We fit your bicycle to YOUR body, not the other way around, using adjustments to your seat height, seat fore and aft position, handlebar size, stem length and angle, and shoe/cleat placement. Where applicable, we will also provide guidance on adjustments to your form and technique.

Q. Why do I need a bike fitting?

A. Are you experiencing any physical issues while riding your bike? Do have have pain or numbness in any part of your body, such as in your hands, neck, shoulders, wrists, knees, feet, or even your seat? All of these issues can be addressed and minimized, possibly even eliminated, with a properly-fitting bike.

Q. I know my bike is the right size for me; what would I gain from a bike fitting?

A. Bicycles come in only a handful of sizes. When you purchase a new bicycle, we select the correct size for you, and make some basic adjustments, such as the seat height and handlebar height, if possible. This process is referred as a bicycle sizing, but is only the first step. There are myriad other adjustments possible, but a full professional bicycle fitting is the only way to learn your needs to make these adjustments optimal for your physical attributes and riding style.

Q. I'm not having any issues on my bike; why should I get a bike fitting?

A. If you're not experiencing any pain or numbness on your bike, that's great! However, after a professional bike fitting, there may be some adjustments that will get you even more confortable, and help you be more efficient and generate more power. Those normal aches and pains that occur on any long ride can be minimized, or even eliminated.

Q. What should I bring to a fitting session?

A. You should bring your bicycle, cycling shorts, and cycling shoes. Plan to spend about 2 hours in the fitting session, plus about 30 minutes in a follow-up session about a month later.

Q. How do I sign up?

A. Call us to schedule an appointment with one our bicycle fitting experts! Medina: 330-722-7119; Peninsula: 330-657-2209; Rocky River: 440-356-5705.

Meet Our Fit Specialists

Tom Wiseman (Medina) - Tom has been riding, racing, and working on bicycles for over 20 years. He won the Alaska Fireweed Double Century race in 2007, served as a team mechanic for the Race Across America (RAAM) in 2011, and has been working at Century Cycles since 2007.

Kevin Madzia (Peninsula) - Kevin has been riding bicycles both on the road and off for many years. He has two cross-country tours under his belt, races a few times a year, and has been working at Century Cycles since 2004.

Brad Sweet (Rocky River) - Brad is an accomplished mountain bike racer. He's been working at Century Cycles since 2007.

This information is also available on our web site at: www.centurycycles.com/get/fit

1,183 Biked To School Today; Record-Setting Start of BTS Challenge

2013-05-06T15:43:00.000-04:00

The newly-expanded bike racks at Claggett Middle School in Medina were overflowing with bikes today. Photo: Mike Petcher

On a sunshine-filled morning ideal for bicycling, a record 1,183 students biked to five Northeast Ohio schools for the kick-off of Century Cycles' Bike to School Challenge (www.centurycycles.com/for/BTS), our award-winning program in Bay Village, Medina and Rocky River that encourages students to bike to school for three weeks each May to help the environment, improve their health and be more physically active, win prizes and have fun.

Bike to School Challenge is the largest youth bicycling event of its kind in the nation, and it keeps growing – this Day 1 is up 33% over the first day last year and is the highest Day 1 bicycle count in the program’s six-year history.

Student rider check-in at Bay High School.

Bay Middle School officials counted 544 bikes at their racks (66% of the school’s students, and up 28% over 2012’s Day 1), Bay High School counted 124 bikes (15% of the school, and down 8% from 2012) and Rocky River Middle School counted 291 bikes (47% of the school, and up 43% over 2012).

In Medina, Root Middle School counted 148 bicycles (17% of the school’s students, and up 52% over 2012’s Day 1) and Claggett Middle School counted 76 bicycles (8% of the school, and up 68% from 2012). This is the second year for Bike to School Challenge at the Medina schools, both of which recorded fewer than 2% of their students bicycling before the program’s inception in 2012.

“It is an awe-inspiring sight to see hundreds of bicycles parked in front of these schools. It sends a powerful message about the huge impact youth can have on the community with the simple act of riding a bike,” said Scott Cowan, owner of Century Cycles bicycle stores in Rocky River and Medina, which organizes and sponsors the challenge for the schools. “Everyone involved with the program is just thrilled with the response on the first day and is excited for the coming weeks.”

For regular updates and more information about Bike To School Challenge on May 6-24, 2013, visit www.centurycycles.com/to/BTS or follow it on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BikeToSchoolChallenge or on Twitter @BTSChallenge.

WEWS-TV 5 was at Bay Middle School for the kick-off this morning, and the ABC affiliate aired this story about the program on their morning news:

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

Let's All Roll Together

2013-05-04T10:52:00.001-04:00

Let's all roll together! It's easy. Just:

Check out People For Bikes website to take the #RollTogether promise, and to check out their cool new "share the road" spot with Volkswagen: http://bit.ly/10Tb5GS

Then be sure to sign up for the National Bike Challenge -- free, easy, even just 1 or 2 miles count, plus Pittsburgh has challenged Cleveland to a bicycle-off (a friendly competition to see which Rust Belt city can log the most bicyclists and miles)! Go to: www.nationalbikechallenge.org

If you don't want to form your own National Bike Challenge team, feel free to join the "Century Cycles" team. Staff at our stores are also competing in a NBC workplace showdown -- we'll let you know which CC store logs the most miles this summer! So far Kevin in our Peninsula store is on top of the leaderboard with 99 miles logged in just three days.

Spring Into Summer with Home Depot and Century Cycles this Saturday

2013-05-02T16:49:00.000-04:00

Come visit some of the crew from the Century Cycles store in Medina as we lend a hand at the Medina Home Depot "Spring Into Summer" Bike Rodeo and Summer Safety Day this Saturday!

We'll be doing bicycle safety inspections and will be joined by Medina county safety forces, Tuffy's BBQ, and there is a kids workshop to build a herb planter from 9am to noon.

When: Saturday, May 4, 2013, 9:00am - 2:00pm

Where:
Home Depot
4914 Grande Blvd. in Medina OH 44256
(330) 721-7886

Cost: FREE!

Bicycle Touring season has officially begun!

2013-05-02T13:36:00.002-04:00

The Peninsula store was greeted by our first bicycle-touring visitors of the season today. Linda (left) and Jose (right) are from Bunbury in Western Australia. Jose started his ride in Los Angeles on March 1, and rode the Southern Tier Route to New Orleans, where he met his wife Linda. The couple rode the Great Rivers South Route and the Underground Railroad Route to Ohio, and are continuing to Niagara Falls. From there, they'll ride down to Pittsburgh, and follow the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal Towpath Trail to Washington, DC. Linda will fly back home to Australia from there, but Jose is flying to France, where he'll meet a friend in Nice and pedal through Europe, up to and including Norway. He expects to be back home by Christmas of this year!

Jose was especially proud of his bicycle, a 28-year-old chromoly framed-touring bike handmade in Australia:

Back in 2012, Jose and Linda were riding across the US on the TransAmerica Trail Route, and met an Ohioan in Wyoming, a local rider named Michael from Northfield. The group crossed paths today, and planned to ride for together for a while as Jose and Linda made their way up to Burton for the evening.

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

Now in stock: Surly Krampus

2013-05-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

What exactly is a Krampus? One part fat bike, one part 29er, and two parts awesome, the Surly Krampus rolls fast, holds speed, and devours corners. It's playful, smooth, versatile and durable.

The 29x3-inch Surly Knard tires on 50mm Surly Rabbit Hole rims are what make this bike truly special. These big tires offer increased traction, incredible float, and reduce the need for suspension, because the large volume is plenty to smooth the trail.

For the sake of simplicity, you get a 1x10 drive train. That means there's a single 34-tooth chainring up front, and a 10-speed cassette on the back, with a whopping 36-tooth low gear. All fine quality parts from Shimano.

The wide Salsa Whammy handlebars barely fit through the front door. Avid BB7 mechanical disc brakes provide the stopping power, but once you hop on the Krampus, you won't want to stop.

Review highlights:

"Comfort is superb and control is better than on a short travel [full-suspension bike] because the long wheelbase (43.75in on our medium bike) is inherently stable, and the geometry isn't shifting slightly on every bump." -- BikeRadar.com
"Krampus has taught us that the bike is not different for difference´s sake, but actually rides really well." -- TwentyNineInches.com
"This bike wants to go fast, and has the stability to do it." -- Dirt Rag Magazine
"This bike does exactly as it was designed to do--hit the sweet spot between the traction and flotation of a snow bike, with the speed and agility of a traditional 29er mountain bike." -- Century Cycles

Stop by your local Century Cycles bicycle store for a test-ride NOW. We've got a size Large in Medina, a Medium in Peninsula, and a Small in Rocky River. Of course, we'll send the size you want to the store that's most convenient for you, if you ask real nice like.

Define your life. Ride a bike...at The Recon Tour!

2013-04-30T14:20:00.000-04:00

Define your life. Ride a (BMX) bike...at The Recon Tour in Columbus last weekend. Congratulations to Medina's Graydon Schneider for placing 3rd in the 8-12 year old class!

On a side note, now THOSE are what medals should be -- bigger than your face and fiercely cool so nobody questions your winning ways.

Photos from Apr. 27th Night Ride on the Towpath Trail; next ride details

2013-04-29T16:47:00.001-04:00

The spring weather held out long enough this past Saturday for our biggest-ever first of the season Night Ride. 231 people showed up! Thanks for everyone for helping us to kick off our 19th season of Night Rides on the Towpath Trail!

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

Our next Night Ride on the Towpath Trail is on Saturday, May 18, 2013. It's our ride for National Bike Month and Cleveland Bike Month, as well as an official event of Friends of the Crooked River's RiverDay festival!

Find our full schedule of Night Rides for the 2013 season, as well as preparation tips, safety tips, photos and videos from past rides, at:

www.centurycycles.com/for/NightRides

Oh, and if you come to the next Night Ride, you'll have the opportunity to check off as many as 17 squares on the Bike Month Bingo game!

Log my miles in the National Bike Challenge
Bike in the rain (hopefully not)
Ride someplace I'd never ridden before
Say hello to another bicyclist
Add air to tires
Bike at least 10 miles in one day
Encourage a friend to start riding
Join a group ride
Participate in a special Bike Month event
Ride to a date
Ride with kids
Ride on a trail
Ride farther than you ever have before
Change a bike tire (again, hopefully not)
Tweet about biking
Lube your chain
Visit your local bike shop

Sunday Services - Group road bike ride in Peninsula on May 5

2013-04-28T09:00:00.000-04:00

Next Sunday, May 5, join us for the next of our monthly Group Road Bike Rides! We'll be starting at 10:00am from the Peninsula store. All skill levels are welcome!

Once again, we'll ride the Valley Loop, an 18-mile gently rolling route along the Cuyahoga River. The pace will be "medium" - not too slow, not too fast, and we'll wait at each turn for people to catch up.

You'll have help in case you get a flat tire or anything, but you should have what you need to be self-sufficient: water/sports drink, spare tube, tire levers, pump, mobile phone (all of the Things You Should Bring on Every Bike Ride).

We'll start riding at 10:00am SHARP! Extra cue sheets will be left behind for anyone that arrives late.

No RSVP is necessary, although you can sign up and post questions to the event on Facebook.

Find a map, download the route to your GPS, or print a cue sheet at:
www.centurycycles.com/for/ValleyLoop

PLEASE NOTE: We've been informed that road construction crews are working on re-surfacing Riverview Road, starting from Bolanz Road, north to where the railroad tracks cross. Traffic will be maintained with flaggers, but we'll play it by ear, and if it looks too rough, we'll detour over on Bolanz Road and head back north on Akron-Peninsula Road.

The first Sunday Services ride on April 7, 2013, with members of
the Century Cycles staff, Akron Bike Club, and Nordonia Hills Velo Club.

Featured Bicycle: '12 Giant Anthem X 3

2013-04-27T09:00:00.000-04:00

With Spring finally on its way, that means mountain biking season returns to Northeast Ohio. Many of our local mountain bike trails are still closed to give them time to dry out (such as the Cleveland Metroparks Royalview Trail and West Branch State Park). However, there are a couple of trails that are open and ride-able now, such as Quail Hollow State Park and Mohican State Park.

Looking for a new rig to tackle the roughest mountain bike trails? Or even just wanting to upgrade your Towpath Trail cruiser to something more plush? Look no further than the 2012 Giant Anthem X 3. This strong and light racer features RockShox suspension front and rear, plus a SRAM 30-speed drive train, tapered and oversized head tube for front-end stiffness and control, and Giant custom ALUXX aluminum frame. In stock in our Medina store in Small, Medium, and Large frame sizes. Originally $2,249.99, now on SALE for $1,799.99.

You can check out more great deals on bikes on our Previous Model Year Bike Clearance page.

Biking to school will win Bay student $1,000 for college from Raleigh

2013-04-26T15:46:00.000-04:00

In 2012, Jamie Kerka and Gideon Lorette won Raleigh Bicycles' Bike To School Challenge Scholarships, presented by Chris Speyer from Raleigh Bicycles (far left) and Jason Martin, Principal of Bay High School (far right).

Bay Bike to School Challenge announces that one of its sponsors, bicycle manufacturer Raleigh Bicycles, will be awarding a $1,000 scholarship to a Bay Bike to School Challenge participant in the senior class at Bay High School.

To qualify, applicants must:

· Complete an application and submit it to the Bay High School Guidance Office by Monday, May 6, 2012.

· Bicycle from home to Bay High School at least 10 days during the 2013 Bay Bike To School Challenge between May 6 and May 24. Applicants must submit their completed Bike To School ride cards to the Guidance Office, where a copy will be made of each one and attached to their application. The original ride card can then be redeemed for the BTS Challenge t-shirt and/or put into the grand prize drawing.

· Once the applicant has biked 10 times (or completed two ride cards), the application will be activated for consideration.

· There is no GPA requirement.

· Representatives from Raleigh Bicycles and Bay Bike To School Challenge will select the winner based on the following criteria: Application essays showing a passion for bicycling and a commitment to a healthy life and/or environment, as well as participation in Bay Bike To School Challenge.

The scholarship will be awarded on Friday, May 24, at the school-wide assembly at Bay High School that concludes Bay Bike to School Challenge. For more scholarship details and to download an application, go to www.centurycycles.com/for/BTS or www.bayvillageschools.com.

In addition to offering these scholarships as part of its sponsorship of Bay Bike To School Challenge, Raleigh Bicycles is providing the program’s grand prizes (two Raleigh bicycles each for Bay Middle School and Bay High School), which students can enter to win after every four bicycle rides to school between May 6 and May 24. Raleigh Bicycles will also give each school $500 if its students exceed the bike-riding milestones set by last year’s challenge, and it plans to award the City of Bay Village with a $1,000 grant to improve bicycling infrastructure in the city.

“By including a scholarship in their generous sponsorship of Bay Bike To School Challenge, Raleigh Bicycles demonstrates that it is not just a partner in the Bay Schools’ effort to make the planet a better place by encouraging students to find healthy and green methods of transportation, but that they also support the value and importance the Bay Schools place upon education,” said Jason Martin, principal of Bay High School.

Poll: How do you prefer to carry things on your bike?

2013-04-25T09:00:00.000-04:00

More studies are showing that biking for transportation (to errands, work or school) is more helpful in losing weight and promoting health than working out at the gym. (Plus it's more fun to go by bike!) But how do you haul what you need? That leads us to this month's poll question....

How do you prefer to carry things by bike?
Click here to take our latest online poll and let us know!

Last month's poll asked, "How many bicycles does your household own?" The most responses (57%) were "3-6," and 3% of the people responding own over 20 bikes! You can see the full results of the last poll here.

Our FIRST Night Ride of the season is this Saturday! - 5 Tips for getting ready

2013-04-24T09:00:00.000-04:00

Century Cycles' Night Rides on the Towpath Trail have been popular events throughout the cycling season for going on 19 years, and have been featured in several news outlets, from local publications such as the Akron Beacon-Journal and Cleveland Plain Dealer, to national magazines such as Bicycling and Bicycle Retailer and Industy News.

Our first ride of the 2013 season is THIS Saturday, April 27. The ride begins at 8:00pm from the Peninsula store.

Never ridden on a Night Ride before? These 5 Tips will help you get started, or provide some reminders to prepare for a new season of Night Rides even if you're a weathered veteran!

1. Make sure your bicycle is in good working order

If you have not had your annual tune-up, bring it in far enough in advance to get it back in time for the ride. On the evening or morning before the ride, pump your tires to the recommended level, and do a quick safety check to make sure your brakes and shifting are working properly.

2. Have a helmet and headlight

Helmets are mandatory on all Century Cycles Night Rides. Every rider must also have their own headlight. Any headlight will do; you don't need anything fancy. A camping-style headlamp is okay, as long as it can be adjusted to fit over or under your helmet. Even a flashlight duct-taped to your helmet or handlebar will work.

A bicycle-specific headlight works best and is the most convenient, and these are available for around $30 and up. A tail light can be used, but is not required. See our full selection of bike lights here.

The Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail is unlit, and can be pitch dark after sundown. Although riding at night with the proper equipment is safe and fun, you may also want to check out our Night Ride on the Towpath Trail Safety Tips.

3. Dress for the weather, wear layers for flexibility, and bring water

As with any outdoor activity, especially in the spring and fall when conditions can change quickly, dressing in layers gives you the ability to remove outer layers if you get too warm, or add them back on if it cools down. Using a cargo rack on your bike, or wearing a backpack, can be useful for having a place to store extra items of clothing when you're not wearing them. Staying hydrated during a ride is important in any weather. It's probably easiest to fill your water bottle(s) at home; otherwise, drinking water is available from the pop machines at the store, or from the drinking fountain at the Lock 29 Trailhead in Peninsula.

4. Check the weather forecast, and make your own informed decision whether or not to ride

If the weather looks questionable, you can call the store to see if the ride is still on. However, please remember that we are not Dick Goddard. We can look outside to see what's going on at any time during the day, but we can't predict any better than you can whether or not it's going to rain during the ride. If there's a chance of rain and you don't like to get wet, then don't ride. If you show up and find the ride has been cancelled, you are free to ride the trail on your own. If there's a light to moderate rain, there are usually at least a few hardy souls that will still ride. Heavy rain or thunderstorms will cancel the ride.

5. Arrive early enough to have plenty of time to get ready to ride

You'll need time to find a place to park. Parking at the Century Cycles lot is very limited; use on-street parking or the Lock 29 Trailhead parking lot if necessary. Then, you'll need time to change into your riding clothes, unload your bike, and do a last-minute double-check of your bike tires, brakes, etc. If you need any accessories or mechanical help, the store is usually open until the ride starts, but please be reasonable--we won't have the time for major repairs, and we don't want to delay the start of the ride for the dozens of other participants. Most importantly, arriving early gives you plenty of time to introduce yourself, socialize with the other riders, and HAVE FUN. That's what it's all about!

Remember, a Night Ride on the Towpath Trail is meant to be a casual, fun ride; it's not a race. Some Type-A groups of people end up making it a race on their own, but you can ignore them! We'll announce the turn-around point before the start of the ride. If you are in the middle of the ride and feel like you are running out of steam, feel free to turn back at any point on your own; you'll probably pass other like-minded souls!

See www.centurycycles.com/for/NightRides for the complete ride schedule, as well as more articles, photos, and videos from past rides!

Nat'l Bike Challenge Begins May 1: Bike More and Beat Pittsburgh!

2013-04-23T14:19:00.001-04:00

Make every mile on your bike count between May 1 and August 31 -- AND help Cleveland BEAT Pittsburgh!

Take the National Bike Challenge (www.nationalbikechallenge.org) to boost your miles and time on your bike (plus track calories burned and CO2 saved via Endomondo), share your love of bicycling, and help CLE sign up more bicyclists than PGH! Last year 30,000 cyclists took the challenge nationwide, and Pittsburgh beat Cleveland for sign-ups. This year, they hope 50,000 people will take the challenge (and of course we hope -- nay, PLAN! -- to beat to Pittsburgh)!

You can do it individually, or join or create teams for camaraderie and friendly competition. (Those in Bay Village, Rocky River and Medina can feel free to join the team, "Bike To School Challenge Parents and Teachers" and ride in support of the students.)

C'mon -- LET'S RIDE and BEAT PGH!

Where We Ride: Rocky River - West Side Metroparks Loop

2013-04-22T17:29:00.001-04:00

Century Cycles' store in Rocky River is located less than a mile from the Cleveland Metroparks. The staff there (as well as every Northeast Ohio cyclist) knows that the "Emerald Necklace" formed by the Metroparks contains some of the area's best riding.

This 36-mile ride starts at Huntington Reservation in the city of Bay Village. You'll enjoy views of Lake Erie at the beginning and end of the ride. You'll begin on relatively bike-friendly roads before making your way over to the Rocky River Reservation, one of the "jewels" of the Metroparks Emerald Necklace. Our route follows the Valley Parkway road through the park, but you can choose to ride on the All-Purpose Trail instead to avoid car traffic.

At the northern end of the Rocky River Reservation, you'll turn left onto Detroit Road, and pass by our Rocky River store in less than a mile, in case you're in need of any bike supplies. Turn right on Wagar Road, then after a short stretch you're back on Lake Road, on the shore of Lake Erie, to head back to your starting point in the Huntington Reservation.

The two Cleveland Metroparks Reservations that you'll ride through provide welcome places to stop for snacks or refreshments. The Rocky River Nature Center in the Rocky River Reservation has snacks, as well as park gifts, exhibits, and restrooms. During the warmer months, Mitchell's Ice Cream is open in the Huntington Reservation for refreshing post-ride treats.

You can check out the full details of the West Side Metroparks Loop on Century Cycles' Garmin Connect profile and download the route to your own Garmin device. Non-Garmin users can see the route on MapMyRide.com.

CatEye Stealth Cyclocomputers: GPS for the rest of us

2013-04-20T10:39:00.000-04:00

Have you been thinking about using a GPS-based computer to track your cycling routes, but have balked at the high cost of GPS devices? The new Cat Eye Stealth series of cyclocomputers give you GPS ride data in an affordable, easy-to-use package.

I tried out the new Cat Eye Stealth 10 on a one of my favorite rides called the Sunny Lake Loop last weekend. Getting the computer set up was no hassle at all. It comes with a Quick Start instruction sheet, and you can download a more detailed instruction sheet (both in English only; no poring over 7 other languages to find the one you need) from Cat Eye's web site. To be honest, in both cases, the instruction sheets make it look more complicated than it really is. Just plug the included USB cradle into your PC or Mac to charge the unit. Turn it on, select your time zone and preference for miles or kilometers, and you're ready to go. No sensors or calibration needed!

The Stealth 10 computer mounts using Cat Eye's FlexTight mounting bracket system. If you've got a current model Cat Eye wireless computer already, it's the same mount used by those, and if you need extra mounts for additional bikes, they are inexpensive and easy to install with no tools required.

To test it out and compare the accuracy, I used the Stealth 10 on my Surly Cross-Check in conjunction with my old Cat Eye Micro Wireless computer, as well as the Strava tracking app on my smartphone.

The Stealth 10 had no trouble keeping a connection to the GPS satellites, even on this cloudy day. While riding, it shows you the usual data like any cyclocomputer: current speed, ride distance, average speed, maximum speed, ride time, and time of day. The three-line display shows you your current speed and time of day at all times, and the bottom line scrolls through the other functions.

The final mileage for the ride shown on the Stealth 10 was 31; my Cat Eye Micro Wireless showed 30.3, and Strava showed 30.5. That actually makes sense, as Strava usually seems to report a total distance about a half-mile less than the actual, and I have my Micro Wireless calibrated for a 700x32 tire, but the Serfas Drifter City 700x32 tires I'm using actually ride more like a 700x35.

When you get home, just plug the Stealth 10 back into your computer to download the ride data. You'll need to install the Cat Eye Sync software (PC and Mac versions available). Then, you can upload the data to the web to view your route, track your mileage, and share your rides with friends. The Stealth computers work with Cat Eye's own Cat Eye Atlas web site. If your're already using a ride tracking web site, and don't want to sign up for an account on yet another site, you can also upload to your existing account on Strava or Training Peaks.

The Cat Eye Stealth 10 is in stock at all three Century Cycles stores now. Coming soon, the Cat Eye Stealth 50 gives you all the features of the Stealth 10, plus compatibility with ANT+ sensors for speed, cadence, heart rate, and power; available from Cat Eye and third parties.

Get ready to ride at free Bike Fairs in Bay, Rocky River and Medina

2013-04-19T16:27:00.000-04:00

Get your bicycle ready to roll at a local bicycle fair, where everyone is invited to bring their bicycles for a free safety inspection, plus have the chance to win a bicycle helmet, get a free bike license, learn about the benefits of bicycling, and prepare for Bike to School Challenge and National Bike Month in May. It is free and open to the public. The fair dates, times and locations are:

Medina Bicycle Fair: Tuesday, April 30, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Claggett Middle School (420 East Union Street in Medina OH 44256).

Bay Village Bicycle Fair: Wednesday, May 1 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Bay Middle School (27725 Wolf Road in Bay Village OH 44140).

Rocky River Bicycle Fair: Thursday, May 2, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Rocky River Middle School (1631 Lakeview in Rocky River OH 44116).

The bicycle fairs also help families prepare for Century Cycles’ Bike to School Challenge (www.centurycycles.com/for/BTS) on May 6-24, 2013, which is the largest and most successful student bicycling program in the United States, inspiring more than 4,000 middle school and high school students in Bay Village, Rocky River, and Medina to ride their bikes to school as much as possible for three weeks each May -- to help the environment, improve their health, win prizes and have fun.

During last year’s Bike to School Challenge, Northeast Ohio students took 15,868 roundtrip bicycle rides to school. The numbers are staggering: In just three weeks, they biked 52,084 miles, prevented 57,292 pounds of carbon dioxide from being emitted, saved Mom and Dad $8,718.75 on gasoline expenditures, and burned a whopping 885,428 calories.

At the fairs:

· Professional bicycle mechanics from Century Cycles bicycle store will provide free bicycle safety inspections, display essential bicycle commuting accessories and information, and make smoothies on the Century Cycles blender bike.

· Century Cycles and Raleigh Bicycles are teaming up to give away 20 bicycle helmets to the first 20 families who attend (limit: one helmet per family).

· Bike to School Challenge organizers will be available to answer questions about the program.

· Local police departments are providing free bike licenses.

· Other information booths include Bike Cleveland, University Hospitals, and other BTS sponsors.

Century Cycles teams up with the schools to organize and implement Bike to School Challenge each May, with the generous support of sponsors Raleigh Bicycles, Bike Cleveland, Subway, Honey Hut, Rize Pizzeria, Dairy Queen, Bay Lanes, People For Bikes, Bay Village Kiwanis, Bay Schools Parent Teacher Student Association, Rocky River PTAs, Project Earth Environmental Club, and the Bay Skate and Bike Park Foundation.

For regular updates about Bay Bike to School Challenge, go to www.centurycycles.com/for/BTS, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BikeToSchoolChallenge, and on Twitter at @BTSChallenge.

Join the Passage to Pittsburgh

2013-04-17T10:23:00.000-04:00

The 30+ year process of building the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) will finally be complete this spring! Riders will soon be able to ride off-road all the way between Point State Park in downtown Pittsburgh and Washington, DC. Several of our customers have completed this ride, as well as Rich, one of our mechanics in the Peninsula store, when he and a friend rode from Pittsburgh to DC this past September.

To celebrate this notable event, the Allegheny Trail Alliance would like to invite you to register for Passage to Pittsburgh, a ride starting in either Washington, D.C. or Cumberland, Maryland. The rides will finish in Pittsburgh on June 15, just in time for Point Made!, a day full of events celebrating the completion of the trail, and will include a ribbon cutting, presentation, and unveiling of the marker at the Point.

Visit www.atatrail.org/passage_to_pittsburgh_registration.cfm for more information and to register.

Click here for a downloadable flyer to help spread the word!

Look for the helpers

2013-04-15T17:48:00.001-04:00

Scary and sad news from Boston today. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone there, and we have deepest gratitude for the helpers.