Medina Sun: Century Cycles hosts night rides on Towpath Trail
From the Arpil 23, 2009 edition of the Medina Sun; scroll down below the image to read the full text.
Century Cycles hosts night rides on Towpath Trail
By Sue Bielawski
sbielawski@sunnews.com
Tickets are not necessary for night rides on the Cuyahoga Valley Towpath Trail. The trail is wide and gentle, but has a different aspect after dark.
For 10-plus years Century Cycles, which has stores in Medina and Rocky River, has sponsored the rides, which start at its Peninsula store at 1621 Main St. The first ride starts at 8 p.m. Saturday. It is a short one, five to eight miles, from the Lock 29 Trailhead to the Brecksville Reservation.
Tom Wiseman of the Century Cycles store in Medina often leads the trips.
"We make it more fun than gruelign," he said. Riders decide what distance they want to ride and what pace is comfortable for them. The rides get longer as the season progresses, to a maximum distance of 20 miles.
There are usually between 30 and 160 riders, with all kinds of bikes. Babies in Burley trailers to retirees pumping their pedals are all welcome. Riders need headlights and taillights.
Bike helmets are required. Wiseman has been known to ask those who are reluctant to wear the safety helmets if they don't have many brains inside their heads to protect.
The fun includes giveaways, contests and opportunities for bike riders to show off their weird headlights, Wiseman said, to an appreciative coterie of bike fans. According to the Web site, centurycycles.com, most riders meet for food and runk afterward at the Winking Lizard Tavern on Route 303, two miles east of I-271.
Dates for the rides are April 25, May 16, June 5, June 27, July 10, July 25, Aug. 8, Aug. 28, Sept. 19 and Oct. 9. Bikes, lights (prices start at $30), helmets and other gear are available at Century Cycles stores in Medina, Rocky River, and Peninsula. Their spring bike tune-ups start at $59.99.
The Cleveland Area Mountain Bike Association has built two trails in Reagan Park. They always need help to keep trails clear and free of debris. The 2-mile Huffman Trail is good for beginners and features a few short climbs. CAMBA says Reagan Park's "Original Trail" is not suggested for beginners.
Jason Reinhardt is CAMBA's Medina representative. People who want to help with the Medina trails should contact him at jason@camba.us.
Starting in late May, CAMBA will sponsor weekly rides. Mike Farley of CAMBA asks participants to check camba.us because rides are cancelled if trails are wet.
On May 15, CAMBA is sponsorign a Trek bike factory demonstration from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Medina near the Reagan Park soccer fields on State Route 3.