Press Release: May 10, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Photos available upon request.

Media Contacts:
Tracey Bradnan
Marketing/Events, Century Cycles
Phone: 440-781-7690
Email: tracey@centurycycles.com

Dianna Foley
Coordinator of Communications & Technology, Rocky River City School District
Phone: 440-356-6702
Email: foley.dianna@rrcs.org

Karen Derby-Lovell
Public Information Officer, Bay Village Schools
Phone: 440-617-7307
Email: Karen.Derby-Lovell@bayschoolsohio.org

1,001 Northeast Ohio Students Biked to School on
Challenge's First Day

ROCKY RIVER, Ohio (May 10, 2010) – Sunny skies greeted students for the kick-off of Bike to School Challenge yesterday, and they bicycled to their Northeast Ohio schools in droves. Bay Middle School counted 527 bikes (almost 60% of the school), Rocky River Middle School counted 276 (almost 50% of the school), and Bay High School counted 198 (about 25% of the school) – for a grand total of 1,001 bicyclists to school on Monday, May 9, and a terrific start for the three-week program.

The students were not alone on their bicycles. All three school principals also biked to school -- Sam Giffords at Rocky River Middle School, Sean McAndrews at Bay Middle, and Jim Cahoon at Bay High School – as did many teachers and administrators.

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

These high bicycling numbers are in stark contrast to national averages. Studies show only about 15% of U.S. children bike or walk to school today, versus approximately 50% in 1969. A report concludes that changing the habits of just 20 percent of children living within two miles of school to get them to bicycle or walk to and from school instead of being driven would be the equivalent of taking 60,000 cars off the road each year, preventing the emission of over 350,000 tons of carbon dioxide and 21,500 tons of other pollutants. (Source: Safe Routes to School: Steps to a Greener Future, prepared for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by Safe Routes to School National Partnership)

Bike to School Challenge sponsored by Century Cycles, Raleigh Bicycles and Chipotle is a three-week program that runs through May 27 in which students at the three Northeast Ohio schools commit to ride their bicycles to school to help the environment, improve their health and beat high gas prices – plus win great prizes and have fun.

Next up on the Bike To School Challenge calendar are free after-school ice cream parties for the students who bike to school – a daily incentive provided by Bike to School Challenge sponsor Honey Hut Ice Cream, which will bring its Bee-Mobile to each school to serve up chocolate and vanilla ice cream. They are Wednesday, May 11 at Bay High School; Friday, May 13, at Rocky River Middle School; and Wednesday, May 18, at Bay Middle School. They start at approximately 2:45 p.m. at each school.

Now in its fourth year in Bay Village, Bike to School Challenge shows students, their parents and the community as a whole that going by bike is a great way to go, especially for short trips around town. The program has had a big impact: Last year, Bay students saved $3,857 in fuel costs in just three weeks (and that was when gas cost $2.75/gallon). In the challenge's past three years, Bay Village students have biked 80,052 miles and saved an estimated 82,352 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. And its message is spreading - the program has now expanded to Rocky River Middle School, as well as inspired a school in Oklahoma.

National bicycle manufacturer Raleigh Bicycles has joined Century Cycles, Chipotle, Honey Hut, and Bay Lanes as corporate sponsors. In Bay Village, the Bay Village Kiwanis, Bay Schools Parent Teacher Student Association, Project Earth Environmental Club and the Bay Skate and Bike Park Foundation are also sponsors. In Rocky River, Fuel Up to Play 60 and the Rocky River PTA are also sponsors.

Students who register for Bay Bike to School Challenge and Rocky River Bike to School Challenge carry a "Ride Card" that is stamped each day they ride a bike to school. Students receive a free event t-shirt from Century Cycles for biking at least four days. The more they bike, the more they can win - every Ride Card they fill up earns them more entries into a grand prize raffle, and they earn twice as many entries if they wear a bicycle helmet.

For regular updates about Rocky River Bike to School Challenge and Bay Bike to School Challenge, visit www.centurycycles.com/to/bts.

 

Inspired by a student car boycott to protest high gas prices in 2007, Century Cycles owner Scott Cowan approached Bay High School, his alma mater, about encouraging more bike-riding to school. It was enthusiastically embraced by the students and faculty. Participation in 2008 exceeded organizers’ expectations. In 2009, the program was expanded to include Bay Middle School and spread to Rocky River Middle School in 2011.

The schools in Bay Village, Ohio, are award-winning and consistently earn the state’s highest ratings for student achievement. Newsweek ranked Bay High School in the top 5% of high schools in the nation and it was named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2010 by the U.S. Department of Education. www.bayvillageschools.com

Bay Middle School (27725 Wolf Road)
Morning arrival on bicycles: 7:00 to 7:40 a.m.
Afternoon departure: 2:55 p.m.

Bay High School (29230 Wolf Road)
Morning arrival on bicycles: 7:10 to 7:45 a.m.
Afternoon departure: 3:11 p.m.

With an enrollment of just over 2,700 in grades K-12, the Rocky River School District provides students with the benefits of a small-school setting and all the resources of a larger school district. Long known for its tradition of academic quality and support of physical activity, Rocky River received an “Excellent with Distinction” rating on the latest State Report Card showing that Rocky River students have continued to excel academically. Last year nearly 90 percent of River students continued on to college or universities across the country. The Rocky River Schools were ranked 5th in the prestigious Top Ten List of Cleveland Area Schools in the June, 2010 issue of Cleveland Magazine. www.rrcs.org

Rocky River Middle School (1631 Lakeview Avenue)
Morning arrival on bicycles: 7:30 to 8:05 a.m.
Afternoon departure: 3:18 p.m.

Century Cycles is an award-winning, locally-owned chain of independent bicycle stores in Medina, Peninsula, and Rocky River, providing all types of bicycles and friendly, expert service to northeast Ohio bicyclists and their families. Founded in 1992, Century Cycles is an authorized dealer of Raleigh, Giant, Electra, Surly and Haro bicycles, as well as Santana tandems. The Peninsula store also rents bicycles year-round for riding on the Towpath Trail in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

For nine consecutive years, Century Cycles has been voted a Top 100 Bike Retailer in the United States by Bicycle Retailer & Industry News magazine, a trade publication that honors the top 2% of the nation’s independent bike stores. In 2010, Century Cycles was voted “Cleveland’s Best Bike Shop” by the readers of Cleveland Magazine. www.centurycycles.com