Press Release: May 13, 2011

2011 BIKE TO SCHOOL CHALLENGE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Photos available upon request.

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

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

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

Students take 4,624 bicycle trips to school during first week
of Bike to School Challenge

ROCKY RIVER, Ohio (May 13, 2011) – Students in Bay Village and Rocky River embraced two-wheeled transportation during the first week of Bike to School Challenge, taking a combined 4,624 round-trips to school via bicycle from Monday, May 9, through Friday, May 13.

During the first week of the three-week program, Bay Middle School students biked a total of 2,530 round-trips to school, averaging 506 bicyclists to school per day (62% of the school). The highest ride day of the week was Wednesday, May 11, when 575 students (70%) biked to school.

Rocky River Middle School students biked a total of 1,317 total round-trips, averaging 263 bicyclists to school per day (42% of the school). The highest ride day of the week was Friday, May 13, when 311 students (50%) biked to school.

Bay High School students biked a total of 777 trips, averaging 155 bicyclists to school per day (19% of the school). The highest ride day of the week was Wednesday, May 11, when 199 students (25%) biked to school.

These high bicycling numbers are in contrast to national averages. Studies show only about 15% of U.S. children bike or walk to school today, versus approximately 50% in 1969. As a result, as much as 20 to 30% of morning traffic is generated by parents driving their children to schools and one-third of schools are in “air pollution danger zones.” More than 33% of U.S. children are now overweight or obese or at risk of becoming so, with many now suffering from diabetes and other weight-related illnesses.

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. This is the first year Rocky River Middle School students have taken the challenge. Now in its fourth year in Bay Village, the award-winning program has had a big impact upon the lakeside community. 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. Last year, Bay students also saved $3,857 in fuel costs in just three weeks (when gas cost $2.75 per gallon).

National bicycle manufacturer Raleigh Bicycles has joined Century Cycles, Chipotle, Honey Hut, and Bay Lanes as corporate sponsors of Bike to School Challenge. 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.

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

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

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

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