We will be closed Sunday, March 17th to spend St. Patrick’s Day with family and friends.
We hope you have a great one. Be safe. Be responsible. Make some memories.
Regular hours resume Tuesday, March 19th.
Gravel Bikes Galore :: Where we're going we don't need [paved] roads.
Gravel bikes aren’t new. But with each passing year we see manufacturers redefine what constitutes the gravel class. When the category was first created you saw companies slapping wider tires and disc brakes on endurance road bikes and calling it a day. This worked. It gave riders looking for more versatility a bike that didn’t lose the performance characteristics they’d become accustomed to. Fast forward to today and the category has morphed into what many call drop bar mountain. Sporting far wider tires then ever before, geos that perform better on rugged off-road terrain and part specs that virtually mimic modern mountain bikes gravel bikes offer riders the ability to literally go wherever they want. So let’s take a look at some of our favorite bikes in the 2019 gravel category.
When the Norco Search was first released it had many of the traits found on first gen gravel bikes. Road gearing, more (but not significantly more) tire clearance and a road oriented geometry. Enter 2019 and the bikes have evolved to say the least. Now boasting a spec and geometry optimized for true, back country service the Search XR is ready for any adventure you want to throw its direction. We currently have the Search XR Alloy 105 and Apex in stock as well as the Search XR Steel Apex. These bikes tend to go fast so stop in and check them out before they head out into the wild.
New to the Cannondale family of goods is the Topstone - their certified, load capable gravel smasher. Using the same alloy construction found on their Synapse and incorporating a full carbon fork, Cannondale sought to create a gravel bike that was light and compliant without removing its utilitarian function - offering 3 bottle cage mounts, rack mounts and fender mounts. It’s pretty much a touring bike, mixed with an endurance road bike that prefers to ride in regions unknown. In short, its a must see for anyone looking to make a gravel bike their next purchase. We currently have the Topstone 105 and Sora models available.
October 10, 2018 Brittany G.
We’ve been aching to announce the launch of this beast, and the time has finally come. Introducing the the all new Cannondale Habit. Whether you are riding technical trails or bombing descents, the Habit will make every rider feel like they own the trail.
IT'S ON! We've teamed up with the incredible crew of Lakewood Public Library to bring the bike film of the year - possibly the film of the year - to Lakewood, OH. Watch as Darcy Turenne - Director documents one of, if not the, most significant movement in mountain biking and how it changed the landscape for us all, forever.
We'll be hosting an after party at the shop with food and refreshments.
August 15, 2018 Brittany G.
Tis the season! New slick product is about to hit the floor, which means it's time to make some room. School may be starting next week, but we still have the best riding weather still to come (who doesn't love riding through the metro parks in the fall?!) so now's your chance to save on some amazing gear!
* Some exclusions may apply. See store for details.
Mobb Rider Bradford S. is an animal. He does events that force you to swim, run and ride really far distances. Check his report on his epic trip to Boulder for the brutality that is Ironman.
Ironman Boulder is a triathlon under the Ironman brand. It is an ultra-distance race composed of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike, and a 26.2 mile run totaling 140.6 miles. I raced last year with a friend and we decided to come back in 2018, shooting for a little bit better finishing times and to settle a bit of a friendly rivalry. The reality of this year's race was nothing compared to what either of us expected. There was also a lot more to this trip than just the race. This year was tough and it has taken a while to write this. What a great trip though!
This year presented some challenges for my friend and me (work schedules, injuries and the weather) that made us question whether or not running this race was even a good idea. Over many conversations, it became apparent that we were both too stubborn (stupid??) to back out, so with a plane ticket already booked and our registrations daring us to come back, we prepared as best we could.
Before getting to the race itself, I had about 5 days to enjoy this beautiful city at the base of the Rocky Mountains. Some sight-seeing was pretty much a necessity. Boulder is a fantastic city with beautiful mountain views no matter where you are. The trailhead to the Flatirons is right off of Baseline Rd, just outside of downtown.
Continuing down Baseline will shortly drop you onto Flagstaff Rd which is a fun, roughly 3 mile winding climb to the summit. The road switches back a number of times and consists of various grades from the gradual straight away to short and punchy around the corners. The view from the top was serene.
The remaining days were spent with short runs in the local park and some swimming in the reservoir. Luckily we were able to get in the water as this was our only open water swim, prior to race day. Needless to say, I'm grateful for indoor pools! The Boulder Reservoir is a pretty shallow (<20ft, to my understanding) 700 acre recreation and water storage facility for Northern Colorado. On a calm day it is absolutely amazing to swim; however, on a windy day like last year's race, it can get a bit choppy. With temperatures in the 90’s we took full advantage of the 71° degree water.
The swim is nice and simple. You enter the water at the boat ramps, swim in a giant 2.4 mile triangle and exit about 100 yards from where you started. To keep us on our toes, there were some changes to the bike and run course this year. In the past this race operated with 2 transition areas, T1 at the reservoir, exiting the water to mount your bike, and T2 at Boulder High School, where you would rack your bike and begin a 2 lap run along the multi-use trail. In 2018 we saw a combined T1/T2 at the reservoir with modified bike and run courses due to permitting and logistics issues. Totally understandable. Shutting down large sections of roads isn't always feasible. Studying the cue sheet and maps were a necessity, for the bike course in particular. The 112 mile route held 3 U-turns per lap and a halfway point that caused a great deal of confusion for a number of athletes. The 26.2 mile run course began at the reservoir and took us south into Boulder via 5 miles of roads and then onto the local multi use trail. The course is set up as a “Y” with 4 U-turns (one of which is made twice) and the “Flux Capacitor” at the convergence of the 3 legs. A large section of this trail is run right next to Boulder Creek. A gorgeous and fast moving, cold water creek. The chill from the water makes the atmosphere next to the creek very pleasant to run along.
One of the more calm sections, riding to Flagstaff Rd.
Race day is approaching. Checking in Thursday, getting our wristbands and transition bags. Friday: a run, packing transition bags (quadruple checked) and the opening ceremony, complete with food, music, a lot of inspirational athlete stories and Mike Reilly (the voice of Ironman) being inducted into the USA Triathlon hall of fame.
Saturday we visit the expo for the athlete briefing and take a preview of the run course on our bikes, discovering the first 8 miles, or so, will be pretty rough. Very little shade. At the briefing we are told they will have iced towels and plenty of ice to help cope with the heat. Thank you! After getting the bikes checked in and racked, and dropping transition bags, which were checked three more times to be safe, we hit the water to relax a bit. Anything to prepare for that 3am wake-up.
Race Day! I usually can't sleep the night before, but had no issue this time. Waking up, feeling great, we had breakfast and hit the road. The atmosphere, like last year was a little chaotic, with athletes and families scurrying all over looking for the morning clothes bag drop-off, taking photos, warming up and getting in line for the swim start. With the water still in the very low 70’s, there is no worry about not being able to wear wet suits. Swim start is conducted as a rolling start with everyone corralling themselves into time based groups. 1:00hr-1:10, 1:10-1:20, etc. I knew I would probably be in the 1:20-1:30 group, but wanted to push a little, so I hung toward the front of this group. From the time the pros enter the water, a clock starts, allowing 2hr:20min for everyone to complete the swim.
The small starting cannon is lit off to start the pro men. Five minutes later, again for the pro women. Mike Reilly walking through the age group athletes, amping everyone up, shaking hands and wishing us a good race. Ten minutes after the women we begin to enter the water by ones and twos; for the next 30 minutes, a continuous flow of around 1600 racers.
The water is gorgeous. Barely a ripple, aside from all of the flailing swimmers. The first ¾ mile was really smooth. Then my group catches all of the people that either thought they were much faster, or just wanted more time in the water. From here on, there were a lot of bodies knocking into each other, hands and elbows to the head; all accidental, but obnoxious. I know I'm swallowing a lot of water. Past the halfway point and the water is still beautiful. We round the final turn and head back to shore. The emcee is announcing names as we exit the water and I have to take a few seconds on the ramp to get my legs back under me while unzipping the wetsuit. The wetsuit peelers did a great job of getting everyone out of their suits and moving to T1. Grabbing my bag, throwing on my helmet and stopping to get a liberal dose of sunscreen, I start to feel sick knowing it's all the water I had swallowed.
The bike course rolls us through a loop of the parking lot and out onto the main road for about a mile before hitting the first U-turn. Continuing past the reservoir on 119 up to the next U-turn and back to a right turn down N. 63rd St and jogging over to Rt. 36. There aren't really any big climbs on this course. Long, grinding, gradual climbs are seemingly everywhere, but only total ~3800ft over the 112 miles. Neva Rd is the first and has you riding directly toward the flatirons. A beautiful sight and for me an uplifting distraction. Coming off onto Rt 36 is possibly one of the worst hills on the course, but again, not awful. Once on 36 we have to ride alongside traffic. A large portion of the side of the road is coned off for the race with traffic running along beside and is working well. There were two small stretches of construction that had the race lane slim down, barely large enough for two riders, bar to bar. There were apparently instances of people passing three wide in these areas and unfortunately caused at least one wreck.
Off of 36, we turned down Nelson Rd, eventually making our way back to 36 until turning down Hygiene Rd for U-turn #3. This was one hell of a fast descent. Since I was feeling gut punched still, I took full advantage of rolling 30mph for over a mile with little to no pedaling. With the mountains dead ahead, the climb back up to 36 was, again, not awful but challenging. Especially with the heat. Looking back at the data, my bike computer recorded a 109° high at some point in the ride.
Rounding the corner onto 75th St. would bring us back to 119 where we would head back toward the reservoir and the initial turn off. At this intersection there were no less than 5 volunteers yelling directions to the athletes, standing next to signs and tape on the road pointing which way to go. “This way to mile 56/start lap 2”, “this way to mile 70”. There were a lot of DQ’s even with all of this. Was it perfect? No. It's our responsibility to know the course, though. Don't get mad and yell at the volunteers!
Feeling better and able to drink and finally eat, but behind on both, I was able to pace a little better, until mile 91. Just after the final U-turn I had to stop for the 3rd time, this time thankfully in the shade. Pouring a bottle of water down my back, drinking another, eating more food and chatting with others who had stopped was a great way to ignore the heat for a few minutes. Replacing all of the bottles on my bike, I set off for the final 20 miles.
As we rolled back into the reservoir we were greeted by bike catchers, a huge crowd and my friend’s wife, all with words of encouragement. The guy that came in with me shouts “Anyone want to buy a bike?” Laughs...it's the little things.
After spending 15 minutes in transition still trying to settle my stomach, a group of us set off for the run. Volunteers are handing out iced towels which we all wrap around our necks or tuck in our hats. 11 minute miles are all I want! The first 4 miles were really rough and exposed but a brief reprieve in the shade for a hundred yards felt amazing. The next 4 miles were seemingly very exposed as well and at roughly 3pm, there is no sign of it cooling down. Even still, the atmosphere around the course is fantastic. We're all miserable in the heat but push each other to keep going. The volunteers are taking fantastic care of everyone. Three other athletes from Cleveland are in the race and we pass by with greetings, encouragement and high fives. Diana Woolfe is on the run course in her turnout gear to raise awareness for PTSD, with Natalie, also from Cleveland Tri Club as her support. Mad props to them for going the full distance! You guys are awesome!
Starting to walk and feeling terrible again at mile 11, I started to think about turning in my bib and calling it a day...but I'm basically half way through the run. Take it mile by mile. The spectators are all amazing, volunteers running all over taking care of people, checking on them and getting food or water. In the end, after wanting to quit a few more times and walking about 8 miles, coming down the finish chute is an unbeatable feeling. This race is over. What started as wanting to improve on last year turned into a stubborn desire to stumble across the line. Finding friends, getting food and sitting against a tree feels fantastic and I can’t wait to fall asleep. With a total time of 14:44:04, I can’t say I’m thrilled with my finishing time, but under the circumstances I am happy to have been able to cross the line.
To the volunteers who worked for days and months to coordinate and run this race, make sure everyone was safe and we all knew where we were going: I cannot thank you enough! We are all incredibly grateful that you are willing to give so much of your time for this event. To the spectators, thank you all for coming out to cheer on family and friends, or just to have an excuse to sit outside drinking! The signs and the spirit you all bring to the course is awesome! Thank you also, to the directors and volunteer chairs for all of your work to make this thing happen in the first place. And the athletes. Stepping up to that start line is no easy task. Congratulations to everyone that showed up and gave it everything they had. This was a brutal race and whether or not you made it to the finish, be proud of what you accomplished!
July 12, 2018 Brittany G.
It was a long winter, a busy spring, and here we are, celebrating summer with the completion of our expansion. A true labor of love and turned out better than we could have hoped!
A huge thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate the grand expansion reveal!
2nd Annual Lakewood Summer Meltdown Bike Raffle!
July 5, 2018 Brittany G.
We are thrilled to be teaming up with LakewoodAlive for the 2nd Annual Summer Meltdown Bike Raffle!
This raffle offers contestants an opportunity to win one of two Cannondale Quick 5 Disc bicycles (one men's and one women's) valued collectively at more than $1,300.
One of our most popular bicycles, the Quick 5 has bright reflective graphics and a smooth, stable ride. It's the perfect tool to get fit, get around the city and have fun doing it. Each winner will be fit for proper size, as well as be fully equipped with bike helmet, front and rear lights, water bottle and bottle cage.
Raffle tickets are priced at 1 for $10 or 3 for $25.
You may purchase tickets via THIS LINK, here at the shop, as well as at the Beat Cycles Tent during the Summer Meltdown sponsored by Melt Bar and Grilled, which takes place from 4 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, July 14, in Downtown Lakewood. The raffle drawing will be held at 9:30 p.m. on the main stage in the Gary K. Bish Memorial Beer Garden sponsored by First Federal Lakewood. Contestants need not be present to win.
If you have any questions regarding the raffle or the Lakewood Summer Meltdown, please call 216-521-0655 or visit LakewoodAlive.org/Meltdown.
*Please note an Eventbrite fee will be accessed for every ticket purchased.
Shred Mobb Capo Banks take it to the woods once again. Full Mohican 100 report below.
Oh Mohican 100, you got me good… Again. There is no doubt in my mind that the Mohican State Park trail system is the premier trail system in Ohio. Ray’s MTB Park may have received IMBA Epic status first because of its novelty but Mohican stands above all in the buckeye state as far as variety, distance, and challenge. There are trails with steeper climbs and gnarlier downhills but none that that keep coming at you with the relentless pace of MSP’s 26 miles of nearly full single track. Set in the heart of Mohican Country, near Loudonville, the MSP loop comprises the first major section of the annual spectacle that is the Mohican 100 MTB Race.
I’ve lined up for the 100 miler every year since I first raced Mohican back in 2014, with exception of 2017 when I raced the 100k due to a bad crash that kept me off the bike for a month during peak training. Much of what keeps me coming back for the 100 miles every year is a half mile long downhill section I call the Stroble Downhill right before Aid 4.5. The Stroble Downhill is located on private property and can only be ridden as part of the race. Yes, it is really so good as to make the extra 40 miles worth it. I was giddy at the start line, happy to be back to the full length, looking forward to that relished piece of descent later, and lucky to have scored a really good spot near the front of the field. Jeremiah Bishop (Canyon Topeak Fox Shimano Maxxis) and Brian Schworm (Think Green - Bicycle Face pb SWORD) were a few riders over and a row in front of me, respectively. One of my closest rivals, Michael Gottfried, was several rows back from me.
For the first time since the race’s inception Race Director Ryan O’Dell opted for a neutral start due ongoing bridge repairs not a thousand feet past the start line. Michael, who was taken out by another rider on that same bridge last year must’ve been relieved by this. We rolled out at 7 o’clock on the dot, bunching up behind the lead out vehicles that were not to be passed. I was glad for this because it meant that the first few hundred feet of the climb out of town were also neutral, which suits me. The bliss did not last long though and the lead vehicle blew its horn and took off rapidly to signal the official start of the race.
I do not know what it is about this descent. It is ridiculously short to claim it is worth riding 40 miles for. It is washed out, rough, and chunky. It flows horribly and really all you can do is hold on and let roll. Maybe it is because it is on private land and therefore may only be ridden during the race. Maybe it is because it is the last real singletrack downhill of the day. I don’t know; but dammit I’ve loved these 30 seconds of descending ever since I first rode them. Thank you to the kind landowner who provides access for the race.
Valley Stream eventually leads onto a township road and onward to the MSP trailhead parking lot where Aid 5 is located. Most riders skip this aid station because it is less than 5 miles from the finish but I was grateful for it and grabbed one last Hammer Gel to see me through the finish.
May 11, 2018 Brittany G.
We are teaming up with Bike Lakewood this season for monthly Kidical Mass Rides!
This month we will be meeting at the Solstice Steps at Lakewood Park on Sunday, May 27th at 10am!
There will be bicycle safety instruction for all ages before we go out on a 2-ish mile rides through the park and along Edgeswater. Refreshments to follow!
Let us know if you are able to make it on our event page! And feel free to bring your friends!
2018 Ride & Stretch Season!
May 9, 2018 Brittany G.
We will begin with a 3-4 mile, social paced ride (moderately slow), enjoy a 30 minute yoga class, and finish the evening off with a ride back to the shop OR you may take off directly from our destination.
$5 Suggested donation for our awesome yoga instructors!