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Century Cycles

Check your mailbox for CC greetings!Yesterday

This week we mailed our holiday coupons, so check your mailbox for a card that looks something like this. Not on our mailing list? Perhaps the card wasn't delivered by your overworked mail carrier? Then stop in any store and we'd be happy to give you one!

In addition to greetings, pictures of the best employees ever, and coupons, it also includes our 2009 Night Rides on the Towpath Trail schedule and a heads-up on a very, very, very good reason to sign up to receive our eNewsletter this winter.

USA Today's holiday gift guide includes the Raleigh Sojourn and bike commuting gearDecember 3

USA Today's Sal Ruibal highlighted gifts for bike commuters and gave some good attention to the Raleigh Sojourn, which Century Cycles has in stock. He wrote:

The classy and functional Raleigh Sojourn is made of sturdy Raleigh steel and comes with fenders, disc brakes, rear rack, attached tire pump, bell and a very cool Brooks aged-leather saddle.

While we applaud his choice of bike, he also really likes a $500 jacket when it comes to gear. We really don't know anybody who is in the market for a $500 cycling jacket, which is why we carry a lot of great jackets that are far under the half-a-thousand-dollar price point. That said, the entire list is solid when it comes to gift suggestions, and we have the products he recommends in similar versions from Pearl Izumi, Endura, Giro, and other great manufacturers. All of which will help prevent you from (as Sal puts it) "showing up at the office without looking and smelling like a sweat-soaked reindeer."

Our mechanics are just born that wayDecember 2

Josh in Rocky River is among the youngest of Century Cycles' mechanics, but this picture is proof he has many years of experience. He says that bike he's working on was handed down to him after every other kid in his family rode it. He does not remember what repair he was making when his mom snapped this picture.

Ready for test riding: The 2009 Raleigh ClubmanDecember 1

Check this bike out, now in stock at all three Century Cycles stores. Here's what Sean, our Raleigh rep, had to say about it:

I personally have been drawn to this bike because of its connection to the Raleigh roots -- the steel road bike. The merge of Reynolds 520 butted cro-moly tubing with a Brooks Swift Saddle is a trip back in time that Marty McFly and Doc Brown would be able to truly appreciate. The reviews I have read have been great so far (

dirt rag blog review) with many people seeing this as a great commuter bike, let alone a really good foul weather training bike.

I currently have a Clubman in my sample stock and it rides extremely well. The bike has very predictable handling with a very neutral positioning. It tips the scales in the low 24lbs range. The Tiagra components (complete bike) have been performing well, but my surprise has been regarding the Tektro long reach brakes. Normally this is not a big deal, to me at least, but what this has allowed is enough additional clearance to

Medina gets their elf groove onDecember 1

I only hope they bring these disco moves to the Century Cycles Christmas party! For those of you who like your Christmas a little more country, check them out here among the hay bales.

(Thanks to Mike Petcher and, of course, Office Max for the elfy goodness. Feel free to share your favorite "Elf Yourself" in the comments!)