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Press Release: September 21, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Photos of beer-costumed bicyclists available upon request.

Media Contact:
Tracey Bradnan
Cell Phone: 440-781-7690
tracey@centurycycles.com
Twitter: @traceybradnan

Celebrate Cleveland Beer Week on a bicycle:
All Hail the Ale Night Ride on the Towpath Trail rolls out October 15

PENINSULA, Ohio (September 21, 2011) - Celebrate Cleveland Beer Week on two wheels at the All Hail the Ale Night Ride on the Towpath Trail on Saturday, October 15, at 7:30 p.m.

This FREE nighttime bicycle ride will begin at Century Cycles in Peninsula (1621 Main Street/Route 303) and will end with a special tapping of cask-conditioned Sierra Nevada Dry Hop Torpedo beer at the Winking Lizard Tavern next door. For more information, go to www.centurycycles.com/for/CleBeerWeek.

The All Hail the Ale Night Ride is in celebration of Cleveland Beer Week and is in tribute to the special place hopped beverages hold in the hearts of many bicyclists. Plans include:

  • Decorate yourself or your bike in tribute to the event theme "All Hail the Ale!" While beer costumes are not required, they are highly encouraged. Those in costume can win post-ride prizes donated by Century Cycles, the Winking Lizard and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, plus they won't have their beer loyalty questioned.
  • Pedal your bicycle with a crowd of fellow bike-and-beer lovers on a 13-mile nighttime bicycle ride on the Towpath Trail. It will roll out at 7:30 p.m., but plan to arrive earlier to admire your fellow rider's beer-inspired garb, take a spin on the Blender Bike, and enjoy the pre-ride festivities.
  • At the ride's halfway point, there will be Oktoberfest-themed snacks - pretzels, sausages, cheeses and other salty delicacies - to fuel the ride back to the Winking Lizard Tavern and make you REALLY thirsty for some good beer.
  • After the ride, head to the Winking Lizard Tavern in Peninsula for a special tapping of a cask-conditioned Sierra Nevada Dry Hop Torpedo. Not to be a buzzkill, but there will be no beer (except root beer) allowed or distributed on the Night Ride until the tapping.
  • The All Hail the Ale Night Ride is free and no pre-registration is required. However, bring a few extra bucks, because the All Hail the Ale Night Ride wants to further celebrate Cleveland Beer Week by supporting its charity, the Malone Scholarship Fund. Cash donations will be collected pre-ride and post-tapping.
  • Century Cycles is also donating a bicycle to the silent auction to benefit the Malone Scholarship Fund at BREWzilla, the party that culminates Cleveland Beer Week. For a chance to bid on the bicycle and other auction items donated by local breweries and companies (plus enjoy more amazing beer), attend BREWzilla on October 22. Tickets and info are at www.clevelandbeerweek.org.

"The post-ride beer is a long and sacred tradition in bicycling, and this event helps us honor that while we celebrate Cleveland Beer Week," said Scott Cowan, owner of Century Cycles. "Last year's All Hail the Ale Night Ride was a huge hit - over 170 people biked with us and most had decorated themselves or their bikes in some sort of beer-inspired way."

Last year, Century Cycles conducted an online survey to ask Northeast Ohio bicyclists which style of beer they prefer after a bike ride. The overwhelming favorite among the 114 respondents was Ale/Pale Ale/IPA, which garnered 44% of the votes. That was followed by Wheat/Belgian (21%), Porter/Stout (18%), Light Beer (10%), and Lager (7%).

All the pesky details:

While the Night Ride is FREE and requires no advanced registration, Night Riders must sign a waiver before participating and are responsible for the purchase of their own beer and food at the Winking Lizard. This ride is at night, in the dark woods on an un-lit trail. That is why bicycle lights and helmets are REQUIRED. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult; young adults under 21 should ignore all the excitement about the beer tapping. Finally, make sure those beer costumes don't hang or catch in a bicycle's spokes or chain (falling off your bike tends to ruin the fun) and that you can still wear your bike helmet in costume.

About Century Cycles Night Rides

Now in their 16th year, Century Cycles Night Rides were in the national spotlight in 2009 when Bicycling Magazine, the world's #1 bicycling publication, dubbed them one of America's great local rides. They are casual, ride-at-your-own pace bicycle rides (not races) about 12-15 miles long. All skill levels are welcome, but knowledge of bicycling etiquette and experience riding the Towpath Trail are recommended. Night Rides begin and end in the parking lot at Century Cycles' Peninsula store (1621 Main Street, on Route 303). Parking is available at the Lock 29 Trailhead, just north of the store.

About Cleveland Beer Week

The third annual CLEVELAND BEER WEEK will take place from October 14-22, 2011, and will feature hundreds of craft beer tastings, dinners, demonstrations, leisure activities, educational programs, and specials at bars, restaurants, and grocers throughout Cuyahoga County. Established in 2009 as the first event of its kind in northeast Ohio, CLEVELAND BEER WEEK is a not-for-profit, collaborative celebration that raises awareness of the strong craft beer industry while promoting patronage at local establishments and energizing the region's retail economy. www.clevelandbeerweek.org

About Winking Lizard Tavern

Celebrating 25 years of great food and great brews at 14 Ohio locations. www.winkinglizard.com

About Century Cycles

Founded in 1992, Century Cycles is an award-winning, locally-owned chain of independent bicycle stores in Medina, Peninsula, and Rocky River, providing bicycles, bicycle accessories, and friendly, expert service to northeast Ohio bicyclists and their families. At its Peninsula location, Century Cycles 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