Monday, November 28, 2011

In the Press!


Sun News and Cleveland.com recently ran a story on our newest store.

"There is so much available here in the line of bike paths. The city has a designated bike lane right here on Front Street, we have the Cleveland Metroparks, which is terrific, and people are commuting more to work now," he said. "This is a fairly under-serviced market. And the area, with its small, older, historic downtown fits us well."
READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

MRC alumni Mr. Nick Wright just did a article/interview for FFJournal.net on one of our favorite companies..Moots! READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

"A full-time production staff of 15 makes Moots’ frames by hand, about 1,500 annually, through a precision process that entails designing, mitering, machining, welding and finishing. Tube diameters and thicknesses vary with each bike’s size to maintain ride characteristics for the smallest through largest size. For example, a 56 cm Vamoots, a mid-size classic road frame, would use 1 1/2 in. OD top tube (from the seat to handlebars) and down tube (seat to pedals), with a 0.032 in. or 0.035 in. wall thickness, Cariveau says.
In its 15,000-sq.-ft. shop, Moots uses a half-dozen Bridgeport mills that are set up for different tooling, depending on the cut, cope or slot desired, according to Butch Boucher, quality control manager. “We’ve made a lot of our own mitering fixtures for specific tasks, that’s why we have so many mills,” he says. Additionally, Moots relies on Haas Automation and SuperMax Tools machining centers. “We try to set up as many dedicated tools as we can to do our jobs.”

Monday, November 14, 2011

Cool Happenings...
From the Kona Cog to the MRC Blog, Were Kona's shop of the week!
"Mountain Road Cycles lives its motto “It’s not just a ride around the block, it’s a way of life.”

“We’re a community within a community,” says Jacob English, owner. “We ride with our customers, educate our customers and are very active in our communities.”

English opened the first Mountain Road Cycles shop, Oct 2004, in Chagrin Falls. Three years later came Chardon in 07, and most recently, the third opened the last weekend in Oct 2011, in Berea. All cool, small town settings.

Combined, the managers and staff running Mountain Road Cycles have some 120 years of experience in the bike industry. It’s a history, passion and commitment they live to share.

So what can you expect when you walk into a Mountain Road Cycles shop?


Read the full interview/article here!

How about a cool video from the summer?? Annual W.V trip 2011, featuring music from Jacobs own band Way of Life.


Now thats a whole lot of "way of life talk!" trade mark shop slogans, band names, I guess its what were all about!

Monday, September 26, 2011

Announcing New Trails at Royalview Park

As many of you know, this summer Cleveland Metroparks has been planning mountain bike trails at Royalview in Mill Stream Run Reservation in Strongsville. The Metroparks chose to work with a small group of CAMBA members on this project, utilizing their skills in trail design. Extensive natural resource studies were done at the same time to ensure the trail is laid out with minimum impact.

Some in CAMBA felt left out by the lack of information during the process. While the process was not “secret” the Metroparks took a low key approach, not wanting to make major announcements until the natural resource studies were complete and the board of commissioners weighed in. This process took many months. BIG THANKS go to the CAMBA members who devoted many hours to this project, instead of riding their bikes this summer!

The addition of these trails was a sensitive issue with some public. Other trail user groups protested vehemently. The Metroparks new draft strategic plan (to which many of you contributed!) is recommending an increase in outdoor recreation and health & wellness initiatives. This is based on consultant work, extensive public input and interviews with community leaders. The Metroparks decided to consider new uses to help meet these recommendations, and kudos to them for taking a more balanced approach for all trail users; hike, horse, and bike.

Many of the Metroparks trails are not in good shape or sustainably built. The Metropark is using the Royalview trails as a learning laboratory for their own staff to learn the techniques and design of building sustainable trails for all park users. They hired experienced Student Conservation Corps leaders to teach and build in this effort. Going forward, the Metroparks will use these skills to rehabilitate many of their other trails.

There are 2 loops in the new system. No definite completion date as it depends on weather and speed of crews. Roughly, Loop 2 may be complete this fall and Loop 1 next year. Watch the web site for volunteer work days later in Oct. Thanks go to Cleveland Metroparks and CAMBA for this work!

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Friday, June 24, 2011

Life of a Mountain Biker

Check out this award winning documentary produced and made by our very own Melissa Prax, featuring our very own Robbie Galloway!! MRC employees are amazing!! Give it a minute to load, about 10 min long and well worth the watch

Monday, May 23, 2011

Cycling Skills Clinics


After a seemingly neverending monsoonal spring, we keep hearing from folks that they're behind in their biking goals. But we find ourselves inundated with race and ride opportunities! For those looking to find their legs again (and better than ever before), perhaps it's time for that one-on-one coaching experience. Highly credentialed and a great friend of the shop, Tim Edwards of North Coast Endurance Coaching offers a variety of classes, all sure to leave you with a noggin full of knowledge.

Sign up for a small and personal, full-day skills clinic for mountain biking, road cycling, triathlon/time trials or cyclocross. Invest in your own abilities and move to the head of the pack this season!

Monday, May 2, 2011

2 Reviews in 1


2 reviews in 1: On Sunday a good size group of us headed out to the Cleveland Metro Parks Canal Way Visitor Center for the very first PAVE de Old Brooklyn to Tremont. The ride put together by MRC's own Paul Hamad, was in the vein of the Spring Classics. Lots of brick roads, short steep climbs, a little bit of trail, and very cool neighborhoods. In tow, was a New custom built Kona Major Jake, ready for an inagural ride. This bike was built as the Road bike for road season and cyclocross for the cyclocross season. All that will be required is a tire and crank swap. The ride was 30 miles in all and this bike was designed perfectly for this ride. The upgraded Avid Shorty Ultimate brakes handled all the steep fast and short desents, while the Sram Force 50-34 crank offered perfect gearing for a true road ride. This frameset simply put rides "amazing" The tapered head/steer tube up front made cornering a dream and spot on. Stiff when needed and very suitable for all day riding describes the rest. Back to the ride. The route had us hitting every brick road from Old Brooklyn down to Tremont then over to Steelyard commons. I had forgotten how many parks and bike trails surround the area. Keep an I out for a sencond one, judging by the amount of fun everyone had. Click here for a map of the ride/route.
My only complaint was Honey Hut was not open, better be next time.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Things are starting to swing..


It's mid April already and the cycling season is in full swing!There are a ton of great rides and events over the next month or so..Keep up with all of them on the MRC Rides,Races, and Events Page or on the MRC Facebook page..
Quick list of things to come:
Thurs April 21st; Free Gearing Clinic 6:00pm, Both MRC Locations
Sunday May 1st; Pave de Old Brooklyn, experience a new Spring Classic
Sunday May 8th; Buddhaful Spin Group Rides and Sunrise Salutations, Polo Fields 7:30/9:00
Saturday May 14th; Tour De Solon.
Sunday May 15th; MRC's TEAM CRC Chippewa Creek Road Race, Brecksville reservation.
then.....2 weeks to .....Blossom Time Parade, MRC's biggest party of the year
Then on to June, July and August: Sunday in June, Right Side of the Road Tour..and so much more..

Other Fun Facts: How do the researchers at NASA's John Glenn Reasearch Center get around on their MASSIVE complex that looks like something out of the TV show lost (seriously, there are some weird looking buildings and train tracks to now where)On their new fleet of Kona Africa and World bikes! Thats right NASA now rocks and rides Kona. What will the first bike on the moon be? and they better not let a bunch of fixed gear hipsters up there.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

race face closes its doors...

more here...
http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Race-Face-Closes-the-Doors.html?trk=rss&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

race face has been a great component company, and has a loyal following (including yours truly).  this is sad news; however, when one door closes, one opens.  so lets see what happens in the future with the former employees...

Friday, February 25, 2011

Frostbike Recap




Where to begin...Last Thursday Nick,Russ,and Jacob headed up to balmy Minneapolis for the Quality Bicycle Products(our largest and best parts supplier) annual Frostbike trade show. This used to be a "mini" show and has quickly turned in to one of the industry's premier events. Lot's of seminars,vendors,happy hours,and all around "get ready for the season" vibe.
The first night included a stop at One on One bikes, a Bicycle Studio, Coffee shop, all around cool place. Classic bikes from the 30's to the 90's mix with present day beauties. There may be 15 new bikes on the floor, and 200 in the basement. A cool, unorthadox approach, but impressive. When Nick asked "should we be scared of anything in the basement?" and the response was "just the scary old man" Ididn't really belive them...WOW. We should get one of the those guys for the Chardon Basement! Friday was a bunch of seminars, as well as Sat morning. These are the real deal, designed to help us serve you better and run our business better fot the future. Mountain Road was even featured in the Social Media seminar (as a good thing!)Then on to check out all of the great vendors including Garmin, Michelin, Selle Itaila, Shimano, Sram, Pearl Izumi, Smartwool, Cateye and soo soo many more.We are all refreshed and ready for the season....
...that was until we tried to come home Sunday morning. Huge storm, cancelled flights, lost baggage, frozen car...and next thing you know we are home at 3AM on Tues. None the less, big props to QBP & their LEED certified building, truly a leader in the bike biz, helping us help serve you better...
and Russ achieved his dream of meeting the Michelin Man

Saturday, January 8, 2011

It's January so......


Since it is snowing and Cleveland and cold and we are not currently drinking beer and racing pugsley's we can only dream right....
So after perusing Bike magazine and looking at all the fancy pictures, KBtambo bike tours and hotel looks pretty good. Who doesn't want to Mountain Bike around Machu Picchu??
Or perhaps a bit closer to home...The Land of the Water Falls sounds pretty good for both Road and Mountain . It's been a few years since I have been there but the riding is some of the best around. Plus you get to say " I'm riding in Transylvania"
OR sit at the computer googling the Orly Owl. However if you are on a bike trip, riding your bike with friends, somewhere in the mountain, deserts, or through ruins I think it wise to relax and have a good time.....no throwing your bike !!!