Manchester to Blackpool

[moxey]

Anybody doing it this year ?
I believe it's July 4th

 

[cyclecraig]

I might do it if I can get a few club mates on board!!
Need to catch a lift from Preston to the Start and then I will ride home from Blackpool.
Not sure about the exact date?

 

[potsy]

3 or 4 from work doing it,but they want a 'fast' time,where I would want a much more leisurely day tbh.
Talked about doing it with another colleague but he has since left work and not been on the bike since,so not sure yet.

 

[moolarb]

might do

did the Manchester 100 last year which I think is by the same organisers

how do they get you back from Blackpool? is there organised transport or do you just make your way home yourself (train)?

 

[Kestevan]

I think I'll be doing it again this year. Started 3 years ago on my own, and have slowly managed to persuade others a work to join me; should be about a dozen of us this year

There is organised transport back from Blackpool (for a fee), people go by bus, bikes in the back of a lorry. Never used it myself as I wouldn't trust the apes with my bike; and I'm planning on riding back this year anyway.

 

[PaulSB]

might do

did the Manchester 100 last year which I think is by the same organisers

how do they get you back from Blackpool? is there organised transport or do you just make your way home yourself (train)?

Nothing wrong with the Manchester - Blackpool ride but be aware the manchester 100 is a MUCH better ride. Main difference is the Blackpool ride attracts large numbers who lack road discipline. I think there were 9-10,000 entrants in total last year - over 60 miles and evenly spaced that's theoretically one rider every ten yards. It does get crowded. My advice is start early, ignore your start time just turn up and go. I was on the route by 7.30am last year and it was very quiet

 

[therams]

Nothing wrong with the Manchester - Blackpool ride but be aware the manchester 100 is a MUCH better ride. Main difference is the Blackpool ride attracts large numbers who lack road discipline. I think there were 9-10,000 entrants in total last year - over 60 miles and evenly spaced that's theoretically one rider every ten yards. It does get crowded. My advice is start early, ignore your start time just turn up and go. I was on the route by 7.30am last year and it was very quiet

Yes I echo those comments. If you want a fast time, start early otherwise you will get held up with the number of people on the roads.

Great day out though, I am going to take is easy this year and enjoy the atmosphere. Save the fast rides for other events.

 

[moxey]

Entered it today. It's going to be an early start though to get there for an 8 start.

Did my longest ride to date yesterday of 35 miles.
So far so good, so to speak.
Feeling it in my legs a bit today though.

 

[£Josh D]

which road does it start at? and which road does it finish at in blackpool, google maps needs checking€?????

 

[Kestevan]

It starts outside Old Trafford stadium.
It finishes at the Mirrorball at the south shore (just south of the pleasure beach) on the front at Blackpool.

Nice ride - mainly quiet roads except at 1 or 2 points where you are on busy main carriageways; and watch the section through Haigh Hall country park. It's steep, badly surfaced and not best suited to road bikes. There were a couple of nasty falls there last year.

 

[italiafirenze]

I plan on doing this. I'm from Blackpool and a friend of mine is hopefully arranging some transport to Manchester in the morning.

I rode it last year on zero training and preparation on a bike i'd bought the day before, this year I'll be a bit more organised. But definitely enjoyed the day.

 

[potsy]

Well,looks like I am doing this now better get some work done.
Registered for a 7.15am start so anyone else from here starting similar time say hello if you see 2 fat blokes looking nervous

 

[Globalti]

Echo the advice to start early. We did it last year starting about 8.30 and for the first 30 miles we were held up by people on MTBs with under-inflated tyres and several layers of clothing wrapped around their waists, meandering all over the road. Either them or huge gangs of riders wearing identical "I'm riding for XYZ Hospice" T shirts.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

I like the actual ride/route... but tend to actually feel sorry for the people in their cars as there's no way they can overtake safely and at times they are surrounded by idiots on bikes - some RLJing, others just having no awareness of anything around them etc.

It's not a good advert for cycling, and no doubt many car drivers have some anger towards cyclists as a result of it - the roads pretty much taken over by a mass of people on bikes going different speeds all over the place.

It could do with being on closed roads... but there's no chance of that!

 

[Bayerd]

I've now signed up for this ride and persuaded a mate to join me as well. It'll be the first organised ride that I'll do. I've got a question about food & drink for the ride. Do the organisers provide any kind of feeding stations along the route? The reason I ask is because one of my other hobbies is playing for Wingates Band. I believe that the route goes straight through Wingates in Westhoughton. I was thinking that it could be an opportunity for the band to fund raise by providing food and drink for cyclists (cakes/flapjacks etc). For those that have done this ride before, do you think it's an idea that would work? A local landlord has already said that he'd be happy to help the band fund raise, so we've got the chance to use a pub car park to do this. The question is, could it be a success, or would the riders ignore it and ride straight past?