Quiet option from Didsbury to Manchester

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fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Parrs Wood Road is fine - includes a decent cycle lane.

Cycle down there until you get to a crossroads with Mauldath Road. Continue over to Edgerton Road, take second right into Royal Street.

Continue to end, turn left on Ladybarn Lane. Pass back of Sainsburys. Cross over onto shared path that runs down the side of the Armitage Centre Uni sports grounds. Then follow the cycle signs this takes you round the back of Rusholme, down past the back of the Toast Rack (MMU Hollings) and round quiet roads past one of the colleges. This brings you out at EBC (Edinburgh bike co-op) - can now join cycle lane through Whitworth Park, then on down Oxford road.

This is the recommended cyucle route above !

I would not recommend cycling down Wilmslow Road in Rusholme if the person want's a quiet route in.

My personal preference is Parrs Wood Road, then after sainsburys, go right down Mossley Road and join the A34 into town, or I usually take the A34 Kingsway from Didsbury/Parrs Wood all the way in. It's busy, but the road is wide and there are few side roads.
 
OP
OP
gb155

gb155

Fan Boy No More.
Location
Manchester-Ish
Parrs Wood Road is fine - includes a decent cycle lane.

Cycle down there until you get to a crossroads with Mauldath Road. Continue over to Edgerton Road, take second right into Royal Street.

Continue to end, turn left on Ladybarn Lane. Pass back of Sainsburys. Cross over onto shared path that runs down the side of the Armitage Centre Uni sports grounds. Then follow the cycle signs this takes you round the back of Rusholme, down past the back of the Toast Rack (MMU Hollings) and round quiet roads past one of the colleges. This brings you out at EBC (Edinburgh bike co-op) - can now join cycle lane through Whitworth Park, then on down Oxford road.

This is the recommended cyucle route above !

I would not recommend cycling down Wilmslow Road in Rusholme if the person want's a quiet route in.

My personal preference is Parrs Wood Road, then after sainsburys, go right down Mossley Road and join the A34 into town, or I usually take the A34 Kingsway from Didsbury/Parrs Wood all the way in. It's busy, but the road is wide and there are few side roads.


Thanks dude I'll pass it on

Gaz
 
What Fossyant said except that it's NOT a decent cycle lane as it's NOT mandatory and there are always parked cars in it :angry: but definitely better than Wilmslow Road for a beginner.
Although, to be fair, I've found that Wilmslow Road is usually fine in the mornings as Rusholme is not yet awake, but should be avoided at night if you want a quiet life!

Just a warning - coming back home the junction by the Armitage is not clear at all where you should go (you are dumped into a junction from an angle no cars can do) and it is busy during rush hour. If the cyclist is a beginner perhaps suggest they dismount as the oncoming cars might not yield, or else do it as a two stage and use the middle island.
Link
 

biking_fox

Guru
Location
Manchester
Manchester do a range of cycle maps, some of which I think are even online. These are quite good for picking a resonably quiet route in. You could look at the university cycling pages, as they have led routes in from Didsbury. These are pretty good for beginners.
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Manchester do a range of cycle maps, some of which I think are even online. These are quite good for picking a resonably quiet route in. You could look at the university cycling pages, as they have led routes in from Didsbury. These are pretty good for beginners.

Uses the route I posted above (I know :thumbsup: ).

Parrs Wood road is relatively quiet - as for the cycle lane - yes it is full of parked cars, but it's not a bad road for new cyclists at all.

A34 is by far the best way in - you do need to be confident, and it's great for a steady 24-25 mph run in !
 

DTD

Veteran
Location
Manchester
Does your friend know about Bike Fridays?
They cycle as a group into the City Centre, think one meeting up place is at Withington Library
 
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OP
gb155

gb155

Fan Boy No More.
Location
Manchester-Ish
Does your friend know about Bike Fridays?
They cycle as a group into the City Centre, think one meeting up place is at Withington Library


I'm not sure he's s social cyclist tbh
 

davefb

Guru
Manchester do a range of cycle maps, some of which I think are even online. These are quite good for picking a resonably quiet route in. You could look at the university cycling pages, as they have led routes in from Didsbury. These are pretty good for beginners.

took me ages to find those maps..( which are quite good and cover manchester and greater manchester areas)

iirc , they have them in the piccadily gardens gmpte offices (after trying various council offices and visitor info places!)..

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=picca...=gN8dGMaJAWNOQlIa1JomGg&cbp=12,312.69,,0,3.83
 
took me ages to find those maps..( which are quite good and cover manchester and greater manchester areas)

Bicycle Doctor in Rusholme has had them in in the past, might be worth a check. On the last Bike Friday there were some copies about which seemed to be 2011 versions so definitely worth looking for them.

As for Bike Fridays there is indeed one which starts at Withington Library but it's the main Wilmslow Road route.
 
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