Road Rides/Races

I wanted to post some rides and races that I want to go on..would be good if people want to join me...and if people could share ones that they know of..

Am thinking about starting going to the Wheelers short rides too if anyone else is up for trying to keep up with them til we develop muscles of steel.

also i want to start riding about 60 miles every other sunday (from like 10am), nice and quick(ish)...hopefully getting quicker each time...maybe sorting out a route and doing it as a timetrial and meeting others that are up for it at a pub at the end??? would anyone like to do it too?

On 7th June there is the Polkadot Challenge.

"The Polkadot - "Spud" Riley Memorial Gran Fondo is a 100 mile bike ride, organised by MANCHESTER VELO C.R.C. on the lines of the classic Italian Gran Fondo events. It starts in Woodford Village 10 miles South of Manchester and covers 100 miles through Cheshire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire, with 16 official climbs varying in length from 1/2 mile to 5mls with gradients up to 20%. There is a 54 mile option for those requiring an easier ride. The whole route and all the climbs are fully signposted and at the start of each climb is a sign showing its number, name and distance to the summit. Food and drinks are provided at two feeding/control points on the route."

I'd be up for a sunday ride, perhaps alternate weeks to ride it sunday though?

yeah yeah ok that could work.

or on the same weeks, they don't tend to ride very far and a little second burst might be nice...or not!

and i think i'm gonna do the cheshire cat but not sure. i don't really like having to pay. maybe we could just do the route another time??!!

I need a road bike!

The Polka Dot Challenge is bloody hard, though the 54 mile option is OK, you avoid Snake and Winnats Pass. Manchester 100 in September is pretty good though and there is a shorter option.

yup you do. everyone does. gears rule.

hahahahahhahahhahahha

The Polka Dot Challenge is bloody hard, though the 54 mile option is OK, you avoid Snake and Winnats Pass.

winnats pass is amazing and beautiful though...

it does look well 'ard though...

we could do a few tster rides before you know like go for a ride and do bits of it...like one day do winnats and another the cat fiddle

It is, I've tried to cycle up it 3 times and failed every time. Went down it once on fixed, I love the smell of melting brake blocks in the morning.

cycling down it is a dream though

winnats pass is amazing and beautiful though...

it does look well 'ard though...

we could do a few tster rides before you know like go for a ride and do bits of it...like one day do winnats and another the cat fiddle

Aye, I could be up for that, as I need to get some hills in my legs as planning to do Ventoux in September. Chorlton velo do some good rides, but they start at 8am and I like my lie-ins these days.

I know some cracking rides around maccleslfield area. I have done the Polka Dot challenge a few times and when I was at my physical peak it was a killer (suppose it depends how fast you want to go). The full 100 miles takes between 4 and 6 hours (depends how fit you are) and takes in some HARD climbs. Winnat's Pass is the daddy of 'em all!

I love the Cat & Fiddle, I know it like the back of my hand and loads of nice quiet roads off it.

I'd be happy to show you parts of the route one Sunday. I used to drive up to macc, saves the 40 mile round trip through traffic.

Places for the PDC fill up quickly as lots enter and trat it as a race and the police restrict numbers for safety reasons.

Cat and Fiddle is fantastic, though I like cycling out there via the wizard as it's a decent warm up, descent into Macc is nice too.

I'd definitely be up for a bit of classic roadie-ing. Fixed up though. It'd be good to have something other than my daily oxford road/town jaunt. Which is no distance at all.

Aye, I could be up for that, as I need to get some hills in my legs as planning to do Ventoux in September. Chorlton velo do some good rides, but they start at 8am and I like my lie-ins these days.

really?!! ventoux??!! me and zero want to ride it this summer!!! who you going with??

Cat and Fiddle is fantastic, though I like cycling out there via the wizard as it's a decent warm up, descent into Macc is nice too.

bit scared that you consider the wizard to be a "warm up" shit what have i got myself into?!!!

i know quite a few short rides near macc (i usually get the train there so i can ride the beauty for longer)

and in Cheshire for people scared of hills/gears.

maybe we could say some dates and between us assign some rides so people know what to expect (e.g. people without gears can come on the flat ones etc)

and maybe say how many miles too.

and a pub that people can stop at too at the end if they are too fast, or catch up to if they are slower.

maybe start off less miles and flatter then as weeks go on and weather gets better, more miles and hills!!!

really?!! ventoux??!! me and zero want to ride it this summer!!! who you going with??

Probably go on my own to be honest. Want to try and get there by Eurostar and train from Paris to Avignon. I suffer desperately in hot weather so will be Sept/Oct for me.

oh ok...i don't fly either but prolly gonna get the europe cycle bus express thing. it's ace. they take your bike in a trailer and bring you cups of tea and even have an online library and it's dead cheap..and only for cyclists so lots of lovely people to chat to if you feel like it (i should be their marketting manager...but it is WELL ACE)

bit scared that you consider the wizard to be a "warm up" shit what have i got myself into?!!!

i know quite a few short rides near macc (i usually get the train there so i can ride the beauty for longer)

and in Cheshire for people scared of hills/gears.

A couple of years ago when I was much fitter I suppose it was, the wizard is tough and never gets any easier to be honest. I've never fancied the idea og getting on a train and going straight onto a climb. I've not been out on my road bike in months though, so need to sort it out.

no i agree but every day i cycle to rochdale or to the peaks for work and i spend it all on busy roads and then get to school and never get to ride the beautiful bits only the dirty A6...and so i kinda hate that bit of a stretch now and would rather miss it out at the weekend and start in the lovely bits...but i guess there are better ways to go, as you suggested...but yes that climb is tough,,but then never quite as bad as i imagine...it just seems to go on forever...i hate going down it more than up it too, as with all hills after a lorry in spain appeared from nowhere in front of me when i was going down a mountain...am prolly slower on descent than going up!!!

There's too many driveways on the descent and I always expect a 4x4 to reverse out, it's better to take one of the roads that go right at the top of the hill and descend that, not as steep and hardly any houses.

hey what do people think about making it a saturday? then it doesn't matter about ris clashing or whatever? if it's a pain to do it saturday then it's fine we can alternate.

otherwise what about a nice short 30-40 mile ride round cheshire way (flat) on Saturday 7th. We could even meet at noon for rides that won't take too long like that, extra time to nurse hangover and eat breakfast etc.

after chatting to some people at mass last night we are thinking of doing it quite like a timetrial so that we are racing ourselves not each other so that it doesn't feel too competitive/so slower people can improve their own time but not kill themselves trying to keep up or not come for fear they can't keep up..what dya think? i dunno, it might be good to start like this until everyone's fitness/speed is up and then we can stick together???

hey what do people think about making it a saturday? then it doesn't matter about ris clashing or whatever? if it's a pain to do it saturday then it's fine we can alternate.

otherwise what about a nice short 30-40 mile ride round cheshire way (flat) on Saturday 7th. We could even meet at noon for rides that won't take too long like that, extra time to nurse hangover and eat breakfast etc.

after chatting to some people at mass last night we are thinking of doing it quite like a timetrial so that we are racing ourselves not each other so that it doesn't feel too competitive/so slower people can improve their own time but not kill themselves trying to keep up or not come for fear they can't keep up..what dya think? i dunno, it might be good to start like this until everyone's fitness/speed is up and then we can stick together???

Bike events Manchester to liverpool is coming up in a couple of months 38 miles on road and toe paths.

hey what do people think about making it a saturday? then it doesn't matter about ris clashing or whatever? if it's a pain to do it saturday then it's fine we can alternate.

otherwise what about a nice short 30-40 mile ride round cheshire way (flat) on Saturday 7th. We could even meet at noon for rides that won't take too long like that, extra time to nurse hangover and eat breakfast etc.

after chatting to some people at mass last night we are thinking of doing it quite like a timetrial so that we are racing ourselves not each other so that it doesn't feel too competitive/so slower people can improve their own time but not kill themselves trying to keep up or not come for fear they can't keep up..what dya think? i dunno, it might be good to start like this until everyone's fitness/speed is up and then we can stick together???

yep im up for saturdays, 30/40miles sounds nice, should hopefully have enough energy left to get binged in the evening, and yes the noon meeting time is a good idea!