 Welcome to Manchester CTC. We are part of Cycling UK and an informal group of Peak Audax CTC. We organise a series of informal group rides for all Cycling UK members, and indeed all cyclist. We'd love to see you out with us some time.
Note that Cycling UK was previously known as CTC, but some of us still use the old name. We're referring to the same organisation!
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Looking for someone to ride with?
Join us for our
regular monthly rides
where we explore the cycling facilities in the Greater Manchester area and further afield.
We also have a number of route suggestions (see right) our
'Permanent' Rides
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There are other
Cycling UK groups
in the area who regularly organise club runs, either on a regular weekly basis, or as occasional 'specials'. As a Cycling UK Member, you will be welcomed on most of these.
There are also plenty of
other cycling clubs
who will welcome you to take part in their activities.
(If you want to ride with any of these groups, you should make contact to find out where and when they meet, and what expectations they will have on you.)
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| Manchester CTC Group Rides :
meeting once a month (usually the third Saturday of the month).
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An exploration of Greater Manchester cycling facilities.All starts can be reached by train
 , and several by
 metrolink. NOte that only folding bikes can be taken on the tram.
The rides are suitable for all sorts of bikes, including skinny-tyred road bikes, and folding bikes, although a gravel bike would be ideal. You can even bring an electric-assist bike provided you check that you have enough charge for the intending distance!
There is no entry fee for these rides, just bring some cash or cards as we'll have a cafe stop or two along the way. All we ask is that you have 3rd party insurance, such as that provided to members of Cycling UK or National Clarion.
Click on the
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what3words
link for our meeting point.
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Saturday
19/04/2025
Start time:
10:30
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Rochdale
40 km (25 miles)
230 meters of climbing
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Rochdale - Heaton Park - Rochdale
Meet outside Rochdale Station (by the parcel boxes) ready for a 10:30 start. There are plenty of trains to Rochdale, such as the 10:04 from Victoria. If you have a folding bike, you could even arrive by tram. Why not get there early and visit the Firegound Cafe (adjacent to the tram stop in the old fire station), which opens at 10am.
You might think that a ride from Rochdale isn't going to be pretty or ejoyable, but we hope to prove you wrong. We'll ride through a couple of industrial estates (it's better than it sounds), canal towpaths and quiet roads. There are roads commemorating Michael Faraday, Sir Isaac Newton and Queen Victoria, who all said the same thing about Rochdale: 'where?'. Our destination is Heaton Park where we have several cafes to choose from. If they are busy on a Saturday lunchtime, we'll be passing one of our favourite local cafes at Slattocks so we might pop in there instead (or as well).
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Saturday
17/05/2025
Start time:
10:30
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Stockport
39 km (24 miles)
230 meters of climbing
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Tour of Stockport
Meet outside
Stockport Station
by the Channel Islands blue plaque, ready for a 10:30 start. Plenty of trains serve Stockport Station. If you arrive by car, note that local car parking can be expensive, but you've got a bike; park somewhere cheaper and ride in! There is free parking at
Woodbank Park
, or at
Reddish Vale Country Park
, both less than 2 miles away.
This is a Stockport circular tour, starting with a ride down the new helter skelter bike ramp! We use the Alan Newton Way, named for a cyclist at the 1952 Olympics and the Middlewood Way, a former railway line that ran from Marple to Macclesfield. We'll have at least one cafe stop along the way.
The full ride is about 40km/25 miles but there are opt-outs as we pass stations at Rose Hill (11 km), Poynton (20km), and Cheadle Hulme (30km).
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Saturday
07/06/2025
Start time:
10:30
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Bramhall
57 km (35 miles)
550 meters of climbing
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Going for Gold
Meet at
Bramhall station
for a tour of some of the commemorative gold postboxes from the 2012 London Olympics.
We set off from outside the station at 10:30. The 9:46 from Piccadilly arrives at 10:03. There is Pay and Display parking at Bramhall Hall. If you get there early, you'll probably find me in Greggs in the centere of Bramhall.
The ride will also take in Alderley Edge where we might find a Wizard tearoom.
We pass through Macclesfield from where you can catch a train back if 25km is your limit. If you do, you'll miss perhaps the best bits of our ride; the Middlewood Way over Bollington Viaduct, and througn Lyme Park.
There's another opt-out point at Disley Station (41km). Otherwise, ride with us back to Bramhall where you can catch your train back home or try to remember where you left the car.
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Manchester CTC
- our Permanent Rides
... rides that you can undertake on any day, at any time, starting and finishing anywhere convenient along the route. Just download the GPX and go
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Going for Gold:
track down the commemorative post boxes in the Greater Manchester area following the 2012 London Olympic Games
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Manchester Sightseer:
a self-guided tour of some of Manchester's famous sites (and sights), as a 114km Audax ride or a series of stages that you can ride over an extended period.
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mini-Manc Sightseer:
a shorter version of the above, only 63km in total
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Station to Station (inner ring):
a series of rides between Metrolink stations
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Station to Station (outer ring):
as above, but these rides are between main line stations all within the Greater Manchester ticketing area (so free travel if you have your bus pass and have paid the tram supplement)
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Werneth Low Rider:
A 60km Audax ride climbing all seven ascents of Werneth Low, but you can also undertake this as a non-Audax ride, picking and choosing as many (or few) of the climbs as you wish
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Cycling UK
- other local groups
... if you're a member of Cycling UK, you will be welcome to join in the activities of other Cycling UK group
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| Peak Audax
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Formal Audax events that need to be pre-entered. They can be Calendar Events where you ride with others on a set date, or as Permanent Rides ('Perms') which you can ride to your own timetable, on your own or with a group of mates.
They range from 50km to 600km, can be flat (well, flat-ish) or hilly, so do make sure you know what you are taking on before you start!
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| Rochdale
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Club rides start from Rochdale Leisure Centre, Beginners and Medium rides departing at 9:30 on Saturdays. On Sundays, club rides set off at 8:30 (short/medium/Long). The Sunday Chaingang leaves at 9:00. The Vets group has a ride on Thursdays.
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| Oldham & Tameside
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A small group of enthiasastic cyclists who meet every Sunday, whatever the weather. We meet at Deep Cutting Stalybridge, or Apethorn Lane Hyde.
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| South Manchester
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There are 2 rides on Sundays, meeting 9:00 for 9:15 departure. Rides start from Cheadle, Hazel Grove or Whalley Bridge (see runs list for details).
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| West Manchester
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Club runs from Jolly Thresher, Agden at 11am Sundays
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Other cycling groups in the Manchester area
... get in touch to find out what activities they have to offer
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