Manchester to Blackpool this Sunday 8th July

str1ker1212

Gents/Ladies,

Anybody doing this? or done it before?

I will be joining the masses at 8am making way to Blackpool and was wondering what the route is like?

I bought my first road bike in Feb this year and have done a bit of training so i'm really looking forward to it. I'm also raising money for my friends little boy who's in remission from the 'Big C' which is a great motivation for me.

Any views on the event and route would be great

Cleat Eastwood

Its a great route - loads of peeps do it, its is flat apart from a long drag up through wigan by haigh hall. It clashes with the liverpool chester ride otherwise I would be doing it. Great atmosphere at the end too, big crowd and barbeques and drinks. You should have fun.

baldwin471

Would've liked to have taken part, unfortunately (Or perhaps fortunately), i'm flying to abu dhabi that day on the way to Thailand for a month. I'm sure you'll have a great time though.

Kingy911

As Cleat said pretty flat, just pray that there isn't a howling wind as you come through Preston, Warton, Lytham and Blackpool or it will feel like 150 miles not 60.

I still haven't decided whether to do it yet or not, enjoyed it last year, if I do, I am going to ride the 15 miles back home to Preston too !!!!!

bugsrabbit

Kingy911 wrote:

As Cleat said pretty flat, just pray that there isn't a howling wind as you come through Preston, Warton, Lytham and Blackpool or it will feel like 150 miles not 60.

I still haven't decided whether to do it yet or not, enjoyed it last year, if I do, I am going to ride the 15 miles back home to Preston too !!!!!

I agree, i'm doing it if the weather picks up any. Well marshalled, well sign posted but the wind on the fylde coast can be a nightmare. If you can set off first thing and get away from the idiots jumping red lights and riding five abreast. I'll also be riding back to preston so would like to be dry for most of the ride.

thegodplato

This will be my first event as well. Only been riding since April and my mate is pushing us to do it in 3 hours. Setting off at 7am so should miss most of those `slower` riders maybe. Not sure I can crack 3 hours, maybe 3 hours 15 but it will depend on the weather. This rain and wind is naff.

thegodplato

Oh, and I forgot to add this - http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1383073 I believe this will be the route.

Ka12

I live on the fylde coast and hope that the weather improves for everyone doing this ride Currently very wet and windy here!

Just had a quick look at the route posted above and just before the 49 mile mark the route looks a little off, I believe that the ride carries on along carr road and straight up to dowbridge, this is a bit of a hill!

CRAIGO5000

I did this last year with some mates and it was great. If you're cracking the 3 hour mark then I believe that is averaging ~20mph for the duration so you might want to employ some chain-gang action or use your strongest riders to lead you out to the finish.

I did it last year with some friends not really pushing it (as they weren't roadies, they were on hybrids) and we managed it in 3hr 30m. I wanted to ride back, but they didn't so I was a bit gutted.

In terms of safety, it was fine really as we left at around 7am. The start had no queue and it was 99% road bikes at this time of day, Not really any of the 6-a-breast MTB riders that I've read about at this time in the morning. It's certainly better to leave early than later!

This year I'm going there and back so will probably cover around 130 miles including getting to the start. I'm praying the weather is at least dry!

Secteur

I ride from north manchester to Blackpool (via Blackburn) at least once a week - it's an easy 45 miles. Once you're out of Blackburn it's flat all the way, and quite picturesque.

str1ker1212

Thanks for the replies, just hoping for some half decent weather now!

thegodplato

Weather forecast is chance of rain and 22 degrees so that will be wet then!

No idea with RideWithGPS mapped it across a field at 49 miles. Sorry Ka12, but good spot!

I too live on the Fylde Coast and wish the wind would die down and it stop raining. Fed up of the winds in the Bermuda Triangle for those who know the area!

Ka12

I have been offered a last minute place on the ride this Sunday, longest distance done on road bike so far is 33miles and that was last night. Heavy rain for 32 miles of the ride and a few nasty hills.

Hoping the weather stays dry for Sunday, really looking forward to doing it and that I reach the finish