Anybody Cycled from Manchester to Bradford?

onionmk
onionmk Posts: 101
edited October 2017 in Tour & expedition
How was the ride? What route did you take?

I’m looking to do the ride in preparation for some longer distance rides on my roadie. I haven’t done any serious route planning just yet- I’m hoping someone can share some valuable knowledge/experience before I get carried away route planning, only to find the roads a crap! (Speaking from past experience!)

Any help would be much appreciated!

Comments

  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    I'd use gmaps to start and the street view too. Keep off the a roads as much as possible and use the smaller quieter roads.
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,435
    Whereabouts in Manchester would you be going from?

    Speaking from experience some of east Manchester is not particularly pleasant and it is not always the best place to be seen riding your nice expensive bike.
  • lesfirth
    lesfirth Posts: 1,382
    bobmcstuff wrote:
    Whereabouts in Manchester would you be going from?

    Speaking from experience some of east Manchester is not particularly pleasant and it is not always the best place to be seen riding your nice expensive bike.

    I agree east Manchester ,like parts of most towns and cities, is not particularly pleasant but I would ride through without fear of attracting highwaymen or other undesirables.
  • onionmk
    onionmk Posts: 101
    Awkward moment when you're actually from east Manchester! XD I'm cycling out from Ashton Under lyne to be precise. You're right it's not the best place to cycle not by a long shot but only takes say 30 mins riding before you're in more pleasant parts.

    I've never used Gmaps may give them a go. I usually use ride with gps.

    The route I'm thinking of at the moment is through Mossley, upper Mill, Huddersfield and then use Leeds rd and huddersfield rd to get me to Bradford. I've done this particular route to Huddersfield once and found it to be okay- not too busy on a weekend but lots of climbing. Just wondering what the latter part would be like to ride..
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,435
    Going up to Hebden Bridge and then across would probably be my vote - This is a route I have done before (in reverse to the way you are planning) and it was mostly OK for traffic: https://www.strava.com/routes/5277993

    I use google maps too, checking streetview to see whether the road looks OK. Have to be a bit careful sometimes as there are some nice lanes near my office which are not on streetview, and also some which are on streetview but are not actually paved.
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,435
    onionmk wrote:
    Awkward moment when you're actually from east Manchester!

    haha sorry :)

    I've come in that way to central Manchester on the bike a few times, and mostly have memories of getting shouted at by yoofs or riding miserably down a busy dual carriageway in the pissing rain (I'd have to check precisely which roads) and have been a bit uneasy shall we say. I am a soft southerner though.

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