Hubs, Tracks and Towpaths

Sky Ride Local in Manchester

Starting from the cycling facility in central Manchester we quickly reach the Ashton canal and travel along the towpath passing a multitude of new developments including the Etihad Sports Campus.  After about 2.5 miles we reach the National Cycling Centre, home to British Cycling, the indoor Velodrome and BMX tracks.  The ride leaders will be happy to take the group inside for a quick look round, there's a distinct possibility of seeing an Olympic gold medallist, we've got loads of them. 

We leave the NCC and ride past the Skills Zone Pump track in Philips Park the into and around Medlock Vale Country Park where a series of mountain bike trails have been constructed, today we'll stay on the main path.  We leave the park and in less than a mile we'll be back on a towpath, this time it's the Rochdale canal which has a section designated as a Site of Biological Importance due to the unique and thriving plants.  This canal isn't as developed as the Ashton canal other than a new housing estate with some interesting shapes.  The two canals are in the process of being linked by the New Islington Marina which we ride through before returning to the Hub.

City Tower Bike Hub: Hubs are the ideal place to lock up your bike with confidence. Join our scheme and you can park your bike under full cover, with other security measures that include constant CCTV coverage and swipe card entry. They are somewhere to keep your bike safe, secure and dry while you're at work. Find out more at http://cycling.tfgm.com/join-a-hub.htm

You can view the location of the Hub at http://cycling.tfgm.com/pdfs/City-Tower-Cycle-Hub-location.pdf

Please note cycle access is only from New York Street not the Piccadilly Gardens entrance.

If you’re fairly confident on your bike and ready to broaden your cycling horizons, our Steady rides are ideal. At a comfortable pace, and possibly with some modest hills along the way, rides take place on mainly quiet roads with plenty of sights along the way. Rides are between 6 and 20 miles long, at a moderate pace of between 7 and 10 miles an hour.
 
 

Additional Information

Helmets must be worn by all under 18's regardless of ride level.
Please make sure your bike is in good working order and bring equipment with you to repair punctures, Ride Leaders are there to help but are not responsible for your bike.
All rides leave at the time stated you must arrive early Ride Leaders will not wait. 

Children under the age of 5 do not need to register and must be in a BSA approved child seat, trailer or tag-a-long.

Meet the Ride Leaders

• ian Milburn I am a keen and experienced cyclist and thoroughly enjoy being a sky ride leader, I would recommend it to everybody!! I enjoy travelling the world and meeting new people from differing cultures and backgrounds.
• Anneliese Trigg Hi i'm Anneliese
  Well year 6 for Sky Rides and year 6 for me too! Can't believe how much its grown from the beginning!! I've been a Ride Leader and Route planner on all levels on many routes, in lots of different locations across the north west!
  Happy Sky Riding! See you soon. :)
• Helen Hunt Hi, welcome to Breeze Skyride. This is my 2nd year as a Breeze champion and I'm looking forward to getting out on my bike and meeting new people and seeing new places. I am a keen cyclist, I have taken part in many Skyrides over the last 3 years and have completed several longer charity rides.
  Cycling is a great way to keep fit and burn calories, so dig that bike out of the shed and join in Sky Breeze for some leisurely rides.

Rider Comments on the Route

1. IAN CHAMBERLAIN Saturday 12th July
   
2. Jay Quincey Saturday 12th July
   
3. John Santarita Friday 11th July
   i enjoy it was awesome
4. Keith Gornall Friday 11th July
   Far too many stops, overly cautious slowed everthing down and far too long a stop at the veladrome.