Manchester Day Parade 2016

Pete Able did the organising for this year's Bike Block in the Manchester Day Parade.

There was the usual chaos in Liverpool Road trying to get it all together.



...and we soon had to change rider on the sound system.



Once that was sorted we managed a bit of bike dancing - sort of.




There was a bit of waiting around, but the parade moved pretty swiftly this year.





All too soon it ended. After a bit of a wait it was time to return the float down Deansgate - Julian got to power his marvelous creation.



A cycling weather machine dedicated to Admiral Robert FitzRoy.






...and we were the only float to arrive back inside before the rain started :-)

February Manchester Critical Mass

It was a dry but chilly evening. The ride got off to a prompt start as I don't think anyone fancied hanging around in the cold wind.



There was a good crowd, but not a large ride, so with three sound systems which couldn't get very far apart we made quite a racket.



We followed the usual route out through Albert Square



and soon crossed Market Street heading for the Northern Quarter.



Several passers by were seen taking video or photos.



With Portland Street blocked we dropped down London Road



and along Grosvenor Street where the drivers stuck in traffic can watch TV...



We then re-entred the city centre along Oxford Road



taking all lanes



then into Castlfield



ending at the Castlefield Arena to join the Fire Jam.



Featuring fire and



spectacular LED displays.

December Christical Mass

This year Critical Mass fell on Christmas Day, but that didn't stop the ride. A few of us asked if others were interested and Hannah posted the ride on Facebook which meant the ride was on.



We gathered outside the library as usual,



with a good display of seasonal lights on some bikes.



Whilst the ride was small in number



the general lack of motor traffic meant this wasn't a problem.



However, despite it being Christmas Day the new contraflow cycle lanes in Chinatown were still blocked by taxis.



It was nice to ride along Deansgate with so few cars.



However, eventually the rain set in quite hard and the remaining riders went looking for somewhere open. I'd thought the Wharf would be open, but it had closed by 5pm.



It was great to get out on a bike on Christmas Day. Always a special day for cycling, and doubly so when it is Critical Mass.

Sweet September Critical Mass

With the nights drawing in rapidly, this month's ride rolled out at sunset.



We turned south down Bridge Street heading into Salford.



For some reason there were a number of impatient motorbike riders this month, pushing round the ride



Then along Chapel Street



and back up Victoria Bridge Street returning to Manchester.



By this time some of the riders were warming to the music. I was riding the only sound system this time. Two other regular riders had left theirs at home. There was a really good mix of people this month and a very gentle atmosphere.



After sitting in the traffic jams on Deansgate it was back for a second pass through Albert Square



and into the roadworks on Portland Street where the potholes are dreadful.



After a quick run through the Northern Quarter and an about turn in Back Turner Street, it was across the tram tracks and down Shude Hill



and carefully along Corporation Street.



Then back past the Cathedral



before a second run down Deansgate



and on to Castlefield Arena to meet up with the Fire Jam.



Video by Hill Billy

Critical Mass August 2015

Summer Critical Mass rides are usually smaller than normal, but this month was a reasonable sized group, probably helped by the sunshine.



Being Pride weekend there were quite a few rainbow flags,



some larger than others!



Somehow we ended up doing two laps of the Northern Quarter.



Being a pleasant evening, the traffic was also in a reasonable mood, with no impatient drivers that I noticed.



Whilst the level of traffic was quite light in the Northern Quarter,



once we hit London Road we got stuck in traffic.



Then it was out onto Fairfield Street as the ride headed towards the Velodrome.



At the Mancunian Way I left for home.



All in all a very pleasant ride, but I'm not sure that Manuel Göttsching's E2-E4 was to everyone's liking...