Looking at the map I can sustrans 62 it most of the way there… Does anyone do the route regularly? (every day), whats the surface like on the cycle path, road bikeable with some heftier tyres?

I reckon 16 miles each way is doable, even if it will require a bit of a bump in fitness!

The worst surface used to be the old railway line across the moss from Lymm into Altrincham – total quagmire in places. However, I’m pretty certain this has been re-surfaced as the last few times I’ve ridden it it was smooth. Think it will be spot on with cx tyres – never commuted on it day in day out through winter though.

32 miles a day is hefty for a daily commute – would you be used to that sort of distance? By all means doable but would need some working up to.

marin maketh to the forum please

62 is the Trans Pennine Trail, it should be find on road tyres, though maybe not 23s when it’s damp. I’ve only ridden it on MTB tyres, but see others on road/hybrids

Could you not use the ship canal?

Riden it many times lots of restrictors and some dodgy wet bits, but a nice ride, a cx or tourer would be ideal, and not a lot of shelter from the wind either parts are quite open.

Oh and its not tarmac but a gravelly surface in a lot of places, then there is also the from where in Mchester to where in Warrington youre going to come and go to.

Could you not use the ship canal?

its ful of water with no tow path as its for ship s not barges.

I could probably use the ship canal if someone told me where it was, you know I’m not the greatest at navigation 😀

quite happy doing ~13 miles a day at the moment + the odd night ride after work, It’ll just make me fitter non?

EDIT: I’m coming from Sale, still not entirely sure when in Warrington i would possibly be going to

Yes but you could use on of those Pedelo thing you see in Benidorm.
Sad to inform you but the ship canal is not for ships or barges, it’s mainly for Sh.t. Seriously though as kids we used to ride sections along the canal. This was a long time ago (very).

Example of TPT near Lymm:

that turns to grinding paste in the wet.

16 miles each way is doable; I now do it once or twice a week but I do it on the road on a road bike. It takes about 70-80 minutes depending on traffic and the lights.

Just be aware that if you’re doing that every day and/or in the winter when it’s wet cold and dark, then chappeau! That would be quite a commitment.

I imagine it would take 90 minutes on something other than a road?

My friend commutes from Manchester to Warrington and uses a good bike path, although I’m not sure it’s the 62. I know he uses Gatorskins and he follows qutie a major road bit it’s got a good path parallel to it.

I’d get some marathon or landcruisers and then you’ll be good to go for whatever the surface. Nothing worse than getting a puncture when you’re on a commute and rushing against time.

My commute changed from a 10mile (which I usually up’ed to about 13-15mile) to a 20 mile one and I must admit I found the increase a bit much. 40odd miles a day meant I was getting the base fitness but was always tired and got slower because I could never ride hard at the weekend and enjoy the weekend ride. It’s good if you have an alternative to the bike to allow you to recover.

landcruisers and mudguards are the way to do, I ride along sections of it most days, its better now than a few years ago when it turned to porridge when wet, its pretty solid now to the point that puddles stand for some time

couple of years ago i had a temporary office in Salford Quays for 6 months and i used to park up near Dunham Park, and commute in 2/3 times a week along the Cheshire Ring Canal – route was about 10 miles as an alternative to the sustans route, found it to be a more direct and relatively traffic free route apart from around Dumplington (now known as Trafford Park 😈 )

used my alfined scandal 29er – parts near durham were bumpy and very wet (great when dry though), the sections through Sale had been resurfaced with smooth gravel

you could use the 62 from warrington, then get on the canal west of broadheath to avoid the strange route around carrington

I use the 62 regularly especially in summer, can be very wet and muddy in places just before you go over the m60 is the worse place. I sometimes use the canal but usaually very busy with dog walkers etc and very bumpy in places.

I use the road mostly in winter, 12 miles on road versus 17 miles on the tpt. Does get tiring by the end of the week though…

Not daily, but I ride from Timperley to Birchwood, fairly regularly. There are loads of variations on the amount of canal and route 62 you use, and the side of Warrington you’re heading to makes a difference, for Birchwood I come off the 62 before Lymm and cross the ship canal at Warburton then use farm tracks and the odd bit of road, for the other side of Warrington I’d stay on the 62 and then cross at the locks. Muddy in places but road thrown in, 1×9 on an old hardtail with land cruisers suits me.

I ride from Urmston to Birchwood 3 days a week which is about 10 miles. I use the locks at Irlam to cross the ship canal, A57, then farm tracks. You could use a similar route if you go from Sale out of the back of Ashton on Mersey.

It’s a pretty stress free ride on my CX bike with 28mm commute tyres. The only thing that stopped me in the winter was the odd day when the farm roads turned to sheets of ice.

I ride from Warrington To Birchwood daily and sometimes to Manchester. TPT is good as long as you have suitable tyres and mudguards. Not great in the wet.

You know where in Warrington you’re going to?

You can easily get from South Mancs (sale/ chorlton / didsbury etc) using the TPT to Urmston, then Flixton, Irlam Locks, cycle lane next to A57, take Dam Lane in Glazebrook across the Moss in to the megalopolis that is Birchwood. That’s my commute, usually done twice a week, originally on a SS genesis io, nowadays on a Kona Sutra borrowed from Plumber ( 5 mins quicker on cx bike).

You didn’t say whereabouts in Warrington you’re heading too, but you can alter this route to work for you.

Be careful when tackling roundabouts in Warrington in the mornings – most of the locals have had that part of their brain removed that governs their ability to give way to bikes approaching from the right.