I love MTB and have previously done it as a sport with my family – great time spent together and a few holidays in the alps, also started riding a lot more with a partner until a recent split – however, I would really like to be able to find like minded folk on a social scene to ride with and push my skills/have more fun. Missing riding regularly.

I live in North West Manchester – any recommendations or advice on how to meet people to ride with? I have looked at some of the clubs but they seem quite intimidating!

Thanks in advance!

Most clubs are quite welcoming – close to you there’s bogtrotters ( a proper club), or the Monday night club (a loose collections of pissheads who organise rides on STW. I’m sure there are several other clubs in the area – I know also that there are women only clubs such as the NOrth West Dirt Divas on facebook who do rides round NW manc

I’m guessing by your profile name that you’re a lady. Might be worth contacting a few clubs if you want to ride in a ladies only group as the one I’m do ladies only rides.
Most MTB groups are a friendlier bunch that road groups in my experience so, bite the bullet, and go on a group ride. You’ll soon know if that group is for you..
Good luck 🙂

Posting on here is a good start ! I’m sure you’ll get some contacts as there are a quite a few active forum members from your area. There is of course the now legendary Peaks Pootle rides, have a search for threads. I’ve met up with people on here, and from other forums and Facebook groups.

TANNOY HORA to the forum

My experience- find some folk who live locally to you and ride with them – repeat till you like the folk you ride with

Not in Manc but Chorley so if you fancy a ride round Rivvy – the big mast- then e-mail in profile
We ride Tuesday nights and can lend lights if needed

There’s a relatively new Facebook group called Join-a-Ride which might be useful… especially if it keeps expanding.

Bogtrotters seem to attract a lot of female riders of differing abilities rides every weekend and Wednesday evening rides!
There is a very active FB page where people post up on organising rides all through the week!

http://www.bogtrotters.org

try this emily: http://cyclingbuddy.com/
never used it myself. There seems to be lots of people signed up to it.

me and mates ride around ramsbottom area twice or three times a week ,if you want to let me know and you could easily join us, Mart

North West Manchester, you say?

Have you got lights? If so then you could do worse than the Monday night pub ride like tonights.

A friendly bunch of reprobates, including members of the less tertosteroney and hairy sex. Plans will be hatched, over a beer afterwards, for weekend riding jaunts too.

http://www.bogtrotters.org

Wasn’t there a discussion the other week where they kill ladies on rides or some such nonsense

Depending on where you’d like to ride (if lakes? – Boggies are good) – if Peaks or you fancy a Hebden ride let me know.

What type/length of riding do you like?

My experience- find some folk who live locally to you and ride with them – repeat till you like the folk you ride with

is that repeatedly ride with them til you can put up with their foibles and inane chatter or repeat with various people until you find someone you actually get on with? just so I know whether to feel complimented or insulted 🙂

We occasionally ride Tuesday nights

ftfy

Check these out too

twistedwheels.myfreeforum.org/?

We do 2 types of rides including slightly shorter more sociably paced rides. All a good laugh and beer and kebabs are regularly involved. Occasional weekends away and normally an annual trip to Alps/Pyrenees.

Mainly South Manc based with riders coming from all over.

Monday Night Pub Rides

Tonight 8:15 at The Church Inn, Prestwich.

You will need

1. A bike
2. Lights
3. Beer money

and for tonight…

4. A waterproof

Come along, it’s a laugh. We’re out pretty much every Monday. Group size varies between two and loads.

Last year our grand tour of the North West took in Darwen, Littleborough, Ramsbottom, Todmorden and Prestwich to name just a few places.

Ability is mixed, pace is average.

Wow, lots to go at here, which is great thanks!

I think turning up one weekend not knowing anyone is the part I find intimidating…especially when unsure of everyone’s levels?!

I like most riding, especially more of the trail centre runs – currently liking Black run at Llandegla – just need to up fitness to add speed!

I don’t have lights but can always pick some up – Chorley, Peaks etc are all handy for me – I am in the lakes fairly frequently but no good for week night riding…

emily – there is quite a few Girl groups on Facebook.
look up my partner on here (golfchick) and message her.
i’m sure she can point you in the right direction.

We ride Llandegla a lot, she’s done the Alps plus blacks at degla.

me and mates ride around ramsbottom area twice or three times a week ,if you want to let me know and you could easily join us, Mart – Yeah this could be work out, maybe give me a shout?

Monday Night Pub Rides sound good – not got my bike until the end of the week…but do you ride every week?

Ability is mixed, pace is average.

That was very diplomatically put Harry 😆

Pace may be slightly below average. Due to varying degrees of enforced, falling-apart-at-the-seems spazziness, during which time we’ve done nothing but drink beer and eat pies, none of the Rammy contingent have ridden for 6 weeks 😳

cool Emily , you can either message me on here or martwardblues@msn.com, theres a group mixed ability men and women who ride from waterfoot on sundays as well

Monday Night Pub rides win in my opinion – and it is just about every week. I can bring the spare lights box if I know in advance (and providing we are playing out – night rides are a bit of a scramble with work commitments).

I’m Beate btw. Also ride out from Todmorden / Hebden Bridge at the weekends usually and happy to show you the trails.

Another recommendation for Bogtrotters here.

They cover a wide area, not just Lakes.
There are plenty of members around Manchester/Chorley/Preston with a regular Wednesday night group riding in that area. Most of the Wed night rides only get organised on the Facebook group at short notice and often never make it onto the website.

Saturday rides are mostly classed as “easy” and suitable for anyone/everyone. The pace is that of the slowest and very laid-back atmosphere.

Sunday rides are usually a bit tougher, either longer distances or more technically challenging (or both).

Ask to join the FB group.

http://www.meetup.com/manchestermountainbikers

Highly recommended.

Sunday morning rides from The Last Drop at Bromley Cross almost every weekend. Certainly not at a pace that anyone (except perhaps Binners) would find intimidating! You are more than welcome to come along!

Also i’m another big advocate of the Monday Night Pub Ride although my activities are curtailed at the moment until i get my new bike!

Spoilt for choice but cannot go wrong with Manchester mountain bikers or the boggies

plumber – Member

http://www.bogtrotters.org

Wasn’t there a discussion the other week where they kill ladies on rides or some such nonsense

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/shameful-act-north-west-mtb-club

wittonweavers – Member Pants On Fire

……. although my activities are curtailed at the moment until i get my new bike!

Oi! I did offer!

http://www.thetribembc.co.uk

Are the woolybacks not based around manchester also? was a hoard of them at hit the north last feb.

Haha, that link about being left behind hits the nail on the head as to my worries! I wouldn’t want to ruin anyone’s trip out if it turned out I am way off the pace…but don’t fancy being ditched either – always had my brothers to bail me out before!

Think will try a few of these rides/offers out…once I have plucked up the courage! 😕

I know, i know! “Never a lender or a borrower be…” 🙂

Wish i really practiced what i preach!

Where abouts are you Emily?

I ride around Rivington a lot of the time or Gisburn at weekends.

Emily, there’s a load of girls do gisburn/macc forest/diggle jiggle rides up on Manchester mountain bikers atm – as a guest you do 5 rides to see if you like it, or hate it! The rides a pretty social, I.e no gets left behind & beer/cake/chips a plenty : )

See you at the Church inn Prestwich, 8.15pm tonight (Monday)
hopefully you will be surprised how you fit in, been doing it since July and they are a lovely bunch.

The Church Inn is right near where i go riding, Drinkwater Park.

Your also very welcome, aswell as anyone else that want’s to come along.(were all nice here you know)

See you at the Church inn Prestwich, 8.15pm tonight (Monday)
hopefully you will be surprised how you fit in, been doing it since July and they are a lovely bunch.

I’m not.

Keep your eyes peeled for the next Peak Pootle

Pretty sure when I posted something similar about finding some riding buddies in Edinburgh I got precisely zero responses….

Maybe I should have changed my username to Candy69 or something similar 😉

Be afraid Emily……

🙂