Cant see cycle commuting being a long term solution. I work long days and can just end up a bit knackered if not careful. Nice to have the option and I have done it before (25mile roundtrip), for months at a time but never going to be my primary mode of transport.

Not that keen on a motorbike either for year round commute.
Would ideally avoid suburbia but like a lot of things in life you don’t always get what you want and it may be the most realistic option.

Thanks for those website links and I’ll watch the movie later

If avoiding suburbia, are you looking for town or country living?

Outskirts of town?? Just for sake of family
I’d happily live in the hills, but am at work most of the time

Im with Binners, Ok so there is no direct link on the train from Ramsbottom. But its only 15min on a bike to Bury Metro interchange with secure (locked & covered with CCTV coverage) bike storage for £10 a year. The Metro is super reliable. It takes me 45min in the car to Manchester (deansgate), If im out the door at 6.30. Getting home can be a disaster though. I keep intending to park up at Heaton park and ride the last 5mile in, but im a lazy arse. The key thing for me though is the riding straight out my door. ITS BLOODY EPIC! Lots a tech descents, open moreland to tight and twisty woodland single-track to hand dug bermy cheeky trails, Lee & Crag quarry. I have mates in the lakes who dream of trails like these straight out the door. The beer in rammy is ace as are the spots to eat. There is loads going off as well, Northern Grip (MTB festival) is just round the corner as well.

Spoke to chap who works where I could end up and he reckons that everybody drives in, which surprised me

Some of my best days riding have been out with the wife around Rivi

Spoke to chap who works where I could end up and he reckons that everybody drives in, which surprised me

It’s arguable wether driving or walking is fastest.

No one has mentioned Todmorden yet. Despite all the Northern Fail problems it’s perfectly do-able. A bit pricey but you normally get a seat on the way in. Coming back is a bit of a lottery. Trains take between 26 and 36 mins depending on which one you get. It’s within cycle commute distance too (22 miles) if you’re fit. Can be done on the road which are busy or on the canal. And you have the benefit of MTB trails which nowhere else in the Pennines can match (IMO). Take everything in the Peak and condense it into one valley and you get an idea of how much riding there is here. There’s also an extremely active local community of bikers so you won’t have any trouble finding people to ride with.

How close are you to the Bolton relatives, and how close would you want to live to them IYKWIM?

Outskirts of town?? Just for sake of family
I’d happily live in the hills, but am at work most of the time

Well live somewhere nice, make the commute as bearable as possible as you will be doing it 5 days a week and accept you might need a short drive to some MTB stuff.

Spoke to chap who works where I could end up and he reckons that everybody drives in, which surprised me

Not really, the usual excuses get trotted out but people are locked into their cars. It’s nice cruising past them all gridlocked each morning and evening.

Bolton relatives (out laws) are great. My wife is from Bolton, it’s just that she objects to how much it rains there. We all love the countryside. I would do Tod but family might feel isolated. What do you think?

Agree re gridlock, it’s a poor way to spend your life. I tend to be at work for 7 to 7-15 (current get up at 6 and drive in) just to avoid any traffic in Brum.

Drive to mtb may be the most likely scenario, but I can dream.

I would do Tod but family might feel isolated. What do you think?

It’s something like an hour’s drive between Tod and Bolton and you’ll be at the mercy of the M60. I wouldn’t want to be doing it very regularly. Having said that Tod is a pretty friendly place. Didn’t take long for us to settle in and get to know people when we moved here. I know so many people here who moved from Manc it feels like a manc suburb in the hills.

it’s just that she objects to how much it rains there

Hmmm. Anywhere north of manc is going to be rainy. South of manc is much less rainy but much more flat. Good if you like riding a road bike though. I miss those nice flat pootles around Cheshire lanes.

Just to back up what Craig’s just said, this is straight out of my back door. Just waiting for my dad to turn up then we’re heading out walking there this afternoon, as its such a nice day.

And all walks and rides finish here. Thems the rules! Cheers!

Craig – another option I’ve done in the past is drive from Rammy to Crumpsall metro, which is pretty easy traffic-wise in the morning, park up there, then jump on the tram into town. Dead easy and really quick journey!

In the summer I was riding in once or twice a week. 14 miles each way and mostly pretty flat, so do-able

And I’d back up everything Daz says about Tod. Another brilliant place to live!

BL6 here

My otherhalfs been comuting for 14yrs on the train and recently it’s been worse.

However it seems to have improved. She works flexi hours so goes early n comes back early.

It’s drivable if your in the centre before 7.

Ridings good. Plus your an hour to the lakes 90min to north Wales 60min to parts of the dales.

Whaley Bridge or anywhere on the Buxton line.

I don’t commute into Manchester, I go the other way, but plenty do. Trains are generally OK, save for the usual Northern Fail antics, but no pacers – they’re banned from the line – it’s too steep.

Good riding from the doorstep too.

Another option: Sadddleworth Valley (Stalybridge, Mossley, Greendfield) None of these have particularly nice town centres but there are nice areas of housing fairly close to train stations. Doorstep Riding / hiking is ace. Several supermarkets in the area. Quite a few schools and a swimming pool!

I have lived in Mossley, Stalybridge, Hayfield and Broadbottom. All have great riding – only the commute from hayfield was painful.

Glossop train is electric. I currently live in Broadbottom on that line. Train is busy in the morning but not horrendous – wife gets train in every day.

I now work in Leeds and usually get train there from Stalybridge(ride or drive to Staly) – its transpennine train and only occasionally disrupted. It runs through to manc and also some of their services now stop in Mossley or Greenfield.

I’ve considered Todd / Heb – but if there is a problem with trains or you need to drive for some other reason it looks like a traffic ball-ache.

I reckon Horwich or nearby will be the best bet for you, if your missus can put up with the rain.

Next door to Bolton with good train and road links, Rivi and the West Pennine Moors rideable from the door and it’s a distinct, reasonably nice town (rather than suburbia).

Tod is better for riding but a bit of a pain to get to other places from., south of Mcr may be drier but is also more pricey and further from the M-way network.

Come and have a look around these places though, maybe by train.