For the second year running, Bee Pedal Ready and Station South are joining bike forces to bring glowing wheeling women to the dark streets and parks of Manchester – Lights Up, encore!

Bringing awareness to the number of women drop significantly through the darker and winter months, through various barriers. We want to change this.

We are offering ‘feeder rides’ to and from the city, where we’ll ride in as a group to meet a plethora of amazing women of all ages at All Saint’s Park – this will form our ‘main ride’.

Our main ‘bike disco’ ride will weave across the city as a pack before heading south, towards and through 3 different parks [often avoided by many in the throes of a wintry evening], before wheeling our way over to the astounding Victoria Baths for brews, hot food and a bike party!

> To ensure illuminations across the ride, we have a couple of pannier bags full of wheel lights – free to you – for women joining feeder rides AND for the first 50 to arrive at the main ride.

> All bikes are welcome! The ride is accessible to all, so bring your cargo bikes, tri-shaws, adapted bikes, and even a Penny Farthing if you have one!

> Any questions or if you would like to organise a feeder ride of your own – please drop Anna + Bee a line : rides4womenmcr@gmail.com

> Are you a Ride Leader, experienced cyclist or bike mechanic + would like to help marshall the main ride? We would L O V E to hear from you!

Find the rides below and choose the one that suits you best, or feel free to just meet us in town.

#lightsupride #ridesforwomenmcr #pedalmorefor24

We are delighted to be partnering up with the Manchester School of Digital Art , We are Cycling UK, MCRActive, TfGM and Starling Bikes to create this official event for the European Capital of Cycling.

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// RIDE DETAILS //

Main Ride

> When : 4pm @ All Saints Park [LINK] | Sundown!

> Suitable for: All folk identifying as female, non-binary or allies who are comfortable riding as a female centred event, with experience of riding on the road and with a group.

> Distance / Terrain : 5m / 8km

> Speed : Very much unpaced / chilled / party pace / let’s ride together

> Expected ride time : 1 hour

> Route : [LINK] All Saint’s Park – Oxford Road – Whitworth Park – Platt Fields Park – Birchfields Park – Victoria Baths

> What to bring: Water / snacks / helmet / bike lock / spare inner tube / bike lights / warm layers!

> Fun things if you fancy : Wear bright, high viz or sparkly clothes if you have any / flags / speakers, tunes / noise making things / spoke lights / fairy lights / think disco party on wheels a.k.a. anything goes

Feeder Rides

Ride 1 : with Bee Pedal Ready [Whalley Range]

> Meet : Outside the Cafe “The Pavilion” in Alexander Park

> Time : 3pm

> Distance : 4 miles / 6.5km

> Route : [LINK] Alexandra Rd – Moss Side – Hulme – City Centre

> Return ride to Whalley Range : Depart Victoria Baths @ 7.15pm

> Ride Booking : [LINK] 

Ride 2 : with Station South [Levenshulme]

> Meet : Station South Bike Parking

> Time : 3pm

> Distance : 5 miles / 8km

> Route : [LINK] : FLoop – Oxford Rd – Platt Fields – Whitworth – City Centre

> Return ride to Station South : Depart Victoria Baths @ 7.15pm

> Bikes + helmets available to borrow : contact Anna at community@stationsouth.co.uk to reserve your kit.

> Ride Booking : [LINK] 

Ride 3 : with Moston Cycling + Walking Group [Moston]

> Meet : FC United Football Ground

> Time : 3pm

> Distance : 5 miles / 8km

> Route: [LINK] : FC United Broadhurst Park – Hulme Hall Lane – Miles Platting – Ancoats – Mayfield Park – Oxford Rd – All Saints Park

> Ride Booking : [LINK] 

Ride 4 : with Al-Hilal Communities [Cheetham Hill]

> Meet : Evan’s Cycles, Cheetham Hill Retail Park

> Time : 3pm

> Distance : 2.3 miles / 3.7km

> Route: Cheetham Hill Road – Deansgate – City Centre – Oxford Road

> Ride Booking : [LINK] 

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>> Friendly Notice! If you book on but for whatever reason cannot make it, we would appreciate as much notice as possible so we can open the ride back up to others waiting. You can cancel your place directly via EventBrite. The rides are free to you [hooray!] but come with cost and planning from our end so we want to make sure all the places are taken and enjoyed.. Thank you!

>> All riders must cycle responsibly + take their own safety as well as others into account when making decisions on the road.

>> This ride is not suitable for beginners as we will be riding on roads, with traffic and in a tight group.

>> Please bring a spare inner tube just in case of a puncture, we have our very own mechanic amongst us so you won’t get left behind if you get a flat. Please make sure your bike is in a roadworthy condition before the ride.

>> Please make sure you are comfortable with the distance and route

>> Want to join the ride but don’t have a bike? We have you covered! With free access to the infamous Starling Bikes, you won’t get left behind. Get in touch with beepedalready@gmail.com to get your unique code.