Rapha Rides Manchester

Sara Jaspan, Exhibitions Editor
Courtesy of Rapha

Rapha Rides Manchester at Rapha Clubhouse Manchester, City Centre 7 — 10 September 2017 Entrance is free — Visit now

Whether you’re a cycling fanatic with rock-hard quadriceps, or don’t even own a bike (let alone dare mount a Mobike), Rapha Rides Manchester will have something for you – and the family. The free, four-day festival in September is a chance to rediscover the city and its surroundings through cycling, and get more involved in the glorious sport (or simply have some fun).

The packed line-up includes a range of guided group cycle rides around Manchester’s lesser known streets, canals and countryside, tailored to a mix of ages and abilities. Plus: talks and events with cycling world champions and local legends, an exclusive film screening about the city’s connection to the sport, visual art displays, photography, valuable lessons in roadside repairs and bike maintenance, yoga, a 60-second ‘Zwift Sprint Challenge’, and plenty more.

The festival is only the third of its kind to take place in Europe, organised by the cycling-lifestyle brand, Rapha, and will be based at the Rapha Clubhouse Manchester, just off St. Anne’s Square. Open to all, the Clubhouse features a stylish cycle-wear store (where you’ll be able to get a 20% discount throughout the festival), café (serving excellent coffee and food to keep you going!), exhibition space, and bike repairs workshop. It also hosts a year-round programme of cycling related events and group rides.

Cycling is, after all, a cheap, quick and environmentally-friendly way of traversing our rather flat city – not to mention being good for you. Perhaps celebrating and championing the activity is something we should do more of. As Rapha says, see you on the road.

Rapha Rides Manchester at Rapha Clubhouse Manchester, City Centre 7 — 10 September 2017 Entrance is free Visit now

Where to go near Rapha Rides Manchester

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King Street Manchester

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Enxaneta is a fine dining experience at Tast Cuina Catalana on King Street, Manchester. It’s based on the second floor of the acclaimed Catalan restaurant and features two new tasting menus in an intimate 16 cover space.

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The Royal Exchange is one of the most celebrated theatres in the country, highly regarded for both new writing and its take on the classics.

Mr Thomas’s Chop House
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Mr Thomas’s Chop House

Mr Thomas’s Chop House first opened as a public house in 1870. It has beautiful arches and Victorian tiling, does classic British cooking and has an excellent wine list.

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Bite-size basement dive alternating techno-house and indie nights, this stalwart of the Manchester music scene can be found just off Deansgate, next door to St Ann’s Square.

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This wonderful Italian restaurant might look a bit retro from the outside, but on the inside, Salvi’s Cucina serves up some of the most authentic ingredients going.

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