I Bike MCR is a grassroots festival organised voluntarily by a group of cyclists in Manchester, UK that want to promote cycling and bike related activities no matter how crazy they seem, such as Bicycle Polo.
They aim to promote cycling in Manchester and also introduce new bike sports and events to cyclists and to share our skills and experiences with cyclists that might not have had the opportunity to try something before e.g. bicycle polo or alleycat racing.
–Friday 4th April–
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=10032456724
Midnight Ride to Formby
Sunrise swim. Meet at The Sandbar at Quarter to Midnight to ride. Bring good lights, food, towel, swimming stuff, warm clothes, bike etc.
It’s about 40 miles and as its a night ride we’ll take to the road which we should have more or less to ourselves. A few stop offs for some light refreshment is likely.
“An adventure by moonlight. We’ll ride thorugh mostly traffic free country lanes, settling into groups to ride with people going at a similar pace. Stopping off now and again for a swig of something to warm us up. Flying through little villages, past dark fields, under a blanket of stars and a black sky dotted with bats…we’ll feel tired and wonder why we’re not in our beds at times and we’ll never get that nights sleep back. But it’ll be worth it. And as we ride into the sunrise and towards the shore of Formby where our cheerleaders, the red squirrels, will meet us..we’ll be glad we did it….even if it rains the whole way!!!”
–Saturday 5th April–
Bicycle Polo class
1pm Platt Fields Park
The MCR Dropouts bicycle polo team will teach you how to play the sport and help you get a team together for the tournament.
–Sunday 6th April–
1pm The Pankhurst Centre
Ladies Day
Clitical Mass Ladies Bike ride to Reclaim the roads and feel confident by riding together (and to socialise!)…with a talk about the history of cycling and women and a ladies only bike maintenance class.
–Friday 11th April–
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=22597226472
Hell Of the North West III
A fast ride around our city. Get to the checkpoints get back.
Alley Kitten Race- As above but on kids bikes or shoppers!
To participate in this event please register ASAP by emailing cantgoslo@gmail.com
Followed by party at The Sandbar, everyone welcome (whether participating in the alley cat/kitten or not). With DJs and a chance to hang out/socialise with MCR bike
community.
–Saturday 12th April–
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=12227197436
2pm Bicycle Art Parade
Meet at Cathedral Gardens next to Victoria station on Saturday 12th April at 2pm for a nice picnic in the park and to admire each others fancily decorated steeds and
riders (bring some nice picnic food and drink)..also if you don’t get chance to bling your bike before you come, there will be opportunity and materials to do it there…
Also there as part of the Autonomous Spaces Event will be Folk bands, a soundsystem, magic tricks, street theatre and art session! then we shall ride around the city showing off how great our blinged-up bikes look..
–Sunday 13th April–
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=9591312073
Beer Ride
Meet at Noon at Cathedral Gardens, next to Victoria train station for a ride into the peaks with a few stops at some nice country pubs.
We won’t be cycling uber fast but it is quite a distance (obviously people can drop off whenever they like). We will give everyone points to cycle to together and so
the faster ones get to the pubs first and wait for the others (which might slow them down on the next leg!)
Be prepared to ride about 30-40 miles at a steady pace. We hope to be back in MCR by the evening.
–Saturday 19th April–
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=22520893208
Yo Fixie III
2pm outside The Sandbar
An event for fixed gear riders. With comps inc: Track Stand, Track Skid, Sprint and more.
To participate in this event please register ASAP by emailing cantgoslo@gmail.com
The Sandbar have very kindly agreed to putting on an amazing “street party” type thing at the back of the bar, with a dj and outdoor bar, during the Yo Fixie event so even if you haven’t got a fixed wheel bike you can come down and watch the others and socialise with other bike lovers.
–Sunday 20th April–
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=9971607739
Bicycle Polo Tournament
1pm Platt Fields Park
Teams from around the UK compete to win the I Bike MCR Polo Tournament with a game of bicycle tag at half time that’s open to everyone to join in…so whether you’re a polo player or not come down with your bike and have a go..
ace prizes to be won!!
If you want to play with your team REGISTER ASAP at info@ibikemcr.org.uk
If you want to start your own team to play in the tournament but want some tips come to practise on Saturday 5th April, Bicycle Polo class, 1pm Platt Fields Park
–Friday 25th April–
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=14320240405
Critical Mass Bike ride
6pm Central Library
Followed by End of I Bike MCR Festival Party
(everyone invited!!!):
8pm – 2am Aqua Bar, Albion Street, MCR
With…
Bands: Cash for Your Stories, The Autonomads, The Kirkz and Hail Brethren
DJ’s from Pick Your Own and Longshot play Dub, reggae, ska, dubstep, disco etc
AND the Rollapaluza guys roll up to put on a Roller Race!!!
Roller Race- The final heats will be amazing short races after competitors have set their qualifying times. “It’s a drama – the gritting of teeth and twisting of faces,
as riders give everything in those 20-something seconds of each race. Only opera could portray the intensity and drama.” (Therese Bjorn, www.londonmessengers.org)
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I Bike MCR Festival from Friday 28th March to Friday 25th April 2008
Email: info@ibikemcr.org.uk
Web: http://www.ibikemcr.org.uk/festival.htm