For the second consecutive year, Bee Pedal Ready and Station South are teaming up to bring glowing wheeling women to the dark streets and parks of Manchester with the event Lights Up, encore!
This initiative aims to raise awareness about the significant drop in the number of women cycling during the darker winter months, which is often due to various barriers. The organisers are determined to change this.
They are offering ‘feeder rides’ to and from the city, where participants will ride together to meet a diverse group of amazing women of all ages at All Saints Park, forming the ‘main ride.’
The main ‘bike disco’ ride will navigate across the city as a collective before heading south through three different parks—areas that are often avoided on wintry evenings—before arriving at the stunning Victoria Baths for refreshments, hot food, and a bike party!
To ensure that participants are well illuminated throughout the ride, the organisers will provide pannier bags filled with wheel lights—available for free to women joining the feeder rides and to the first 50 who arrive at the main ride.
All types of bikes are welcome, but they must not exceed a maximum width of 110 cm (1.1 m) due to bollards along the route.
Anyone with questions or those interested in organising their own feeder ride are encouraged to contact Anna and Bee at rides4womenmcr@gmail.com.
Additionally, experienced cyclists, ride leaders, or bike mechanics who would like to help marshal the main ride are invited to get in touch.
Participants can find the rides listed below and choose the one that suits them best or feel free to meet in town.
The event is proudly partnering with the the School of Digital Arts, We Are Cycling UK, MCRActive, TfGM, and Starling Bikes to create this official event for the European Capital of Cycling.
