Close to Wigan?

[Mythical]

Does anyone know if there's a CTC section in Wigan?

I've done the usual, and come up with Bolton, Bury, South Manchester, etc etc etc, but I'd have to ride there and back and at the moment, I'd still call South Manchester / Bury and back a reasonable ride without adding 6 hours once I get there. Bolton might be OK, but they don't have a website!

Wigan's own club appears to be more interested in racing/time trial, - Neither of which I can muster any enthusiasm for.
The club does seem to have a 'slower' group, which starts from alternating points and the only way of finding out where it's at any given week is to phone the chairman - and - no offence meant to anyone, but I'd really rather not be phoning people up!! Besides, from the figures on the website, the 'slower' group is 1-2mph faster than my usual average!

Secondly, are all cycling clubs as ancient as photos would testify to? I recieved a copy of Northern Wheel a few months ago - from the ages of the majority of the people in the pictures, I felt I should really be passing it on to my Grandparents!

[Karen Sutton]

There is no CTC Group in Wigan.

Bolton is not a very active section. This is why there is no website. They are an informal group within Manchester & District CTC. A few CTC members go out for short rides on an irregular basis, and the contact is Glyn Jones, who is listed in the Groups Section on this website. Glyn has been hoping someone will take over the Group and get it running on a more active basis, but nobody is prepared to take it on.

Most CTC members who want Group rides in the Bolton area ride with Bolton Clarion, which is probably why the CTC Group is virtually non existent. Bolton Cl;arion is affiliated to CTC.

post edited to include the following paragraphs:

You ask whether all CTC Groups are old. I'd say it varies. A lot of CTC Groups have members who were originally racing cyclists and still enjoy cycling but not racing, so they join a touring group.

To find younger riders you need to be looking at racing clubs, off road, and cycle speedway (well there is a cycle speedway club and track round here anyway.


South Manchester CTC are not all older members. They have a wide age range. Not many under thirty but a lot in their forties and early fifties, as well as those of more advanced years. However South Manchester CTC is a bit different from the other CTC groups in the Manchester and District area, and draws members from quite a much wider area. There are some who drive quite a distance to the start of the rides.

[eileithyia]

I can echo most of what Karen says. Also you do not have to ride into Bury/Bolton to pick up a club run if they are riding out into your direction negotiate meeting them somewhere en route; the 11's cafe stop perhaps?
Not all Wigan CC members are fast racing men but as Karen says older retired from racing men, might be worth checking them out for a slower ride.
Reohn on here is based at Culcheth so might be worth contacting.

Try phoning the contacts, if they object to being contacted then surely they would not be a contact with a phone number included.

Av speeds, do not worry about this, when in a group you naturally ride a little faster from the effect of being in a group sharing the pace etc.

Do you have Weds free? The mid week group loosely meets up at the stated venue for lunch and ride back home in different groups it was by going on these rides I met quite a few riders from the Warrington/Culcheth areas and we usually ride back as a group after the lunch stop.

[Karen Sutton]

I can echo most of what Karen says. Also you do not have to ride into Bury/Bolton to pick up a club run if they are riding out into your direction negotiate meeting them somewhere en route; the 11's cafe stop perhaps?
Not all Wigan CC members are fast racing men but as Karen says older retired from racing men, might be worth checking them out for a slower ride.
Reohn on here is based at Culcheth so might be worth contacting.

Try phoning the contacts, if they object to being contacted then surely they would not be a contact with a phone number included.

Av speeds, do not worry about this, when in a group you naturally ride a little faster from the effect of being in a group sharing the pace etc.

Do you have Weds free? The mid week group loosely meets up at the stated venue for lunch and ride back home in different groups it was by going on these rides I met quite a few riders from the Warrington/Culcheth areas and we usually ride back as a group after the lunch stop.

It should be noted however that the Wednesday Group is not a CTC group, nor is it affiliated to CTC. The only link to CTC is that most of the riders are CTC members. When I became Secretary of Manchester DA I was misled into thinking that many of the Cycling Groups who contribute to the magazine "Northern Wheel" (the publication from Manchester & District CTC) were all CTC Groups. In fact a lot of them were listed on the CTC website as CTC Groups. That has been corrected now though.