Here are our rides in order of the fitness you’ll need. We don't always publish a route but, when we do, it may only be a day or so beforehand to take account of the weather. Icy roads mean cancelled rides, so please keep an eye on the events list/calendar.
Not sure which ride might suit you best? Just email us at hello@macclesfieldwheelers.org.uk. Can’t find what you’re looking for? We just love it when members suggest, plan and organise something different, such as our new-last-year weekly Beginners’ Training Ride and occasional Gravel Ride.
Want to bring your e-bike? That’s fine, except on our MTB Ride and these Training Rides. An e-bike will help you if you’re returning to fitness or have a medical condition. But please remember that it can be frustrating for the rest of us if you shoot up every hill and frustrating for you if we’re riding on the flat at more than 15.5 mph.
Before you come out with us on the road, please read these guidelines first. Before you join us off-road, please read these. If you are aged 12 - 17, your parent or guardian must read this before you come out with us. If you come out with us before becoming a member (and you are welcome to try us up to three times) please tell the ride leader about any medical conditions that you think we should know about.
As with all the rides, please check the calendar / events list to make sure they are being run, as some of these are seasonal / ad hoc.
Saturday Social Ride
Day Saturday, once a fortnight. Time 10:00. Meet Church House Inn, Macclesfield. Profile Flat. Miles 20. Pub After. Speed Leisurely. Contact Rachel. Email rachel.g@macclesfieldwheelers.org.uk
Proud to be the club’s slowest ride, this is ideal if you are just starting out or starting back, or new to riding in a group.
Beginners' Training Ride
Day Monday. Time 19:00. Meet Harrington Arms, Gawsworth. Profile Flat. Miles 20. Pub After. Speed 10 mph. Contact Brian. Email brian.e@macclesfieldwheelers.org.uk
This will suit you if you’ve been on a Saturday Social Ride and want to do a bit more, including getting used to riding more closely together in a group in the dark. Back in Gawsworth by 21:00. for optional refuelling in the pub.
Sunday Easy Ride
Day Sunday. Time 10:30 or 13:30. Meet Usually alternates between Broken Cross and Lindow Common, Wilmslow - please check events list each week. Profile Flattish. Miles 25-40. Cafe Halfway. Speed 12 mph. Contact John or Martin. Email John, Martin or Katherine at easy.@macclesfieldwheelers.org.uk
A very popular and sociable ride. We also run occasional longer and/or hillier rides, as well as weekends away.
Just A Ride
Day Tuesday. Time 18:30. Meet Cenotaph, Park Green. Profile Flat and hilly. Miles 20-30. Pub After. Speed 13-15 mph. Contact Alison. Email alison.f@macclesfieldwheelers.org.uk
Evening social ride, usually a hilly loop around the outskirts of Macclesfield.
Gravel Ride (ad hoc)
Day Sunday, biweekly. Time 10:00am. Meet Cenotaph, Park Green. Profile Flat and hilly. Miles Anywhere between 20 and 40. Cafe Halfway when possible. Speed Doesn’t matter. Contact Phil. Email phil.k@macclesfieldwheelers.org.uk
Picking out the bridleways and trails, details including route, terrain and difficulty will be posted on the website. Some rides will be flat and suitable for gravel/hybrid bikes, some will be hilly and best suited to mountain bikes. The pace will be set by the groups’ ability and fitness.
Wednesday Club Run
Day Wednesday. Time 10:00. Meet South Park. Profile Flat or hilly. Miles 50. Cafe Halfway. Speed 14-15 mph on flat ride. Contact Raph or Moray Email raph.m@macclesfieldwheelers.org.uk or moray.m@macclesfieldwheelers.org.uk
MTB Ride (ad-hoc)
Day Saturday. Time 13:00. Meet South Park. Profile Hilly. Miles 35. Cafe Halfway. Contact Matt. Email matt.l@macclesfieldwheelers.org.uk
You’ll need reasonably high standards of both fitness and technical skill for this ride, and a well maintained bike. Also no e-bikes as these tend to be too heavy to carry over obstacles, as we often have to do.
Saturday Club Run
Day Alternate Saturdays. Time 10:30. Meet South Park Car Park. Normally two groups; easier/shorter 40 miles and longer/ harder 50 to 60 miles Profile Flat or hilly. Cafe Halfway. Pub After. Speed 14 mph on flat ride, 11/12mph on a hilly one. Contact Rachel or Fred Email rachel.g@macclesfieldwheelers.org.uk fred.w@macclesfieldwheelers.org.uk
See club members facebook group for upcomeing Saturday Club Run News
Regarded by many as the heart of the club, we’ve been doing this one for 70 years.
Please check our club calendar to see if the club run is on for this week.
Steady Training Ride
Day Monday Time 18:30 Meet Broken Cross. Profile Flat. Miles 30. Speed 16-20 mph. Contact Fred. Email fred.w@macclesfieldwheelers.org.uk
Ideal if you are reasonably fit and want to get fitter.
Sunday Winter Training Ride
Day Most Sundays Oct to Mar. Time 09:15. Meet Town Hall. Profile Flat. Miles 50-60. Speed 18 mph. Contact Monica. Email monica.e@macclesfieldwheelers.org.uk
Different route each time with everyone taking turns at the front. Back in Macclesfield around 12:00.
Faster Training Ride - Winter
Day Tuesday. Time 19:15. Meet Broken Cross. Profile Flat. Miles 30. Speed 20-21 mph. Contact Matt. Email matt.l@macclesfieldwheelers.org.uk
90-minute loop on the Cheshire plain, finishing up Artists Lane.
Faster Training Ride - Summer
Day Thursday, Apr - Sept. Time: 19:00. Meet Broken Cross. Profile Flat. Miles 30. Speed 23-25 mph. Contact Simon. Email simon.h@macclesfieldwheelers.org.uk
Fast ride for race training. This is a drop ride (we don’t stop for mechanicals or ‘rider fatigue’, but we wait at junctions).
OTHER LOCAL RIDES
The following rides are not Macclesfield Wheelers rides and, while you will most likely find club members on each, Macclesfield Wheelers accepts no responsibility for them.
Chelford Chicks (women only)
Day Saturday. Time 10:00. Meet Chelford Island. Profile Flat or hilly. Miles 50-70. Cafe Halfway. Speed 13 mph. Contact Sue. Link www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=chelford%20chicks
Steady ride for women only.
AZ Wednesday Ride
Day Wednesday. Time 09:30. Meet Broken Cross. Profile Flat or hilly. Miles 35-80. Cafe Halfway. Speed: 13 mph. Contact Mike. Email gmmbobs@gmail.com
Easy paced morning or day out. Route usually decided on the day.
You can see some of the previous routes we’ve planned on our Ride With GPS pages. They’re not necessarily the routes we rode. That’s because we’re always trying to find lanes we haven’t been down before and just occasionally we find that they’re really more of a lumpy bridle path and, while we may incorporate a short known off-road section on purpose, sometimes the best option is just to turn round. Or maybe we simply go the wrong way because we’re too busy chatting to pay attention to our Garmins beeping at us.
Sat Club Run, Wed Club Run
Click here
Sunday Training Ride
Click here
Sunday Easy Ride
Click here
Just A Ride
Click here
Local authorities change road layouts from time to time, so you must not assume that you will always still be able to ride the exact route we planned (perhaps years ago). You must make your own decisions about the safety of your route on the day you ride it.
Cafés
Looking for a café to stop at? You’ll find this map website useful (it’s been created for cyclists by cyclists). We’ve probably tried most of the local ones.