Manchester is a city somewhere in the middle of England, two hours from the airport in Warsaw or two hours from the railway station in London. From time to time the sun shines there, but for the remaining 360 days a year it is rather poor - foggy and wet. During the 5 days spent on the site, the weather was good in one, which, as locals claim, used up the limit for the whole spring - another somewhere around June. If anyone counts on the fact that the British capital of cycling is a place for cyclists, he is seriously wrong. I saw 3 of the roadways, one of them in the LEGIA T-shirt. The rest probably goes by train to the surrounding hills, which are definitely more charming than the urban areas (Guglie: Peak District). If we got stuck in a city without a bicycle and running along the sewers, we got slightly bored, I recommend visiting one of the following three places. I have not found any of them using the phrase "must-see places in Manchester" (there are, as usual, galleries, museums, cathedrals, parks and a few nice districts - you can easily go on a day with a tram + bus). I recommend civilian places a run after dark MediaCityUK and a walk around the city center.

Velodrom, or the National Cycling Center

home of british cycling - the only place where locals go in the right direction

Transport to the velodrome is a bit easier than in the case of Pruszków. We go simply by tram or bus to the stop called Velopark (daily ticket for a 5 pound tram, tram + bus 6.70 pounds). Of course, except for the moments in which the local team plays at the neighboring Etihad stadium (Manchester is, however, you do not look at it, the city of football, I suggest to learn the difference between Manchester City and Manchester United before departure - the mistake can be as painful as mistaking Warsaw Legia with Polonia). What connects the National Cycling Center with BGŻ Arena is the fact that even when I get off at the Velodrom stop, I find myself 300 meters in a straight line from him, I do not know where he is. Around the stadiums, dopier a small arrow on the fence directs me behind the hypermarket, which covers my target object.

Let's be honest, it does not look impressive from the outside. There is a cycling cafe, a well-stocked Evans Cycles, two halls: bmx and track, and the British Cycling headquarters. In the middle of the track, it does not particularly stand out. I would even say that it looks much worse than our native one. A large and empty corridor, a bored lady at the reception desk and a lot of doors. I have been there three times and to this day I do not know how to get to the stands in a different way than using the elevator with the word "disabled only". The devil, however, is in the details ....

At the entrance, we are greeted by the classic, motivational Paulo Kolejo on the ceiling (similar to the one that will appear in the Rapha Cafe changing rooms, about which later):

The Manchester facility is the most crowded cycling track in the world. Used 7 days a week, 14 hours a day. From advanced training of 9-year-olds to the elite of British cycling. They are reminded of ubiquitous images and images of heroes in the style of Cavendish, Wiggins or Victoria Pendleton. If we plan to spontaneously choose it, it's nothing. For amateurs, it is available in very small hours and not necessarily beneficial for the working people. Most of the time they take organized training, TEAM GB and cycling clubs. Importantly, amateur sessions last only one hour, so without an online reservation and a specially tailored day plan you can forget about driving - I did not succeed. There is of course everything on the spot: bikes (only black and white Dolans, in sizes from Tyrion Lannister, to Shaquille O'neala), helmets and shoes.

Around the track there are some attractions that at times resemble a museum of cycling. They are not somehow beautifully exposed, but in a fit of boredom is where to go. Alternatively, you can look at training on Wattbikes (such spinnig), which are placed on the stands. While riding on the track, you can watch how others practice in the place. To this in the middle of an eternally occupied pitch, which depending on the time transforms between parquet to hand / volleyball / badminton.

The British take care of the style - between dozens of rolls and an array of cycling ads I buy / sell (great idea) we find the basic rules: a helmet without a visor and a minimum of two layers of clothes, so as not to soak the track.

Going deeper into the depths of the buildings, we find some interesting rooms, which we probably will not be able to enter ... unless we wind up properly behind the cleaner. I will immediately suggest that both the SKY team rooms, the British Cycling office and pharmacistically sounding Performance Support Center are simply offices, with posters, photos, t-shirts, but offices. Bearing in mind the technical facilities of the team and taking into account the fact that its annual budget approaches the area 30 million pounds I'm sure that the real armory is hidden somewhere in the basements.

On the other side of the building there is something much more interesting - something with the "wow!" Effect. Indoor BMX track. For a small amount of money (the table of fees is hard, because it has a basic position: from birthday party to individual sessions with trainer, depends on age and whether we are from Manchester, depending on the time, class etc.) we can pump on on small bikes . When I write "minor" I mean around 3 pounds. This is really cool! Even watching is very pleasant - especially when it comes to training kids who look like kindergarten and pedals in fullface. When I leave, I notice that on Saturdays classes are held on "balance bikes", i.e. tup-like for 2-5 year olds. Children run along the entire route except for the starter ramps - no wow. Little? A bit further, behind the hall there is an MTB exercise park. Singles, bands, artificial obstacles, everything stuck intensely on a small surface - I regret that I do not have a step with me. There, of course, we can also hire a trainer.

A moment is enough on the velodrome to understand why Great Britain is a powerhouse in track cycling. Bumping in at any time, we can almost be sure that we will find some juniors exercising specific racing elements under the supervision of several trainers. Everything thought out and sense. 

Oh, the cost of building a track is about 10 million pounds. The construction cost of Pruszkow was about PLN 100 million, and in fact, ours is nicer. What! Stand us :)

Rapha Cycle Club

socks for a hundred-fold, three-nozzle ride

It was a bit of riding, it's time to look. Rapha is the equivalent of Appla. Everyone laughs at their products and prices, then they buy a product and laugh at those who do not have it, explaining that it is the best in the world (it's a joke, of course ... half joke ... well, let's say a quarter joke). In the world, they have 10 stores / cafes / clubs, as he called it: in London, Sydney, Tokyo, San Francisco, New York ... and, as it turns out, also in Manchester. It would be a sin not to look. I manage it only on Thursday, because on other days it is open from 10 to 18.

From the outside, as befits a company famous for minimalism, a small logo, no ads, almost empty, closed premises downstairs in which through the glass you can see Pinarello and B'twin and several water bottles. If I did not know the brand, in my life I would not guess that something cool is there. A quick look behind the door fortunately confirms my belief that it must be good there. On the wall, frames from Rapha films, stairs named after another, cult pass. Well, stairs - if I was with a bicycle, I would definitely weep.

At the top a pretty, cycling cafe, with affordable prices - 2 pounds of biscuits, 4 sandwiches, 6 salads, coffee in the area 2. For info about the upcoming group ride, 6 pounds - WTF ?! Somewhere on the side, the SKY team t-shirt was signed by the entire first team, some older photos, magazines and a small TV with the transmission of the race. There is no piston.

Turning 180 degrees and showing what I came for: things that I can not afford. A few nice books, t-shirts for 100 pounds, skins for 20, a small travel bag for 500, jeans for 200. I buy a Citroen miniature for souvenir and run out of course touching each item individually, to experience some luxury. There is a phenomenon of diffusion between us, I leave some commonness in products, they are a bit richer in me. I am ready to go further. It seemed to me at least.

The Bike Rooms

i.e. socks for the tip, however, were an opportunity

On the street next to me, I see a dream building. The little boy drags his dad to the figure just before the window, doing window-shopping (pictured above, left bottom corner). I can not avoid the place he called "The bike rooms", especially if accompanied by the logos of the Italian Pinarello and the Swiss Assos. "Holy shit!" I cursed deep inside me in Maciek, because the crowds on the street were disputes - I was heading for Evans, and here is the discovery. I spent hours browsing the city map in search of a good cycling store, and I did not find it. I go there, regardless of the fact that the neighboring place is the Scientologist's church and this can not be an accident.

It's cool inside. If I did not know companies I would think that the store like any other, only the goods less. Somewhere in the distance the whole wall of Assos' clothes, before them a few hangers with "promotions" and some original, old-school clothes straight from L'Eroica. If you ask the Raphy clothing owner what are the best, he will say 100% that Rapha. It's the same with Assos. With my untrained eyes, the Swiss are trying to position their products more as technological, while the English competitor focuses a little more on the form. Of course, which bibs are better, probably only the princely backside can objectively evaluate. For me, even Decathlon and its top models are more than cool.

Returning, however, to the theme of the "ordinary store", from the error leads to the first, a better label with the price, or a badge with promotion. At the entrance into the eyes, Dogma shoots a discount from 9,600 pounds to 8,640, because this is a model from 2 years ago. It was neither the most expensive nor the best discounted in this store - for example, the previous model, with a slightly higher starting price dropped by 30%. So I go upstairs, I watch bikes - there are about 30 of them, road bikes themselves. From sports to lajfstajlowe, or as it is said now ... in any case colorful, in different patterns, funny signs. All of course, decorated with photos of the SKY team, autographs for this a few limited frames in the style of Wiggio Tribute, in a word: grazing.

It seems to me at least to the point where the salesperson approaches me, seeing that I'm making a lot of photos suspiciously. In this situation, I always try to smuggle information that I am a reporter and I am just doing the material - it opens many doors and access to new information. I recommend this way. Of course, a moment earlier I stop using the LCD display on the camera and switch to the viewfinder - I am even more pro;) Anyway, it quickly reminds me that I am on the floor where the cash register is mainly located, and the main store is located on the floor below. As Janice used to say from "Przyjaciół": OH MY GOD.

At the bottom is the same, only 10 times more. Time, highlanders, city, pass, roads, not-known-what, more clothes, shoes, helmets, suitcases, in general: everything. 

Generally, everything on which the inscription Pinarello or Assos (or Giordana) can fit, because here and there it also scrolls. To visit obligatory. To look and see to see what a bicycle show can look like.

Evans Cycles

that is the first time I leave the big bicycle shop bored

To tell the truth, the main purpose of my trip was to visit Evans Cycles to find my bike shoes. There are several Evans: in the center, at the covered ski slope, at a velodrome, somewhere in the city ... I visited 3 of them, I did not buy anything. The weight of the equipment, some promotions (despite this, prices are still higher than in Poland, but 200 pounds spent on shoes sounds better than PLN 1000). Just what - I do not enjoy that eye anymore after what I've seen before ... Even S-Worksy's 5k become so boring and common. Shopping is definitely not that way.

 (I've moved one slider too far in this photo;))