They say the revolution will not be televised — and in the case of the cycling revolution which is set to come to our streets, that couldn’t be truer.
For Greater Mancunians to embrace cycling, it means more and more of us switching to pedal power, for some journeys to start with. One man who knows this more than most is Neil Elkins.
The 46-year-old works at Manchester Bikes, on Chapel Street in Salford. Primarily, the firm rents out cargo bikes, which are slowly being picked up by delivery firms as an alternative for gas-guzzling vans.
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The shop also does bike repairs, and some sales. Over the last six-and-a-half years, it’s established itself as a staple in Salford’s cycling community.
So, what makes Neil’s wheels spin?
Where’s your favourite hidden gem?
Fan Boy Three, it’s a great little shop. I’m a big kid, I love board games and role playing games.
What’s your favourite view of the city or in the city?
It has to be on my commute into work, from up near Stalybridge, there’s a view from Matley Lane where you can look over the south side of the city, and you can see Manchester Airport. On a dark morning, you can see the runway lights, and it’s fantastic.
I love that view.
Do you cycle in?
I do. It’s a long way. The hills are alright coming in, because it’s all downhill, but on the way back it’s hard.
Where’s best to go for your dinner in town?
So many choices! A friend recently took me to a place called Little Aladdin, on the edge of the Northern quarter.
It’s really good in there, the guy inside is really friendly. The food is also really nice. I’m vegan, so I have defined vegan places.
Do you have other vegan favourites?
I used to love V-Revs before it closed, and there’s a new burger place near Affleck’s Palace called Vurger.
Where would you take someone to show them the real Manchester?
I honestly don’t know! Because I’m from down south, family tend to come up when there’s something on, like the Christmas Markets.
We tend to avoid taking them to places like Piccadilly Gardens, which we should be able to. I’ve been for eight years now, and I don’t know where the real Manchester is.
I lived here for a couple of years before that, in the mid-2000s. I lived in Eccles.
Has the city changed?
It’s changed massively. The city centre is really, really different for the better, in most places. And then there’s all this [development on Chapel Street], too.
What’s your favourite Mancunian neighbourhood?
I’ll have to say Salford, because it’s where I work and spend most of my time. A lot of our customers are locals, and they’re some of the nicest people you’ve ever met. You wouldn’t think it, but there are some really nice people in Salford!
What are the five words that best describe the city?
I guess the phrase everyone knows is ‘we do things differently here’. I think that fits quite well, and on some occasions, it fits a bit too well.
City or United?
I’m not a football fan — I grew up in south London where there are far too many football teams, and they all want to beat each other up.
Liam or Noel?
Can I say Damon Albarn? That reminds me, why is the festival called Parklife? That’s a Blur song!
What’s the one change you'd make to Manchester if you could…
That’s easy! Lots more cycling and walking infrastructure, to make it safer. Being a cyclist, and working with bikes, some of the infrastructure we have is not up to standard. It needs to be wider, and a lot more user-friendly.
What we have is a good start, but it could be expanded on a lot more.
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