More than 150 cyclists took to the roads of Manchester for a celebration of bike life.

The gathering, which takes place in the city centre on the last Friday of every month, is an ode to the mighty bicycle.

Dubbed a ‘Critical Mass’, the event is also held in other cities across the globe.

Cyclist and participant Nick Hubble, 44, of Prestwich, said: “This takes place in countless cities around the world every month.

“It’s not a campaign or a protest - it’s just a celebration of bicycles and all human powered transport - skateboarders and scooter riders take part too.

“It’s an opportunity to come together for an hour and reclaim the streets in a positive way,”

The route is decided ‘on the fly’, with no designated organisation or leader taking charge.

Nick added: “It’s about imagining what Manchester would look like if everyone rode bikes instead of driving cars.

“I take part every time if I’m able. There is always a really nice atmosphere, really welcoming.

“It’s great to meet up with people who enjoy cycling.”

Critical Mass achieved its international name following the first ever ride in San Francisco back in 1992, where it was christened ‘Commute Clot’.

It was then noted that, in China both motorists and cyclists had an understood method of negotiating intersections without signals. Traffic would ‘bunch up’ at these intersections until the back log reached a ‘critical mass’ at which point that mass would move through the intersection.