Bolton Wanderers moved to Pikes Lane in 1881 and were paying £35 per year rent. The club started to hold a two day annual athletics festival, the first meeting was on 30th June and 7th July 1883, which included a two miles bicycle handicap race for £6, the race was run under AAA rules. The other bicycle events were a one mile handicap and a two miles scratch race.
The Bolton Wanders' annual sports were held for ten years and always included bicycle races, entertainment was sometimes provided, in 1891 professor Baldwin made parachute descents each day at the ground. The sports were very popular, in 1892 the attendance was 8,000.
At the Bolton Wanderers sports on 23rd and 30th July 1887 there was a two miles bicycle handicap race, first prize was a carved cabinet with ormolu mounts, filled with cut glass spirit decanters and drawers for cigars and cigarettes- value £10.
The Druids sports continued through the 1880s but there was no further bicycle racing at their meetings. Their sports featured professional running with betting freely taking place. There was a court case in 1883 involving damage to property after a mob from the Druids sports pursued one of the professional runners, accusing him of deliberately losing a race.
The last bicycle racing at Pikes Lane was at the 1893 Bolton Wanderers sports, there was an attendance of 7,000 people to watch the one mile novices and two miles handicap bicycle races.
The Pikes Lane ground was overlooked by a farmer's field, which gave a good view of the pitch. The farmer sometimes allowed spectators onto the field, charging them half of Bolton Wanders' admission charge. Bolton Wanderers left Pikes Lane in 1895 and moved to Burnden Park, the ground closed shortly after. The ground was developed for housing around the area now called Oriel Street.
