Reliability Rides - anyone else do them?

TonyJams

Its that time of year! Does anyone else roll up to their local reliability with great expectations and then rudely discover just how unfit they are?

I'm surprised how many people haven't heard of them before, let alone done them. We are lucky we have got a few good ones round here (not so much choice if you live in Scotland sadly)

There's a list here if you want to try one for the first time, they are generally held in Winter, and cost a fiver. After Easter these things tend to get called sportives and the price multiplies considerably!

http://bikesy.co.uk/features/rides/uk-r ... mate-list/

ugo.santalucia

They are a nice way to stay fit and an alternative to Audax with fewer hassles (validation etc.). Some are absolutely great, with lavish provision of food, others more basic.

thistle_

I did two last year - up until then I hadn't heard about them.
The first one I didn't enjoy it, mainly because most of the other riders were idiots but the route was mostly nice.
The second one was much better - lovely route, I was on my own for the whole thing and tea/cakes at the end.

Not sure if I'm doing any this year - the local ones clash with other events.

joe_totale-2

I'm a fan of the Reliability Ride. Doing Flanders in April so they'll be necessary if I want to ride well in Flanders. I'll be riding the Old Portlians one.

Got Hell of the Ashdown and a couple of 200km audaxes, Gently Bentley and the Willy Warmer in the diary as well.

TonyJams

For some reason I think I used to ride the Hell of the Ashdown route for £2.50. Pretty sure it used to be a reliability back in the old days, probably starting from Green Street Green but my memory fails me.
Great route btw, especially up The Wall!

thegreatdivide

TonyJams wrote:

Its that time of year! Does anyone else roll up to their local reliability with great expectations and then rudely discover just how unfit they are?

I'm surprised how many people haven't heard of them before, let alone done them. We are lucky we have got a few good ones round here (not so much choice if you live in Scotland sadly)

There's a list here if you want to try one for the first time, they are generally held in Winter, and cost a fiver. After Easter these things tend to get called sportives and the price multiplies considerably!

http://bikesy.co.uk/features/rides/uk-r ... mate-list/

Pretty much every established cycling club in Scotland does one. There are at least a dozen in the Fife, Tayside, Angus, Perthshire region alone - they're just not on that website.

They're mostly full of ageing club members in tatty overshoes who will happily patronise you at the drop of a bottle, or Cat 4 nobbers in the steady group (too scared to go in the big boys group) who're off the front after three miles, never to be seen again. I can't be ar$ed with them anymore.

big_harv

Ha , there's a reliability "season" from Jan into March around Colchester, Ipswich, West Suffolk. They've been running for decades on the same routes. My experiences were good, everyone pitches in to help and everyone has a good laugh.

As mentioned above, once you're into April the price quadruples and people expect timing chips etc.

Edit: I'm writing in the past tense sadly. My cycling these past 4/5 years has been curtailed somewhat. :oops:

TonyJams

thegreatdivide wrote:

TonyJams wrote:

Its that time of year! Does anyone else roll up to their local reliability with great expectations and then rudely discover just how unfit they are?

I'm surprised how many people haven't heard of them before, let alone done them. We are lucky we have got a few good ones round here (not so much choice if you live in Scotland sadly)

There's a list here if you want to try one for the first time, they are generally held in Winter, and cost a fiver. After Easter these things tend to get called sportives and the price multiplies considerably!

http://bikesy.co.uk/features/rides/uk-r ... mate-list/

Pretty much every established cycling club in Scotland does one. There are at least a dozen in the Fife, Tayside, Angus, Perthshire region alone - they're just not on that website.

They're mostly full of ageing club members in tatty overshoes who will happily patronise you at the drop of a bottle, or Cat 4 nobbers in the steady group (too scared to go in the big boys group) who're off the front after three miles, never to be seen again. I can't be ar$ed with them anymore.

Blimey, that sounds a bit grim, and probably why they aren't on that list!
What a way to put newer riders off

jgsi

Full programme for riders : Cheshire/Staffs/ Shrops
https://shropshirecca.uk/shropshire-rel ... amme-2019/

Bridgenorth on the 20th , if you think you are hard enough lol I aint doing it.

supermurph09

The Big Red Ride starting near Mansfield is a full gas reliability ride, 60 miles, it's pretty much a race (although people say that quietly). It was cancelled last year due to ice, the year before it was ran in freezing cold temps and torrential rain from about 10 miles. Hands down the most I've suffered on a bike. There were some mentally broken people at the end of it. Looking forward to this years

I did a blog post:
https://harderfasterlonger.wordpress.co ... emotional/

TonyJams

JGSI wrote:

Full programme for riders : Cheshire/Staffs/ Shrops
https://shropshirecca.uk/shropshire-rel ... amme-2019/

Bridgenorth on the 20th , if you think you are hard enough lol I aint doing it.

How far is it? Trying to see distances on that page but there don't seem to be any

hairy_boy

Doing my first RR a week Sunday (20th January) - there is a series of 8 locally (bundled as the Yorkshire 'Hateful Eight' !) so will try and a do a few.

https://ridethestruggle.com/blogs/strug ... rides-2019

thistle_

TonyJams wrote:

JGSI wrote:

Full programme for riders : Cheshire/Staffs/ Shrops
https://shropshirecca.uk/shropshire-rel ... amme-2019/

Bridgenorth on the 20th , if you think you are hard enough lol I aint doing it.

How far is it? Trying to see distances on that page but there don't seem to be any

https://bridgnorthcyclingclub.com/2018/ ... rial-2019/

Can't find details for the one in January :roll:

jgsi

Twitter is probably better for SCCA events.

simon_e

Yep, SCCA Twitter is the best source for events and updates in the Shire - http://twitter.com/shropshirecca

West Midlands events calendar (includes SCCA series), some have links to routes:
https://www.procyclinguk.com/west-midla ... ides-2019/

Mid Shropshire Wheelers' 48 & 59 mile routes are the same as previous years, details are on midshropshirewheelers.com/2018-reliability-trial/
We usually see 80 or more along, from easy-going social riders to properly quick road race lads looking to get good workout. It's very civilised and sociable.

20th January is CC Bridgnorth, their Facebook page has a pic that says 57 & 32 miles. Is Bridgnorth too big for one cycling club now?

pamplemoose

Hairy Boy wrote:

Doing my first RR a week Sunday (20th January) - there is a series of 8 locally (bundled as the Yorkshire 'Hateful Eight' !) so will try and a do a few.

https://road.cc/content/event/234838-ot ... ide-series

I'll be doing most of these as well. Certainly the Alba Rosa one as that's my club!

Wayne Plunger

JGSI wrote:

Full programme for riders : Cheshire/Staffs/ Shrops
https://shropshirecca.uk/shropshire-rel ... amme-2019/

Bridgenorth on the 20th , if you think you are hard enough lol I aint doing it.

Must admit new to me also. Do you have to be affiliated to one of the club's or can you just turn up, pay your money and take your chance?

gethinceri

Down Cardiff way it's pay next to nothing for an entry, turn up in time, ride it, have a brew and a chinny, go home.

jgsi

Wayne Plunger wrote:

JGSI wrote:

Full programme for riders : Cheshire/Staffs/ Shrops
https://shropshirecca.uk/shropshire-rel ... amme-2019/

Bridgenorth on the 20th , if you think you are hard enough lol I aint doing it.

Must admit new to me also. Do you have to be affiliated to one of the club's or can you just turn up, pay your money and take your chance?

Turn up and pay 'at the door'. The SCCA ones with a fast group - is just that - fast. It will contain good riders.
I used to be able to hang on, not nowadays - medium group , even though that gets tasty at times.

TonyJams

Loving hearing about other people's experiences with these rides. Glad to hear everyone else seems to suffer as much as I do when I find myself in an overly ambitious group too!!!

tlw1

thistle (MBNW) wrote:

I did two last year - up until then I hadn't heard about them.
The first one I didn't enjoy it, mainly because most of the other riders were idiots but the route was mostly nice.
The second one was much better - lovely route, I was on my own for the whole thing and tea/cakes at the end.

Not sure if I'm doing any this year - the local ones clash with other events.

Missed the tea and cakes

k3vinjam3s

Any in the north east? None showing up on the map.

cycleclinic

I do them and love doing them

chippyk

thegreatdivide wrote:

TonyJams wrote:

Its that time of year! Does anyone else roll up to their local reliability with great expectations and then rudely discover just how unfit they are?

I'm surprised how many people haven't heard of them before, let alone done them. We are lucky we have got a few good ones round here (not so much choice if you live in Scotland sadly)

There's a list here if you want to try one for the first time, they are generally held in Winter, and cost a fiver. After Easter these things tend to get called sportives and the price multiplies considerably!

http://bikesy.co.uk/features/rides/uk-r ... mate-list/

Pretty much every established cycling club in Scotland does one. There are at least a dozen in the Fife, Tayside, Angus, Perthshire region alone - they're just not on that website.

They're mostly full of ageing club members in tatty overshoes who will happily patronise you at the drop of a bottle, or Cat 4 nobbers in the steady group (too scared to go in the big boys group) who're off the front after three miles, never to be seen again. I can't be ar$ed with them anymore.

Got to love the old boys, faded club kit from 1988, bib tights with loops on the bottom, steel frame, down tube shifters with a full sized pump in frame on the seat tube, straight through block, carradice saddle bag, moaning like fuck about no mudguards when the weathermen are issuing extreme heat warnings. Jumpers for goalposts?

We need a Brexit harder then diamond to bring this back, the EU with their Chinese carbon frames and fancy Dan Italian modern fabrics have ruined cycling.

jgsi

So glad I didnt do Bridgenorth this morning, despite 2 of my club taking part.
58 miles
2:40:00
21.5mph
and that was the B ride.
Not so many 'ageing' clubbies.

tlw1

JGSI wrote:

So glad I didnt do Bridgenorth this morning, despite 2 of my club taking part.
58 miles
2:40:00
21.5mph
and that was the B ride.
Not so many 'ageing' clubbies.

Jesus - not flat round there either

jgsi

TLW1 wrote:

JGSI wrote:

So glad I didnt do Bridgenorth this morning, despite 2 of my club taking part.
58 miles
2:40:00
21.5mph
and that was the B ride.
Not so many 'ageing' clubbies.

Jesus - not flat round there either

Just to clarify, I am supposed to be racing again this season but another year on the clock and I'd have been destroyed even just hanging onto to wheels.
Plan B is to venture out at Market Drayton on the 3td Feb. Slightly friendlier parcours and other 'speed' groups available.
https://www.facebook.com/events/287287368809097/

tlw1

JGSI wrote:

TLW1 wrote:

JGSI wrote:

So glad I didnt do Bridgenorth this morning, despite 2 of my club taking part.
58 miles
2:40:00
21.5mph
and that was the B ride.
Not so many 'ageing' clubbies.

Jesus - not flat round there either

Just to clarify, I am supposed to be racing again this season but another year on the clock and I'd have been destroyed even just hanging onto to wheels.
Plan B is to venture out at Market Drayton on the 3td Feb. Slightly friendlier parcours and other 'speed' groups available.
https://www.facebook.com/events/287287368809097/

Should really go to that one as I used to ride with then