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{"ID":1794,"SpaceID":7,"PageID":13,"HasCommentsThread":false,"SeoTags":{"OpenGraphTags":[{"ID":"og:title","Name":"Reliabilty Trial"},{"ID":"og:type","Name":"website"},{"ID":"og:url","Name":"https://www.southborough-wheelers.co.uk/Cms/Spaces/CLUBRIDES/Reliabilty+Trial"}],"NonOpenGraphTags":[]},"Path":"Reliabilty+Trial","Title":"Reliabilty Trial","Author":{"ID":10,"Name":"Keith Henderson","CompanyName":null,"HasEmail":true},"Version":14,"IsDraft":false,"IsOldVersion":false,"PublicationDate":"20/02/2026 13:31","VersionDescription":"v14 - Keith Henderson","HideHeader":true,"IsFullWidth":false,"ThemeCode":null,"BackgroundColour":null,"JumpLinks":[],"Blocks":[{"Columns":[{"Width":12,"WidthClasses":"col-md-12 col-sm-12 col-xs-12","Elements":[{"ID":4219,"Type":"HTML","Content":"\u003cdiv class=\u0022content-area\u0022\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch1\u003eR\u003cstrong\u003eeliability Trials\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0022font-size: 20px;\u0022\u003eReliability trials explained\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0022font-size: 16px;\u0022\u003eHistoric events dating back to the early 20th century when cycling equipment was less reliable and roads were poorly sign-posted. The objective is for riders to be self-sufficient and able to navigate a route in a predefined time. Reliability trials generally take place during the winter months and are great fun, social events as well as a way to retain fitness. \u003c/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0022font-size: 20px;\u0022\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe reliability trial is an interclub competitive event. Each club member receives points for completing the course in a specified time. The club with the greatest number of points wins. Whilst it is a competitive event, it\u0027s an event that encourages group participation and generally the club with the most entrants wins.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn times gone by riders didn\u0027t have the benefit of GPS and puncture resistant tyres, yet riders today still get lost and miss the finishing time due to flat tyres and mechanical failures!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\u0022https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reliability_trial\u0022\u003eWikipedia Page Link\u003c/a\u003e for more info.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eK\u003cspan style=\u0022font-size: 20px;\u0022\u003eey elements of a reliability trial\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003eRiders indicate when entering the event what time they intend to complete the course in.\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eThere is no mechanical backup, riders should be self sufficient and be able to repair their bike if necessary.\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eThere is no signage, however there are printed instructions and a map of the route is made available before the start.\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eRiders must carry a card which is stamped at various checkpoints.\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eRiders collect points for their clubs. More points are awarded for longer distances and faster times.\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eThe ESCA event carries the additional constraint that riders must not finish more then 10 minutes before their allotted time (however, this normally results in groups of riders waiting up the road!)\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003eEntry fees are around £3 or £4 (the Southborough event is free!)\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0022font-size: 20px;\u0022\u003eSDW Les Hayman Reliability Trial\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Southborough RT is a traditional for club members to participate in and is a great social event. Held in March, it\u0027s another opportunity to get out for some decent mileage to beat the cold. The route is 62 miles/100 KM and is the same each year. Time categories are 3h15m, 3h45m and 4h15m. It\u0027s worth checking the \u003ca href=\u0022https://sdw.myclubhouse.co.uk/Events/Calendar\u0022\u003eCalendar\u003c/a\u003e for upcoming events.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0022font-size: 20px;\u0022\u003eKCA Reliability Trial\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Kent Cycling Association (\u003ca href=\u0022http://www.kentcyclingassociation.org.uk/index.php\u0022\u003eKCA\u003c/a\u003e) Reliability Trial is run at the end of October. A local club takes on responsibility for coordinating entries each year. For SDW members it\u0027s a good opportunity to catch up with friends after a hectic summer of riding. Entrants have a choice of a 50km, 100km or 100 mile route. The 50km and 100km routes are the most popular for Southborough which both start at the White Hart Pub in Claygate. The 100 mile route starts in Ashford and is less popular although it does carry more points if completed within the time band.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs with the terrain to the east of Tunbridge Wells, the course is quite flat. After 6 miles riders climb Linton hill and then its flat for 25 miles. After that there are two more hills at Boughton and Challoak and then its pretty much downhill all the way back to Claygate. It\u0027s then a fast final push before everyone reconvenes for a chat with a big smile on their face at the White Hart.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\u0022font-size: 20px;\u0022\u003eESCA Reliability Trial\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe East Sussex Cycling Association (\u003ca href=\u0022http://www.eastsussexca.org.uk/\u0022\u003eESCA\u003c/a\u003e) RT is a different beast to the KCA, held a few weeks later than the KCA RT the weather is that much colder and the roads wetter. Generally the course is more challenging due to more climbing and the course tends to be on smaller, slower back roads. One of the main differences with the ESCA is that riders must not finish more than 10 minutes before their declared time. However, faster riders have been known to wait up the road until they are allowed to finish.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough the club is not located in East Sussex its close enough to the border to have been invited to join ESCA many years ago. There are 15 clubs within ESCA and each year it falls on one of the member clubs to arrange the event. It was SDW\u0027s turn in 2013.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this day and age you would expect with all the technology available for riders to easily meet the goals of the ride and gain maximum points for their club. However, inspection of the 2013 results shows this is not the case:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\u0022https://sdw.myclubhouse.co.uk/Client/Images/Cms/Club%20Rides/ESCA_results-537x256.jpg\u0022 data-image=\u00221\u0022\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n \n \n \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","ContentConfig":{"Caption":null,"Icon":null,"IconColour":null,"CaptionColour":null,"UnderlineColour":null,"TextColour":null,"FontSize":null,"LineHeight":null,"RequiresLoggedInUser":false,"BottomMargin":0,"PaddingLeft":"20px","PaddingTop":"0px","PaddingRight":"20px","PaddingBottom":"0px","PhoneVisible":true,"TabletVisible":true,"DesktopVisible":true,"CssClass":null,"PageLinkName":null,"PageLinkCaption":null},"ComponentCode":null,"ComponentError":null,"BottomMargin":"0px","PaddingLeft":"20px","PaddingTop":"0px","PaddingRight":"20px","PaddingBottom":"0px","CssClass":null,"ResponsiveClasses":"","PageLinkName":null,"PageLinkCaption":null,"Background":{"Colour":null,"ImageURL":null,"Filter":null,"IsParallax":false,"Image":"","Tint":""},"ImageConfig":{"ImageURL":null,"ObjectFit":"contain","ImageHeight":null,"FrameStyle":null,"BorderRadius":null,"Caption":{"IsActive":false,"Text":null,"SubText":null,"Font":{"Size":null,"Colour":null},"SubFont":{"Size":null,"Colour":null},"Alignment":null,"Position":null,"Margin":null,"BackgroundColour":null,"Blur":false,"Hover":false},"AltText":null,"LinkURL":null,"BottomMargin":0,"PaddingLeft":"10px","PaddingTop":"10px","PaddingRight":"10px","PaddingBottom":"10px","PhoneVisible":true,"TabletVisible":true,"DesktopVisible":true,"CssClass":null,"PageLinkName":null,"PageLinkCaption":null},"IgnoreCache":false}]}],"ColumnSpacing":"0px","BottomMargin":"0px","TopPadding":"0px","IsFullWidth":true,"IsBackgroundFullWidth":true,"Background":{"Colour":null,"ImageURL":null,"Filter":null,"IsParallax":false,"Image":"","Tint":""}}],"PageURL":"https://www.southborough-wheelers.co.uk/Cms/Spaces/CLUBRIDES/Reliabilty+Trial?version=14","AllVersions":[],"Comments":[],"UpdatedComments":[],"Spaces":[],"IsWatching":false,"LastViewTime":null,"CanEdit":false,"CanPublish":false,"CanCopy":false,"CanCreateTemplate":false,"CanComment":false,"CanReadComments":false,"CanModerateComments":false,"CanLike":false,"CanWatch":false}
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