A huge thank you to everyone who made ARCC’s first Reliability Ride such a success. Despite a mild but damp start to the morning, spirits were high, and the conditions provided exactly the kind of early‑season test these events are all about.
We welcomed 103 riders on the day, including over 50 riders from ARCC, along with strong turnouts from Berkhamsted, Verulam, and riders representing several other local clubs. If you selected a target pace for the ride, you can check whether you hit your goal and see the full list of the day’s elapsed times here. Please forgive us for any inaccuracies, your riding may prove more reliable than our timing!
The ride also helped us raise over £900 for the club’s chosen charity, the Chiltern Samaritans, thanks to everyone that entered and the generous food and cake donations.
We want to say a huge thank you to the volunteers that ensured everything went smoothly on the day and acknowledge the many club members who baked cakes and provided food, making the post‑ride catering something special. On top of this, we are hugely grateful to Coffee Geek & Friends, who generously supported the event and welcomed riders back with excellent coffee and hot drinks at HQ.
We were also fortunate to have local resident and cycling photographer Robert Lewis attend the event. We’ve posted some of Robert’s photos below and would ask if you use any of the pictures please include a credit to Robert Lewis.
Looking ahead, the next event in the Spring Classics Series is hosted by Finsbury Park CC in two weeks’ time. ARCC currently hold a narrow lead in the Inter‑Club Shield standings, but we’ll need a strong turnout at the rest of events in the series if we are to stay in the running for victory! Enter more events in the series and find out about the Inter-Club Shield Competition here.
Thanks again to everyone who rode, volunteered, baked, supported, and made the day such a success. See you at Finsbury Park and in the meantime enjoy photos and our short video from the event below.
PLEASE CREDIT ROBERT LEWIS IS YOU USE ANY OF THE PHOTOS BELOW.
What is a Reliability Ride?
Reliability rides are a long-standing UK cycling tradition, dating back over a century. Traditionally rides were early-season events designed to test your fitness and equipment without the pressure of racing. Nowadays riders choose how they ride, with some aiming to complete the route at a target pace while others use it as extra motivation to get out on the bike through winter and early spring. Whether you ride solo or in a group, keep it steady or push the pace, the aim is a fun day out at a time of year when it is tempting to stay indoors and jump on Zwift.
The Spring Classics Series
We have joined up with six other local clubs to become part of the Spring Classics Series. The ARCC reliability ride is second in the series, coming 3 weeks after the Westerley Winter Warmer. The events run through until March, finishing with the Berkhamsted CC event. Completing all the events in the Spring Classics Series is a fantastic way to build strength and endurance early in the year, there are also medals available for anyone that successfully completes five of the seven events in the series. Most have limited places (max 200) and often sell out before the day. Some may have entries on the day, but no guarantee.
Key Details
- Date: Sunday 1st February 2026
- Venue: Little Kingshill Village Hall, HP16 0DZ
- Time: Hall opens at 08:15, riders start from 08:30
- Full Route: 100km
- Short Route: 64km
- Entry Fee: £12 (both routes) and includes:
- Tea/coffee, food and cakes at the finish
- GPX routes (sent out a week before the event)
- A great social atmosphere
- Charity: Any profits will go to the Chiltern Samaritans
- Parking: Limited on-site or on-street parking
- Questions: email reliabilityride@amershamrcc.com
