Willesden CC Reliability Rides, Sunday February 17, 2019

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The Rides

One of the multi-club Chiltern Classic Series rides, the Willesden CC Reliability Rides offer  some of the best cycling in the Chilterns,with free refreshments at Ride HQ.

What is a Reliability Ride?

Traditionally Reliability Rides provided late winter (Jan-Mar) training rides where the object is to provide base fitness in preparation for the more demanding race training that will follow when the weather improves. However they are excellent events for both Audaxers and Sportive riders of every standard. Time goals are set for the rides that entrants aim to better. The rides are not races, you are riding on the road.

The event

There are two distances:

• A 50km run, with 550 meters climbing. Setting off at 09:45, target time 2 hours 30 minutes which is 20 kph (12 mph)
• A 100km ride with 1250 meters climbing. Setting off at 09:30 there are three targets
  • Average speed 30kph (18 mph) in 3 hours 30 minutes
  • Average speed 23kph (14 mph) in 4 hours 30 minutes
  • Average speed 19kph (12 mph) in 5 hours 30 minutes
  • Due to its 108km length and difficulty extra targets of 4, 5, 6 hours added in.

Choose your ride on the day.

Both routes go the same way to Great Missenden: the 50 takes an undulating ride back, the 100’s real climbs start from there.

Both take in sections in the lanes, although these are uphill or on the flat: descents are on reasonable or good roads. At this time of year many of the lanes are in poor condition; potholes, road debris, rotting leaves and standing water. Mudguards and 25mm tyres are recommended rather than racing bikes with skinny tyres.

The 100KM route takes in Kop Hill, Smalldean Lane and Shogmoor Lane, three of the most challenging climbs in the Chilterns.

Both distances largely avoid A roads.

To help with navigation the routes will be marked with arrows, but only at turning points. Beware that members of the public may remove them and in some places the only possible attachment points are not easy to spot!

There are no organised refreshments or sag wagons en-route. You should be self-sufficient. However, there is a service station at 45.8km on the 100 and on the 50 there is a Costa and Cafe Twit on Great Missenden High St.

Prices

Online entry in advance: £8 for either distance

Entry on the day: £10 for either distance

Free refreshments

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Entries: first come, first served: 200 max. Entry is via PayPal. You can check out as a guest if you don’t have a PayPal account.

Under 18s

• Under 13s can only ride the 50Km event, with a parent or guardian.
• Under 16s can ride either distance with a parent or guardian.
• 16 and 17 year olds can ride either distance unaccompanied.

In every case a Parental Consent Form must be filled in and brought to the event.

GPX files and route sheets

50KM Route sheet 2018, PDF format:   50KM Routesheet 2018, Excel Format

100KM Routesheet 2018, PDF Format;  100KM Routesheet 2018, Excel Format

50KM GPX

100KM GPX

If a standard GPX won’t work for you, use these links:

50KM

100KM

Organiser

Ian Oliver,
68 St Dunstans Avenue
London W3 6QJ

Contact: WillesdenReliability@Hotmail.com

Ride HQ and getting there

Chalfont St Peter Community Centre
Gravel Hill,
Chalfont St. Peter,
Bucks SL9 9QX

Please don’t use the centre’s parking: that will be used by other events during the day. There is free parking on Sundays at the large Church Lane car park, off Church Lane, SL9 9RS. See the map. Take a path at the end of Cordon’s Close to reach the HQ.

By public transport from London

Marylebone to Gerrards Cross on Chiltern is the best bet, depending of course on no engineering work on the Chiltern Line that weekend – so please double-check – and  they advertise a £3.00 advance single (as of a week ahead in 2018). Allow 15 minutes from the train to the starting line.

Uxbridge, Rickmansworth, Chorleywood are Underground alternatives. From Uxbridge it’s main roads, but they are pretty quiet then.

The Routes

The 50K ride

The 100K ride

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