Reliability Rides

The reliability rides are a traditional club event which allows each
rider to estimate a time to complete a particular distance. Serge Boudreau has been one of the key organizers of the Spring
and Fall Reliability for many years.

The 88 km reliability ride will be held once in the spring and one in the fall in conjunction with a regular Sunday ride program with three destination choices for those who do not want to participate in the Reliability Ride. The Sunday ride will start as usual from Billings Bridge at 9:00 am with three destinations as stated above. The ride will proceed east to the starting point for the Reliability Ride, which will be the Old Hawthorne/St. George Cemetery on Russell road about 1 km east of the Russell Road/Hawthorne intersection.

Registration for the Reliability Ride will start at 9:30 am with the ride starting at 10:00 am. There will be parking at the Cemetery, so riders have the choice of going there by car or biking there from Billings Bridge with the other Sunday riders. Please note that parking is limited at the cemetery, so riders are encouraged to park at Billing Bridge and ride to the cemetery. The groups of Sunday tour riders will continue on to either of the three regular tour destinations (Osgoode / Greely, Kenmore / Metcalfe or Piperville )

Dates

Dates for the Reliability ride can be found in the Sunday Tour Schedule.

Determining your Group

Riders will register for their appropriate group based upon the following determinations:

Before the Ride

Each group will appoint (or have appointed for them) a group leader. It will be the group leaders responsibility to ensure that the group adheres to the usual OBC group riding guidelines. Before the groups depart, there will be a Marshall(s) reading the rules to the participants as a reminder of the requirement for adherence to the OBC group riding guidelines. The groups will be started in an orderly fashion with the faster groups departing first.

During the Ride

Any riders who find during the ride that they are in a group that is either too fast or too slow for them should advise their group leader that they are speeding ahead to catch a faster group or dropping off to join a slower group. Otherwise they should stick with their original choice and stay with the group.

Of course, any rider has the option to drop out altogether but, here again, he/she must inform their group leader of that decision. The group leaders should be able to account for the numbers in their group just as they would on a normal Sunday or Saturday ride.

After the Ride

Light refreshments (cookies and juice) will be served at the end of the ride. WEATHER PERMITTING, a light sandwich lunch will also be served in the format of a "Mini Picnic". This is your opportunity to socialize and relate stories about what a great ride you had (even if you have to embellish a bit!).

Remember, ALL RIDERS are invited ................both the Reliability Riders and the regular Sunday Riders.

For more information contact the Touring Director, or the Club Office.