Suffolk Punch 2018

Way back in the dim and distant past, most cycling clubs organised reliability trials during January or February. They were designed to enable members to test their fitness prior to the racing season, and as they attracted riders from neighbouring clubs they tended to have a competitive edge – however, they were not races.

Reliability trials are similar to sportives in that riders are set off in groups and have target times to aim for: some sportives go for gold and silver targets, reliability trials for average miles per hour categories. Unlike sportives there aren’t arrows on every corner (route instructions are provided instead), there are no feed stations and no mechanical back up. The clue is in the title: you must be reliable. For instance: you must be capable of changing a punctured inner tube, because unlike a club run most people are on a mission to get back within a time limit and you can’t rely on members of your group stopping to help. Anyone trying to get round a hilly route in February averaging 18 or 15 mph can’t afford to hang about.

As stated earlier, reliability trials are not races. There is no result sheet published, just certificates presented to each finisher with the average mph target time recorded. All riders must obey the rules of the road and be considerate to other road users, riding single file when road conditions dictate (cars waiting to pass, busy section of road or narrow, twisting road).

If you think today’s Suffolk Punch is tough, I can assure you it is a walk in the park compared to some of the two day events that were promoted in the 70s and 80s. Haverhill ran the Great East Anglian Rally (GEAR) for several years, which consisted of three (or was it four?) stages over the weekend. Maybe a 30 mile warm up on Saturday morning followed by 40 or 50 miles in the afternoon. Sunday’s stage was around 70 miles. The first Suffolk Punch events in the late 80s were also held over two days, and before that ten years of Lincstour with the same format. So enjoy the Suffolk Punch safe in the knowledge that your legs won’t be aching from the day before.