Every year, for more than 20 years, the Club has arranged a Reliability Ride inviting riders from all over Yorkshire to test their legs for the new season. Last year, over 100 riders joined the fun on rides of 90 km or 50 km.
This year’s rides are the 6th of the 11 local rides in the Yorkshire series, all 11 rides are listed here on The Struggle website.
Due to road closures, we have had to delay the rides by two weeks this year to Sunday, 15th February 2026. Our thanks go to the team at Alba Rosa Cycling Club who have kindly agreed to swap ride dates to facilitate the change.
The rides
The two glorious early season rides into the Yorkshire Dales are:
Longer Ride – Kettlewell
A challenging 90K ride, follows the A65 through Ilkley, Addingham, Bolton Abbey, Barden Tower, Appletreewick, Grassington to Kettlewell and returns through Kilnsey, Threshfield, Burnsall, Barden, Bolton Abbey, Addingham, Ilkle, Askwith and back to Chevin Cycles in Otley in 3.5 hours.
Note: there will be temporary traffic lights on this route, on the A65 past Ilkley and there may be further disruptions on the road back in Askwith.
Route for download: Ridewithgps Longer ride.
Shorter ride – Billy Bobs, Halton East
A lovely 50K ride to Billy Bobs at Halton East, returning via Beamsley & Nesfield in 3 hours. This is a much friendlier ride than in earlier years, riders will leave Otley following the route of the longer ride and then break with this ride at Bolton Abbey to follow the quieter road to Billy Bobs at Halton East (stopping perhaps for coffee?) before returning, after crossing the busy A59, by the back road to Ilkley finishing at Chevin Cycles in 3 hours.
Route for download: Ridewithgps Shorter ride.
After signing back in at Chevin Cycles riders can sit down, relax and enjoy cakes and sandwiches at the Clubhouse, which is down the cobbled lane to the side of Chevin Cycles. The earlier riders return, the bigger and better the cake selection!
E-bikes are welcome. This event takes place on the open roads and rules of the Highway Code must be followed at all times. Suitable cycle helmets are mandatory. If the weather is good, we expect over 150 riders taking part.
Register online or pay cash on the day
The idea of the rides is that groups of cyclists work together to ensure that they get around the course safely and within time. Reliability Rides are simple and cheap to enter because there are no paper maps, no chip timing, no marshals, only limited signage on route and no feed stations or other support.
If you would like to join the ride, put the date in your diary now and register online through British Cycling for £6 at OCC Reliability Ride.
While we would prefer online registration, many riders sign-on at the Buttercross, Otley on the day paying with cash or by card.
Registration
Registration will open on the day from 09:00, pre-registered riders will be asked to quickly confirm their entry before leaving. Riders will leave in small groups from 09:30.
Riders under the age of 18 must have a safeguarding certificate signed by a parent / guardian (available at registration). Riders under the age of 16 must ride with their parent / guardian.
Toilets and cafes in Otley
The town centre toilets in Orchard Gate will be open Free of Charge to cyclists from 08:30 to 10:00. Cafes such as Costa Coffee (Kirkgate), Joys Coffee House (Market Street) and Leeds House Cafe (next to the BX) may also be open.