It’s the first of our 10-mile time trials on Thursday 7th April. Meet before 6pm, a quarter of a mile along the B1258 from the Coachman Inn in Snainton. First rider off at 6.15pm. You don’t need to enter in advance: just turn up. It’s £2 per rider to take part, and if you’re under 18 (minimum age is 12) you must bring a signed parental consent form (see below) and wear a helmet.

You don’t need any previous racing experience and you can take part on any roadworthy bike except a recumbent or one with electrical assistance. So yes, you can have a blast round on your mountain bike. It’d be easier with slicks, of course, but it’s up to you. The route is essentially two circuits of the ‘Yedingham triangle’ (see PDF below).

Riders set off at one-minute intervals and hammer around the course at top speed. No tactics as such: it’s all about how fast you can ride. That’s why time trialling gets called ‘the race of truth’. Want to find out if you’re fitter than your riding buddies in the club? This is the acid test!

You must observe normal traffic laws, although there will be numerous large ‘cycle event’ signs to tell motorists that we’re there. The first event is earlier than most to give us plenty of daylight. You won’t need lights unless you’re planning to ride out to Snainton and back from Scarborough. But it’s not a bad idea to have a blinky LED on your bike to make you even more visible while you’re racing.

Look forward to seeing you there. If you’ve got any questions, post them on the forum or ask me (Dan).

Also: I’m still looking for a few timekeepers for these events. If you can spare an hour or so to hold and read a stopwatch, let me or Debbie know.