The 2025 edition Boot and Back will be held on Sunday 2nd March. This event was first held in 1967 and was called the “Five Mile Time Trial”. It was organised by Bob Hardy in January, 26 members turned out and 14 entered with the winner completing the course in 11min 22 secs riding a Chater Lee. The first trophy to be awarded was ‘The Great Pot’ which was a hand decorated chamber pot that Bob Hardy (Club Present 1959-60) presented. However, in News & Views 258 Bob was quoted as saying “… sadly one of our more prudish members got hold of it and broke it secretly, never knew who, but I could hazard a shrewd guess”. Fortunately, another member, Eddie Watts, who was a brilliant model maker mounted a lovely miniature Ordinary on a plaque and this became the “Hardy Trophy” which has been presented at this event ever since. The Boot and Back is no longer run as a time trial after the Road Time Trials Council (RTTC) got to hear of it and threatened to penalise any of their members who rode.
The venue this year is the Five Bells in Rattlesden, Suffolk (GR: TL977590). It is an event unique to the Veteran-Cycle Club. Run on a 5.5 mile out-and-back course with a loop at the end through Gedding and Felsham. riders are set a target time for their machine category which are:
- Solid tyre – 31 minutes
- Rod-braked roadsters – 26 minutes
- Pre-war lightweights – 24 minutes
- Post-war lightweights – 22 minutes.
The course is ‘penny-friendly’ with no steep slopes (well, hardly any) and no downhill approaches to junctions.
First rider off is at 11.01am with each rider aiming to be the nearest to his/her target time in each category and the organisers declaring an overall winner for the event. There are no prizes for the times but the Hardy Trophy is presented at the organiser’s discretion for the ‘most meritorious ride of the day’.
There is a large meadow next to the pub where a pre-ride jumble will be held and there is amble parking around the village for riders and spectators. The gate to the meadow will open from 8.30 am.
The Five Bells do not serve food, however, the second pub in the village, The Brewer’s Arms now calls itself a ‘dining destination’. In 1963 The Brewer’s Arms was host to the Club’s Easter Tourlet – News & Views No 29, This tells a tale of partying into the night while consuming ‘great plates of grub’ accompanied by Ivy Bush on the piano. How things change, or maybe not!
A community-run village shop will be open until mid-day.