The first bicycle racing at the Rink Field was organised by Stoodley and Harmston, the proprietors of the Continental Circus, they held a fete and gala on August Bank Holiday 1877. There were horse and pony races on a half mile track and within this there was a circular track for cycle races. The sports included a two miles bicycle handicap race with six competitors, but the ground was very bumpy and riders had difficulty in staying upright. The and won a gold pin. The various entertainments included steam-horse roundabouts, shooting galleries, coconut shies, a unicycle race and Professor Hogini with a trapeze act. The 5th Royal Irish Lancers provided music and there was a fireworks display in the evening. The attendance for the day was reported to be 15,000.
There were bicycle races for several more years on the Rink Field, usually on Whit Monday and August Bank Holiday. On September 1st 1880, a large crowd watched the World Champion John Keen ride ten miles around the Rink against the clock. He rode a 52 inch machine and the cramped rink required 13½ laps for each mile. He completed the task in 35min 15sec. Pasha Reklaw** the ‘Turkish Wonder' amused the crowd after the event.
Peterborough Athletic Club was formed in 1883, the club's President was Earl Fitzwilliam with Lord Burghley and Lord Euston as vice-presidents. The club held their first sports meeting on Whit Monday, the Mayor asked all local tradesmen to close for a half day holiday in support of the sports. There were two bicycle and two tricycle races. The ground was in excellent condition and there was a platform in the middle of the track on which the Engineer Volunteer band played throughout the event. There was a refreshments marquee and a telegraph board.^^
The following year Peterborough AC held their second Whit Monday meeting at the Rink Field, the weather was fine and warm and there were over three thousand spectators. Two bicycle races were amongst the dozen or so athletic events. In the two miles open handicap race WJ Rowe, the Peterborough champion, won the race off 260 yards after a ‘to and fro' race with Tom Diggle of Weston who was off 300 yards, time 7m 9.4s. There was a two miles handicap race for members of Peterborough Athletic Club and once again Rowe was victorious. In the evening, there was a display of Mr Payne's fireworks and the ‘Devils Own' provided the music. This was probably the last bicycle racing to be held in the Boroughbury area.
The Peterborough Land Company purchased 330 acres of land around Boroughbury in 1875 and in the late 1870s and 1880s, the area was systematically parcelled out for housing. This is probably why bicycle racing in the area finished around 1884 and sports meetings moved to Crawthorne Road cricket ground.
** Pasha Reklaw (real name Walker ie Reklaw backwards) was a popular circus performer, juggler, and wire-walker.
^^ A telegraph board was in the centre of the track and showed the riders' numbers in each race and the results, like a manual cricket scoreboard. There were no public address systems until well into the 20th century.