Your Charity Ride Experience



Keyan

Active Member
Jul 7, 2015
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Have you organized your own charity bike ride and or have you joined one? How was the experience and what were the challenges from which you learned a good lesson or two? Were you able to successfully raise your target or hit your objectives for the charity?
 
When I lived in my home town as a kid, it had a charity bike ride every year and I rode in it a few times. I couldn't get anyone to sponsor me but I still went along for the ride which took you a couple of miles out of town into the countryside and then back into town to the sports ground from where it started. It was a good course that had some serious elevation changes but I was a little nervous because of the roads and traffic. My home town stopped organising it in recent years which is a great shame I think.

A couple years back there was an event on at Silverstone racing circuit, a 24 hour cycling event that I really wanted to take part in. It wasn't a riding constantly for 24 hours, more of a see how much distance you could cover in 24 hours. What my plan was was to get in an hours ride or so at the start, go to sleep until the early hours of the morning and then set off again until the finish. Sadly due to other things I couldn't take part and I don't think they will be doing another 24 hour cycling event at Silverstone any time soon.
 
I've never organized one personally but I have participated in quite a few. I enjoy it. I especially love when I'm sponsored by people I dislike. I make it a point to ride until I cannot move my legs anymore. Getting the positive out of the negative. :D
 
Susimi said:
When I lived in my home town as a kid, it had a charity bike ride every year and I rode in it a few times. I couldn't get anyone to sponsor me but I still went along for the ride which took you a couple of miles out of town into the countryside and then back into town to the sports ground from where it started. It was a good course that had some serious elevation changes but I was a little nervous because of the roads and traffic. My home town stopped organising it in recent years which is a great shame I think.

A couple years back there was an event on at Silverstone racing circuit, a 24 hour cycling event that I really wanted to take part in. It wasn't a riding constantly for 24 hours, more of a see how much distance you could cover in 24 hours. What my plan was was to get in an hours ride or so at the start, go to sleep until the early hours of the morning and then set off again until the finish. Sadly due to other things I couldn't take part and I don't think they will be doing another 24 hour cycling event at Silverstone any time soon.
Oh I see that was quite an inspiration to participate even without sponsors. If I were in the same situation I would also still proceed despite the lack of a sponsor. This is one of my favorite thing to do and nothing can stop me from doing what I enjoy. That was saddening to hear about the event that no longer exist.
 
I usually take part in several charity long distance cycling events each year.

The main challenge doing these events is the high number of participants and the spectrum of cyclists from beginners to experienced.
Beginners, not used to riding in groups and not used to "road etiquette", can present a problem to other participants.

(cycling in this country has undergone a huge rise in popularity in the past decade or so).
 
Keyan said:
Oh I see that was quite an inspiration to participate even without sponsors. If I were in the same situation I would also still proceed despite the lack of a sponsor. This is one of my favorite thing to do and nothing can stop me from doing what I enjoy. That was saddening to hear about the event that no longer exist.
Yeah it's a great shame because the event became a sort of staple of the town. It took place every May and attracted all sorts of riders from professional riders looking to win and set a time, to people just looking to finish and to people doing it for a charity. The town stopped it because they couldn't get enough funding for the event or something, but I really do hope the event makes a return one day.
 
We did a charity relay around the country two years ago - each of us cycling 50 miles before handing the baton (actually it was a cuddly toy of the charity mascot) to the next rider. It was great fun, and I was shocked at the number of people who came out to cheer us along the route. We raised a lot of money as we had people collecting along the way, and the charity (a small one from my local area) said that it was the largest donation that had ever come from a single fundraising event. So I am definitely proud of that. In fact, now that I have got over the pain, I am thinking about doing another one! I just need to be able to find enough crazy people to sign up for it with me, and then we will be able to go for it!
 

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