Charity Cycling Events

Even if you focus on competitive racing, doing a charity event can be fantastic fun. Charity rides still provide a good workout with a friendly atmosphere and no race ‘hassle’. They are a reminder of cycling for pure pleasure and benefit a good cause.

I have worked on a number of distance charity cycle rides, some very similar to commercial sportives. The standards of organisation, route design and signage are comparable. The broader range of riding speed with charity rides can make for a little less bustle. Charity rides can have a less intimidating atmosphere and often better refreshments (sometimes lovingly prepared by volunteers). Sportives offer more of a competition feel, whilst charity rides challenge you to do the distance and put effort into fundraising for others.

There are many ways to ride a bike for charity. It should present a challenge yet be planned to avoid unnecessary risk or wasted effort. It must of course raise money!

What to expect from an event team member

Some of the event team will be volunteers and others will be paid expenses or a fee. Whichever applies, an organiser is entitled to expect:

a professional approach in terms of timekeeping, appearance and doing whatever needs to be done
empathy with the riders, some of whom may be on their first distance ride and really challenging themselves
understanding that whilst paid and unpaid team members may have different motivation, all are equally important
whilst one solution to a problem may be ‘commercial’ or ‘efficient’, it simply may not fit in with the culture of the organisation or established routine
awareness of the ‘big picture’ and a willingness to be flexible. Some people who help with an event once each year may not be able to react as fast as those doing it each week

Contact me to discuss how I can fit in with your team and events.