Charity Cycling Events have dramatically increased in popularity over recent years and for good reason. But what makes a good cycling event and how easy are they to organise?
The popularity of cycling
Since the Olympics and successes of Sir Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome and Mark Cavendish just to name a few, cycling has now become one of the fastest growing sports in the country. Some UK cycling retailers such as Rapha have seen an increase in sales of 30% in the last year alone as cycling becomes more popular.
Getting people on board to raise money for your charity that may or may not have an existing interest in cycling shouldn’t be too problematic then should it? It’s perhaps not as easy as it sounds, particularly for smaller charities with limited resources, so well-planned and executed marketing strategy is still essential to generate interest (this is an article in itself – watch this space!).
How easy is it to organise a successful fundraising cycling event?
There are a few essential elements of any successful cycling event, but the overall aim of any of these elements is to alleviate the pressure, allowing participants to just turn up and cycle. Booking hotels, planning routes and organizing other logistics is one way in which you can alleviate a great deal of stress for riders.
During the ride, having adequate water and sustenance available when necessary is absolutely essential, this can be helped by having a reliable support vehicle and driver. Having a pre-planned route and effective navigational system or hiring a cycle guide is also vital as getting lost really isn’t an option.
What is the perfect length of a charity cycling event?
Having organized countless charity cycling events over the years, we have found that the length of the cycling event is almost as important as the destination and route. We all lead busy lives and finding the time for training alone is a struggle. Few people have the luxury of taking ten days or two weeks off, which is why two to five days is the optimum duration. This partly explains the popularity of the London to Paris Cycle, the Prudential Ride Surrey and Three Peaks Challenges over longer rides such as Lands End to John O’Groats.
The basic desires of a cyclist
This may sound simple, but cyclists on a long ride usually have very basic desires. Good weather cannot be guaranteed so is largely seen just as a bonus, especially on UK-based rides. This begins with planning ahead and deciding on what clothing (and bike) to use. Having a balanced route that challenges riders but is still enjoyable is also key, online route planning apps such as Strava can be extremely helpful with this.
Above all, there are two deciding factors that put smiles on the faces of cyclists – good food, and good accommodation. Cyclists need plenty of food throughout a long ride to avoid the dreaded “bonk”, nothing complicated, just simple and plentiful. At the end of the day, having somewhere to shower with a good bed is not difficult to achieve but the impact of this on groups of cyclists is huge and shouldn’t be underestimated.
Support vehicles and bicycle maintenance
Having a good team of bicycle mechanics, a support vehicle and experienced proactive driver is essential. With a knowledgeable team and adequate tools and spares, there are few mechanical problems that cannot be resolved on the roadside. Telling someone that they cannot continue a ride due a mechanical failure and not a lack of effort or ability is really to be avoided at all costs!
Conclusion
Planning a successful charity cycling event doesn’t have to be challenging but keeping the riders in mind is the key. Fundraisers want to have a slick experience in the lead-up and during the event so they can concentrate on training and fundraising. Due to the relatively low costs involved, the huge increase in numbers of people cycling and the endless number of options and achievable goals available, cycling events can be an extremely effective means of raising money and can provide perfect PR opportunities for charities of any size.
If you’d like further information about how More Adventure could help you organise a Charity Cycling Event, please get in touch at info@moreadventure.co.uk.
Thanks for reading and best of luck!
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