How To Plan A Charity Bike Ride

Need to know how to plan a charity bike ride? If you are an avid cyclist, you've probably been on a number of charity bike rides. They're fun, they're for a good cause and they're a nice break from your regular cycling routine. They enable you to get away and see new sights and meet new people. You may be wondering how to plan a charity bike ride of your own. Read on for simple instructions.

To plan a charity bike ride, you will need:

• A planning committee
• Sponsors
• Promotional materials
• Advertising venues

1. Brainstorm. Set up a meeting for your committee for a brainstorming session. You'll need to make the bike ride a success, and your committee will be a valuable resource. Flesh out the original idea of the charity bike ride, discuss your options, gather sponsors, draw up plans for promotional materials, gather ideas for advertising the charity bike ride and then delegate tasks to each committee member.
2. Plan the route. The route for your charity bike ride should be chosen carefully. For road bicycles, choose scenic routes without too much traffic. For mountain bicycles, choose routes that will accommodate a variety of skill levels and provide challenges to riders. Charity rides should feature a variety of routes, from fifteen miles to a hundred miles for more skilled riders.
3. Plan the rest stops. Plan out a good place for several mid-route rest stops where cyclists can use the restroom and partake of food and drink that has been contributed by your sponsors. Cyclists need to refresh and refuel, so make sure you have good quality food and drink available for that purpose. Bananas, oranges and other fruits are all good choices. Foods high in carbohydrates will provide energy, so also provide a selection of energy bars, cookies or something similar for riders to eat at the rest stops. Most riders will prefer water as their drink of choice, but sports drinks are also popular.
4. Arrange the support. Rider support is always a must at charity bike rides. Make sure you have a support vehicle available to pick up riders who may not be able to complete the ride.
5. Set up prizes and perks. Riders appreciate a good prize or unexpected perk as much as the next person. Provide goodie bags stuffed with give-aways from your sponsors, free sports massages, T-shirts and, of course, a good meal or snack at the end of the charity bike ride.