Anyone fancy this. Manchester to Leeds and back. Sept. 2015

[Gez73]

http://www.cyclecancer.com/cycle-trans-pennine
Signed up for this one in September. Opted for Macmillan as the charity. Particularly like the fact that the return leg is also part of the challenge, unlike the Blackpool Night Ride where I got lost on both the return legs that I have done!
Will update with progress and preparations as I manage to get them done.
Gez

 

[classic33]

http://www.cyclecancer.com/cycle-trans-pennine
Signed up for this one in September. Opted for Macmillan as the charity. Particularly like the fact that the return leg is also part of the challenge, unlike the Blackpool Night Ride where I got lost on both the return legs that I have done!
Will update with progress and preparations as I manage to get them done.
Gez

Fancy doing it. The registration fee & minimum amount to be raised are the parts that put me off.

 

[Gez73]

Yeah £250 is quite a bit but I reckon I will be able to manage it between now and then. Registering before the end of the month saves 30%. Not too bad for a round trip event with the apparenty available facilities. Certainly better than the Blackpool night ride at least for getting back to Manchester. Intend selling surplus cycling bits too so will add that to the total raised. Should be feasible. It costs the chosen charity £60 for you to represent them too. Hence the minimum sponsorship. Weird but I guess that's how these things work. Clearly worth the charities while at the end of the day. Gez

 

[classic33]

I've done similar events where the registration fee has either been returned, having got more than the stated minimum, or its been added to the amount raised.

If I were to any of the listed rides, it'd be the one setting of at Midnight.

 

[Gez73]

Yeah I am planning to do the Manchester-Leeds-Manchester. Well within my capabilities or at least it will be by September! Seems well run and stocked so here's hoping. Picked up a MacMillan jersey on Ebay the other week for £15 so won't need to spend £40 on one or raise £500 to get one for free. Something to focus on so looking forward to the prep. Gez

 

[classic33]

You'll have a bit of fun on the ride out of Hebden Bridge to Keighley. Return trip is downhill.

 

[fossyant]

What a rip off. £49 to enter and another £60 from the sponsor money.

 

[nickyboy]

What a rip off. £49 to enter and another £60 from the sponsor money.

Agree 100%. That's £109 per person (£99 for one way) to actionchallenge who are organising the event. They are not a charity themselves, they are a commercial organisation. Assuming "actionchallenge" it is owned by Action Challenge UK Ltd, they had £570,000 of cash in the bank according to their last set of accounts.

These events don't run themselves and there are obviously costs that have to be covered, but £109 is ridiculous. Despite the ride sounding like a lot of fun I wouldn't enter as there's an organisation behind this that's making profit from people's fundraising

 

[Gez73]

I see your point @nickyboy however the charities involved clearly believe that using a third party company to organise these events is worth their while. I have never taken part in a charity event where any of the entry money went to the charity themselves. It's just how these things are done now I guess. You could argue about charities' executives salaries and running costs etc but the reason I will do this ride and raise the minimum is to help Macmillan and challenge myself. You could always do the ride unregistered and donate as much as you like to the charity yourself. Personal preference I guess, but I would never not raise sponsorship if I wanted to register and take part whatever the organisation/events company involved. If I register I would feel supported too which on the night might be a very useful safety net to have. Gez

 

[clf]

I've been looking at this too, quite fancy the there and back aspect. I see the route is on the website, how does it look to the more experienced riders amongst us, doable for a relative beginner?

 

[Gez73]

Absolutely doable and loads of time between now and then to get ready. I have done 110 in one go before, with a break halfway. Fully intend doing the return journey. Not particularly into long distance events either but well up for this. Gez