Charity rides: minimal average speed??

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frank8265

Active Member
I was thinking about doing a charity ride this year (ride, not race) until I saw that they required a minimal average speed of 26 to 28 kph. Bit above my head, so I won't participate. And I've learned that quite a lot of other cyclists in this area won't join in because of this required minimum average.

I was just wondering what the general opinion here would be, so:

Should a charity ride require a minimal average speed or be open to as much riders as possible?

(Other reason why I'm asking: I'm thinking of organizing some small-scale bicycle events again starting next year. So all input is welcome! :rolleyes: )

Frank
 

helston90

Eat, sleep, ride, repeat.
Location
Cornwall
Depends on the route and the distance- I can hammer out a local 30 mile circuit and come up with an average of 33 kph fine, I did a sportive a few months back in a hillier area and put in 42miles at 26kph- and I felt it afterwards.
How far/ long are you expected to hold 26-28 kph? and is it pan fat/ undulating/ long climbs?
 
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frank8265

frank8265

Active Member
I know that the required speed is to high for me.
But in my opinion requiring high average puts people off and shouldn't be one of the goals of a charity ride be: attract as much as participants as possible?
Therefore my question if a charity ride should require a minimum average?
 

Saluki

World class procrastinator
I would guess that something, speed wise, would need to be in place. Or else there would be problems recruiting marshalls and the like. If you have a 50 mile ride - a figure that I plucked from the air - and some riders were riding at 5mph, the finishing marshalls would be on duty for 10 hours and probably wanting to tidy away.

If it's a short charity ride I really can't see why they would need a minimum speed.

BTW, if the ride had a minimum ave speed of 26kph I'd not do it either. Thats a 16mph average and I just cannot do that nowadays. Maybe if I trained harder but I'm not going to.
 

helston90

Eat, sleep, ride, repeat.
Location
Cornwall
It may do yes- if there are a certain number of miles to cover in a day to reach the accommodation by a certain time/ press appointments/ ferries etc. then you would need to prevent people without any cycling experience turning up and wanting to do the ride at 12/14 kph.
There are probably other ones around where you can take as long as you like.
 
D

Deleted member 1258

Guest
I've done several charity rides over the years, I've not yet come across one with speed requirements on it, do you know why they've done that?
 
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frank8265

frank8265

Active Member
It may do yes- if there are a certain number of miles to cover in a day to reach the accommodation by a certain time/ press appointments/ ferries etc. then you would need to prevent people without any cycling experience turning up and wanting to do the ride at 12/14 kph.
There are probably other ones around where you can take as long as you like.

You've got a point there. Different routes for slow / medium / fast riders would be an option (short / medium / long rides)
 

DiddlyDodds

Random Resident
Location
Littleborough
Charity ride with a min 16mph , thats madmess , i doubt they will get many signing up.

The Manchester to Blackpool i did last week did have a cut off time but it was around 8mph average, i was half way back to Manchester when i passed the last of the ones on their way,.

I suppose its different if your doing a mass participation local event or you signing up to a charity ride in the Alps where it is a small group

 

Berties

Fast and careful!
A lot of charity rides and audex rides have a maximum average of 15 mph ,so why would a charity ride need a average speed of 16 mph plus,surely that's not right?
 

byegad

Legendary Member
Location
NE England
I used to do a ride for the same charity every year in County Durham. One year they emailed me to say my next local ride would be based in Manchester some 130 miles from home. I didn't get a reply to me query asking if the local London ride would be in Lille?
 

Dogtrousers

Kilometre nibbler
26-28 kph is bonkersly fast for a charity ride (unless its very short, or downhill or passes through a wormhole or something). 16-17mph. I don't expect they'll raise much money.

Look elsewhere. You will find plenty.
 

David El y

Regular
A 200km plus Audax ride has a minimum average speed of "around" 15 kph. I see no reason why a ride designed to raise funds for charity would require a higher speed than that. As has been pointed out, they organisers would be significantly restricting the number of participants.

There are a number of sportives being run in aid of charities. They will also have minimum average speeds, but I doubt they will be as high as 26 kph.
 
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