Ridin' for Research: General Questions

Frequently Asked Quetions



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  1. WHAT IS RIDIN' FOR RESEARCH?
  2. WHAT ARE THE FEES, FUNDRAISING MINIMUMS & HOW DO I ACCEPT DONATIONS?
  3. DO YOU ACCEPT MATCHING GIFTS?
  4. HOW DO YOU VALIDATE FUNDRAISING AMOUNTS?
  5. CAN I REGISTER AT THE DOOR?
  6. CAN I REGISTER MY TEAM OR GROUP?
  7. CAN I RIDE WITH MY FRIENDS or GROUP/CLUB?
  8. CAN I CHANGE, ADD OR CANCEL SESSIONS?  
  9. CAN FAMILY & FRIENDS COME & WATCH?
  10. IS THERE PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY?
  11. WHAT IF I NEED ASSISTANCE DURING THE EVENT?
  12. WHAT KIND OF PEDALS ARE ON THE BIKES?
  13. USING MY OWN ROAD BIKE & FLUID TRAINER

1. RIDIN' FOR RESEARCH IS:

An Indoor Cycling Fund Raising Event that brings the fitness community together on one day of the year to make a difference in the lives of those battling cancer.  Participants choose to ride 2 to 6 hours on stationary "spin" bikes, and collect pledges for their efforts. All proceeds from this event go directly to the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center for cancer research!  

Whether you choose to ride one of our donated spin bikes from Elite Sports Clubs or bring your own bike & fluid trainer (see #13 for details), picture over 100 people cycling at a rock concert or night club with great music, lighting & emotion!  Each session is unique in theme, music and entertainment; with two sessions in the morning and two in the afternoon.  This Fox 6 News Coverage link is from our 2010 event and shows excactly what this event is all about.  Proceeds from this event were directed to the MACC Fund.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbnWJBcFqJU&feature=youtu.be

2. FEES, FUNDRAISING, DONATIONS:

Registration is $30, and the fundraising commitment is $30 per session (there are four 80-minute sessions).  

The fundraising commitment can be paid with cash, check or credit card when you check-in on Saturday or Sunday; online with a credit card through your fundraising page or by collecting pledges personally and recording them on our Pledge Form or by emailing your fundraising link (which you receive when you register) to your friends and family asking them for their support as you pedal away for hours on March 3.

If you worry about holding onto checks until the event date, please feel free to mail them to us at Ridin' for Research, 4230 N. Oakland Avenue #108, Milwaukee, WI 53211.  We will add them to your personal fundraising page and our records.  However, any monies you collect after Febuary 15, we ask that you just hold on to them, and bring them when you check in on Event Weekend, we will add them to your Fundraising Totals. 

Remember: for donations of $250 or more, the MCW Cancer Center is required by law to issue formal receipts. For donations less than $250, the cancelled check or online donation confirmation serves as their receipt.

As always, the Top 10 Fundraisers automatically receive something grand – some of last year’s donated prizes were: Trek Road bike from Brent Emery, Dinner for 4 at Lake Park Bistro, Over Night Stay at the Pfister, Tag Heuer Watch from Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, and more.

3. MATCHING GIFTS -- These are a great way to raise additional funds

Many large companies have programs setup to match donations made by employees to nonprofit organizations with a 501C 3 statuses, like the Medical College of WI Cancer Center.

Check with your Human Resources Department to see if your company participates in a Matching Gift program. If they do, find out what the minimum donation is, and let your co-workers know as you ask them for their support. You will probably need to fill out a special part of a Matching Gift form, which is sent along with the donation. The MCW Cancer Center will complete the form when they receive the donation and send it back to your company for matching funds. If you collect donations outside of work, make sure your larger contributors are aware that their company could match their donation. Direct them to their Human Resources Dept. as a starting point.

Please do not count on Matching Gifts to meet your minimum. While we like to say every company participates, so may opt out in any given year.   If you are sure that the company will match, be sure to file the necessary paperwork as soon as possible so that we have a record of receiving that matching gift donation before the day of the event. 

4. VALIDATING FUNDRAISING EFFORTS

The official online fundraising report is extracted from Active.com at 7PM on the Friday, before Saturday’s check-in. This report will show YOUR GRAND TOTAL of what you have collected online (and any donations you mailed in before February 15).

Any additional pledges you personally collect after February 15 OR any online donation confirmation emails you receive after 7PM Friday until 1:30PM on Sunday, should be brought in and given to us so that we may add those amounts to your personal fundraising campaign.   We will manually adjust our report as we check people in on Saturday & Sunday (event weekend).  Additional information can be found at our Check-In Site Link.

5. REGISTERING AT THE DOOR:

If we have not sold out, then yes you can.  However, registration at the door is $50, plus $30 per session. Since the bikes are reserved based on seating requests and pedal needs, we ask that you be flexible in moving to different bikes if necessary, and bringing gym shoes just in case we cannot accommodate your cycling shoes. 

6. REGISTERING MY TEAM/GROUP OR CERTAIN FRIENDS

We are all about people participating as groups and with their friends. If you don't see your fitness club or group on the registration form, please add the GROUP NAME and the name of the person you are riding with in the "Seating Request" Box on the Registration Form.  If received early enough, we may even be able to add it to the Registration Form.  Most Milwaukee area fitness clubs are already listed on the form, as well as a few of the cycling teams.    

7. RIDING WITH FRIENDS OR GROUPS

Most fitness organizations, and some cycling groups, are listed in the drop-down menu on the Registration Form.  However, if you are wanting to ride next to someone specific, especially from another fitness group, please ONLY write their first and last name(s).  We will do our best to accommodate, but cannot make any promises if you wait to register or if they wait to register.  Register early to be sure!

8. CHANGING, ADDING OR CANCELING SESSIONS:

Any changes, additions or cancellations must be directed to Joanne Dixon as soon as possible. The RIDE portion fills up quickly, and bikes are assigned based on pedal and seating requests. If you need make any kind of adjustment to your registration, please send a detailed email to Joanne as soon as possible at jojodix16@yahoo.com.  We need some time to adjust check-in reports, and invite others who might be on the waiting list.  Remember if you add more sessions, your fundraising minimum increases.

9. FAMILY & FRIENDS WATCHING & VISITING:

Unfortunately there is not a viewing deck, it is dark and loud. We do provide 10 minute breaks between the sessions, so if you wish to chat with any visiting friends or family, please exit your bike and step the back of the room.  Do not bring them in and next to you while you ride.  It's dangerous and disruptive to those around you and those who are presenting. We appreciate your assistance with this.  

10. PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY:

Since 2010, Don Gorzick Photography donates his time and talent to capture the many special moments of this event.  At the end of the ride, about a week or so later, we will provide you with a link for viewing and purchasing opportunitiies - with a portion of the proceeds going to the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center.

11. ASSISTANCE DURING THE EVENT:

Kudos to the many volunteers who help! Brent Emery and his tech crew have been on hand assisting with bike tweaks since 2006. The UWM-Women's Basketball Team graciously donates their time and energy to refill water bottles and handout bagels and fruit, as well as cheering on the riders. The team has been supporting this event since 2006 as well!  And several students from Shorewood High School will be there find you help, find your bikes, as well as wipe the bikes off between the sessions.

12. PEDALS ON THE BIKES:

We are so very fortunate to have Elite Sports Club as our Club Sponsor again this year, and are kind enough to let us borrow all of their cycling bikes to make the ride possible.  With that in mind, we should be able to accommodate cycling shoes that have the traditional SPD or LOOK cleat, as well as baskets/cages for regular gym shoes.  As always, we ask you to bring gym shoes just in case, and because these bikes are borrowed, we do not allow personal pedals to be brought in and changed out.  

13. USING YOUR OWN "REAL" BIKE & FLUID TRAINER:

We have plenty of space to accommodate an entire section of "real" bikes on fluid trainers.  When you register, and select Pedal Preference, just choose NA bringing my own bike & trainer.  This OPTION is for people wanting to RIDE ALL 4 SESSIONS, from 9AM to 3PM, and prefer using their OWN bike and fluid trainer.  

Because of the layout, the dimmly lit room, and those around you, we require all bikes on trainers to be in place before 8:30AM on Sunday morning (doors open at 7:30AM) and stay in place until 3PM.  You may also bring your bike & trainer, and set it up on Saturday -- after 2PM.  Additionally, for safety reason, please do NOT bring rollers.