Re: Good bicycling mag?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>Is there a magazine that caters to the more casual, universal rider with
>a modest income and also more articles about real world riding? I ride
>on and off road.<<<<<

If you live on the east coast of the USA and you can put up with awful
spelling and grammar, try The Ride: East Coast Bike Culture. It kind of
fits the specs you presented. But seriously, some of the articles are so
poorly written that you will have to read them several times to understand
the point. Also, if you're a REALLY casual rider, but you like long, scenic
path rides, subscribe to Rails To Trails Magazine.

On Sep 5, 2:02 pm, Ozark Bicycle ...

Quoted message said:

I've participated in charity rides both as a rider and a
volunteer, and I just don't see the downsides.

Most charity rides are probably great for the rider and volunteers.
One possible downside (different from the point of the article you
were referring to) is that the ride may also do very little, if
anything, to raise money for the nominal charity/cause. It's not
necessarily due to fraud, but simply inefficiency (though gross
inefficiency directed in certain ways can be tantamount to fraud).

A few years ago, I "sponsored" a co-worker for a big name, high
publicity, multi-day charity ride where each rider had to pledge on
the order of a thousand of dollars just to participate. Unbeknownst
to my co-worker, those of us who sponsored him essentially subsidized
his wonderful cycling vacation because the vast majority of money
raised went for putting on the ride itself. Very little money
actually went to the cause.

So before participating in a charity ride, especially one where you
solicit monetary contributions from your friends and family, it'd be
good to check to see if it's a worthwhile application of their
generosity. If you want to treat it just as a cycling vacation and
pay the pledge amount yourself, no worries, knock yourself out.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>Is there a magazine that caters to the more casual, universal
> rider with a modest income and also more articles about real world
> riding? I ride on and off road.

Quoted message said:

Momentum might be up your alley. Three year US subscription is $75.00.
You
can also see it on-line here:http://www.momentumplanet.com/. I loved
the
article, A Field Guide to Vancouver Cyclists:
http://www.momentumplanet.com/features/field-guide-vancouver-cyclists.

I'll second that recommendation.

<snipped>

Quoted message said:

The Great Sheldon Brown has a contribution
in the current issue.

http://tinyurl.com/2ulpfh

That "contribution" is a short article with a very negative take on
charity rides (Tour de Cure, MS150, Aids Ride, etc). I've seen similar
stuff from this individual before, and I must ask "why all the
negativity"? I've participated in charity rides both as a rider and a
volunteer, and I just don't see the downsides. Sure, the organizers
might pick poor routes, offer less than optimal support at times, etc.
But the riders really seem to get a big boost from both doing
something positive and at least trying to meet a personal challenge.
The high percentage of repeat riders attests to the satisfying
experience, IMO/E.

=====================================================================

Years ago , I rode many an MS ride, and all the other disease rides. Had
some fun. I never raised any money to
speak of. I would just pay the ride entrance fee. Usually around $20 bucks
or something.

Then, the rides started getting more expensive. They wanted me to raise
$$$$$ ..

As much as I liked the rides, the people, etc it just became tiresome to try
and raise money.

So, I stopped riding the charity rides.

A couple of years back, a friend of mind got involved in the Mass Challenge
ride. This ride goes across Mass in middle of August. She
had to almost start a business to raise the money. Thousands,, she had a
Christmas fund raiser, a summer fund raiser,, and even then I got emails
asking for more money.

This is a very worthy ride. The money goes toward Cancer research. Almost
every penny.

But I can't ride. Why? Because I can't raise thousands of dollars.

How does this make me feel? Pretty bad.

I wish these rides, and the ride organizations would start to consider that
not everyone can raise thousands of dollars.

On Sep 5, 6:43 pm, "Sir Thomas of Cannondale" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>>Is there a magazine that caters to the more casual, universal
>> rider with a modest income and also more articles about real world
>> riding? I ride on and off road.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> Momentum might be up your alley. Three year US subscription is $75.00.
> You
> can also see it on-line here:http://www.momentumplanet.com/. I loved
> the
> article, A Field Guide to Vancouver Cyclists:
>http://www.momentumplanet.com/features/field-guide-vancouver-cyclists.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I'll second that recommendation.

Quoted message said:

<snipped>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The Great Sheldon Brown has a contribution
in the current issue.

Quoted message said:

http://tinyurl.com/2ulpfh

Quoted message said:

That "contribution" is a short article with a very negative take on
charity rides (Tour de Cure, MS150, Aids Ride, etc). I've seen similar
stuff from this individual before, and I must ask "why all the
negativity"? I've participated in charity rides both as a rider and a
volunteer, and I just don't see the downsides. Sure, the organizers
might pick poor routes, offer less than optimal support at times, etc.
But the riders really seem to get a big boost from both doing
something positive and at least trying to meet a personal challenge.
The high percentage of repeat riders attests to the satisfying
experience, IMO/E.

=====================================================================

Years ago , I rode many an MS ride, and all the other disease rides. Had
some fun. I never raised any money to
speak of. I would just pay the ride entrance fee. Usually around $20 bucks
or something.

Then, the rides started getting more expensive. They wanted me to raise
$$$$$ ..

As much as I liked the rides, the people, etc it just became tiresome to try
and raise money.

So, I stopped riding the charity rides.

A couple of years back, a friend of mind got involved in the Mass Challenge
ride. This ride goes across Mass in middle of August. She
had to almost start a business to raise the money. Thousands,, she had a
Christmas fund raiser, a summer fund raiser,, and even then I got emails
asking for more money.

This is a very worthy ride. The money goes toward Cancer research. Almost
every penny.

But I can't ride. Why? Because I can't raise thousands of dollars.

How does this make me feel? Pretty bad.

I wish these rides, and the ride organizations would start to consider that
not everyone can raise thousands of dollars

But, OTOH, accepting riders who only come up with the $20-40
"registration fee" actually costs the charity money, thus diverting
funds away from the "cause". IMO, charity rides requiring a ~$20-40
"registration fee" and a fund raising minimum of ~$100-150 for a one
day event (such as the Tour de Cure) are on the right track. Multi-day
events cost more and rightly should have higher minimums. YMMV.

In rec.bicycles.misc said:

On Sep 5, 2:02 pm, Ozark Bicycle ...

Quoted message said:

I've participated in charity rides both as a rider and a
volunteer, and I just don't see the downsides.

Quoted message said:

Most charity rides are probably great for the rider and volunteers.
One possible downside (different from the point of the article you
were referring to) is that the ride may also do very little, if
anything, to raise money for the nominal charity/cause. It's not
necessarily due to fraud, but simply inefficiency (though gross
inefficiency directed in certain ways can be tantamount to fraud).

Having been involved in one particular charity ride for a couple of
years, I think I should speak about the other side of the coin. The ride
I've been in is the Utah MS-150, and I can tell you a bit about the
finances.
First of all, there is a rider registration fee. That's what it's
called; that's what it is. It pays for the ride, partially. It runs from
about $20 for earlybirds, to $50 for last-minute registrants. The money
from registration pays for things like meals and the souvenir t-shirt that
all riders get.
The ride itself is sponsored by a number of businesses. My employer is
the over-all sponsor, and sinks a considerable amount of time and money
into it. There are other sponsors, like Fidelity Investments, which
sponsors the "MS Village," and FedEx, which sponsors the route, providing
trucks to haul meals, water, etc., to the rest stops. Each rest stop is
sponsored and staffed by a different company. (The popular favorite is a
sprinkler company whose stop features a ride-through mist sprayer. It
feels like heaven on a hot day.)
The donation money the riders raise ALL goes to the MS Society. I
don't have the exact figures right here right now, but the breakdown is
roughly like this: about 10% goes to fundraising (okay, maybe part of
that bit goes into the ride); about 15% is for administrative expenses
(rent, utilities, salaried staff, etc.); around 25% goes to research (such
as the study that recently identified a gene that is one cause of the
disease); the final 50% goes to programs to benefit people with MS, paying
for anything from medications (MS meds are staggeringly expensive, take it
from one who knows first-hand!) to wheelchairs to scholarships.
The minimum amount riders have to raise over and above their
registration fee is $200. How hard is that? I've gone over $500 both
times I've ridden, and some late contributions this year, plus some tips
and gifts that I've signed over, already have me over my $200 minimum for
next year. My fund-raising technique? I send out e-mails and letters to
people I know, offering them the chance to feel good about themselves by
doing something good for others.
Other rides may do things differently, but I think I'm involved with
one that does it exactly the way it ought to be done. This year we had
about 2900 riders, rode somewhere in the neighborhood of a third of a
million miles, and raised over $1,500,000 for the MS Society. Oh, and
incidentally, had a good time.

Bill

__o | Still riding for the cure. You can help.
_`\(,_ | E-mail [email hidden] (minus the letters
(_)/ (_) | with tails) to find out how.

In rec.bicycles.misc said:

The donation money the riders raise ALL goes to the MS Society. I
don't have the exact figures right here right now, but the breakdown is
roughly like this: about 10% goes to fundraising (okay, maybe part of
that bit goes into the ride); about 15% is for administrative expenses
(rent, utilities, salaried staff, etc.); around 25% goes to research (such
as the study that recently identified a gene that is one cause of the
disease); the final 50% goes to programs to benefit people with MS, paying
for anything from medications (MS meds are staggeringly expensive, take it
from one who knows first-hand!) to wheelchairs to scholarships.

In the interest of accuracy, I looked up the actual numbers. In the
case of this event, donations received by the MS Society are utilized in
these amounts:
5% administrative
12% fundraising
31% national programs & research
52% local programs.

Bill

__o | Blind faith in your leaders--or in anything--
_`\(,_ | will get you killed.
(_)/ (_) | --Bruce Springsteen

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>I've participated in charity rides both as a rider and a volunteer, and
>I just don't see the downsides. Sure, the organizers might pick poor
>routes, offer less than optimal support at times, etc.

But the riders really seem to get a big boost from both doing something
positive and at least trying to meet a personal challenge. The high
percentage of repeat riders attests to the satisfying experience,
IMO/E.<<<<<<

I agree that charity rides offer "casual riders," as well as more serious
riders, a rare opportunity to do something positive while pedaling away.
However, as a former marshall for the Long Island MS Rides, I have to say
that some of what I saw on those rides was downright dangerous and
irresponsible on the part of the organizers.

As the "ride marshall," I assumed my job was to acompany the pack and make
sure everyone made it safely through the course and stayed hydrated, etc.
I'm not sure the organizers had the same idea of what a marshall does, but I
know they didn't assign anyone ELSE to that job. Therefore, I was, by
default, responsible for the well-being of hundreds of cyclists, many of
whom hadn't taken their bikes out of the garage since the previous year's MS
Ride.

Like any typical charity ride, the low-impact route of the MS Ride generally
attracts a wide array of cyclists ranging from angry geeks who want to show
off how fast they can finish the route to much more laid-back folks who
prefer to take their time, see the sights, chat with other riders, etc.
Also in the mix are some really out-of-shape people who either got in over
their heads or are out to achieve a personal goal. These are the people who
end up needing a marshall's help.

Both years I participated in the ride, I ended up taking almost seven hours
to complete a course that was, I believe, no more than 25 miles. This is
because I had to keep doubling back to pick up riders who had fallen way
behind the pack. And in the end, both years, I ended up roughing it out
with the very last rider, who, in both cases, didn't have a water bottle,
hadn't eaten a proper breakfast that morning, and was riding a bicycle that
should have been turned into a planter years before.

I have great memories of coaching both these people through the last miles
of the ride. One was a senior citizen who had made a bet with his son that
he could finish the ride. The other was a very overweight,
mentally-challenged kid riding an adult trike. At the end of the rides, I
let them cross the finish line before me so that it would look like they
didn't finish last. But it didn't matter, because both years, by the time
we crossed the finish line, all the event volunteers and organizers were
already gone.

Yes, you heard that right. The people who had organized the rides had
allowed the roads to be opened, the so-called "support vans" to leave, and
the EMT's to go home before they had accounted for the last few riders.
When we hit the finish line, there wasn't even a drink of water for these
poor guys.

Anyway, without beating the point to death, I think there are some dangerous
gaps in the planning of these events -- at least as far as the short routes
go. The serious riders on the 100 mile routes can surely take care of
themselves, but the rest of the riders need a lot of support. Otherwise,
it's just a matter of time before someone gets really seriously injured.

Papa Tom said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>>I've participated in charity rides both as a rider and a volunteer, and
>>I just don't see the downsides. Sure, the organizers might pick poor
>>routes, offer less than optimal support at times, etc.

But the riders really seem to get a big boost from both doing something
positive and at least trying to meet a personal challenge. The high
percentage of repeat riders attests to the satisfying experience,
IMO/E.<<<<<<

I agree that charity rides offer "casual riders," as well as more serious
riders, a rare opportunity to do something positive while pedaling away.
However, as a former marshall for the Long Island MS Rides, I have to say
that some of what I saw on those rides was downright dangerous and
irresponsible on the part of the organizers.

As the "ride marshall," I assumed my job was to acompany the pack and make
sure everyone made it safely through the course and stayed hydrated, etc.
I'm not sure the organizers had the same idea of what a marshall does, but I
know they didn't assign anyone ELSE to that job. Therefore, I was, by
default, responsible for the well-being of hundreds of cyclists, many of
whom hadn't taken their bikes out of the garage since the previous year's MS
Ride.

Like any typical charity ride, the low-impact route of the MS Ride generally
attracts a wide array of cyclists ranging from angry geeks who want to show
off how fast they can finish the route to much more laid-back folks who
prefer to take their time, see the sights, chat with other riders, etc.
Also in the mix are some really out-of-shape people who either got in over
their heads or are out to achieve a personal goal. These are the people who
end up needing a marshall's help.

Both years I participated in the ride, I ended up taking almost seven hours
to complete a course that was, I believe, no more than 25 miles. This is
because I had to keep doubling back to pick up riders who had fallen way
behind the pack. And in the end, both years, I ended up roughing it out
with the very last rider, who, in both cases, didn't have a water bottle,
hadn't eaten a proper breakfast that morning, and was riding a bicycle that
should have been turned into a planter years before.

I have great memories of coaching both these people through the last miles
of the ride. One was a senior citizen who had made a bet with his son that
he could finish the ride. The other was a very overweight,
mentally-challenged kid riding an adult trike. At the end of the rides, I
let them cross the finish line before me so that it would look like they
didn't finish last. But it didn't matter, because both years, by the time
we crossed the finish line, all the event volunteers and organizers were
already gone.

Yes, you heard that right. The people who had organized the rides had
allowed the roads to be opened, the so-called "support vans" to leave, and
the EMT's to go home before they had accounted for the last few riders.
When we hit the finish line, there wasn't even a drink of water for these
poor guys.

Anyway, without beating the point to death, I think there are some dangerous
gaps in the planning of these events -- at least as far as the short routes
go. The serious riders on the 100 mile routes can surely take care of
themselves, but the rest of the riders need a lot of support. Otherwise,
it's just a matter of time before someone gets really seriously injured.

You made this same post about a week ago, complete with the same
unacknowledged snipping of my original text. Why the repetition?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>You made this same post about a week ago, complete with the same

unacknowledged snipping of my original text. Why the repetition?<<<<<<

Because I noticed that no one was adding to my other thread, while this one
continued to generate comments. Sorry, but I guess I was feeling lonely.

Regarding the "unacknowledged snipping," I'm not sure what you mean. But if
I offended you, my apology.

"Ozark Bicycle" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Papa Tom said:

Quoted message said:

>>>I've participated in charity rides both as a rider and a volunteer,
>>>and
>>>I just don't see the downsides. Sure, the organizers might pick poor
>>>routes, offer less than optimal support at times, etc.

But the riders really seem to get a big boost from both doing something
positive and at least trying to meet a personal challenge. The high
percentage of repeat riders attests to the satisfying experience,
IMO/E.<<<<<<

I agree that charity rides offer "casual riders," as well as more serious
riders, a rare opportunity to do something positive while pedaling away.
However, as a former marshall for the Long Island MS Rides, I have to say
that some of what I saw on those rides was downright dangerous and
irresponsible on the part of the organizers.

As the "ride marshall," I assumed my job was to acompany the pack and
make
sure everyone made it safely through the course and stayed hydrated, etc.
I'm not sure the organizers had the same idea of what a marshall does,
but I
know they didn't assign anyone ELSE to that job. Therefore, I was, by
default, responsible for the well-being of hundreds of cyclists, many of
whom hadn't taken their bikes out of the garage since the previous year's
MS
Ride.

Like any typical charity ride, the low-impact route of the MS Ride
generally
attracts a wide array of cyclists ranging from angry geeks who want to
show
off how fast they can finish the route to much more laid-back folks who
prefer to take their time, see the sights, chat with other riders, etc.
Also in the mix are some really out-of-shape people who either got in
over
their heads or are out to achieve a personal goal. These are the people
who
end up needing a marshall's help.

Both years I participated in the ride, I ended up taking almost seven
hours
to complete a course that was, I believe, no more than 25 miles. This is
because I had to keep doubling back to pick up riders who had fallen way
behind the pack. And in the end, both years, I ended up roughing it out
with the very last rider, who, in both cases, didn't have a water bottle,
hadn't eaten a proper breakfast that morning, and was riding a bicycle
that
should have been turned into a planter years before.

I have great memories of coaching both these people through the last
miles
of the ride. One was a senior citizen who had made a bet with his son
that
he could finish the ride. The other was a very overweight,
mentally-challenged kid riding an adult trike. At the end of the rides,
I
let them cross the finish line before me so that it would look like they
didn't finish last. But it didn't matter, because both years, by the
time
we crossed the finish line, all the event volunteers and organizers were
already gone.

Yes, you heard that right. The people who had organized the rides had
allowed the roads to be opened, the so-called "support vans" to leave,
and
the EMT's to go home before they had accounted for the last few riders.
When we hit the finish line, there wasn't even a drink of water for these
poor guys.

Anyway, without beating the point to death, I think there are some
dangerous
gaps in the planning of these events -- at least as far as the short
routes
go. The serious riders on the 100 mile routes can surely take care of
themselves, but the rest of the riders need a lot of support. Otherwise,
it's just a matter of time before someone gets really seriously injured.

You made this same post about a week ago, complete with the same
unacknowledged snipping of my original text. Why the repetition?

Papa Tom said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>>You made this same post about a week ago, complete with the same

unacknowledged snipping of my original text. Why the repetition?<<<<<<

Because I noticed that no one was adding to my other thread, while this one
continued to generate comments. Sorry, but I guess I was feeling lonely.

Nothing worse than an unrequited troll, eh?

Quoted message said:

Regarding the "unacknowledged snipping," I'm not sure what you mean. But if
I offended you, my apology.

Well, your snipping pretty much changed the entire context of my
comments, which were made in reference to a very negative article
about charity rides which appeared in Momentum magazine. And the
negativity in that article had alnost no relation to your caveats
about the two MS150s you "marshalled" in.

<remainder snipped for brevity>