LarrySellerz

Hey guys, there is a century ride (sequoia century) coming up that some of my buddies are going to do. Unfortunately money is kind of tight right now and the ride is $150. I was thinking of going anyways without paying, bring some food and do it self supported. The entry fee includes a jersey that I don’t want, and a meal at the end which I could skip.

Is doing this frowned on? There is an obnoxious financial barrier to entry to this sport, and the average income of the riders around me is so much higher that it doesn’t make sense to me that I should be paying the same as them.

10 Wheels

Stay Home.

big john

Some people frown on it, but if you aren't using their support and are staying clear of the paying riders (except your friends) then I don't think it's a problem. If it's on public roads you have a right to be there.

LarrySellerz

I’d probably be in the thick of it trying to get into the fast pacelines

10 Wheels

Most Bike Shops have group rides.
Check with some bike shops.

WhyFi

Arrrr matey!

big john

If you're not paying I think you should stay away from riders who are.

KJ43

There's nothing obnoxious about a $150 feel for a charity ride. If you don't pay you should stay away to respect the riders that did. You should not try to be "in the thick of things".

Of course as was pointed out above it's on public roads so if you don't actually care about things like being cool or respectful then do what you want.

base2 

Frowned upon? Yes.
Illegal? No.

The dividing line is if you use any of their support or services. Cookies, donuts, refreshments, mechanical support, etc...Is a direct function of the entrance fee.

What is more abstract is the route planning, their permits, security, traffic direction services like barricades & policemen. This is a function of being part of a human herd. On the one hand, you benefit from safety in numbers, they benefit from more cyclists being visible from a public relations/visibility/influence standpoint. The cost is your presence is unaccounted for so accounting cost/benefit analysis on the backend is skewed.

To avoid "theft" of the organizers work, I say don't be at the start/finish line. Don't use any services. Ride your own route that is at best coincidental (at most 50%) to the ride taking place. As if you were independently out for a ride & just happened to come across the group. Which legitimately does happen from time to time. Otherwise, just leave well enough alone.

Polaris OBark

When you asked the organizers and offered to donate the difference in consumables you won't use and the registration fee, how warm and accepting was the response?

Bald Paul

Get a route map.
Get together with your buddies.
Ride the route - the following weekend.

The whole idea of charity rides is to benefit the charity - not you.

SpedFast

Diddo

10 Wheels

Limit 1300 riders.
The Sequoia Century (granfondoguide.com)

Juan Foote

I was out riding one time along a route that was well known to me, and also marked for a yearly ride that used to be held. A good portion of the way into the ride I was overtaken by a veritable crap ton of cyclists. The first group went by pretty quickly and then was aware that I was surrounded by cyclists. I asked and it turned out to be that yearly ride. It was kind of wild, really. I wrapped up my own ride and sat on the back porch watching bikes go by for about the next hour.

I would look at it kind of like sneaking into a movie. It doesn't SEEM like a big deal, but in truth it is a type of theft. If participating and joining your friends for the ride is that important to you, consider selling something or doing some side work to earn the money and then pay the organizers for their efforts. I think there could be a liability issue if you were to be involved in an accident while riding with the organized ride.

datlas 

Semi-******y. I would not judge you, but it’s clearly in the grey zone.

edit: semi-dooshey

KJ43

In total for all three routes. Only 499 for the full century route.

Polaris OBark

In other words, this is a purely hypothetical troll-posting.

It's a nice day here. Why not get out and ride?

WhyFi

The lack of shirt, on which to pin a registration number, is going to be a dead giveaway.

Troul 

if the route of that charity event happens to take place using a public area & is part of the route you normally ride, all while you are unware of that event happening on the typical day you ride in that common area; it would not bother me if I operated the event or was a paying rider.

Trying to avoid being caught in that predicament is what I try to do. I'll fall back on to a Plan B route, hold-off until the event is done, or if need be, abort mission & plan for another day to take that route when it's not preoccupied by an event.

Polaris OBark

We still have a way's to go to get to where we got with his last post on nearly the same topic:

Weird rules for the group ride

tomato coupe

Don't whine. The cost of this charity ride is NOT a financial barrier to the sport, because you can go ride somewhere else that day for free.

caloso

Nothing semi about it. Go ride your bike somewhere else.

TakingMyTime

Although I wouldn't. Call the organizers and see if there's some kind of "hardship" discount for people in your position. As far as not using any of their services... if you don't have a number on your jersey they probably won't let you eat their food or drink their water.

Seattle Forrest

You're thinking too small. This is for charity. They should pay you to ride. Having the Larry Sellers be part of the ride will bring these people more fame than they can handle and they need to share some of that with you. They should probably give you a new bike too.

indyfabz

This afternoon just got a lot more interesting.