Your questions answered
Common Questions
How can I participate?
There are many amazing ways to participate in AIDS/LifeCycle! Here are 5 awesome ways YOU can get connected to the AIDS/LifeCycle community and find your route to getting involved.
How do I get started fundraising?
Cyclists fundraise a minimum of $3,500 by 5/19/2023. Never fundraised before? You’ve got this!
You’ll have a host of tools at your fingertips to help get you fundraising like a pro:
- Your Participant Center is full of social media shareables, email templates, event logistics information, a travel planner, and many other helpful resources
How do I prepare for the Ride?
Whether you’re a brand-new AIDS/LifeCycle participant or a seasoned veteran of the road, we have tools to help get you ready to roll! Your first stop will be your Participant Center, which you get access to after registering. Your Participant Center is your one-stop-shop for all things AIDS/LifeCycle: training resources, safety information, fundraising resources, your digital Welcome Booklet, and much more!
Training is an important component of participating in AIDS/LifeCycle. To get our community road-ready, we encourage our participants to join us for official Training Rides. Training Rides are an important experience in group riding, benefiting your and everyone else’s safety. The beauty of AIDS/LifeCycle includes the experience of riding alongside other (awesome!) cyclists – and Training Rides can help you adjust to riding in large groups, learn how to safely pass and be passed, and get accustomed to calling out your intentions and any hazards you may see ahead so that others know exactly what you’re doing. Official Training Rides are led by certified Training Ride Leaders. Our Training Ride Leaders are volunteer AIDS/LifeCycle veterans who will teach you how to have a safe, successful ride – from cycling basics to mileage training and more!
Check our calendar for upcoming Training Rides. No registration is necessary to join us for a ride, so if you’re testing the waters before signing up, this is a fantastic way to meet our amazing community!
What about safety on AIDS/LifeCycle?
Due to the varied levels of cycling ability within the AIDS/LifeCycle community, it is crucial that everyone adheres to the safety pillars. Your safety, as well as the safety of those around you depends on it. Learn more about our commitment to safety here.
When will I have to arrive in San Francisco for AIDS/LifeCycle?
Orientation Day (O-Day) occurs the day before Ride-Out at the Cow Palace (2600 Geneva Ave, in Daly City) and will serve as your primer for what to expect during AIDS/LifeCycle. Orientation Day can last all day Saturday, so plan to arrive the day before. Note that – Orientation Day is mandatory for all Participants, and full details will be released later in the season.
During Orientation Day, all Participants are required to attend a Participant Orientation Meeting. If you are a Roadie, you’ll also participate in the All Roadie Meeting. You will receive more information about sign-up times as the event date approaches.
Participants must arrange their own travel to San Francisco before Orientation Day and from Los Angeles following completion of the Ride. In addition, Participants are responsible for transporting their bikes on and off the Ride. Be on the lookout in your Participant Center as we get closer to the Ride for guidance on airfare and transportation, hotels, bike shipping resources, and tips on everything you need to pack for your 7 day journey!