How You Can Participate
Rider
As a Rider, you’ll be on your bike from Boston to New York raising awareness and funds in the fight to end AIDS. We want you to focus on riding your bike, making new friends, honoring your reason for riding, and having the experience of a lifetime.
Crew
You are the heart and soul of the Ride. For three days you’ll dedicate your time and energy to make sure the Riders are safe, fed, hydrated, and happy. Check out the Crew roles here and you’ll have a blast no matter what team you’re on.
If you’re interested in one of our Specialty Crew roles (Medical, Bike Tech, Motorcycle Safety, or Physical Therapy), contact us at cycleforthecause@gaycenter.org.
Please note that registration fees and minimum fundraising requirements apply to Riders and Crew.
Fundraising & Training Support
The Cycle for the Cause community has raised more than $22 million over the years to support The Center’s services. The C4C team will guide you throughout your fundraising and training to make it as easy as possible for you to achieve your goal. Click here for access to our Participant Fundraising Resources!
Download the DonorDrive app (available on iOS and Android) and make fundraising even easier! You can share your fundraising page with friends and family through a simple QR code, send emails to your network, and keep up with your team, directly through the app!
Fundraising Incentives
2025 Fundraising Prizes & Incentives Coming Soon!
Frequently Asked Questions
Cycle for the Cause is September 18-September 21, 2025.
Day 0, Sept 18: Travel and orientation day. Riders and Crew gather at The Center and travel together in chartered buses to the starting hotel in Boston. (There will also be buses leaving from ADP Roseland in NJ)
Day 1, Sept 19: First day of the Ride! There will be rest stops along the way, and once participants arrive to the second hotel, there will be dinner and programming.
Day 2, Sept 20: Second day of the Ride – and boy, oh boy, it will be a fun one! There will be rest stops along the way, and once participants arrive to the third hotel, there will be dinner and programming.
Day 3, Sept 21: Final day of the Ride. Participants will cross the Finish Line in front of The Center where there will be a wonderful block party! Participants and their guests are invited, and participants will grab free food and drinks.
Two or more people can form a team, although we suggest that a team consist of at least three participants. Teams can be made up of friends, family, coworkers, or anyone else. Riders, Crew members, and Virtual Participants can join the same team.
You may join a team at any time. If you’ve registered as an individual but would like to join a team, please contact the team captain or the C4C team.
A team can be fun and can support you with fundraising and training, but you can also register as an individual. Either way, you’ll meet tons of great friends!
The stigma of living with HIV is still prevalent and often prevents people from getting tested. Thos who have already been diagnosed often fear judgement when seeking life-saving treatments. It’s critical that, as the C4C community, we spread awareness and understanding in order to combat that stigma.
During the weekend of Cycle for the Cause, you may see riders with an orange flag on the back of their bike. This flag is an indicator that they are living with HIV/AIDS. Our PosPed riders are making a statement in all the cities and towns we pass through that people in our community impacted by HIV/AIDS live beautiful and vibrant lives. The also make a statement to those within our own community that we can take the reins, overcome stigma, and inspire each other.
To ride as a PosPed, you can request an orange bike flag during hotel check-in. There will also be PosPed pins/flair available for crew and for supporters.
For three days, Crew dedicate their time and energy to making sure our hundreds of Riders are safe, fed, hydrated, and supported. This includes, but is not limited to, staffing themed rest stops while pouring water, mixing Gatorade and serving snacks, checking participants into hotels, parking bicycles, picking up Riders along the route, giving hugs, and leading cheers! Check out our Crew roles and learn more about Crewing by contacting crew@gaycenter.org.
All Cycle for the Cause participants must be at least 18 years old as of September 17, 2025. Minors may join the Ride provided they are accompanied by a participant who is their legal guardian. For a minor’s waiver, please contact us at cycleforthecause@gaycenter.org.
While we fully anticipate this year’s ride to sell out due to overwhelming interest, that does not mean you can’t still participate. Those unable to secure a spot on the ride will have the option to be added to a waitlist in the event a spot becomes available. You can also join as a Virtual Participant and support The Center when it works for you!
Participants who don’t reach their minimum fundraising requirement before the Ride will still be able to participate. Their fundraising pages will remain open through the calendar year (Dec 31) so they can continue fundraising. After Dec 31, participants will be charged for the remaining balance using the card left on file during the registration process.
While we encourage each fundraiser to reach their goals, we understand that individuals also deserve credit for their role in team fundraising. Only team captains can reallocate donations raised by their team to an individual participant by notifying The Center team of which donations are being shared and with which participant. The donations shared with individuals cannot exceed the funds in the team’s campaign.
Individual participants may not share their funds with other individual participants.
Please note: this policy may be adjusted for the 2026 ride.
You may mail checks to: The Center, Attn: Cycle for the Cause, 208 W. 13th Street, New York, NY 10011. Please give the C4C team a heads up at cycleforthecause@gaycenter.org.
Funds must be received by Sept 11 to receive fundraising gifts at the Ride and by Sept 18 to receive fundraising gifts post-event. To avoid being charged for the balance of your minimum fundraising requirement, please ensure the checks are received by Dec 31. Ensure your name (or the participant’s name) is noted clearly and please do not send cash.
Every Rider needs to have a bike and a helmet. Most people choose either a road bike or a hybrid. Whichever type of bike you choose, make sure that it fits you properly and has all of the basics (like brakes).
We have been exploring options around the use of e-bikes for Cycle for the Cause, but we cannot currently offer that option for 2025. E-bikes pose a range of challenges, as they typically can’t be transported using our standard bike shipping trucks and they require specialized parts and bike techs along the route to support in the event of damage, charging issues or other equipment malfunctions. We apologize for this inconvenience.
We highly recommend you have two water bottles attached to your bike; one for water and one for a sports drink.
You should have a small bike pump attached to your bike or bring CO2 cartridges. If you use a CO2 cartridge to refill a flat tire, you should deflate your tire and refill it with regular air at the next rest stop or at the hotel (by using a simple stand pump). CO2 is a gas and quickly dissipates through the rubber, which can make it dangerous to ride on the re-inflated tire longer than you have to.
Even though you won’t be riding in the dark, it’s a good idea to have lights on your bike in case of rain or fog. Also, lights make you more visible to cars—which is always a good thing.
Your seat bag should include the following: two spare tubes, two tire levers, two CO2 cartridges, one valve/nozzle, and a bike wrench set. A portable phone charger is recommended, as well as your ID and a small amount of cash, just in case.
Take a look at our What to Bring section for a full list of recommended equipment and clothing.
Crew members who would like to donate their vehicle to the Ride should contact the C4C team. Due to limited space and insurance requirements there are very few circumstances where this will be permitted.
On Sept 18, Riders and Crew gather at The Center and travel together in chartered buses to the starting hotel in Boston. (There will also be buses leaving from ADP Roseland in NJ)
Yes, all meals are provided starting with dinner on Thursday night, Sept 18. We will eat breakfast and dinner together at the hotels, and a nutritious lunch will be served each day along the route. If you have dietary restrictions, you will be able to indicate that on your Travel Planner form in advance of the event.
Definitely! We don’t expect (or advise) you to ride from Boston to NYC without stopping. There are rest stops every 10-15 miles which include snacks, water, Gatorade, restrooms and Crew! Medical staff and Bike Tech services are available at each rest stop.
Very few. Once you are at the event, your meals, hotel rooms, transportation, and even some entertainment are provided for you. You may want to bring your debit card, credit card, or cash for incidentals.
The route is well-marked by our expert route team each morning, so Riders rarely get lost. But if you do get lost, simply call the number on your wristband (distributed at Thursday Orientation), and the Command Center will help you find your way back or send a Sweep vehicle to pick you up.
Our Bike Techs will be at rest stops to fix any problems. You can also call the Command Center or flag one of the Sweep vehicles to take you to the next rest stop if you can’t make it there on your own. We recommend you carry spare tubes in your seat bag. If your bike needs a part that you don’t have, the Bike Techs can fix it, but there may be a cost for the spare part.
The route goes across four states where the weather can vary tremendously. September can vary with temperatures ranging from 35-60 degrees in the morning to 65-85 degrees in the afternoon. Participants should dress in layers to be prepared for any kind of weather.
Cycle for the Cause happens in rain or shine, so you should bring rain gear just in case. In the event of very severe weather, the C4C team may delay, postpone, or cancel a day of riding for the safety of all participants.
Cycle for the Cause is fully supported, so we’ve got you covered. The Sweep Team will be driving along the route and is able to take you to the next rest stop or to the hotel. Of course, your teammates, friends, and the entire Cycle for the Cause family will be there to encourage you to keep going!
There is a Medical Crew who will be at each rest stop and at the hotels. The scope of services provided by the Medical Team will be limited to the provision of First Aid. In an emergency situation, the team will provide emergency support until local Emergency Medical Service Teams arrive on-site.
If you decide to leave early, please speak with the C4C team so you can check out and so they can provide information and advice on securing transportation home. Any related costs will be your responsibility.
Yes – you can tell us who you’d like to room with on your Travel Planner form, or the C4C team can match you up with someone. We have a very limited amount of single rooms and they will be allotted based on medical necessity. If you require a single room, you will be able to indicate that on your Travel Planner form in advance of the event, as well as provide documentation to the C4C team.
We love it when friends or family come out to support you on the route. However, due to our limited space and resources, we ask that they not join us for meals or stay in your hotel room. If your friends want to cheer you on along the route, we’ll be sharing designated cheering stations that are safe places on the route (coming soon!). You can also invite your guests to join you at the block party after you cross the Finish Line.
Unfortunately, we’re not able to offer this option due to permitting and liquor license restrictions. Restricting alcoholic beverages to The Center’s Garden/building is the only alternative to forgoing them altogether. Thank you for understanding!
Our Medical Team is comprised of doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals who will take care of all your refrigerated prescriptions, including delivering them to you during the day when you’re on the road. If you have prescriptions that require refrigeration, you will be able to indicate that on your Travel Planner form in advance of the event.