Rider FAQs
I’m an amateur cyclist. Can I still join the Ride?
Yes! If you are committed to training to be ready to ride by March, then we encourage you to register.
All riders participating should have a good level of general fitness and must be able to maintain an average speed of at least 25km per hour by the main event.
We have a cycling training partner who can help you on your training journey. Additionally, our Ride partner Entoure will be hosting a number of training rides in the lead up to the Ride to help get you up to this level if you’re a beginner.
What sort of bike will I need?
Riders are required to have a road/race bike. No mountain bikes, e-bikes, hybrids, tandems or unicycles are permitted to enter. These restrictions apply to ensure riders within each group are able to maintain the same pace and aren’t disadvantaged or advantaged.
Am I insured when I am on the Ride?
The RFCK is insured through and has been sanctioned by AusCycling (formerly Cycling Australia). A condition of this public liability insurance is that all participants in this event must hold a current membership with AusCycling (membership type is at each individual rider’s discretion). Monthly membership starts at $9 per month and all participants must ensure they have AusCycling Membership. You will need to provide us with your membership number prior to taking part in the Event .
I have registered but can no longer do the ride. Can I transfer my entry to someone else?
Ride For Country Kids entries are transferable so long as your replacement meets, or can meet, the event criteria around fitness and fundraising. We can refund registration if you cancel before 27 January 2024, but no refunds will be paid after this date.
What do I do if I've lost my group entry promo code?
If your registration was paid for as part of a group entry, your team organiser will have received a promo code for each rider. If you've lost this code, and your team organiser cannot provide it, please contact events@royalfarwest.org.au to retrieve it.
What should I bring on the Ride?
Once you’re registered, we’ll provide a more detailed overview of what you should bring with you.
At the very minimum, you’ll need:
- A road bike
- Helmet
- Drivers Licence / Identification
- Front and Rear Lights
- Sunglasses
- Water Bottle(s)
- Snacks
- Gloves
- Wind Vest / Rain Jacket
- Spare Tube(s) / Flat Repair Kit
- Sunscreeen
- Mobile Phone
- Clothing to wear at our nightly group dinner
- Toothbrush
What if I can’t make the distance on the day?
Each peloton is supported by a front and rear vehicle which can assist riders who need to be uplifted at any time. Additionally, we can utilise a mini-bus or coach, plus a truck, to transport riders and their bikes if mutliple people need uplifting for any reason.
How often do the groups stop and rest?
The pelotons will stop several times per day. There is a break for morning tea and lunch each day.
You will need to carry two full water bottles to keep yourself hydrated. It is also recommended to carry some snacks with you.
Can you wear an ear piece and listen to music when riding in the event?
Under no circumstances should anyone wear any ear piece devices that reduce, impair or limit their hearing. It’s an event condition and requirement of the Police and AusCycling that all riders can hear traffic and be able to hear instructions from their rider captains and fellow riders.
General FAQs
What is the Ride for Country Kids?
The Ride for Country Kids is an annual three day cycle ride organised by children’s charity Royal Far West. In 2024 we will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of this iconic ride that aims to raise funds to provide vital developmental and mental health support to children living in rural and remote areas of Australia.
When and where does this year's Ride take place?
The Ride for Country Kids 2024 will take place from 17 to 19 March 2024. The Ride will begin in Merimbula and finish in Cobargo.
How much does it cost to enter?
A registration fee of $1,750 per rider is required. This fee includes all accommodation, meals and rider kit.
Is fundraising compulsory?
Yes. Each rider must commit to fundraising a minimum of $4,000. By fundraising, you will be helping to provide vital support to thousands of country kids across Australia who cannot access the care they need in their local area.
What are the event terms & conditions?
You can find the full terms and conditions here. All participants must accept these terms and conditions at the time of registration. These T&Cs cover off rider and fundraising criteria, as well as COVID-19 requirements, and information around event cancellation etc.
Where does the money go?
Funds raised from the Ride for Country Kids will go directly to supporting children through our Paediatric Developmental Program (PDP).
The PDP is our flagship program, and is delivered to families at no cost. The gap – about $4M per year – is funded through fundraising, partnerships and philanthropy.
Our goal is to raise $600,000 from this year's Ride to directly support country kids and families in the PDP.
What do I do if I've lost my group entry promo code?
If your registration was paid for as part of a group entry, your team organiser will have received a promo code for each rider. If you've lost this code, and your team organiser cannot provide it, please contact events@royalfarwest.org.au to retrieve it.
Fundraising FAQs
What fundraising resources and assets will I have access to?
Your fundraising page is your main tool for raising funds. Your page has social sharing buttons with suggested wording for your posts.
When you're logged into your account, you can use our template email to ask for support from family and friends.
Additionally, you have access to a range of social tiles, emails signatures, posters etc to share with your networks. You can download these assets on the Fundraising Tools page.
How do I connect Strava and other fitness apps?
Your profile page includes your personal distance tally so you can track your distance towards your target. This is a great way to keep your friends updated on your workouts!
If you track your workouts with Fitbit, MapMyFitness or Strava your distances will automatically add to your tally.
Follow these steps to track your KMs automatically:
1. Download the Fitbit, Strava or MapMyFitness app and set up your account
2. Log in to your Ride for Country Kids account.
3. Navigate to 'My Fitness Activity'
4. Under the heading ‘Connect your preferred Fitness app’, click your chosen app.
5. Follow the prompts to connect your account
6. When you next work out, select ‘start your workout’ in the app on your phone. Once you end your workout, save your workout and your distance will be published to the tally on your page the following day.
If you have synced your app already but it is not working, please log in and re-connect it.
When using Fitbit, you must ‘start’ an activity and save it. Your daily steps will not automatically add to your page. If you are having issues, try syncing through BOTH your Fitbit and the Fitbit app on your smartphone.
When using MapMyFitness, you must ‘start’ your workout, ‘stop’ your workout and then ‘SAVE’ your workout.
Your tally will be updated each day with the previous day’s distances.
Remember, you can manually add your kilometres to the tally in your My Fitness Activity tab of your profile after registering. This is a great option if you’re using a pedometer or a different method of tracking your distances.
Follow these steps to manually add your KMs:
1. Log in to your account and select ‘My Fitness Activity’
2. Under ‘Add activity’, enter the date and distance
3. The number of KMs will now appear on your fundraising page!
Where does the money go?
Funds raised from the Ride for Country Kids will go directly to supporting children through our Paediatric Developmental Program (PDP).
The PDP is our flagship program, and is delivered to families at no cost. The gap – about $4M per year – is funded through fundraising, partnerships and philanthropy.
Our goal is to raise $600,000 from this year's Ride to directly support country kids and families in the PDP.
Can funds raised support children my local area or a specific region?
There are many children in rural and remote Australian communities whose mental and developmental health needs are not being met. The demand for our services is growing constantly, so every dollar raised or donated is more important than ever. However, we cannot direct funds raised to helping a specific child, school or community. The money you raise will go to the area of greatest need, whether it be for services delivered in community, virtually via Telecare or at our Centre for Country Kids in Manly.
