How long is Cycle4haiti?
The Cycle4haiti is a 228km charity cycle to Galway starting from three different locations , Dublin , Sligo, and Cashel to raise much need funds for the work of The Soul of Haiti Foundation.

How long does it take?
The cycle is over two days. The first day covers 117km from each of the starting points to Athlone with roughly 4 ten min rest stops and one 30 min stop for lunch. Day 1 will take roughly 8 hours. Day two is slightly shorter and covers 100km from Athlone to Galway. We have 4 ten min rest stops and one 30min stop for lunch. Day two will take around 7hrs.

What time does it start?
08.00am sharp on Day 1 and 10am sharp on Day two. This is to allow for recovery from the first Day and the first night out.

Do I need to register?
Yes.

How do I register for the Cycle?
You can register for Cycle4haiti online at www.cycle4haiti.ie. For any questions on the cycle please email Aoife at aoife@cycle4haiti.com or call on 01 870 8175

Is Cycle4haiti a race?
No, absolutely not. It is a fundraising Charity Cycle. We cycle as one group all moving together at roughly 20kms an hour.

How much Sponsorship money do I need to raise?
We request ALL cyclists to raise a total of €500 in sponsorship. This covers all your accommodation, lunch and dinner for both nights and all food and soft drink refreshments over the course of the cycle for the two days. It also includes your Cycling Jersey, Commemorative Hoodie and Water Bottle.

Can I get Sponsorship Forms?
Yes. Once you register you can download Sponsorship Forms from the website and we will also send out Raffle tickets and A4 Cycle Posters to you. We organise a major Raffle with fantastic prizes, these will help you raise awareness of the Cycle and your fundraising efforts.

Can I raise Sponsorship money online?
Yes, definitely. You can create your own fundraising page on www.mycharity.ie and send the link to all your contacts. They can donate online whereby you can record who has donated and what amount. This is a very easy way of collecting sponsorship money and people tend to give higher amounts online.

What about sponsorship cheques?
All cheques should be made payable to Soul of Haiti Foundation.

Are there any age restrictions?
You must be over 16 years old and anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied throughout the Cycle by an adult. Last year the age span of cyclists was from 17 to 70 years of age.

What route does Cycle4haiti take?
There are Route Maps on our website which include the distance traveled and where the stops are located.

 Do I need to train?
Yes, training and preparing for the Cycle is advised. You should train twice a week and build up your distances in the months beforehand. We run training cycles every weekend in the run up to the cycle so please check out the website for details of these and come join us. If you can’t join the training cycles we would advise to try and train with others from an enjoyment and safety perspective.

What about equipment?
The better your bike, the easier the cycling. Make sure it is properly serviced. Cycle shorts are a must (for obvious reasons) and a helmet is essential. Wearing a helmet on the two days of Cycle4haiti is compulsory.

What bags should I bring?

You will need two bags. 1 Day Bag and 1 Night bag. All day bags stay with the cyclists in one of our Vans throughout the cycle and can be accessed during the stops. The Night Bags are taken directly to the hotel and can be collected on arrival.

What do I need in my Day Bag?

You must have a rain Jacket and trousers and we recommend a change of clothes and a small towel.

How does my Night bag get to Athlone?
On the morning of the cycle you can drop your night bag into a designated Van and we will transport your overnight bags directly to your Hotel in Athlone in one of our Vans. They will be waiting for you at your hotel on arrival. You will also need a Day bag that you can leave at registration or on the morning of the event and that will be in one of the Vans that stays with the Cyclists for the whole day so you can access this bag during the stops.

How does my Night Bag get from Athlone to Galway?

Your Night bag will be collected on Saturday morning from the Hotel and taken to Galway where it will be waiting for you at the hotel on arrival.

How do I get back to Dublin?
Cycle4haiti provides return coaches to Dublin on Monday morning.  These are provided free of charge.

How do I get my bike back to where I started?
We take it back for you. After you finish the Cycle we take your bike, load it onto one of our trucks and return it to the location where you registered in eitherDublin, Sligo or Cashel for collection on Monday between 1pm and 4pm.

What about punctures/repairs along the route?
Each cycle will have two fully equipped vans as repair units that follow behind the cyclists. If you have a puncture all you have to do is pull in to the side of the road and they will fix the puncture and give you a lift back up to the peloton.

What about food & drink throughout the day?
Cycle4haiti will provide refreshments (drinks, sandwiches, bananas, bars etc) along the route at 5 designated stops each day. There is also an official Lunch stop after roughly 63kms on Day 1 and after 59kms on Day 2. The lunch stop is 30min. Drinks, sandwiches, soup, tea & coffee are provided at lunch.

Where is the Start area?
The Starting location for Dublin is outside the GPO on O’Connell Street, for Sligo will be Sligo Park Hotel and for Cashel will be Cashel Palace. All starting points will be clearly stewarded on the morning of the Cycle.

Where is the Finish Area?
The Finish is located at Eyre Square Galway.

How do I get from the Finish area to the Hotel?
We provide a shuttle service between the Finish area and the hotel in Galway. The service is free of charge.

What about showering, changing etc after the Cycle?
All participants will be transferred back to their hotel and will have a few hours before the post-cycle dinner and celebration in a hotel in Galway on the Sunday evening. If you are unable to stay on Sunday night and intend to travel back home directly after the event please let us know as the hotel will allow the use of the hotel facilities (pool, changing rooms) during the evening for people not staying. We ask you to respect other hotel guests and hotel property when using hotel facilities.

What happens after the Cycle?
Every year there is a post-Cycle dinner and celebration where all cyclists and helpers are invited to attend to celebrate the achievement of cycling to Galway. The dinner is provided free of charge to everybody who has taken part in Cycle4haiti and it is a great fun event with some prize giving, storytelling and awards.

What time do coaches leave on Monday morning?
Coaches leave for Dublin, Sligo and Cashel at 12pm on Monday. Coaches will go to the registration locations in Dublin, Sligo and Cashel for bike pick up.

What does the Hotel and Dinner cost?
All accommodation and dinner for both nights are provided Free of Charge

What happens if I have an accident on the cycle?

Safety is our number one concern on the cycle. Therefore we have a Red Cross ambulance that stays with the Cyclists for the duration of the cycle in case of an accident. We also have two motorbike outriders and work extremely close with an Garda Siochana who assist us with an escort for the majority of the cycle.

What about Insurance?
When you sign up to Cycle4haiti you are automatically signed up to the One4all Cycling Club which is registered with Cycling Ireland and will provide you with Cycling Insurance for the remainder of the year.