What you need for a charity bike ride

A charity bike ride needs more than bicycles and refreshments. You will need clearly marked participant numbers, wristbands, safety vests, repair equipment and a reliable setup for registration and the finish area. Plan food and drinks for the number of confirmed riders, plus a small reserve for volunteers and late arrivals. This checklist also covers the items that are often arranged too late, such as power supplies, bike racks and spare inner tubes.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Party tentqty 2
Folding tableqty 8
Folding chairqty 30
Beer table setqty 4
Bicycle rackqty 10
Barrier fenceqty 12

Tableware

Reusable drinking glassqty 150
Coffee cupqty 100
Dinner plateqty 120
Dessert plateqty 120
Cutlery setqty 120
Serving spoonqty 8
Pitcherqty 8

Equipment

Cool boxqty 8
Coffee makerqty 3
Kettleqty 2
Food warmerqty 4
Mobile sound system
Microphoneqty 2
Extension cordqty 4
Power stripqty 4
Bike pumpqty 4
Tire repair kitqty 6
Bicycle tool kitqty 3
Spare inner tubeqty 15
Start and finish clockqty 2

Sports equipment

Bib numberqty 120
Wristbandqty 120
Bike medalqty 120
Safety vestqty 30
Route arrowqty 80
Route signqty 25
Marker coneqty 30
Barrier tapeqty 6
Bike lightqty 20
Reflection bandqty 30
Water bottleqty 120
Water bottle crateqty 8
Cooler bagqty 8
Route mapqty 130
Clipboardqty 8
Ballpoint penqty 30
Emergency blanketqty 12
Gloveqty 20

Kitchen

Cutting boardqty 6
Chef's knifeqty 6
Bread knifeqty 3
Trayqty 12
Serving platterqty 8
Serving trayqty 6
Thermosqty 8
Measuring cupqty 3
Chilled beverage dispenserqty 4

Cleaning

Waste binqty 12
Mopqty 4
Bucketqty 4
Broomqty 4
Dustpan and brushqty 4
Hand sanitizerqty 8

Lighting

LED lampqty 8
String lightsqty 4
Battery lanternqty 6

Catering

Groceries
- Coffee - 6 packs
- Tea - 4 boxes
- Sugar - 3 packs
- Milk - 12 liters
- Oat milk - 4 liters
- Lemon - 12 pieces
- Still mineral water - 120 bottles
- Sparkling mineral water - 60 bottles
- Sports drink - 120 bottles
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 12 bottles
- Orange juice - 12 liters
- Apple juice - 8 liters
- Alcohol-free beer - 48 bottles
- Beer - 96 bottles
- White wine - 12 bottles
- Red wine - 8 bottles
- Alcohol-free wine - 6 bottles
- Ice cubes - 20 bags
- Baguettes - 20 pieces
- Whole wheat bread - 12 loaves
- Mini rolls - 160 pieces
- Gluten-free sandwiches - 12 pieces
- Unsalted butter - 2 kilos
- Herb butter - 2 kilo
- Young cheese - 4 kilos
- Aged cheese - 3 kilos
- Brie - 2 kilos
- Hummus - 3 kilos
- Cream cheese - 2 kilo
- Ham - 3 kilos
- Chicken breast - 3 kilo
- Salami - 2 kilo
- Vegetarian slices - 2 kilo
- Cucumber - 12 pieces
- Tomatoes - 5 kilos
- Lettuce - 10 heads
- Bell peppers - 3 kilos
- Red onion - 2 kilos
- Apples - 120 pieces
- Bananas - 120 pieces
- Oranges - 80 pieces
- Grapes - 10 kilos
- Muesli bars - 150 pieces
- Energy bars - 120 pieces
- Raisins - 6 kilo
- Paprika chips - 10 bags
- Plain chips - 10 bags
- Tortilla chips - 8 bags
- Salted peanuts - 4 kilo
- Mixed nuts - 4 kilos
- Olives - 3 kg
- Pickles - 3 jars
- Cherry tomatoes - 4 kilos
- Carrots - 4 kilos
- Cucumber sticks - 4 kilo
- Mayonnaise - 3 jars
- Ketchup - 3 bottles
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Garlic sauce - 2 bottles
- Barbecue sauce - 2 bottles
- Pesto sauce - 2 jars
- Pasta salad - 12 kilos
- Potato salad - 10 kilos
- Green salad - 10 kilos
- Vegetarian pasta salad - 6 kilo
- Gluten-free pasta salad - 3 kilos
- Chicken skewers - 8 kilo
- Vegetarian skewers - 6 kilos
- Falafel - 5 kilos
- Mini quiches - 120 pieces
- Vegetarian mini quiches - 80 pieces
- Gluten-free crackers - 6 packs
- Cake - 8 pieces
- Cookies - 10 packs
- Chocolate bars - 120 pieces
- Paper napkins - 500 pieces
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Trash bags - 100 pieces
- Dish soap - 4 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 4 bottles
- Sponges - 12 pieces
- Microfiber cloths - 20 pieces
- Paper towels - 12 packs
- Hand soap - 6 bottles
- Disinfecting wipes - 8 packs
- Aluminum foil - 4 rolls
- Plastic wrap - 4 rolls
- Baking paper - 2 rolls
- Food containers - 100 pieces
- Cool bags - 20 pieces
- Coffee filters - 200 pieces
- Wooden stirrers - 300 pieces
- Bamboo skewers - 300 pieces

Tips

Allow at least one bib number and one wristband per registered rider, then add 5–10% extra for replacements, late registrations and damaged items. Keep the participant list, bib numbers and wristbands together at registration.
Prepare one repair point with a bike pump, tire repair kit, bicycle tool kit and spare inner tubes. Check the tools before the ride and have the bicycle repairer confirm what parts are available at least one week beforehand.
For every refreshment station, provide drinking glasses, pitchers or a cool box, and enough serving equipment for the expected flow of riders. Keep a separate supply for volunteers so the first aid or registration table is not left without drinks.
Set up the start and finish area with a party tent, tables, chairs, bicycle racks and barrier fencing before participants arrive. Count extension cords and power strips in advance, especially if you are using a coffee maker, kettle, food warmer or sound system.
Bring enough safety vests for route marshals and volunteers, not just the people at the start. Give each marshal their vest, emergency numbers and route information before the briefing, ideally 30–60 minutes before departure.

Frequently asked questions

What should I buy for a charity bike ride?: Buy or hire registration supplies, bib numbers, wristbands, safety vests, route and barrier equipment, refreshments, serving ware and bicycle repair tools. For each rider, plan 1 bib number and 1 wristband, plus 5–10% extra.
How much food and drink do I need for a charity bike ride?: Base quantities on the confirmed participant count and add 10% for volunteers, staff and late arrivals. For the first hour, allow about 2–3 drinks per person, then adjust the food quantity to the length of the ride and the planned refreshment stops.
How many spare inner tubes should I bring?: Bring at least 1 spare inner tube for every 20 riders, with a minimum of 2 tubes for the event. Confirm the common tire sizes with the repairer at least 1 week before the ride.
When should I prepare the charity bike ride equipment?: Check and count the equipment 3–7 days before the ride, then pack registration materials, repair tools and safety equipment in separate labelled boxes. Set up the start and finish area at least 60 minutes before riders arrive.

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