Continuing with the Ride To Conquer Cancer updates, The Eastern Norco crew recently took part in the Ontario version of the 2010 Ride To Conquer Cancer on June 12-13th. The ride is in its 3rd year and consists of 2 options over the two days, 200km or 200 miles…from Toronto to Niagara Falls. This years ride had 4108 participants raising 16.1 million dollars…Wooow. This is Truly the one to be at. Norco’s participation (similar to the Western version) was to be tech sponsors for the event, along with local long time supporters Gears bike shop. To top it off we were able to get Ryan Leech out for a show on the Saturday Night , He was defiantly one of the Highlights for a very captive audience in what has been nicknamed “The Woodstock Of Road Biking”
Our crew worked tirelessly for a tremendously grateful ridership all refusing to let the rain effect any of us. An event like this brings out all kinds of bikes, needing varying levels of help, our experienced staff were able to keep everyone going….4108 bikes, that’s 8216 tires to pump up….
Thanks go to Scott I , Darren B , Jeff L ,Raoul F and Ryan Leech as the Official Crew for the Day.
The third Ride To Conquer Cancer on Norco’s support schedule was this last weekend out of Calgary Alberta. Heading South from Calgary and looping around a 220km course, nearly 2000 riders raised over 7 million dollars. What is even more impressive is the fact that between BC, Alberta and Ontario, a total of approximately 25 million dollars has been raised towards Cancer research.
At the Alberta edition of the Ride to Conquer Cancer, Norco was again in full force wrenching on bikes for the duration of the ride. With front derailleurs mis-aligned, brakes rubbing, wheels bending and tires deflating, Norco’s 5 mechanics along with some help from local shops kept the wheels rolling to the finish on Sunday Afternoon. Way to go everyone that participated and thank you to all the dedicated volunteers.
Following last week’s Ride to Conquer Cancer BC, this weekend is the Alberta Chapter’s turn with an expected 1900 riders coming out for the 250km ride starting in Calgary. Norco will again be supporting the tour with tech support along route and at the halfway camp. The van has been re-stocked with hundreds of tubes, dozen’s of tires, chains, brake pads, and everything else you could imagine for the two day event. Although the ride doesn’t start until tomorrow, Norco is located about 1100km west in Vancouver BC, so today was a lot of time in the Norco Van.
Once we finally arrived in Calgary, we head on over to Bow Cycle to check out the shop. If you have never been to the largest bike store in Canada, you should…
This year, the BC Ride to Conquer Cancer went from a successful event to a outstandingly successful event. 2009′s impressive total of over 6 million dollars was increased by more than 50% to nearly 10 million. What an impressive amount for a two day event. The really impressive part is that given a participation rate of about 2400, that is more than $4000 per person!!!!
With all this fundraising, spirit and enthusiasm it is easy to forget about the 250km ride from Vancouver to Seattle. Over the span of two days, some 2400 riders rode a combined total of 600,000 km. That is an equivalent distance of riding to the moon, then turning around and riding nearly the whole way back. That seems pretty impressive to me!
Norco’s participation in the event was from a technical assistance position. Teaming up with Obsession Bikes and La Bicicletta there were a combined 14 mechanics that changed an estimated 250 flat tires, put air in more than 1000 tires, adjusted 500 sets of gears and offered thousands of encouraging words .
Check out some photos from the event on Flickr and watch this time lapse video of the event!
Today is day one of the 2010 BC Ride to Conquer Cancer. Starting in Surrey BC and venturing down to Seattle WA over the span of two days 2400 riders look to top last years incredible $6.4 Million Dollars raised. Norco has joined up for the 2nd year in a row to offer tech support to any and all riders along the journey. With 12 Key checkpoints over the two days Norco, along with La Bicycletta and Obsession Bikes has seen everything from derailleur adjustments to seized hubs, broken spokes to flat tires. With is many people riding bikes the worst is bound to happen. Our goal is to get each and every bike back on the road to finish the 300km trip south.
Here are a few photos from an awesome day of conquering cancer… litterally! While writing this post I have learned that the mid-event total is a whopping 9.3 Million Dollars!!!!! Even Doctor Evil would be impressed with that number. (with the pinky of course)
