Litespud

I've done various charity rides, from multiday events which carried a significant ($1500) fund-raising minimum, to one-days with a $30 registration. While the long rides were unforgettable experiences, the fundraising was onerous, and not something I want to repeat. Nowadays, I just pay the registration and a bit extra if it's something I believe in, and if it's for a cause in which my work colleagues might be interested, I put up a flier in the break room, inviting them to sponsor me, but there's no hard sell or obligation, in fact no direct requests of any kind - just making them aware of the event and what it's benefiting.
My other problem with these fundraiser events is that I can't reconcile people handing over money for me to do something that I like doing anyway. I know the money's going to the charity etc, but I feel that if they're "sacrificing" in the form of payment, I should be "sacrificing" in kind. The last ride I did was a metric century+ around roads that I and my group cycle on any given weekend. To make it a bit more challenging I did it on the fixie, which was the longest I'd ever done fixed. I put up the flier, explaining what the fixed gear was etc - some of my people gave me checks, some donated online, some just stopped by my office and asked me more about cycling. Win-win all round.