Originally Posted by
road292
Eh, it's not my thing, either. In almost all cases, if your primary goal is to support The Cause (MS, cancer, save the whales, whatever) you're far better off donating to the organization directly and skipping their charity ride. More money will end up in the charity's coffers and you'll avoid the awkwardness of asking friends, family, coworkers, etc. for donations.
You don't have to solicit donations from others -- you can donate the money yourself and still do the ride.