El Tour de Tucson - Frequently Asked Questions 

How do I register as a fundraising cyclist for Big Brothers Big Sisters online?

Go to the Register button in the above menu and complete the form. You will be guided through the registration process. Once your transaction is complete, you will receive a confirmation email receipt with a link to your fundraising webpage. 

You do not need to register through the El Tour de Tucson Website - BBBSSA will complete your tour entry and cover your fee!

How does an event postponement effect my fundraising?

Depending on when you signed up, it provides you more time to complete your fundraising goal.  BBBSSA will still cover the cost of your entry into the Tour for the new date or you can choose to apply that registration to the next scheduled Tour (which is permitted by El Tour de Tucson).  As a fundraiser who has met their goals, you will still receive your earned incentives listed when you registered.

Do I need to personalize my page?

People who edit their website to talk about why they are raising money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Arizona raised a lot more money. It only takes a few minutes to add a picture and a few words. 

I am a Team Captain. What do I need to do?

1) Recruit more people to join your team, there is no minimum or maxium amount of team members for El Tour de Tucson
2) Consider practicing with your team members or as a team joining existing practice rides to prepare for El Tour de Tucson
3) Encourage team members to fundraise to meet their goal and your team goal. You can share information about the impact of Big Brothers Big Sisters on your community, keep your team informed about incentive prizes, and communicate their success (Katie just got a $50 donation! Joel has already exceeded his goal of $400! Our team just surpassed the $1,500 mark!)
4) Have Fun!  Remember, it’s not about how great of a cyclist you are and whether you are riding the longest distance, it’s celebrating the impact the money your team collected will have on your community!
5) Say THANK YOU! Thank your team members for their time and commitment to participate! Don’t forget to say thank you to the people who donated to you! Call or e-mail them after the event to let them know how much money your team raised and thank them for supporting local children.

Do I have to join a team to participate?

No.  You can ride, raise money and have fun as an individual cyclist.  All participating riders, individuals and teams, are considered part of the Big Brothers Big Sisters DEFENDERS team.  SoAZbigs will keep all members motivated and informed throughout the campaign!  Should choose to join or create a team after you have registered online, just let us know.  We can easily adjust your page to join a team or be captain. 

What if I do not have a bike, can I still participate?

Short answer, YES! First of all, any individual can fundraise and receive participant incentives and not ride in the tour, however; the minimum goal of $400 still applies. 

In order to ride in El Tour de Tucson Main Event you must have a bike and a helmet.  Beacuse you are registering and fundraising for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Arizona, you may be eligible for a loaner bicycle through Uphill Into The Wind.  For more information visit Uphill Into The Wind Loaner Program.

El Tour also offers a Fun Ride, geared towards familes and youth which provides shorter tours.  A bike is still required with helmet however other modes of travel are welcome.  For more information visit El Tour de Tucson.  Let us know if you choose to participate in this event, it requires a different application.

El Tour de Tucson will continue to allow E-Bikes to participate, exclusively for the 32 Mile.  For more information visit El Tour de Tucson.

El Tour de Tucson has added a NEW 5K Run/Walk entry, that requires no bike or helmet.  For more information visit El Tour de Tucson.

What if I have already registered for El Tour de Tucson and paid the fee to Perimeter Cycling, can I still register to fundraise for Big Brothers Big Sisters?

YES, you can still sign up to ride as A Defender of Potential for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Arizona.  Let us know if you have already paid the entry fee for the tour to Perimeter Cycling.  Raise the difference ($145) to meet your minimum fundraising goal of $400 and the fees paid to El Tour de Tucson will be acknowledged as a donation to BBBSSA.  For more information contact Veronica Saiz at (520) 365-2263 or email [email protected].

When do I choose how many miles I will ride in the tour?

You can choose when you register to ride for SoAzBigs or you can let us know closer to the date of the Tour.  Once you begin your fundraising, you will be provided a link to an online Entry application.  BBBSSA will use the information provided on this application, including your chosen mile, to complete your entry into the Tour.

I need some quick ideas on how to fundraise. Any suggestions?

Tell everyone what you are doing and why!  Reach out to friends, family, co-workers, church, clubs, neighbors etc.  And not just on social media! write a letter, send a greeting card, make a phone call, and share with them face-to-face.  Consider restaurants you frequent and business owners you know that would support your ride and sponsor you.  Perhaps these same businesses would allow you to host a fundraising night where a percentage of purchases support your ride and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Ask you employer if you can have a bakesale at the office and dress down day during the week for donations to your ride. Get creative! Need more help? Give us a call! We're happy to brainstorm a few ideas with you!

How can I see who has donated to me and who has joined my team?

Sign in to your personal page (HQ) to view sponsors and teammates. 

Can friends and family make a donation to me by going through the main website?

Yes. On the home page of the website, friends and family can locate you by clicking on the "Donate to a Cyclist" button. By typing in your name, they will be directed to your personalized pledge page.

Can my sponsors pay by cash or check?

Sure! Most cyclists find it easier to keep track of checks. As you receive donations, mail them to our NEW office at 2552 N Alvernon Way Suite 110 Tucson, AZ 85712, attention Veronica Saiz. Once received we'll credit the money to your personal fundraising goal and it will appear on your page. 

Where does the money raised from Big Brothers Big Sisters El Tour de Tucson go?

100% of the money raised through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southen Arizona El Tour de Tucson stays here in our community. We depend on the money raised from fundraising cyclist to carry out the work of carefully matching children with caring adult mentors and providing ongoing support to the child, volunteer mentor and child's family. Check out the 'About Us' section for more information on how Big Brothers Big Sisters works.

Why is the "search" not finding a fundraising cyclist that I know has registered?

You must type in the first name or last name of the cyclist exactly how they entered it when they registered. Try using just the first few letters of someone's name if you're not sure how it's spelled. If you have a problem locating a cyclist that you are sure has registered, please contact us.

How can I see who has donated to me?

Sign in to your HQ. You can then view your donor list and the amounts that have been donated. 

All of my donors are not showing up on the scroll mechanism. Why?

Some donors prefer to keep their gifts anonymous. When someone makes a donation, they can choose if they would like to have their name, donation amount, and/or a message appear on your personal page.

Is my information secure?

Yes. Engaging Networks has made every effort to protect your information. We use industry-standard SSL encryption techniques to make sure that your credit card information, passwords, and personal information travel securely over the Internet. We have also installed an encryption engine on our database server so that your data is securely stored.

What is the long website address in my confirmation receipt?

This website address will take you to your personal donation page. This address link is automatically included in any emails that are sent through the email center in event headquarters after you have logged into the website. You can also copy and paste this link into any other form of email.

What if I do not raise the minimum to ride?

All fundraising cyclist have until November 1st, 2024 to meet the minimum raised of $400 to participate in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Arizona El Tour de Tucson.  If you are having difficulty reaching your goal please contact Veronica Saiz at [email protected].  We appreciate your support and are here to help you be successful as a DEFENDER of Potential!