Your Questions Answered
There will be sweep vehicles (school buses) that follow along the route to support participants throughout the ride. If a rider is unable to continue due to injury, fatigue, mechanical issues, or falling too far behind the pace required to safely complete the route, they and their bike will be transported back to the Aga Khan Museum.
The start line closes at 9:00 a.m. sharp, with no exceptions. We recommend starting your ride between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m., especially for those on the 60km and 90km routes, to ensure you have ample time to complete your chosen distance.
No, participants are not permitted to use drones along the route. Baycrest staff will be documenting the day with photographs and videos being shared online after the event
The routes open at 6am and close at 9am sharp (with no exceptions).
We recommend starting your ride between 6-7am for those on 60km and 90km routes.
No. This event is operated as a safe bike ride for all skill levels and all riders must keep safety in mind. Faster riders use left lanes while slower riders stay top the right.
Our event permit and all safety requirements state your must use the official Start and Finish.
No, we do not rent any items needed to ride in this event. Please check with your local bike retailer.
No! you don’t need to be a cyclist, marathon runner, or triathlon enthusiast to sign up for the Bike for Brain Health. All you need is a bike and a passion for the cause. With different route length options this fully assisted bike ride is accessible to all cycling levels and ages.
For the safety of all participants and spectators, pets are not permitted at this event. The course and event areas can be crowded with cyclists and moving equipment, making it unsafe for animals. Registered service animals as defined by the OADA are permitted access. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
- log into your Participant Centre
- On the top left-hand side, you will see a “Profile”” tab, select the Profile tab
- Click on “Event Options” tab
- At the bottom, you will see the option to “Create a team”, select this option
- From there you can select a team name.
- Company can be left blank unless you are a corporate participant in which case you would select your industry from the drop down.
- log into your Participant Centre
- On the top left-hand side, you will see a “Profile”” tab, select the Profile tab
- Click on “Event Options” tab
- At the bottom, you will see the option to “Form team”, select this option
- From there you can search for the team you want to join by team or the Captain’s name
- The results will appear at the bottom, when you see the team you want to join, click on the JOIN TEAM button
The BIKE is first and foremost a fundraising event, which is produced to raise funds for research, innovation care and education in Alzheimer’s and other dementias. The incidence of dementia is expected to double by by 2031 and disrupt many aspects of life for an aging population, their caregivers, and even the health care system.
We are here to help with any fundraising questions. Check our our fundraising resources to see how easy it can be to reach well beyond the minimum of $195 before the event starts.
Yes! No matter what distance you select, there will be at least 3 rest stops for you to grab a drink and a snack.
There are currently more than 500,000 people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related forms of dementia in Canada. As the population ages, the number of people with dementia or cognitive impairment in Canada is expected to almost double to about 1.4 million by 2031. At Baycrest, our work helps to preserve and extend the cognitive and emotional well-being of older adults.
Donors to the Baycrest Foundation play a critical role in keeping Baycrest running as government funding only makes up about 64% of our revenue. Contributions to the Foundation go to support Baycrest’s ongoing efforts in research, innovation, education and care.
One hundred percent of all donations go directly to the Baycrest Foundation, some of which support the cost of the event. Proceeds are then invested in leading-edge cognitive neuroscience research, advancements in the mitigation of age-related illness and impairment and the care and treatment of patients living with dementia, Alzheimer’s and other brain function related illnesses.
Absolutely. Bike for Brain Health in support of Baycrest will make a profound impact on the Baycrest Foundation’s mission to support Baycrest, a global leader in brain health and aging.
To provide crucial funding for breakthrough research into cognition, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and aging brain health; medical programs and services for older adults living in our community; and education that supports healthy aging and healthcare solutions for a growing aging population.
Personal tax receipts will be emailed immediately after all on-line donations.
Corporate donations / sponsorships, and donations that are mailed in will have a slight delay while it is being processed.
Tax receipts are not issued for Registration fees. However, donations made to the event are, providing these conditions are met:
- The donation is $10 or greater.
- The tax receipt is being issued to the person who made the donation.
- The tax receipt information and donations are received within 60 days after the event with all donor contact information.
- All other CRA conditions are met.
Your supporters can donate using cash, cheques or credit card. Access the offline forms here. Once you’re finished fundraising, you can submit the offline donations/pledges by mail or in-person to:
Baycrest Foundation
Attn: Bike for Brain Health
3560 Bathurst Street,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M6A 2E1
We have made fundraising easy!
Step 1: Log in to your Participant Centre
Step 2: Upload your address book
Step 3: Use one of our pre-written emails or create your own
Step 4: Send it out to all of your family and friends!
You will be notified when someone sponsors you, and you can send Thank You emails from your Participant Centre.
Registration fees and donations cannot be refunded, transferred to another participant or deferred to the following year.
A fundraising minimum is established in order to participate in the event. Participants who have not reached their fundraising minimum before the event are asked to make a self-donation or raise the required amount prior to being permitted to ride on any of the routes.
Fundraising minimum requirement for any of the routes is $195 for riders 16 and older. Riders 15 and under are not required to raise $195 but are encouraged to raise funds for participating.
Please note: Participants are required to show the minimum amount to participate on their personal pages. On teams, each rider on a team is required to raise the minimum to participate by the event day on May 31.
Yes you can. However, registering in advance gives you more time to reach your minimum fundraising goal.
If you register on event day, you will need to pay both your registration fee and your minimum fundraising amount of $195 before the Bike for Brain Health starts on the event day.
This is a non-refundable registration fee and is required to participate. This fee helps cover administrative and operational costs for the Mattamy Homes Bike for Brain Health.
The fee, listed in the registration details section is for people over 16 and older. Under 16, it’s always $25 to register.
The registration fee does not count towards your fundraising minimum. If you are unable to attend your dollars will still go towards Baycrest’s mission to defeat dementia and we thank you for supporting the Mattamy Homes Bike for Brain Health.
We cannot refund or transfer registrations in cases of schedule conflicts, injury, etc. We cannot defer your registration to the following year.
Registration fees are not tax receiptable.
All cyclists are required to register online before participating in the event and will need to sign a waiver.
Yes, this is permitted. The child must be registered for the event and wear a helmet. Fundraising is not required but certainly encouraged. No pets allowed in trailers or on the route.
For the safety of all riders, please cycle on the right side of the road if you have a trailer, are riding at a moderate pace, and/or are riding with children.
Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done. The start line closes at 9 am to allow for a safe ride for all involved. Please see the details on the Bike Routes page.
Unfortunately, we will be a cashless event. Cheques and all major credit cards will be accepted.
If it has pedals, you can ride it. The includes class 1 e-bikes, pedal-assisted bikes, unicycles, tricycles and cargo bikes.
We take road safety very seriously. We will have route marshals along the roads, as well as EMS and Paid Duty Toronto Police.
For the safety of all riders, please cycle on the right side of the road if you have a trailer, are riding at a moderate pace, and/or are riding with children.
When encountering large groups of riders, it is incumbent upon you to prepare and know basic cycling etiquette.
See our tips for safe cycling and remember, your safety is your responsibility.
You sure can! You can join us as a volunteer. Learn more about our volunteer opportunities here.
Personal tax receipts will be emailed immediately after all on-line donations over $10.00.
Corporate donations / sponsorships, and donations that are mailed in will have a slight delay while it is being processed.
Wear all weather comfortable clothing that is safe for cycling as this is a rain or shine event.
Please note that a helmet is mandatory, and must be worn at all times while cycling on the roadways.
For longer distances, consider wearing padded bike shorts.
For cooler, early morning rides, consider wearing light layers of tops to ensure you remain comfortable throughout the event.
YES! All ages are welcome at this event! However, all children 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult and be registered as a participant.
This is a rain or shine event, however, in the event of extreme weather, we may need to cancel for everyone’s safety.
Yes but only E-Bikes that are considered Class 1, having pedal assist only, no throttle and a maximum speed of 32 km/h.
Stay tuned for volunteer opportunities coming in early 2027.
