FAQ

FAQs

Registration and Login

1. How do I register online to ride the Big Bike?

It’s easy – just follow the steps below:

Start by clicking on ‘Register Now’ (the heart-shape button or the tab on the left side).
Then search by the city you are riding in. You can confirm the city that you are riding in and the date with your local Heart and Stroke Area Foundation Office (Click here to find)
Click on the event name to see the location and dates.
When you find your event, click on ‘Register Now’.
Then either Start a Team (if you are the captain) or Join a Team (select an existing team from the drop-down menu). Your team captain must have already registered your team in order for it to appear. The team will not be listed if it is full (29 registered riders). If you don’t see your team, contact your team captain or local Heart and Stroke Office. Click here to find your local office contact information.

Be sure to make a note of your Username and Password. Once registered, you will receive a CONFIRMATION message that has the contact information for your local Heart and Stroke Office if you have any questions.

2. After I register on the Big Bike website, what do I need to do next?

Login to your HQ using the Username and Password you created when you registered
It’s a good idea to edit your personal page with your own photo and text. Go to ‘My Page’ to edit.
Send emails asking your friends and family to support you and Heart and Stroke. You can send from the Big Bike website using any of the email options (click the ‘Fundraise with Emails’ Heart icon, ‘Send a Quick Email’ or ‘Email Centre’ tab at the top of the page.) Or you can send emails from your personal email account. Copy your personal Donation Page link from the box: ‘My Page’ in the top right corner. Paste this link into any emails you send from your personal email account so friends and family can simply click to donate to you.

This option will allow you to access your existing address book and will likely avoid spam filters that may block emails sent from the Big Bike website. You can also send an email to yourself from the ‘Email Centre’ and then forward this from your personal email account to your contacts.

3. How do I know when and where my event is taking place?

After you search for your event by city, click on the event name. This will take you to the Event Information page for your event showing the ride location and dates. Click Home to go to your event Home page. Or once you have logged in to your HQ Home, click the ‘Event Info’ link in the bottom right corner of the page. If you need more information, contact your local Heart and Stroke Foundation Office or your team captain. Click here to find your local office contact information.

4. I forgot my password or I’m having trouble logging in even though I am entering the correct password.

It’s best to request a new password, even though you may be entering the one you created at registration. Request a new password by clicking the red link ‘Forgot Username and/or Password’ at the login page. Then follow the steps to request a password reset.

5. I would like to raise funds online but can’t locate my team on the website. Can I still do so?

Your team captain must have already registered your team in order for it to appear. The team will not be listed if it is full (29 registered riders). In this instance, it will say: The Team member limit has been reached beneath the team name on your Team Home page. If you don’t see your team, please contact your captain or your local Heart and Stroke Foundation office for assistance. Click here to find your local office contact information.

6. I would like to organize a ride, but my town is not listed. Does this mean we cannot ride?

Absolutely not! Please contact your local Heart and Stroke Foundation office for more information as to how you can get involved! Click here to find your local office contact information.

7. How do I find a ranking of all the teams and what they have raised as well as my Team’s Page?

When you search for your event, click on your event name, which will take you to the Event Information page. Click ‘Home’ from the left navigation bar, so you are on your event’s Home page. The team ranking for your event is on the right. If your team is not visible, click ‘>>more’ to view the list of registered teams participating in the event and their total raised. Click on your team name once you find it to go to your Team Page.

You can also find your team page by selecting the ‘My Page’ tab from the top once you have logged in to your HQ. Then click on ‘View Personal Page’ where you will be able to select ‘My Team Page’.

8. My organization/company has more than 29 people who are interested in riding the Heart&Stroke Big Bike. Can we enter more than one team?

You certainly can! Please contact your local Heart and Stroke Foundation office for more information as to how you can get involved! Click here to find your local office contact information.

9. Are there a minimum number of riders required to ride the bike?

The Heart&Stroke Big Bike is ‘pedal powered’ and therefore requires at least 20 people to get the Big Bike rolling. That being said, if you have a group that consists of fewer than 20 people you can still ride! Your local Heart and Stroke Foundation office will simply look for another small team that you can ride with!

Captains

10. I am a captain. What do I need to do after I register my team on the website?

Thank-you for taking on the role of team captain!

Be sure to register your team online and select ‘Start a Team’. Your team members can’t register until you register and Start your team.
Once you have registered, contact your local Heart and Stroke Foundation Office to schedule the ride date and time for your team You need to complete a Registration Form that you will find by clicking on Captain’s Corner from the left side navigation bar. Print this form, complete it and send it to your local Heart and Stroke Foundation Office. Click here to find your local office contact information.
Your Team Page link is included in the confirmation email you received when you registered. It is also shown in the top right corner when you login to your HQ. Copy and paste this link into emails you send to prospective team members, inviting them to click the link and join your team.

Note: If you are planning to be the captain for two teams, your username and your first or last name must be slightly different for your second registration (tip: use first initial). Otherwise, the new account may override the first account you registered.

11. How can I change the name of our team?

Only captains can change the team name. It’s easy and needs to be done in three places:

Click ‘My Tools’, then ‘Edit Profile’ tab and edit the Team Name in the Event Information section below.
Click ‘My Page’, then ‘Edit Team Page’ tab. Edit the Team Name in the box for Line 2. Be sure to click ‘Submit’ at the bottom of the page.
Click ‘My Page’, then ‘Edit Team Donation Page’ tab. Edit the Team Name in the box for Line 2 and click ‘Submit’ at the bottom of the page.

12. How can I change the captain for our team?

Please contact your local Heart and Stroke Foundation Office and provide the names of the new and former captains as well as the team name. Click here to find your local office contact information.

Making Changes After I Have Registered

13. How do I change the photo on my personal webpage?

Great idea! Posting a personal photo and text will likely help your fundraising! Once you are logged in to your HQ, click ‘My Page’ tab at the top and select an image from the library or upload your own photo. The recommended dimension is 300 pixels wide and a maximum file size of 50KB. If you need to reduce the size of your image so that it can be uploaded, try Picnik, which is a free, web-based application that allows anyone to edit a photograph they upload.

14. How do I correct my personal information if I have entered it incorrectly?

You can change information you entered when you registered such as the spelling of your name, your email and mailing addresses and your goal (if you are the captain you can change your team name – see above section for Captains).

After you login to your HQ, select ‘My Tools’ tab from the top. Then select ‘Edit Profile’. Make the changes and click ‘Update’. This is also where you can select if you want the money you have raised to date to show on your Personal and Team page.

15. I joined the wrong team by mistake. How can I switch teams?

You can switch to a team that is riding in the same event that you have registered for. (If you want to switch to a team that is riding in a different event, contact your local Heart and Heart and Stroke Foundation Office) After you login to your HQ, select ‘My Tools’ tab from the top. Then select ‘Edit Profile’. Scroll down to the Event Information section where there is an option to join another team from the drop-down menu. If you join another team, you will be removed from the team you are currently on and any donations you have received will go with you to your new team.

16. I registered as a team member but would instead like to become the Captain of a different team. How can I change this once I have already registered?

After you login to your HQ, select ‘My Tools’ tab from the top. Then select ‘Edit Profile’. Scroll down to the Event Information section and select ‘I want to start my own team and become a Team Captain’.

17. How can I change my username or password once I have already registered?

After you login to your HQ, select ‘My Tools’ tab from the top. Then select ‘Edit Login’.

Sending Fundraising Emails

18. How do I send emails to my friends and family asking them to donate to me?

After you login to your HQ, you can send from the Big Bike website using any of the email options (click the ‘Fundraise with Emails’ Heart icon, ‘Send a Quick Email’ or ‘Email Centre’ tab at the top of the page.) Or you can send emails from your personal email account. Copy your personal Donation Page link from the box: ‘My Page’ in the top right corner. Paste this link into any emails you send from your personal email account so friends and family can simply click to donate to you. This option will allow you to access your existing address book and will likely avoid spam filters that may block emails sent from the Big Bike website. You can also send an email to yourself from the ‘Email Centre’ and then forward this from your personal email account to your contacts.

You can send the email template provided at the Email Centre or write your own letter.

Once you start sending emails, you can click on ’My Stats’ tab at your HQ Home to see a chart showing the correlation between your emails sent and the resulting money the emails have generated.

19. How can I use the addresses I already have in my email account instead of entering them again on the website?

After you login to your HQ, find the link to your personal Donation Page in the box: ‘My Page’ at the top right corner. Copy and paste this link into emails you send from your personal email account where you can access your existing address book. Friends and family can simply click the link to donate to you. This option will allow you to access your existing address book and will likely avoid spam filters that may block emails sent from the Big Bike website. Alternatively, you can send an email to yourself from the ‘Email Centre’ and then forward this from your personal email account to your contacts.

Alternatively, click on ‘Address Book Import’ at the top. There is an Import Wizard Help on the right to guide you through the steps, or click here

to access a simple guide for exporting contacts from Outlook. Once your addresses have been imported, you can access your contacts by clicking on ‘ADDRESS BOOK’ when you are sending emails.

20. How much money do I need to raise to ride the Big Bike?

While there is no registration fee for Big Bike, we ask that each participant who rides raises a minimum of $50.

21. I have sent emails to my friends and family from the Big Bike website but they tell me they have not received them. What can I do?

This may be due to spam filter blocks at your or their workplace. You can check your Email History Log to determine what has been sent (see next question below), but whether the email was received won’t be reported. The solution is to send the emails from your personal email account instead of the Big Bike website. You will want to be sure your emails include the link to your personal Donation Page.

To do this, send an email to yourself from the ‘Email Centre’ and then forward this to your friends and family who can click on the link to donate to you. Or copy ‘My Page’ link from the box at the top right corner and paste this into an email you send from your personal email account.

22. If I forget to whom I have sent emails, can I see a list of their names?

After logging in to your HQ, select the ‘Email Centre’ tab from the top. Then click on ‘Email History Log’ to see to whom you have sent and the number of visits to your Webpage.

23. Can I email a personal Thank-You message to my donors?

Yes! After logging in to your HQ, select ‘My Reports’ from the tabs at the top. Scroll down to see the list of your donors, both online and offline (offline means donations of cash or cheques). To send email messages, check the individual boxes for each recipient and click "Send." Select the ‘Thank you to sponsors’ template from the dropdown box. You will have a chance to customize the email before sending it out. Note that donors will automatically receive a thank-you email from the Big Bike website when they make a donation to you.

Donations and Tax Receipts

24. Who receives a tax receipt?

When a donation is made online, tax receipts are automatically emailed to the donor for donations of $5 or more. When a donation is made ‘offline’ (cash or cheque), tax receipts are issued for donations of $15 or more. Please be sure to clearly print your full name and address on the pledge envelope. A receipt will be issued for a donation of any amount (even if it is less than $15) if requested.

25. I did not receive a tax receipt for my donation to the Heart&Stroke Big Bike event. What should I do?

If you made a donation online through the website, you should automatically receive a tax receipt by email. If you did not receive a tax receipt by email for an online donation, it may be best to check your junk mail first, if it is not there, you can email donations@hsf.on.ca or contact your local Heart and Stroke Foundation Office to request your receipt.

For all other tax receipt inquiries, please contact your local Heart and Stroke Foundation office. Click here to find your local office contact information.

26. What if I enter the wrong donation amount?

For corrections to online donations, please email donations@hsf.on.ca.

27. Can I enter cash or cheque donations that are given to me ‘offline’?

Yes! After you login to your HQ, select ’My Tools’ from the tabs at the top. Then select ‘Offline Donations’ and click the ‘Enter Pledge’ button. Enter the donor’s name and other required fields marked with a red asterisk * and click ‘Submit’. These donations are labeled ‘pending’ as they have not been processed on a credit card.

Pending donations will still add to your total raised shown on your HQ and your Donation Page (but not on your scrolling Honour Roll) and will need to be submitted on event day. Even if you have already submitted cash or cheque donations to your local Heart and Stroke Foundation office, they will remain as ‘pending’ on the website. A General Team Donation cannot be made by cash or cheque, only with a credit card. If you need to make a change to an offline entry (amount, donor’s name), please contact your local Heart and Stroke office who can edit this for you.

28. How do I enter a general donation for our entire team or advise others who want to make a team donation?

Click on ‘Sponsor a Big Biker’ and enter the name of any member of the team to which you want to donate. Once you arrive at the participant’s Donation Page, select ‘My Team Page’ and click on ‘General Team Donation’ at the top. A General Team Donation cannot be made by cash or cheque, only with a credit card.

29. What is a Corporate Matching Donation Program?

Corporate Matching Donation Programs are offered by many Canadian companies. Companies offering this program will match its employee’s charitable donation dollar for dollar. The Corporate Match Donation can be made as a lump sum on behalf of your whole Heart&Stroke Big Bike team or it can be divided amongst all 29 riders and applied to each team member’s individual fundraising goal.

30. How do I know if the company I work for offers a 'Corporate Matching Donation Program'?

Many Canadian companies offer a Corporate Matching Donation Program which encourages their employees to make philanthropic gifts to charities such as The Heart and Stroke Foundation. Ask someone in the corporate donations office or the human resources department if your company participates in this program. If your employer does participate, ask for a matching gift application form. Fill out the form, return it to the appropriate department and forward the matching gift to your local Heart and Stroke Foundation office.

31. Can someone from another country donate in a currency other than Canadian dollars, for example, with a U.S. credit card?

All transactions on the Big Bike website are in Canadian dollars. A donor from another country can enter a credit card number and donation amount on the website and the same amount will be credited to the rider’s Donation Page. The credit card company will do the exchange rate conversion and charge the donor the equivalent amount in the donor’s own currency plus will charge a fee for doing this conversion.

Big Bike General Questions:

32. How much time does it take to ride in a Big Bike event and how long is the ride?

The bike ride itself takes about 15-20 minutes and is about 2km in length. You should arrive 15-30 minutes ahead of your scheduled ride time to hand in your donations and have a team photo before you ride. Your team may plan some post event activities as well.

33. Do I need to be physically fit to ride the Big Bike?

The ride takes about 15-20 minutes and the route is about 2km long. The Heart&Stroke Big Bike is ‘pedal powered’, but it is not overly strenuous.

34. My son and/or daughter would like to ride with me but he/she is under 14 years of age.

Unfortunately, it is outside Foundation policy to allow children under the age of 14 years old to participate in the Heart&Stroke Big Bike event. Children under the age of 14 years are encouraged to come out and cheer the teams on, however will not be allowed access to the Big Bike. Individuals between the ages of 14-17 years old are allowed to ride on the condition that a parent or legal guardian has provided signed permission on the waiver form.

35. What if it is raining? Does the Heart&Stroke Big Bike event get cancelled?

No. The Heart&Stroke Big Bike rides in rain, wind and even snow! Please be sure to dress for the weather! The only instances in which the Heart&Stroke Big Bike events will be cancelled are during times of severe weather conditions such as lightning. Contact your local Heart and Stroke Foundation representative if you are not sure whether your ride will be cancelled or not.

36. I would like to volunteer to help out at a Big Bike event. Who should I contact?

Thank-you for your interest in helping! Please contact your local Heart and Stroke Foundation office for more information as to how you can get involved! Click here to find your local office contact information.

37. What recognition will our team receive by riding the Heart&Stroke Big Bike?

Your team name will be displayed on a sign that is fastened to the front of the bike. Your community will see your company/organization is pedaling for the Heart and Stroke Foundation as you ride along your route.

38. How long has the Big Bike been raising funds for the Heart and Stroke Foundation in Canada?

The Big Bike has been active in Canada for 18 years.