Photos: photocrazy.com / SCOR Cardiac Cyclists

The Solvang Century, Metric & Half Century is a local ride to us here at RBA and very popular in our riding circle. On a group ride the other day we got the news that the ride organizers had created www.banditbikeriders.com, to publicly out the people riding in the event without contributing. While there are many times we participate in non-competitive events like this and are registered, but choose not to hang the number from our bars or use the stickers on the helmet. It seems that they are calling out anyone and everyone that doesn’t seem to be officially participating and maybe for good reason. Here is what the site says ”

This site was developed and implemented after discovering there are an increasing number of participants each year who are unpaid and have taken advantage of our organization by riding the Solvang Century, Metric and Half Century as “bandit riders”.

These bandits are taking advantage of the fees other riders have paid which covers liability insurance, police services and the Cities of Solvang, Buellton, Lompoc and Santa Maria, the county of Santa Barbara and Caltrans for permits to hold our event.

They are also using our portapotties, eating and drinking our food and water at our SAG Stops without paying the Registration fee. For our non-profit club and the non-profit organizations, we donate money to which includes three congenital heart disease summer camps, the American Diabetes Assn as well as all the high school athletic programs that provide student-athletes to work as paid volunteers on ride day, this is also theft from them as well.

Last year over 20% of our riders were bandits aka thieves!

The following pictures are of the bandit riders that have no form of event identification, that is a BIB number and wristband.

WELCOME TO OUR SOLVANG CENTURY CYCLING WALL OF SHAME!”

The ride uses a Bib number pinned on your back so it would be hard to identify riders in some of these photos or as riders add or subtract layers. Here is the CTS group and if you look carefully they have their bib numbers on.

Tell us what you think, have you ever or would you ever poach a ride?

To find out more about the ride and to register head to www.bikescor.com