AIDS/LifeCycle

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AIDS/LifeCycle's logo Alc5 logo.png
AIDS/LifeCycle's logo

AIDS/LifeCycle (ALC), formerly known as California AIDS Ride from 1994 to 2002, was a seven-day cycling tour through California, starting in San Francisco and ending in Los Angeles. Since its start in 1994, the program has raised over $300 million for HIV- and AIDS-related services of the Los Angeles LGBT Center and San Francisco AIDS Foundation. The final ride occurred in 2025. [1]

Contents

Description

AIDS/LifeCycle is a charity event to raise money for HIV/AIDS services and raise HIV/AIDS awareness. Participants (riders, roadies, and staff) raise money throughout the year. In the first week of June, the riders cycle from San Francisco to Los Angeles with the support of the roadies and staff. For seven days, ALC passes through communities in California as a memorial to those who have died of AIDS and as an event to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. Each day of riding can range from 40-100+ miles. At the end of each day of riding, cyclists arrive in a camp to eat, shower, and rest before riding out again the next morning. Currently (as of ALC 6-8) the route is a total of about 545 miles. Mileage may change due to route/road constructions and availability of campsites.

History

In 2002, AIDS/LifeCycle was started by former Pallotta Teamworks Vice President Kevin Honeycutt, replacing the Pallotta Teamworks California AIDSRide after it was mired in controversy. [2]

Logo TV produced a multiple episode show for its network called 'The Ride: 7 Days to End AIDS', which highlights the experiences of several cyclists, both those who have lost family and those who are HIV survivors. [3]

In 2008, AIDS/LifeCycle closed registration early because of an unprecedented number of registrants. [4]

In 2024, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and Los Angeles LGBT Center announced the final year for the ride as 2025, due to increasing costs and the lack of funds as well as support to keep the event going each year. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a large drop each year in attendance and fundraising costs. [5] [6]

Totals by year

YearParticipantsMiles RiddenAmount Raised
2025TBD560.5$17,245,239 [7]
20241,349 cyclists

547 roadies

537.3$11,300,909
20231,457 cyclists

561 roadies

536.9$11,860,000
20222,226 cyclists

573 roadies

545.9$17,800,000
20211,961-$2,637,795
20203,738-$8,432,538
20192,200 cyclists

647 roadies

546.1$16,797,717
20182,307 cyclists

659 roadies

552.1$16,685,008
20172,231 cyclists

698 roadies

552.5$15,309,609
20162,372 cyclists

620 roadies

542.8$16,262,694
20152,401 cyclists

645 roadies

532.01$16,675,273
20142,348 cyclists

589 roadies

532.25$15,490,142
20132,205 cyclists

596 roadies

542$14,511,424
20122,209 cyclists

568 roadies

542.6$12,802,110
20112,362 cyclists

579 roadies

540.7$13,357,701
20101,903 cyclists

542 roadies

559.2$10,099,209
20092,158 cyclists

555 roadies

559.2$11,059,923
20082,480 cyclists

531 roadies

538.6$12,365,325
20072,343 cyclists

473 roadies

556.8$10,685,176
20061,773 cyclists

395 roadies

546$8,031,000
20051,611 cyclists

390 roadies

544.6$7,156,000
20041,200 cyclists

378 roadies

574.7$5,105,000
20031,009 cyclists

339 roadies

579.5$4,258,000
2002668 cyclists

251 roadies

601.7$4,735,000
2001*2,812585$11,583,000
2000*2,664585$11,295,000
1999*2,965585$11,607,000
1998*2,612585$9,832,000
1997*2,485585$9,442,000
1996*2,183585$7,929,000
1995*1,859585$5,349,000
1994*478585$1,540,000

*as California AIDS Ride

See also

References

  1. "About the Ride • AIDS/LifeCycle".
  2. The big wheel / Critics don't faze Dan Pallotta, who has helped raise big bucks for AIDS research - and his company
  3. "7 Days to End AIDS". Netflix. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  4. Diaz, Gill. "Registration closes months early for world's annual AIDS fundraiser". Los Angeles LGBT Center.
  5. Lim, Samantha (September 12, 2024). "The SF-to-LA AIDS/LifeCycle Ride Is Ending, But the 'Love Bubble' Community Lives on". KQED. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
  6. Kane, Astrid (August 9, 2024). "End of the LifeCycle? Beloved AIDS ride from SF to LA is heading in wrong direction". The San Francisco Standard. San Francisco. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
  7. "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved June 10, 2025.