Pork Belly Ventures General Cancellation Policy
Before one month prior to the start of the cycling event, you can still cancel part or all of your PBV entry fee and/or services and receive a 90% refund on the amount of services reserved (10% is non-refundable). For cancellations on or after one month prior to the cycling event, Pork Belly Ventures will not make refunds.
Cancellation Policy for RAGBRAI
Before June 15th, you can still cancel part or all of your PBV services and receive a 90% refund on the amount of services reserved (the 10% deposit is non-refundable). You can drop services or cancel entirely by phone or email, and we'll send you a refund check.
We will include our written cancellation policy in several email updates prior to the deadline of June 15th: on or after the 15th of June, we will make no refund.
Non-Refundable Fees
The first ten percent (10%) must be paid by credit card, and is non-refundable as stated in our cancellation policy.
The five-percent (5%) charge for our optional cancellation protection extends the 90% refund deadline from June 15 to July 16th. It is non-refundable.
What is PBV Cancellation Protection?
First of all, if you have any trouble understanding this option, you should call or email us for an explanation. You have only one opportunity to purchase this protection, at the time of your original registration. Once you have registered, our website will not allow you to go back and select this protection.
Here are some of the things that have happened to our RAGBRAIers during the last month before RAGBRAI. The boss decided they couldn't be spared at work. They have been diagnosed with an illness. A member of their family has needed support through a crisis. People have been struck by a car while training for the ride. Their plans for childcare have fallen through. They have lost a loved one. Although we-and every other tour operator-must have a refund deadline and cancellation policy, and although ours is quite liberal, and even though we have published our cancellation policy at least six times prior to the deadline every year, we can't help but feel for those people who cancelled out of necessity after the June deadline. After attending a conference of bicycle tour directors and discussing this issue with other tour operators, we offer this solution.
If you want to extend the 90% refund all the way through until Wednesday, July 16, at 10:00 pm, you can click on "Cancellation Protection" on the online registration form. The non-refundable fee for this protection is five percent of the value of services you have reserved with PBV.
Throughout the season, this 5% is applied all services added to the application. (One exception: cancellation protection does not apply to the PHAT Trailer Accommodations.)
This protection covers only the period from June 15 to July 16 at 10:00 p.m. This protection is not applicable to people who travel to Iowa for RAGBRAI and leave the ride early for any reason. This protection applies only to fees paid to Pork Belly Ventures, not your RAGBRAI registration fee or other travel expenses. To use this protection, you must email us at tammy@pkbelly.com or pete@pkbelly.com by 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 16. If your cancellation comes at the last moment, our refund will be processed at our earliest convenience, possibly in the early days of August.
In short, without protection, you stand to lose 100% of your fees paid to PBV after June 15th. But by spending 5% up front on a non-refundable fee, you can get the 90% refund if you cancel for any reason all the way through July 16 at 10:00 p.m. You may purchase this protection at the original time of registration ONLY.