What Our Clients Are Saying
Nigel M
I enjoy getting out and about on my bike, however whenever I entered into a Sportive it was a tortuous struggle rather than a challenge. When I went out on club runs I hated the feeling of holding others up even though they were supportive.
So I knew I needed training to bridge that gap. I also knew that I needed a clear plan with knowledgeable guidance. I will not be troubling any podiums and a lot of the coaching that was available seemed to be aimed at Tri Athletes or High Performance.
I am so happy that I contacted Andy from Sportive Cycle Coaching. After an in-depth interview the plans have been clear, targeted and achievable whilst also challenging me.
Our monthly feedback sessions are informative and motivational, now I am enjoying my cycling more and I am feeling a lot better for it. Andy has help to reignite my passion for cycling and helped with my overall positivity.
I would be happy to recommend Andy to anyone looking to improve their cycling.
Mike D
Freelance Editor, Writer, Consultant
"..... there are quite a lot of really bad cycling-related sites, especially among coaches, but yours looks really clean and modern. There's also loads on there without it ever feeling too overwhelming and the way the copy appears as you scroll (sure there's a technical name for that) keeps it clean. The menus are good, it's easy to navigate – excellent work.…"
Tim L
8 months in and here’s how it’s been going with Andy at Sportive Cycle Coaching..... First some headline numbers and statistics that nerds like me will love and relate to:
FTP up from 220w to 274w
Max heart rate up to 172 bpm
Average riding speed now bang on 30kmh/18mph up from 26.5kmh (6 month average before and after getting on Andy’s programme)
Average cadence improved to 78rpm.
So who knew that ‘just riding your bike a lot’ doesn’t make you a better rider!! Well me now, that’s who. Andy’s training plan, which is broken down into specific daily sessions (some days are this thing called rest...) have made a massive difference to me and whilst more subjective, I’m a more confident rider and don’t let my mates drop me. I’m leaner, I believe I can actually ride up hills now, and I feel/know I am in the best shape I’ve ever been despite being 50 this year. Eek!
Andy has been brilliant to adjust my plans so that they fit in with life and its sometimes unexpected turns (COVID-19 etc) so at no time do I feel I can’t have an open chat about where I am and what needs tweaking.
Overall, for my cycling life (and quite probably my mood in general!) it’s the best thing I’ve done. I can not recommend him highly enough. His knowledge is huge and he’s also a bloody nice bloke.
Contact him for a chat irrespective of where/how/what you want to improve in your cycling life and you will see what I mean.
Thomas S
After years of cycling bike paths as a lazy afternoon pastime or using the bike as a way to avoid traffic jams for short runs to the shops, I took up cycling in 2015 when I signed up for a work organised, charity cycle. A four day 260 mile trip from London to Paris with 30 colleagues. Pretty daunting for someone who have never cycled more than 20 miles at one time prior to that. However, all went well and the fun I had during the event made all the preparation worthwhile.
Once completed I had the bug! I joined my local club, picked some events and went out when I could. 2016, 2017 and 2018 all had some great days out. I enjoyed group spins and sportives but I just felt I wasn't getting the results or fitness levels I was sure I could, given the amount of time I spent on my bike.
I wanted to step up to a longer sportive, the Wicklow 200km which is pretty much on my doorstep. I was afraid as I had completed the 100km version of the event which is half the distance but only 1/3 the climbing.
Luckily I knew Andy from work and was able to work with him to come up with a plan that suited my needs. It was tailored to my experience and requirements. While I already knew Andy, we were not able to meet face to face but I got to spend time on the phone and have very regular email exchanges where he reviewed my progress, either Strava or Wattbike sessions and tweaked my schedule accordingly.
Andy provided a well designed training plan, support, a sounding board and was a font of knowledge and experience. Just being accountable to him improved my consistency re my training schedule and my effort during FTP tests etc...a real boost to my motivation.
Overall I know my performance improved significantly without spending more time on the bike, ergo more effective training! Come my day of reckoning I crossed the finish line pretty sore and tired but ultimately very happy.
Andy C
What was your reason / motivation for having the coaching service?
I am fairly experienced in the Sportive world and had signed up for the 300km Dragon Ride thinking the various training rides I was doing would be sufficient. It began to dawn on me it wasn’t and realised I needed a structured plan to get me round.
Please describe your experience of the service
I saw Sportive Cycle Coaching’s article in Cyclist magazine https://www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/7414/how-should-i-plan-my-training-for-next-year and liked the sound of what they could offer. I’ve subsequently had excellent training plans that made total sense and are easy to follow.
How did you benefit from the service?
So far, I’ve had an increase in my FTP of 26 watts. I’m doing more efficient training, no junk miles and know that rest is so important. My confidence/trust in my numbers in turn has helped already my ability now and in the future.
Would you recommend the service?
I absolutely recommend Andy in his methodical/logical human approach to helping cyclists of all abilities that want to achieve challenges which they thought might be beyond them. I now know I will complete the Dragon Ride. The challenge now is in what time!
Angus L
Having taken part in a few events in the past (C2C, L'Etape du Tour, Mallorca 312) I decided I needed to up my game for this year’s Mallorca 312 so as not to be left behind by a much higher quality group of fellow riders than I’m used to.
So I turned to Andy Tomkins at Sportive Cycle Coaching. Having thoroughly researched my cycling history, motivations and shortcomings, he firstly carried out an in-depth bike fitting which has already improved my comfort and speed on the bike.
He then created a series of 5-week training plans designed to build up my performance in readiness for the event. These are individually tailored and constantly amended to take into account the ongoing feedback. There is considerable flexibility built in to the system which allows you to carry out the training outdoors or on the turbo trainer as fits the weather or your personal preference.
My cycling has already benefitted massively and I find it’s a real benefit to have a positive structure to hang on to and motivate me. His feedback is always positive and encouraging and I’ve learnt a lot already.
For anyone of any standard who wants to progress their cycling – or just get fitter – I’d highly recommend Andy.
Oisin S
Andy has been writing training articles and ride reports for us at Sportive.com since early 2019. If you're looking for a proactive, personable coach to help you cut through the technical jargon and improve your cycling, Andy's your man.
He's also a talented and humorous writer on all things cycling (but keep it quiet, we don't want to lose him!)
Sarah G
Although I have been cycling for 6 years, I had never had a bike fitting until recently. I wish I had done this years ago as it’s already made a huge difference. As a cyclist, I like to go fast enough to keep up with the rest, but mainly, I like to go the distance, which is why comfort is so important.
Andy meticulously looked at every aspect of my cycling, using lasers, video equipment and specialist measuring tools (sorry can’t remember technical terms!) and made what seemed like very minor adjustments that have majorly helped my cycling posture and most of all, my comfort.
Andy took to time to understand me as a cyclist, explain everything clearly and didn’t stop until I was happy with the fit. Indeed, he is still in touch and checking whether the fit is standing up to the miles.
I would highly recommend Andy to anyone who feels discomfort when cycling or wants to understand how to successfully ride longer distances or sportives with minimal impact.
Tim L
I’m at the beginning of my journey with Andy being a rider with lots of years and miles under my belt but one who has definitely plateaued in his performance.
So far I am mightily impressed with Sportive Cycle Coaching and I feel confident that I am on the right track.
Andy has a vast bank of knowledge and the first meeting was fun and informative and I now have a plan in place. The plan is clear and tailored exactly to me and whilst Andy can’t do the training for me or be on every ride with me, it’s already feeling like having a personal coach is going to get me to where I want to be.
Will update further as my training, riding, FTP and the plan progresses but so far I’m delighted I’ve taken the step.
If you want to improve your riding (at any level) I would certainly recommend getting in touch.
Ian M
Andy has given me fantastic help with a bike fit to alleviate some knee pain I was getting after cycling. He took time to understand the problem and went through the bike fit with me explaining along the way the mechanics and measurements which identified the probable cause.
I now have options to try and Andy was happy to be on hand to follow up.
Great service.
Martin G
I have had the pleasure (and sometimes pain) of riding with Andy on many occasions. He’s super passionate about cycling and has roped me into many glorious rides all over Europe. Together we’ve completed Paris-Roubaix, several Tour de France mountain stages, a 300km one day epic (Vatternrundan), some of the major climbs and much of the Alps and Pyrenees.
Andy is very keen on maximizing these experiences with the right approach to training and organising the trips. I cannot think of anyone better to help cyclists knock over their goals, especially if they are longer rides requiring specific training plans. He’s thorough and knowledgeable, with a lot of experience in those legs. He also likes to make things fun too, it needs to be after all those hours in the saddle.
I’ve got some decent rides coming up and I will be using Andy again to make sure I am in decent shape at the start line.
Lee E
Thanks for the bike fit today Andy.
Really helpful & insightful.
Harald M
Andy is very passionate and knowledgeable about his hobby and his trade: sportive cycling, both on and off-road. He combines these traits with a very pleasant style of coaching. While obviously being quite experienced and highly educated himself in the area of sportive coaching, in my personal experience he is quite capable to “stoop to the level” of a novice in sportive cycling.
He brings great value in improving your skills and stamina, while never giving you the feeling that you are just a starter. As such he is very pleasant coach that makes you look forward to your next workout and his feedback and advice.
Mark J
I have absolutely no doubt in Andy’s ability to attain the same exceptional level of success in his cycle coaching career as he had in his IT consulting one.
Many of these skills are directly transferable between his time in our company performing at the highest level as an IT Consultant and Strategist. Andy’s passion and enthusiasm for customer excellence is outstanding and his ability to blend good listening, discovery and assessment skills to capture the true requirements of his customer is exceptional.
I have every confidence that those fortunate enough to be coached and guided by Andy will see the same results.