Testimonials and reviews:


At UK Bike Skills, we believe that we're only as good as the last coaching experience that we've provided.
We strive to form a relationship with our clients and we always love to hear about their progress in cycling.
Here are a few comments our customers have made about us:

Online reviews:


http://www.bikemagic.com/riding/ride-to-learn-learn-to-ride/7413.html
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/uk-bike-skills
http://www.muddymoles.org.uk/2010/04/mtb_uk_bike_skills_coaching.html
http://pickled-hedgehog.com/?p=1791
http://z6.invisionfree.com/Sussex_Muddyarse/index.php?showtopic=1956
http://overthehillmtbers.blogspot.com/2010/08/return-of-jedi.html
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/was-my-skills-course-worth-it

Testimonials: What our clients are saying about us...


Tony its not often that im moved to words but all i can say is thank you , you have changed the way i look at my ride, the bike, the trail, the flow the lot.
Yesterday was a multiple life changing moment for me,there was more than one moment when a ray of sunshire beamed down and the choir of angels sang that note of discovery.
Again thank you from a very greatfull and still grinning happy chappy.
Dom

Hi Tony,
I hope all is well?
Just thought I'd keep my end of the bargain and drop you a line with a progress report! Following the session I had a few local rides (local woods etc) tried some jumps and generally tried to put everything into practice. Overall, it took a few rides for it to start to feel more natural and to stop overthinking (again!) and just to relax and enjoy the ride. Definitely started to come together though and rather than trying to think about a million things at once, it all started to stick and I felt myself just having to correct the odd mistake/wrong choice allowing me more brain space to enjoy things! Then came the week in Morzine! Well, obviously it took the first few hours to get used to the trails and the rental bike I had out there, but very quickly I can honestly say that I didn't once feel out of control, out of my depth or lacking in the skills required, during the whole week. I felt smoother, faster and more confident. Wasn't all perfect of course, but on the whole, very pleased! Some of the jumps are pretty big (as you know) and most of them got the better of me which is slightly frustrating, but there's always next year! : ) Anyway, thanks again for what you've given me, I'm most definitely a better rider now than I was a few months ago.
Take it easy and maybe catch you again soon!
David

Hi Tony,
Rode on Sunday and again last night. Well - what a difference! :-)
All I can say is "Wow"... and that's what Tony kept saying too. Something you said on the course resonated with me: that you didn't ride fast, but were fast (or words to that effect). I think what you were saying was that there wasn't a lot of frenetic pedalling, charging around, massive energy output, etc... but that by pumping the trail, by finding and using the trail's energy and by using the skills you taught us
re: looking, footwork, speed management etc you covered the ground much quicker. Well, if that's what you meant then we both certainly found that to be so on Sunday - and I did again last night, even more so. By using those skills I found myself relaxing, looking, seeing what's coming and preparing for it way in advance, seeking out those 'performance cues', and trying to 'program' the brain and body for its footwork, body position etc. What a difference! - I find myself catching up (and having to slow down for) better riders on fast, swoopy singletrack. - I am SO much more relaxed/smoother and more confident when taking rooty sections, jumps in the trail, etc. Tony and I both easily cleared a gap jump on the trail on Sunday - one that previously we'd both avoided. I'm aware this email probably comes across as gushing with praise and excitement - well, maybe it should. I'm really enjoying my riding more - which is a totally unexpected consequence of your course - because I was pretty darned excited by riding my bike before anyway.
Regards,
Simon

Tony,
Many thanks for Monday’s session and all the extra time you gave me - much appreciated. I was totally relaxed and chilled out during the drive home, almost in a trance-like state! I was still in those corners, outside foot down, leaning, looking ahead at the trail beyond the corner (err road). I actually felt a lot more at one with the car, especially in the corners – sounds crazy! I realised how natural this felt, even in a car, and now have no doubt that the new skills will stay and I will not return to my old ways (just as you said).
The looking ahead and not down on jumps and drops is a revelation to me. It may be that I have read this before or that someone has even told me (I don’t recall) but it obviously never stuck as, (before our session), I still feared any landing that I couldn’t see from the approach and I was still looking at the landing. That fear has gone although I will still be proceeding with a degree of caution, not going too big too soon! I don’t think I’ll be competing with McCaul or Berrecloth any time soon but I can now see myself developing some modest in-flight skills. I think you’ve left me with exactly the right number of things to concentrate on, any more and my brain probably wouldn’t be able to cope. There was nothing ambiguous in any of the sections we did and your practical demonstrations showing ‘why’ (instead of simply ‘do it this way because it’s right’) were really helpful. I was a bit shocked at taking a fall by simply doing a figure of 8 around some sticks. Your explanation of why and then how to correct it was great. In fact I think I could probably replay the entire session in my head today down to the smallest detail and I usually don’t have good recall abilities. Next ride will be in France and any feelings of apprehension have gone after Monday’s session.
I’ll give you some feedback when I return.
Thanks for the pics and blog.
Cheers,
Mike

Tony,
Wish i could show you pics of my mates faces as they didn't get what had happened from last week when we all rode together.
The jump that i said had been bugging me for ages didn't bother me at all and i went on to ride things i wouldn't have even looked at. (nothing too stupid as im sure i could see you in my head at one point, definitely remember you saying not to go mental and let it build up!!) General riding was also alot better and i can feel it now when one of your four is out of place. Just out of interest do you have any flats that you swear by, seems mine don't like my new riding too much.
Anyway thanks again Tony for the above.
Tim

Hi Tony,
Thanks for the pics a few there where i look like a proper rider!!! Honestly I cant thank you enough, I have never had such a mind blowing amazing experence on a bike. I am still buzzing. Thanks a million it was an amazing day and I am still having bits sink in!!
See you in a few months no doubt, I have a date with that final jump!
Thanks again, Aidan.

Hi Tony
Well, thank you massively for a really really memorable day. As I said my expectations were exceeded which doesn't often happen!
There are so many positive things that I could comment upon about the day but the most important thing was to be given the time and space to 'feel' what I am supposed to be doing on the bike, and in a very supportive way. You are definitely right about me being a kinetic learner in mtb - it was a bit of a revelation really because I used to dance and I remember it was just the same, but I'd forgotten. Just knowing that now is going to make a huge difference to how I learn. Not to mention all the stuff you got me to do (wow) - and some of it really was simple - when you showed me how to properly! I went for a ride today and, yes, as you rightly predicted, was all over the shop, but I won't worry now, no point, it will come!
Thanks for the photos too - the facial expressions are hilarious! Perhaps you could tell me which level courses I could manage if dates ever work out....? So, mega thanks for all your encouragement and for sharing your expertise in such a generous way. It was a fantastic day - absolutely loved it, and will be back.
Sophie

The aim of this review is to highlight my progression through doing a skills course, I realise these reviews provoke some critical replies; if this is your style please feel free not to read on. I would call myself an average rider; enjoy trail centres, local rides and go out about once a week. I had never really been comfortable with my wheels off the ground and therefore usually steered around jumps and drops. I had been on a coaching day before in Wales but found it more like a guided tour of a trail centre and therefore didn't really have any moments that changed my riding. I had very much plateaued with my riding skills.
I booked a session with Tony Doyle from UK Bike Skills, for the simple reason of the reviews that followed him on all the riding sites. I met Tony down at Woburn Sands.The day started with Tony doing his skills check, I guess so he knows where to take the session and he very quickly gets an idea of your skill levels. He breaks everything down into body position, speed, footwork and looking. This is the physical sense, what Tony is also a master of is mental skills, he works as heavily on your mental skills as physical, in my case this was the part that needed working on most of all. We initially worked on trail energy and using it to best advantage, pumping was utilised and we worked on the disconnected bunny hop. We then moved onto a trail where Tony worked on my cornering and four physical skills. What makes Tony such a good coach is he can quickly identify how you best take instruction, in my case it was visually and therefore everything was played back to me on camera so i could see my own mistakes. Before I knew it we had incorporated a drop and 6ft gap jump into the trail. We then moved to Herts Shore, this place blew me away and I thought it was all well beyond me. Needless to say a short time later and more mental persuasion I had done my first ladder drop and jumped a 12ft log booter. I went away from this coaching day with a complete change in riding ability, not only physical but mental. About a month after my coaching day I had an ankle operation which took me off the bike for about 3-4 months. I went back to Herts to ride as soon as my ankle was back up to it. I found that what Tony had taught me had stayed with me, so much so I was jumping again before long. I recently went back to Herts and rode with Tony, this wasn't a coaching day but turned into it. My mental skills were worked on and my commitment to air was once again increased, we then worked on linking sections and various lines with ladder drops, booters and jumps were incorporated. Within this session Tony had me combining the 12ft log booter, 14ft kicker, dirt jump, 9ft gap step down and a hip from a 12ft platform, an amassing day which was mainly down to Tony’s ability to work on my mental skills. Tony has completely changed my riding ability and given me the skills to go further than I would ever have thought. I don't want this to come across as a sales pitch for Tony, more as a true reflection on his ability and what he has done for my riding in such a short space of time.

Thanks again Tony - Tim