5 Reasons an Amateur Cyclist Should (or Shouldn’t) Hire a Coach

Photo by Parker Byrd on Unsplash

You work a 9-to-5. You have a wife, two kids, and a life that never stops spitting to-do lists in your face. But you ride. You ride because it keeps you sane. Because the road doesn’t nag, doesn’t whine, doesn’t give a damn if the dishes are done.

You ride until your legs scream and your lungs burn because in that pain, in that effort, there is silence. And in that silence, there is something almost like happiness.

But now, you want more.

You want to be faster. Stronger. You want to hit that 100-miler and laugh at the climbs. You want to win, even if it’s just against yourself. And you’re wondering—is hiring a coach worth it?

Let’s break it down.


5 Reasons You Should Hire a Coach

1. Structure = Progress

Right now, you ride hard when you feel good. You ride easy when you feel like garbage. Some days you smash it, some days you just roll. A coach takes that randomness and turns it into a plan. A real, calculated plan.

You don’t waste time guessing. You do exactly what needs to be done to get better.

Without a CoachWith a Coach
Ride hard when you feel like itRide hard when it matters
Hope your legs get strongerTargeted workouts for gains
Burn out or plateauProgressive overload

2. More Gains, Less Time

You’re not a 22-year-old pro with endless hours to train. You’re squeezing rides between work, dinner, and bedtime stories. A coach makes sure every session counts.

You don’t just ride for the sake of riding. You ride for results.

3. Avoid Stupid Mistakes

You think you know how to train, but let’s be honest—you probably don’t.

Overtraining, undertraining, riding too hard on easy days and too easy on hard days—this is what ruins progress. A coach keeps you from shooting yourself in the foot.

4. Recovery is Part of the Plan

You’re not a machine. You can’t just keep pushing without consequence. Recovery is where the magic happens. A good coach knows when to push you and when to back off before you wreck yourself.

5. Accountability = No Excuses

It’s easy to bail on a workout when no one cares but you. A coach does care. Not in a hand-holding, “there-there” kind of way. More like, “Hey, why the hell did you skip Tuesday’s intervals?”

And that makes all the difference.


5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Hire a Coach

1. You Like Riding How You Like Riding

Some people don’t want structure. They don’t want someone telling them what to do. They just want to jump on the bike and go where their mood takes them. If that’s you, a coach will ruin your fun.

2. You’re Already Crushing It

If you’re setting PRs, winning club leagues, and generally feeling like a beast, do you really need a coach? Maybe not.

When a Coach Might HelpWhen You Probably Don’t Need One
You’ve hit a plateauYou’re improving consistently
You train without a clear planYour DIY plan works
You struggle with motivationYou ride because you love it

3. You Hate Being Told What to Do

Some people take orders well. Others don’t. If you hate being told how, when, and why to train, save your money and ride free.

4. Money Buys Bike Parts Too

Coaching costs. Let’s say you’re looking at £80 a month. That’s £960 a year.

That’s a fancy new wheelset. That’s a power meter. That’s enough beer to fuel an entire season of post-ride pub stops.

Would a coach make you faster than a set of deep-section carbon wheels? Maybe.

5. You Just Want to Ride, Not Train

Some people cycle for fitness. Others for competition. Others just want to escape life for a few hours. If riding is your therapy, not your science experiment, a coach might suck the joy out of it.


So, Should You Get a Coach?

It depends.

If you want structure, accountability, and faster progress, maybe it’s worth a shot. If you just love riding and don’t care about watts, PRs, or structured suffering, keep doing your thing.

But here’s the real test:

If the idea of someone analyzing your power data excites you, get a coach.
If the idea of someone analyzing your power data makes you want to throw your bike in a ditch and ride away into the sunset, don’t.

Simple.


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