BW Cycling is a beacon for cyclists in the southwest. Situated on the outskirts of Bristol, it was opened in 2012 by ex-professional racer Oli Beckinsale and personal trainer Andy Wadsworth.
‘We started the shop a year before I stopped racing,’ says Beckinsale. ‘You can’t keep racing bikes around fields forever; you’ve got to get a proper job… this was the proper job.’
His experience speaks for itself. As well as being a regular road rider (his bike of choice is a Pinarello X7), over the course of a 16-year pro career he represented Great Britain in three Olympics, won silver at the Commonwealth Games, took five national cross-country titles, as well as racing cyclocross and on the road. If you think that sounds impressive, wait until you hear about his shop…
The snowball effect
‘We don’t see bike-fits as something extra here; everyone who buys a bike gets one included in the price. And if the customer wants to change the stem, gear ratios or the crank length, there’s no charge. It’s usually me or Andy who does the bike-fits, but we have an extended team we can draw on for extra help.’
One-stop shop
‘In addition to the bike showroom we have Andy’s on-site gym, where there is personal training, massage and physio available. We sometimes call upon the physiotherapists if people need more attention during a bike-fit too. Our aim is to cover all the bases for people looking for a bike built to perform in whatever their chosen field or level of experience.’
Go west
‘Despite us being in a city, we’re lucky to have the Festival Way running right from the shop. It’s a big, concrete bike path that takes you straight out into the country, avoiding all the main roads of Bristol. So you can ride out of here traffic-free, and in one direction you can go through Ashton Court to Long Ashton, and then you’re in the lanes; or to the south of Bristol you’re into the Mendips with places like Cheddar Gorge not too far away.’
Join the gang
‘We used to do regular customer rides from the shop pre-pandemic but we now have two big events called the Spring Classic and Autumn Classic. The autumn ride had about 60 riders take part, with route choices of 60, 70 and 80km. We try to ride a mix of climbs and local lanes, with plenty of coffee before and cake afterwards. We also have our in-house bike show – we clear out all the stock and fill the showroom with some one-of-a-kind bikes. We’ve had Filippo Ganna’s Hour record bike, Tour de France-winning bikes, Tom Pidcock’s Olympic mountain bike, plus there’s a big pizza truck and loads of booze.’
All the right choices
‘As a coach, I’ve worked with everyone from sportive first-timers to elite athletes. Cycling can be quite intimidating for newer or less experienced riders but knowing we’re going to get them on the right bike for them, with the right tyres and fit, really helps. When someone walks into the shop
I start going through the little flow diagram I have in my brain, and after 20 or 30 questions I usually settle on one or two bikes that are ideal for them.
‘The arrival of the Pinarello X and F-series has been fantastic because we can really find the right bike at the right price point. I had a customer in this morning looking to replace a 12-year-old Cannondale Synapse and he found the perfect choice in a Pinarello X1 with Shimano 105. There is so much scope these days for every kind of rider.’
• Click here to find out more about BW Cycling in Bristol
