Finally managed to crack the 300 mark on Google reviews, thanks purely to the kind and generous support from past guests on my Tokyo bike tours. It's taken a long time to achieve this personal milestone as I've slowly crawled my way up from the dark depts of Google's ranking system when searching for the likes of "cycling tours in Tokyo" and "best Tokyo bike tours"....
The hardest thing for me as a solo bike tour operator and guide has always been online visibility. Reviews, as superficial as they may seem, are extremely helpful in making my services visible to future guests and assist in trying to fill the morning group cycling tours each day.
A review that stuck in my head from the past few weeks for the Tokyo West-Side Cycling and Food Tour was Brigitte's. I liked her detailed and frank insights as they address how turning up late or not being confident on a bicycle when pedalling the streets can impact on everyones enjoyment of the ride.
Brigitte-
"Highly recommend. A very cruisy jaunt (no massive hills, gentle slopes only!) through a gorgeous province where Andy gives you history and info about Japan lifestyle, living, history and food! Value for money and honestly a really fun time scooting around on the exact same bikes as the locals, from the residential backstreets, along the river and through the business district. Stops along they way for snacks and lunch, with Andy providing a full narrative on where you are and what you're eating. He has a wealth of knowledge and is quick to offer suggestions if he has local knowledge that can expand on your holiday itinerary! Some notes on the experience itself: Allow time to arrive at the meeting spot early. We allowed for an extra 30 mins buffer after we got there, just in case a train was delayed or we got lost. Neither happened to us, but we had to wait for others in our group to arrive which was a bit frustrating! Book a morning tour. Ours started at 9.30am and it was perfect with less foot traffic to navigate around, and very peaceful! Everything was open after we'd finished so we could explore the town further! On riding - You must be able to ride a basic pushbike (front & rear brake, no gears), as you'll be in amongst pedestrians, other bikes and cars. If you can't balance, steer and brake responsively and confidently, maybe contact Andy for a private ride or a recommendation. I personally hadn't ridden a pushbike for 3 years and managed with no issues. Andy was a fantastic guide and we're happy to give him top marks all round. Enjoy your tour!"
Thanks again to Brigitte and EVERYONE who has jumped on a bike and ridden along side me on my Tokyo cycling tours over the years.
It's YOUR kind support that keeps the wheels spinning!
Andy.