Christmas gifts for cyclists can be a real head-scratcher. With the enormous amount of choice and technical equipment, more often than not, cyclists have all the gear, leaving loved ones with… No idea…
Look no further, we have put together a list of Christmas gifts for cyclists, full of varied ideas for him and her. And don’t worry, there are no socks on this list, it’s time to think outside the box and get something they can truly use and enjoy.
Stocking fillers
Luckily, small gift ideas are in plentiful supply in the lead up to Christmas, it is incredible how creative some people are. For example, Isle of Wight-based ReCycle & BICycle create products that feature recycled bicycle parts including a necklace made from brake cables, watch straps fashioned from a road tyre, reclaimed leather wallets or even a bow tie made from an inner tube.
All cyclists dream of an efficient way of storing their bikes, especially if you live in a flat where space is at a premium. The award-winning Hornit CLUG, the world’s smallest bike rack, is the perfect answer to these troubles, neatly stowing your pride and joy against the wall.
Finally, to fill any remaining space in the stocking, get hold of a handful of Precision Hydration tablets which should do the job perfectly. Then for the cherry on top, how about one of Rowley Haverly’s amazing hand-painted custom cyclist figures.
Books
Christmas is cycling book season and a book for Christmas can get you through the dark winter months better than almost anything else. Whether it be a recap of the cycling season, an autobiography, or a book to inspire you for the new year, below are some of the best books for Christmas gifts for cyclists.
The Road Book 2019: Edited by seasoned cycling expert and commentator Ned Boulting, the Road Book is back for 2019 following its successful inception last year. Once again, the book consists of a series of race reports, stats and essays that chart the year in cycling. Packed with insight and beautiful photography, the 2019 edition counts the likes of Philippe Auclair, Orla Chennaoui, Richard Carapaz, Philippe Gilbert, Annemiek van Vleuten and Cillian Kelly among its contributors.
Matt Rendell launches the 2019 edition of The Road Book, charting a momentous season in cycling including all three Grand Tours, the legendary Monuments, and the iconic Yorkshire held World Championships.#RouleurClassic #RouleurClassic2019 pic.twitter.com/gN1t6HL9JH
— Rouleur Classic (@rouleurclassic) November 1, 2019
Where There’s A Will by Emily Chappell: A gripping and inspiring book that charts Emily’s famous win at the 2016 Transcontinental Race. It’s the perfect book for a touring cyclist or someone who needs a fresh dose of inspiration going into the new year.
One Way Ticket: Nine Lives on Two Wheels by Jonathan Vaughters: The highly anticipated autobiography of one of cycling’s premier personalities. Written in collaboration with Jeremy Whittle, this one is sure to be a page-turner. Vaughters’s career in professional cycling stretches from the mid ’90s to the present day, so there is bound to be some fascinating insight into the world he has been operating in for over twenty years.
Riding in the Zone Rouge by Tom Isitt: The fascinating story of the Tour of the Battlefields in 1919, less than six months after the end of the first world war. A race largely forgotten about in the annuls of time, this book tells the tale of the many riders who came straight out of the army to compete.
Colombia Es Passion! by Matt Rendell: When Egan Bernal won the Tour de France, he became the first South American to win La Grande Boucle. In this book coming out next spring, Matt Rendell, probably the world’s foremost expert on South American cycling, tells the unique and reforming story of Colombian cycling.
Triathlon for the Every Woman by Meredith Atwood: Looking to get into triathlon in 2020? This is your book. Meredith Atwood first shared her journey from wife and mother to successful triathlete at SwimBikeMom.com, and this revised guide can help you do just the same, taking you from couch to half Ironman in just over a year.
Gifts
Still scratching your head for what to put under the tree? Show them that you have thought about them with these gift ideas. How about a subscription to Rydbox, a gift that will literally keep on giving. Each month a care package of cycling-specific items including clothing, nutritional support and tools will land on your doorstep.
A lock is a good gift for any commuter, especially one that can be easily transported and is, of course, secure. The Litelok Gold Wearable ticks all these boxes. You can wear the reflective lock comfortably around your middle when you are on the bike – the Gold Wearable is light (1.31kg), flexible, strong and quick to lock.
Another product on the market making the lives of cyclists every easier is the Drysure Active Shoe Dryer. The dryer will be useful if you wear cycling shoes on a daily basis and can’t stand slipping cold, damp shoes on each morning. It’s safe to use in all types of shoes and works without a power source so you won’t need a cord or batteries.
Need to work out when it’s bike o’clock? This bike wheel wall clock will look the part in any cyclist’s home and even has a disc brake so it’s definitely on-trend!
Kit
So, we’ve got the home sorted but a ‘Christmas gifts for cyclists’ list wouldn’t be complete without the kit, this is always needed and will probably bring the biggest smile to any two-wheeled aficionado.
The MET Trenta is one of the sleekest helmets out there and is worn by some of the world’s best, including UAE-Team Emirates and Drops. The Trenta is an elite performance helmet that looks the business on the best cyclists in professional racing.
Another piece of beautiful kit is the Brooks Tex Nylon 26L, the perfect commuter bag. Made from a highly reinforced material, the Tex Nylon manages to be both tear-resistant and waterproof whilst retaining a stylish minimalist design. It’s the Swiss army knife of commuter bags with a laptop sleeve and internal and external pockets for all your belongings.
Need to stay dry in the wet? Rapha has teamed up with Gore-Tex to create the perfect lightweight rain jacket for both men and women.
For the bike itself, the Avio PowerSense power meters are the perfect way to get your much-needed data and really start raising your game on the bike.
The Garmin Varia Bike Radar is a revolutionary radar detector that senses approaching vehicles from up to 140 metres away and is compatible with all other Garmin components, coming together to warn you of threat levels, approach speeds, etc. These innovative detectors will add an extra measure of safety to any commute.
Charity
Finally, Christmas is a time for giving, so how about donating to one of these amazing cycling charities?
The World Bicycle Relief builds and allocates bikes that are specially designed to take on the rural terrain in many developing countries. The bikes are invaluable to the local communities, helping children get to school, getting medical supplies to those who most need them, and farmers to the market in time. There is really no better gift than a bike.
Similarly, Qhubeka – well known for being a sponsor of Africa’s only professional cycling team, Dimension Data, which becomes NTT Pro Cycling for 2020 – has provided bikes to children and first responders in rural African communities to improve their way of life, work and study. You can even get yourself a stylish beaded Qhubeka bracelet as sported by many of your favourite WorldTour riders.
Gearing Up helps women who have been impacted by domestic and emotional abuse find their confidence again through the power of the bike. The charity creates a safe environment for women to strengthen their physical fitness and build emotional health through exercise and community.
We’re fairly confident there’ll be something on this list to suit the needs of you or the cyclist in your life, but if you’re still at a loss, why not get together with some mates and treat yourselves to a training camp in cycling mecca Calpe? There’s no better way to kickstart the year than by getting some winter sun.