Trying to buy a gift for the cyclist in your life and coming up short? Cyclists have a lot of gear, yes, so it should be really easy to buy for them, right? Nope. The gear is so custom, so size and personal preference dependent, that it’s fricking hard to get the right gift that will actually get used. So, I put together a list of fun, useful and “usable for every cyclist” gifts. (No kitschy $hit allowed.) And as with the Runner’s Gift Guide and Outdoorsy, Fun Favorites From $7 to $99, I wanted to avoid most clothing and super specific options. Warning: Fit is so funky with cycling kit, and people are super specific about things like tire width and saddle sizing. So you’re better off avoiding most things that have a size attached to them unless you’re 110% sure it’s going to work.
So, without further ado, here’s my favorite 2019 gifts that I’ll be giving to cyclists this year!
Farsik Bar Bag
I admit, I laughed when I first saw roadie types rocking these handlebar bags. But then, I realized very quickly that I was actually the sucker, with my pockets jammed completely full while coaching camps last season. Our friend (and kickass mountain biker) Quinton Disera had one at the camp, and I scoffed at first but by the end, I was so envious. The Farsik bags are great because they’re a bit smaller than the usual bar bags for bikepackers (8.5 inches vs 10+ inches wide) and they’re pretty compact while being able to hold a ton of stuff. They’re a little pricey but worth it for solid craftsmanship—and made in Canada!
- Get it here
- $70 (CAD)
Best Books for Cyclists
I decided to do this as a list, since we’ve read so many great ones in the last year with the Athletic Bookworms. Take a peek at the notes and highlights from my favorites and see which suits your cyclist the best! These are mainly about the mental side of training, which I think works better as a gift for cyclists because TBH the last thing most of us want is another damn training book.
- Shred Girls: Lindsay’s Joyride
- The Brave Athlete
- Mind Gym: An Athlete’s Guide to Inner Excellence
- The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance
- Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World
- Endure
Nuun Immunity
Cyclist hydration? Check. Hangover cure? Check. Cute stocking stuffer? Check. Perfect for avoiding getting sick from your family over the holidays? Check. Get an eight-pack and cover most of your friends in one shot (keep one for yourself). I love nuun in general, and the Immunity tabs taste great and I really think they’re helpful over holiday season thanks to zinc, turmeric, elderberry, ginger and echinacea. (Plus the effervescent tabs make it easy to drop one in a wine glass with water at a party and look like you’re imbibing when really you’re just hydrating.)
- Get it here
- $40/8
Easy-On Fenders
Ass Savers sound hilarious, but holy crap, these things WORK. Sure, they’re not long-term commuter solutions, but for the average cyclist, this is all you need to make your ride less soggy. They install in 5 seconds, are super lightweight, and are the perfect stocking stuffer for the cyclist who’s sick of ruining bike shorts with mud splatter (or literally freezing her butt off!). You can grab plain ones on the link below, but I would HIGHLY recommend getting the super cute black and white #CXFEVER one from the amazing Maghalie Rochette. You can get that one here.
- Get it here
- $12
Ride Bikes Get Rad Mug + Pound of Coffee
Trust me, no cyclist will ever be bummed about getting some kind of funky small-batch coffee, and when you pair it with this great Ride Bikes Get Rad mug, it’s a win. (And this mug is SO darn cheap, but all profits go to keeping Shred-Girls.com running.)
- Get it here
- $15
Travel Shoe Dryer
I’ll list this one over and over again because very few people will get it for themselves, but it’s a total trip/race saver. If you’re in a hotel frantically trying to dry shoes after day 1 of 2 on a cyclocross weekend, it is SO nice to be able to ensure that your shoes are dry and ready the next day. This is perfect for runners, cyclists, hikers, literally ANY outdoors type, and the travel option takes up no space. It also works with your car’s cigarette lighter!!
- Get it here
- $37
Bike Headlight/Tail Light Set
Safety first! I don’t love that we live in a time where we need daytime running lights, but they are a good idea. If you have a cyclist who doesn’t have lights yet, this is a pretty easy one. (I don’t recommend this inexpensive set if you’re talking about someone who loves riding in the dark—I would use these for daytime/dusk use only.) Another solid stocking stuffer option that really is genuinely useful.
- $40/set
- Get it here
Bike Cleaning Kit
OK, this is not the sexiest present, but if you have a dirty bike that often ends up in your house, this is a gentle hint! I love Pedro’s Bike Lust for keeping a bike looking fantastic even after a lot of riding, so that nice bonus softens the blow of the full fledged brush kit that he or she can use to actually get the bike clean enough to protect with said Bike Lust.
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