Selecting a cycling-related gift for a saddle-loving loved one – whether they’re a casual weekend rider or a diehard downhill bomber – can be tricky, but we’d put on money on one of our cycling gift ideas hitting the mark. That’s because many of them are just straight-up useful, while the rest are just things of beauty and who doesn’t need more of that in their life?
If none of our suggestions below hit the mark, perhaps our suggestions for gifts for runners or gifts for swimmers will hit home. Or we have fitness gift ideas as well as experience days to consider
The Best Gifts For Cyclists
Many road cyclists don’t want the weight of permanent mudguards on their two-wheeled steed, but still want to avoid getting splattered when riding along wet roads. Solve their dilemma by gifting them these lightweight, detachable mudguards.
“Hmmm, I would love to support such an excellent charity,” you think, “but the recipient’ll throw a fit if they don’t get a thing to unwrap.” Make that thing this cup, featuring a design that’s exclusive to Sustrans. It’s available on T-shirts, a tea towel, a thermal flask or a notebook if you prefer, but this hardy enamel mug can handle being thrown in a pannier with a Thermos.
Riding a bike in London can seem like a scary prospect – the city can feel as if it’s a long way off the likes of Copenhagen and Amsterdam for cyclists. This guidebook seeks to dispel this myth, proving that London is a cycle-friendly hub bustling with independent and community-focused clubs, shops and cafés that have only grown stronger after the pandemic-influenced cycling boom. Featuring routes, advice and titbits of history from more than a century of cycling in the city, it’s the ideal gift for a London-based cyclist, whether they’re a relative newbie or a dyed-in-the-wool cycle commuter.
Does your cycling-mad giftee own a coffee table? This beautiful hardback book belongs there. Author Chris Sidwells takes the reader on a colourful journey through the history of the cycling jersey, from the simple tops of the 1900s to the design glory days of the sixties and seventies, on to the let’s-not-talk-about-it era of the eighties, and up to the tech-heavy garments of modern-day Tour de France champs.
The Bike Citizens navigation app is a great way to plot and follow a route through a city, but it’s a bit of a bust if you have to keep fishing your phone out of your pocket or, even worse, ride one-handed holding your phone in your free mitt. That’s why Bike Citizens has developed this cleverly designed silicone phone holder. When you first see it you may, like us, have a hard time believing it’ll hold your phone securely – but trust us, it will, and it’s a truly delightful purchase.
More of the best bike phone holders
The best gifts are cheap and funny, but ideally have a shelf life beyond the initial opening. When unwrapping the Original Bike Balls, there’s sure to be some sniggers around the table (box ticked), but the scrotum-shaped silicone package is more than a joke present. Featuring a red LED light, the balls can be attached to a bike’s saddle, adding some extra visibility when riding at night. The waterproof strap means they should be able to withstand the worst of the winter weather, and their batteries can easily be replaced once they’ve run dry. Who knew added safety could be such a laugh?
Cycling and pizza go hand-in-hand – the wheel-shaped Italian dish is both an ideal fuel and a firm favourite after a long day spent in the saddle. This pizza cutter allows you to combine your love of both, slicing and dicing your ’za to your heart’s content with the wheels of a fixed gear bike. In fact, the use of two cutters (rather than a standard pizza cutter’s single blade) makes it a doddle. It’s available in a range of colours, so there’s bound to be one that’s perfect for the cyclist in your life.
Give the gift of warmth with the original tubular scarf – the Buff. The material is lightweight enough to remain breathable when worn over the mouth and nose, but helps take the edge off on colder mornings. What’s more, it’s a gift that can be used all year round – its UPF 50 rating and moisture-wicking abilities mean it works as a bandana or headband come summer.
It’s wise for regular cyclists to give their bikes a little TLC, especially if they power on through the colder seasons. If you know someone who caught the cycling bug this year, getting them this book means they’ll be able to take care of the regular maintenance and small repair jobs, saving them a world of bother and quite a bit of money over the long run. It’s not a glamorous gift, but it’s one that will keep on giving as long as they keep riding. Get a preview of what’s in store, author James Witts shared his bike maintenance basics for commuters with us.
Some cyclists just have everything, and if a new thing is released, they’re happy to go ahead and buy it for themselves. For those cyclists – and all civic-minded riders – you can give the gift of a better cycle network by sponsoring a mile of it. Sustrans, the charity that maintains and expands the network, lets you add a personalised gift message to the Sponsor A Mile certificate they’ll receive. As a bonus, this gift acts as the perfect rant starter: “If it wasn’t for Sustrans this essential infrastructure would go to waste, honestly, this country….” Hours of fun for all the family.
If the cyclist you know wears synthetic gear, and almost all of them will, then this gift is a smart idea they probably won’t have thought of. Wash such gear in the bag and it will catch the plastic microfibres shed by synthetic clothes so they don’t end up polluting rivers and oceans. Let’s be honest, it’s not a gift everyone will appreciate, but the eco-minded will thank you.
If you’re buying for someone who is still new to cycling, this cleaning kit from Muc-Off is a great entry-level introduction to the world of bike maintenance. Not only will the set’s various brushes, sprays and tools help them get their bike back to showroom condition, but it will keep their bike running more smoothly. Be warned, though: this could be the start of a serious tinkering addiction that (speaking from experience) can stretch into whole weekends.
There’s a lot of cycling-inspired artwork out there but for the cyclist in your life to want to display it on their wall, it needs to be something special. Trail Maps offers ways of creating unique customised prints that celebrate a special ride or cycling trip. All you have to do is search on Strava for the ride you want immortalised and pick whether you want the print unframed, framed or framed with a mount. The result is a stylish and unique gift that will look great on the wall of any pain cave.
One of the most frustrating activities a cyclist can undertake is attempting to inflate a tyre with a rubbish pump, especially when working with the high pressure required on road tyres. This Joe Blow pump removes all the fuss from blowing up a tyre, and the person you give it to will thank you every time they use it.
Looking for something that combines fashion with functionality? This Bar Bag from Rapha is one of the hottest trends in road cycling. Strapped to the handlebar or bike’s frame, it’s the ideal home for mid-ride snacks or additional layers when your cycling jersey’s pockets are already bulging. But it’s got a life off the bike too – a hidden cross-body strap means you can throw it over your shoulder. The bag is constructed from durable waterproof fabric, meaning it can handle the worst of the winter weather.
A lot of keen cyclists are avid Strava users, mainly because until recently the tracking app offered a wealth of features free. Many of those features, including the key parts of Segments where cyclists compete for the fastest time over set stretches, are now behind a paywall so the cyclist in your life may well appreciate having another year of using it without it costing them anything. Or you may get an earful when they complain bitterly about (you) having to pay for something that was once free – it’ll very much depend on the person. There are plenty of other reasons to subscribe, however, including an improved routing feature and the type of training analysis you get on high-end multisport watches. If it turns out the giftee already has a Strava subscription, your generosity just means it’ll be automatically extended.
Although bikes haven’t changed much in more than a century (they’re still based around a frame, two wheels, pedals, seat and a set of handlebars), there have been a number of iconic and groundbreaking designs over the last 70 years. The illustrator David Sparshott has captured some of the most renowned – from Eddy Merckx’s Hour Record bike from 1972 to Chris Boardman’s Lotus track bike from the 1992 Olympics – in his signature style, and this A2 print would look great hanging in any cycling fan’s home.
If you’re giving to a primarily urban rider, rather than a road bike enthusiast or mountain biker, you’ll probably find they’ve never considered upgrading their pedals. If you do it for them they’ll never have to experience “stalling” at the lights again – AKA your foot slipping off the pedal. The Vibram surface, a material commonly used for the outsoles on hard-wearing shoes, helps any casual shoe find grip. There’s also a set with embedded lights rather than reflectors (removable and rechargeable, mercifully) if you fancy really pushing the boat out.
Are you really giving a tool kit? Well, yes… but that’s not all. With this comprehensive kit you’re also giving the joy of tinkering for hours on end, without having to stop because there’s a key tool missing. You’re also giving the expectation of a quick tune-up of your ride whenever you want, but best to keep that one to yourself for a bit.
Mornings spent cycling always involve some sort of pit stop for much-needed refreshments (coffee and a big slab of cake), but then there’s a dilemma over what to do with your bike: leave it outside unlocked with the other bikes on the assumption that you’re in the countryside and “people don’t do that sort of thing here”, or lug a big lock around with you on every journey? Enter the Ottolock. Compact enough to slip into a jersey pocket yet strong enough to deter any would-be thieves, the steel and kevlar cable lock is perfect for coffee stops, toilet breaks or any other time when you’ll be away from your pride and joy for a matter of minutes rather than hours.
More of the best bike locks
Any keen cyclist will appreciate the work of World Bicycle Relief (WBR), a charity that delivers and maintains rugged bikes in developing countries to increase mobility and access to schools, hospitals and markets. You could just donate some money on behalf of your giftee to this estimable cause, but everyone likes to unwrap something, so buy them one of these terrific Stolen Goat jerseys instead – all profits from the sale go to WBR. There are two designs for men and women, or you can opt for a WBR turbo towel, which costs £9.99.
More of the best cycling jerseys
