Best gifts for cyclists 2018
Looking to treat the cyclist in your life? Though it might seem like they've got everything, there are plenty of potential new additions...
Buying gifts for cyclists can be hard. Many riders appear to have one (or two) of absolutely everything – but there’s always a newest, latest version out there that will light up their faces brighter than that 1000 lumen USB rechargeable device you got them for the last Birthday/Christmas/other occasion.
>>> Editor’s Choice 2017: see our best reviewed kit here
To help you navigate one of the busiest retail spaces in the business, we’ve put together a list of some of the best gifts for cyclists….
Gifts for cyclists under £30
Pro Cycling Trumps Badge pack – £4 for 4
Everyone loves the Pro Cycling Trumps cards – and now you can get badges. Choose between a selection of packs of four, featuring recognisable riders in their best kits.
See them at Wiggle for £4 here
Primal Electric Shock Socks – £7.99
Sure, socks are sometimes considered a bit of a ‘yawn’ uncle gift, but they’re also pretty useful, and cyclists love them. These Electric Shock socks from Primal are a cool example – with a stylish 6″ cuff, and quick drying fabric mix.
Pro Cycling Trumps pack – £9.99
Looking to go one up from badges? There are several versions of the Pro Cycling Trumps cards – each featuring a set of 54 riders, rated on their abilities across time trails, breakaways, one day races, climbing, sprint, and GC.
See them at Wiggle for £9.99 here
Cycling Souvenirs road markers – £16
Know someone who loves their climbing? These road markers can be purchased to represent memories from days spent on some of the most iconic climbs in the world.
See them at Wiggle for £16 each here
RideStrong – £18.99 Paperback, £10.04 on Kindle
A strong core can make a dramatic difference to a cyclist’s performance – cutting down the chance of injury and providing a much greater base for power output.
In this book, JoMcRae provides advice on how to plan strength training and details a host of exercises that can benefit cyclists.
Buy now at Amazon for £10.04 or £18.99
Commuter Javapress – £59
Coffee and cyclists are intrinsically linked – and for those who simply can’t be without a brew, there’s the Commuter Javapress which is designed for on-the-go use. There’s no plunger, and it’s spill safe, with a sealable top to keep the contents hot.
Target Velo build-your-own-bike – £24.75
Surrey based Target Velo creates miniature bikes – road and mountain – which come in kit form, so that the lucky recipient can spend a day building the model up.
The figurines come with moving wheels, cranks and chains – even the brake levers work and squeeze the calipers closed. Road and mountain bike kits start at £24.75 – see them here.
Gifts for cyclists under £100
Shimano S-Phyre winter gloves – £99
Created based off of years of research into the hand to shifter interface, the S-Phyre gloves offer plenty of warmth without limiting dexterity. They are pricey – but we loved them and gave them a 9/10 score.
Read our full review of the Shimano S-Phyre gloves here
Muc-Off CRC Pro cleaning kit – £60
Cleaning a bike is a cyclist’s second favourite activity, after riding it of course. This Muc-Off pack is exclusive to Chain Reaction Cycles and contains bike cleaner, chain degreaser and a variety of brushes. Even better, it contains no solvents, CFCs and is completely biodegradable.
Buy now: Muc-Off CRC Pro Cleaning kit at Chain Reaction Cycles for £49
Lezyne Laser Drive rear light – £57.99
A bright rear light that can put out between 40 and 250 lumens depending upon the mode. The party trick is that it uses lasers to cast a red line either side of a cyclist – giving warning to pedestrians and discouraging close passes from drivers. Read our full review of the Lezyne Laser Drive rear light here.
Gifts for cyclists under £200
Oakley EVZero Path – £140
Read more: Oakley EVZero review
These are some of Oakley’s lightest glasses available, but despite their diminutive size, they still come with the excellent frames you expect from Oakley, sitting comfortably on the face and ears. The glasses come with CW’s favourite prism lenses, some of the best glass available.
Garmin Edge 520 cycling computer – £229.99 at Amazon
Read more: Garmin Edge 520 review
This is the perfect training partner out on any ride. In terms of its training tools, it’s an outright performance pusher and it also has navigation aides so your loved one doesn’t have to get lost.
Buy now: Garmin Edge 520 at Amazon for £229.99
Frog Bikes Tadpole and Tadpole Plus balance bikes
See more: the best balance bikes for toddlers
Read more: Frog Tadpole Plus balance bike reviewed
If you’re buying for a youngster aged two to five, then a balance bike could be just the thing. These pedal-less wondered are designed to get kids on two wheels ASAP, and experts say kids who learn on balance bikes ride more confidently than those taught using stabilisers.
This balance bike from Frog comes in a selection of colours, as well as special Team Sky and Union Jack paint jobs. It comes in two sizes, to help you find the perfect fit for your youngster.
See them here: Frog Bikes Tadpole or Tadpole Plus from Frog Bikes from £110 to £135
Camden X KPP Cycling Edition watch – £149.99
Ok, so it’s a little extravagant – but everyone loves a little luxury from time to time. A simple, classic watch designed by London-based artist/cyclist Kitty Pemberton-Platt. Bicycle infused touches include a spoke design in the centre of the dial, jersey-style embossed letters on the strap and gear-shaped crown. It’s got a leather strap, with an interchangeable nylon option. Check out our full review here.
See it at the Camden Watch Company here
Effetto Mariposa GiustaForza torque wrench – £134.99
A torque wrench is an item which can see heavy use by a home mechanic.
We love the Effetto Mariposa set – which can be used to tighten bolts to any measure between 3 and 15 Nm, adjusting in increments of 0.4 Nm. If it’s not quite what you’re looking for, we’ve rounded up more cyclist’s torque wrench options here.
Hipok Airlok indoor wall storage unit – £130
The Hiplok Airlok is a secure anchor with a hardened steel lockable post which ensures the bike stays put – but it’s coated in coloured plastic and is designed to be fixed to the wall – turning the bike into a piece of art in the home.
If it’s not quite right, there are plenty more bike storage options here.
Castelli Perfetto long sleeve jersey – £175
The newest take on wet weather race worthy gear from Castelli is wind and waterproof, but still breathable and flexible. It’s available in men’s and women’s cut – check out our full review of the Castelli Perfetto here.
Plus, if you act quick there are lots of Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals on these…
Wahoo Elemnt Bolt – £199
A neat, compact cycling computer that is designed to be more aerodynamic than those from other leading brands. A direct competitor to the Garmin 520, the display is good and it’s easy to use – though does require a smartphone for set up. See our Wahoo Elemnt Bolt review here.
Gifts for cyclists over £200
Giro SLX Cycling shoes – £289.99
The Easton high modulus EC90 soles combined with comfortably flexible uppers and a weight of just 175g for a size 42.5 make these one of our favourite pairs of cycling shoes – so much so we selected them for a 2017 Editor’s Choice award.
Garmin Virb Ultra 30 camera – £389.99
Cyclists love to share their rides with others – and an an action/hemet camera lets them do just that. The Garmin Virb 30 is a top of the range version which takes high quality images and video, and one which we found easy to control thanks to voice command features. Connects easily to cycle computers and smartphones – check out our full review of the Garmin Virb Ultra 30 here.
Tacx Satori Smart turbo trainer – £259.99
The Tacx Satoria offers a happy compromise between traditional turbo trainers and mega clever smart turbo trainers – it’s a standard magnetic turbo trainer but wirelessly reads speed, cadence and power and is compatible with programs like indoor cycling game Zwift.
Sea Sucker bike rack – from £350 (various sizes/configurations available)
Know a cyclist who is always travelling with a bike?
The SeaSucker bike rack attaches via very strong suction pads. It removes the need for permanent fixings, takes minutes to attach and is compatible with any car – read our full review here.
GoPro Hero 6 Black – £499.99
Like to record your rides via helmet/handlebar action camera?
The GoPro Hero6 shoots high quality video, has improved image stabalisation and will transform your footage into ‘Quick Stories’ which are sent directly to your phone for almost instant sharing.
Garmin Edge 1030 – £500
A cycling computer is a cyclist’s best friend (on a ride..) – and the Garmin Edge 1030 is the newest option on the market. The Edge 1030 offers turn-by-turn navigation and warnings to alert you to features like sharp bends.
There’s a new feature called ‘Trendline’ which identifies popular cycling routes using data from Garmin Connect. When paired with a smartphone, there’s also rider to rider communication.
Islabikes Luath Road and Cyclocross bikes – £599
Buying for a budding rider, or racer?
It’s hard to put forward just one – so for more inspiration check out the best kids’ bikes. However, the Luath road and cyclocross bike is a monster gift for anyone aged around eight to 13.
Weighing a competitive 8.9kg – 10.1kg (size dependent) it’s been designed to support youngsters in early road racing exploits as well as cyclocross races. There’s a single chainring to keep it simple, coupled with a large rear cassette. Mudguards and pannier racks are compatible for holiday touring trips.
See it here: Islabikes Luath road and cyclocross bike
Garmin Vector 3 pedals – £849.99
Power meter pedals have come of age with the Vector 3’s – the pods are no longer outside the pedal body and we found these exceptionally easy to fit and use.
Read our full review of the Garmin Vector 3 power meter pedals
Tacx Flux smart turbo trainer – £699.99 or Tacx Neo smart turbo trainer – £1200
Direct drive smart turbo trainers are all the buzz at the moment and the Tacx Flux and Tacx Neo have both impressed us. They’re both incredibly quiet and fairly life like (well, as life like as it’s going to get in your living room). The Neo, being more expensive, can replicate gradients up to 25 per cent and withstand power over 2,000 watts – which, frankly, should be more than plenty.
Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL6 – £8,500 (models start from £1,500!)
Obviously, at Cycling Weekly, we love bikes – we’ve featured our favourites in our Editor’s Choice 2017 awards and we could have listed them all here. They’re all excellent choices, and will suit a range of different riders.
If pushed to select one, we reckon the Specialized Tarmac is a safe bet. An all-round GC contender of a bike, it’s seen a major overhaul this year. It’s lighter, stiffer, and comes in men’s and women’s guides with components to suit. This model comes in at £8,500, complete with Dura Ace and Roval CLX 50 wheels – but you can pick one up from £1,500.
Print out and present gifts
Running out of time? All of these gifts will come with email certification that you can slot into an envelope on the day…
Cycling Weekly subscription – from £40.99 for six months
A Cycling Weekly subscription can provide a rider with news, fitness and training advice as well as insightful features and interviews, every single week. You can set up a subscription to the print mag for as little as £48.99 for six months or get an iPad/iPhone subscription from £40.99.
Check out the Cycling Weekly magazine subscription options here
Strava Premium membership – £44.99 a year
Strava is the cyclist’s social media platform – displaying rides and allowing riders to chase Strava segment success which is rewarded by Kudos from followers.
With Strava Premium, the tool moves from being a ride sharing and evaluation tool to a training aid, with advanced analytics and personalised coaching. You can upgrade your favourite cyclists account for just £44.99 a year – find out more here.
Sportive entry – £20/£35 depending upon distance
Sportive events – mass participation organised rides – can provide inspiration and motivation for cyclists who might otherwise be inclined to put the bike away over the winter months.
UKCE organises sportives across the country, with events taking place 12 months a year. There’s a selection of distances available, and entry starts from just over £20, with most at £35 – whilst kids ride for free. See upcoming events here.
British Cycling or CyclingUK membership – £22-£75
Memberships to British Cycling or Cycling UK carry a number of benefits for cyclists.
British Cycling Membership
British Cycling membership is available at a number of standards – from ‘Fan’ to ‘Race’.
Race license membership – compulsory for all UK racers – starts at £23 and increases to £74 with liability and legal insurance.
‘Ride membership’ (£37) gets users legal and liability insurance when commuting or riding for leisure and the ‘Fan’ option (£22) unlocks a selection of discounts at major cycling retailers. Check out the options here.
Cycling UK’s Gift Membership
Cycling UK membership starts from £3.75 a month (£45 a year) and provides third party liability insurance cover with an indemnity limit of £10m, plus access to group rides, discounts, access to the Cycling UK ‘incident line’ – and you’ll be supporting the organisations missions.
Find out more and purchase a membership here.
Zwift membership – £155.88 a year
Zwift is the indoor cycling training game taking the cycling world by storm. Users pair up, ideally using a smart turbo trainer or power meter, though a speed sensor will do. They can join group rides, or even races – when they increase the power, they’ll pull away and similarly drop back if they back off.
Zwift also provides structured training sessions for those looking to train specific areas. Membership costs £12.99 a month (for new users!) – so a year long commitment to funding your loved one’s cycling training will cost £155.88 – check out the download and payment process here.
We’ll keep updating this page with new gifts – let us know in the comments if you’re a cyclist who has received a gift you think should be included…