Looking for gifts for cyclists this Christmas and stumped for ideas? Cycling Weekly can help out with our pick of options Stateside and in the UK.
The beauty of shopping for a cyclist this Christmas is the sheer range of applicable products.
You could choose a gift befitting the winter season. Why not look for a pair of the best winter cycling gloves or the best bib tights to keep them warm? Or perhaps you could choose a set of the best bike lights to help them to stay safe?
It's also the time of year when many cyclists begin to train in earnest for the season ahead. Depending on your budget you could opt for a pair of the best bike rollers or one of the best smart turbo trainers to assist them with their indoor training plan. And if you're unsure which is best suited to the cyclist in your life, then you can check out our guide to rollers vs turbo trainers.
Whatever you decide on, there are more choices than ever for where to buy cycling equipment on the internet, so we've used our web crawler that checks millions of sites each day to find the best prices for the items we've recommended.
We've broken our suggestions down into categories including gifts for road riding, gifts to aid training and gifts for the home mechanic. We've included products across a wide range of price points, so it's easy to hone in on gifts that match your budget. Use the navigation bars above to narrow down your options.
Best gifts for cyclists this Christmas
e-gifts: last minute present ideas
If you need a guaranteed gift and don't want to chance a delivery – or if you'd just prefer to let that special someone chose what's right for them – instantaneous e-gifts can make the perfect present.
USA
- Wiggle.com Gift Voucher: One of the go-to websites for all the best cycling kit – with a particularly good line in clothing
- Chain Reaction Cycles: Similar to Wiggle, but with more of a tilt towards mountain bikers
- Backcountry eGift card: Not just bikes, but just about everything else outdoors too – perfect for a multidisciplinarian
- Amazon.com: No introduction needed – the sheer range of products available is difficult to image
- Cycling Weekly gift subscription: With screens taking over almost every moment of our lives, kicking back with an actual, physical magazine can be just the gift that's needed
UK
- Wiggle.co.uk Gift Voucher: Has a particular reputation for great value cycle clothing but also sells just about anything else you could want
- Chain Reaction Cycles Gift Voucher: Similar to Wiggle, but geared slightly more towards mountain bikers
- Sigma Sports eGift Voucher: Stocks some of the most exclusive and desirable kit, but is also known for some pretty large discounts
- Amazon.co.uk: Really needs no introduction – there are plenty of great cycling products being sold
- Cycling Weekly gift subscription: With screens taking over our lives in so many places, the clean break of reading an actual physical magazine can be the greatest gift
Stocking fillers: Gifts under $20 / £20
Muc-Off Essentials Case
Carry all your cycling bits in style with the Muc-Off Essentials Case. This version comes with the distinctive Muc-Off style, but you can gift the Essentials Case in more muted colours too. There's an internal divider to keep your phone and tools separate and a zipped pocket for cards, a durable facing and water resistant zip.
Muc-Off Wet Chain Lube
Of course, Muc-Off doesn't just make smart-looking cases to carry all your bits in! Its wet lube formula is well-suited for winter riding conditions. It contains no harmful acids, CFCs or solvents, as well as being biodegradable. It also features the company's integral Extreme Pressure Additives coat for increased efficiency in the drive chain. As a Christmas gift for cyclists, this makes an ideal stocking filler.
Clif Bar energy bars
For many cyclists, a Clif Bar is their go-to energy top-up as they ride. A bit more substantial than many energy bars, Clif Bars are all-natural and plant based. There's a wide range of different flavours, for plenty of variety, and all the ones we've tested (plenty of them!) taste great too. Another Christmas gift for cyclists that's perfectly suited as a stocking filler.
'Butcher, Blacksmith, Acrobat, Sweep: The Tale of The First Tour De France' by Peter Cossins
Peter Cossins' account of the first Tour de France in 1903 is a remarkable tale full of larger-than-life characters and painfully long stages. Set against the backdrop of a rapidly-changing France at the turn of the century, it not only paints a vivid picture of bike racing as it once was but also helps to bring a fresh context to 'la Grande Boucle' that we know and love today.
Pinnacle Toe Warmers
Toe warmers make the perfect stocking filler. Created for those in-between days when overshoes are overkill but you still need a bit of protection against the damp and the cold. This pair from Pinnacle fit the bill. Made of neoprene and featuring some reflective detailing they're just what the roadie in your life needs to keep their toes toasty during the cooler months.
Gifts for road cyclists
Elite Fly water bottle
The Elite Fly is the water bottle used by the majority of pro teams. That's because it's designed to help you drink more quickly, with a wide, soft cap that's easy to operate while riding. Its wide mouth makes filling simple and it's dishwasher safe and BPA-free. Plus it weighs about half as much as a standard water bottle, saving you around 50 grams.
DHB Merino Armwarmers
There are more expensive arm warmers out there but Dhb's merino offerings provide just the right balance between performance and price. They're made from a soft and stretchy merino yarn that feels great against the skin and, importantly, comes from a guaranteed non-mulesed source.
Lost Lanes guide books
Jack Thurston's Lost Lanes books are a series of guides to some of the most beautiful bike rides in the UK. There are four books available covering the South East, the West Country, Wales and the border counties and Northern England. Each ride featured includes handy maps as well as recommended pubs and pit stops.
Castelli Estremo Winter Gloves
A pair of winter gloves are worth their weight in gold. Any cyclist looking to ride through the Christmas period will need to keep their digits nice and warm and Castelli's Estremo gloves are some of the very best at doing just that. They benefit from an extra long Gore-Tex cuff that seals in the warmth as well as featuring a warm fleece material and grippy silicone palm. A top pair of gloves that perform even when temperatures drop below freezing.
Topeak Race Rocket HP minipump
A quality minipump can really save a ride, making them a great gift for cyclists. The Race Rocket is built to last, with an alloy body and an in-built hose with a presta/schrader-compatible smarthead. There is a range of Race Rocket designs for MTB and road bikers, but this version is designed to pump road tyres to high pressures, while still being pocketable.
Colombia Es Pasión! by Matt Rendell
The influence of Colombian riders in today's pro peloton is certainly pronounced. In this wonderful book Matt Rendell tells their incredible stories - from Rigoberto Uran to Egan Bernal - detailing the often extraordinary road they've had to navigate to reach the pinnacle of the World Tour. It's an inspiring read and an ideal Christmas gift for cyclists looking to banish the winter blues.
Castelli Head Thingy
Castelli is being vague about its HeadThingy - it's a buff, one of the most useful pieces of kit for the cyclist, keeping their neck warm on cold starts or cold days and stopping airflow down their collar. If things warm up, it's got to be the most stashable accessory out there too.
Muc-Off tubeless valve set
Tubeless tech is rapidly taking over road cycling and many wheelsets are now tubeless ready. It needs a set of valves to screw into the wheel rim and Muc-Off's are high quality, available in a longer length to suit deeper wheelsets and come in an amazing range of colours to add a bit of razzle dazzle to any bike.
Fabric Chamber multitool
Fabric makes some neat variations on the usual bike kit and the Fabric Chamber multitool is a good example. All the tool heads stash inside the tool body, which includes a ratchet at its top. It's a compact solution that's smart and easy to use. Another Christmas gift for cyclists looking to upgrade the contents of their saddle bag or tool roll.
The Road Book 2021
Now in its third year, The Road Book is professional cycling's ultimate almanack. At over 800 pages it covers the 2021 season in great detail, featuring some 174 races and 517 stages. There are also essays, infographics and photographs, all helping to bring the 2021 season to life. Beautifully produced, it's an ode to racing in 2021 and makes the ultimate gift for cyclists who are dedicated followers of bike racing.
The Road Book 2021 costs £50 and is bought directly from the publishers at theroadbook.co.uk
Knog PWR Road front light
This light from Knog is designed for the road rider, with 700 lumens max output that's good enough to ride with on unlit streets. You can program the light output to match your requirements. Pull off the lighthead and there's a USB port underneath to power up phones and bike computers.
Castelli Gabba RoS jersey
The first, and many would say still the best, cycling jersey for poor weather riding, the Gabba RoS adds taped seams at the shoulders to keep more rain out, but still has the water resistant facing, breathable fabric, insulation and windproofing of the original, making it ideal for riding when the weather's not ideal.
Wahoo Speedplay Zero Pedals
Wahoo's Speedplay Zero pedals will fit nicely into a Christmas stocking but that's not why we've included them here. Instead, we've chosen them for their quality construction, low weight and most notably their dual-sided entry.
Fizik R4 Tempo Overcurve shoes
Gifting a cyclist a great pair of shoes for Christmas makes a lot of sense, after all comfy shoes help make for an enjoyable ride.
Fizik's range of Tempo Overcurve shoes are designed to be comfortable straight out the box thanks to their curved profile. The R4 model features a carbon injected sole that's pretty stiff but not too rigid and a Boa dial for micro adjustment.
Gore Shakedry C5 1985 rain jacket
A lightweight, packable waterproof jacket is a godsend for a cyclist when the weather deteriorates and this is one of the best out there. It uses Gore's innovative Shakedry fabric, which is waterproof, highly breathable and doesn't wet out, so when it does dry up the rain can just be shaken off and it can be stowed in a jersey pocket.
Oakley Sutro cycling glasses
The Oakley Sutro was originally launched as an urban style, but it's been taken up with gusto by the pros, with Egan Bernal a prominent wearer. It's still a good bet for the more casual cyclist and has spawned a Lite version with half frames and the Sutro S for smaller faces. A gift for cyclists with a penchant for style.
Wahoo Elemnt Bolt cycling computer
Wahoo GPS units have some clever features that you don't see on rivals units, making them some of the best cycling computers out there. That includes smart navigation features, a programmable LED array and really good connections to its smartphone app that up usability. Plus the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt has a slick mount that is designed to make it more aerodynamic. A recommended Christmas gift for cyclists looking to explore new roads in 2022 and beyond.
Rapha Pro Team Winter Bib Tights
Christmas is winter bib tights season, making them an ideal gift for cyclists in your life. Rapha's Pro Team bibs aren't the cheapest but for a little over £200 you get a pair of bib tights with all the trimmings. Handily, they're available in both mens and women's specific models - we were certainly impressed when we tested the women's bibs a while back.
Gifts for commuters
Lezyne Zecto Drive bike light
With winter well and truly on us bike lights make perfect Christmas gifts for cyclsits. The Lezyne Zecto Drive light is a good option for both daytime and night use, with seven output setting, up to 250 lumens output and long runtimes, along with quick recharging. It attaches unobtrusively to the handlebars or seatpost, with quick rubber mounts.
Spurcycle bell
No commuter bike is complete without a bell. It's still the best way to let others know that your heading in their direction - especially on shared access paths. The Spurcycle bell is beautifully made and has plenty of retro appeal. Proof that not all bells are created equal!
Endura Windchill II jacket
Every commuter needs a warm and visible jacket to get them through the colder months. The Endura Windchill Jacket II is simple yet effective. For the price it offers warmth, even on a very slow snowy ride, water resistance, and practical features, such as the under arm venting.
This jacket is ideal for anyone looking for warmth, without a skin tight fit, making it a great option for just chucking over bulkier non-bike attire for a commute home.
Garmin Varia RTL515 radar tail light
The Garmin RTL515 isn't just a high quality tail light, it includes a radar that can spot a vehicle approaching up to 140 metres away. It flashes to make sure that the driver has seen you and sends an alert to your bike computer, telling you how many vehicles are approaching and their relative position. You get a green light once all's clear.
Gifts for gravel riders and bikepackers
De Feet Woolie Boolie cycling socks
Receiving socks might be somewhat cliched but as a Christmas gift for cyclists it's likely to be well received. After all, cyclists' feet get cold at this time of year, but the Woolie Boolie socks help with that. Their 48 per cent merino wool content adds warmth wet or dry and helps keep foot odour away - ideal for those multi-day bikepacking trips.