It’s not easy for the non-cyclist to buy gifts for a cycling enthusiast. The important thing to remember is that you can never, never presume to offer things that will make their bicycle better, faster, or more reliable. The bicycle is the cyclist’s business. Your business is the cyclist. And cyclists are like everyone else—they always like new stuff! If you are stuck for something to buy your cycling friend, partner, or child, here are some ideas.
Safety Things
Cycling is a vulnerable pastime on our busy roads, and can be almost as risky off them. So when you wave goodbye, you can feel more confident if your cyclist is well-equipped with safety features.
You can always find more ways to add lights to a bicycle, or to a cyclist. Powerful LED lights can now rival a car’s headlights at the front, while rear lights come in a startling variety of brilliant forms. You can get lights for a helmet, for a jacket, even for gloves so that no one can claim they did not see a signal. The more lights, the more visible, the more safe.
Bicycle broken? Modern bicycle tools now come in easily assembled units which can be carried without affecting anyone’s aerodynamic progress. A tiny tire repair kit can easily into a pocket.
Don’t let them get stuck in the middle of nowhere. Bicycle theft is big business, and the better the bicycle the bigger the risk. Show them you care with a top-of-the-range lock.
Afraid they might get lost? Hi-tech attachments can now fit GPS right into the handlebars, along with Bluetooth navigation. They will never need to fish around in the lycra for their phone again. Or get a clip-on GPS system which is optimized for bicycle routes.
If the worst happens, a tiny transponder linked to your phone can send out an emergency signal with your location. Video cameras are not only very valuable evidence in the event of an accident, they can also be great fun for the adventure cyclist who wants to impress, or to re-live those exciting moments.
Fashion Stuff
There’s no end to the clothing you can get, from head to foot. Helmets, caps, base layers, jackets, shorts, leg-warmers, shoes, they are all available in specialist cycling designs, for protection against the elements and ease of movement whilst still looking good.
Decent sunglasses are a must, for safety and for looking cool, offering a wide range of vision and protection from glare.
Using headphones on busy city streets is not a great idea, but for the open roader a little music can be a good companion. Go for headphones which are built for the windswept environment. Bone conduction headphones let the wearer listen without obstructing the normal hearing processes.
There is plenty of bicycle-themed jewelry around. It does not make cyclists go any faster, but it could help them to stand out in the bar afterwards.
For the fitness obsessive an activity tracker is a great addition to their equipment. Combine it with a GPS tracker so that every heartbeat can be set against every mile covered.
Fun Stuff
As well as beautifying the cyclist, you can also beautify the bicycle with a huge range of decorations, stick-ons, tapes, and attachments. At the festive season, look out for Bicycle Christmas Ornaments which are always good for stocking-fillers.
Quirky mudguards that can fold away when not needed will be a talking point at the stopping places on the way. Fancy toe covers and short protectors can be a decorative way to keep kit just a little bit cleaner.
Don’t forget that cyclists get hungry and thirsty. Cycling themed sandwich boxes, bottles, and mugs can brighten up the lunch stop.
Just to show that you really have their best interests at heart, you might want to offer something up-market from the range of creams and embrocation products that make your cyclist’s life more comfortable if they will insist on going out in all weathers.
They don’t spend all their time on the saddle. You could bring the cycling theme indoors with a range of cycling pictures, posters, books, and DVDs.
A Gift for Every Pocket
Cycling presents come in forms to suit every budget, from the cheap and cheerful to the outrageously expensive. A gift can be a piece of throwaway nonsense, or it can be a lifesaving example of the very latest technology. Whatever you give, the cyclist in your life will appreciate the thought.
Ed Pope is co-owner of Circle City Bicycles. He is a lifelong resident of Indianapolis, Indiana and a graduate of Purdue University. Ed worked at Rolls-Royce as an engineer for many years. He has been bicycle touring since the 1980s.
