9 Christmas Gift Ideas for The Cyclist on Your List

Holiday shopping is tough. Sometimes, it’s downright brutal (like the fight for the last Tickle Me Elmo or Hatchimals toy on the shelf).

But if you are shopping for a cyclist, don’t fret! Here is a quick guide on what your cyclist will love, based on their rider personality type!

The Ideas

(The items listed here are either new enough that they probably don’t have it, or cool enough that they’ll be happy to have two!)

1. For the Indoor Training Enthusiast.

If the cyclist on your list… rides his bike inside for hours each day,

Then They Might Want: a top of the line stationary trainer that is compatible with Zwift and Trainer Road, like the Wahoo Kickr Trainer. It’s as close as you can get to making riding indoors exciting!

Because: it’s a smooth, durable machine that will make those hours of going nowhere go that much faster.

2. For the Hard-core Endurance Mountain Biker.

If the cyclist on your list… is an endurance mountain bike racer,

Then They Might Want: ESI silicone grips, like the Chunky or Extra Chunky (best price at Amazon.com),

Because: their innovative material that conforms to your hand makes them comfortable for hours, and they’ve become a favorite among endurance racers and all-mountain riders.

3. For the Energy Bar Connoisseur.

If the cyclist on your list… devours the same old energy bar on every ride,

Then They Might Want: a blueberry muffin Lara Bar, a lemon cranberry SoLo Bar, a mint chocolate chip NuGo Dark bar, or a peanut butter and jelly Bonk Breaker bar,

Because: these energy bars actually taste good.

4. For the Embrocation Addict.

If the cyclist on your list… enjoys rubbing various creams on their body and admiring themselves in the mirror,

Then They Might Want: fancy embrocation cream, chamois butter, or pain relieving gels. Perhaps the “Pre-Cyclist Kit” from Qoleum, which contains a pain relieving gel, warm-up oils, and chamois cream, for $63 (or to keep under a $20 budget, grab a tube of DZNuts In-Heat embrocation cream),

Because: it comes from Europe, so it must be the epitome of style.

5. For the Coffee Lover.

If the cyclist on your list… carries her coffee mug while riding,

Then They Might Want: specialty coffee from 53×11, Jittery Joe’s, Peet’s, or my local favorite, Rothrock Coffee,

Because: when the coffee has cycling in its culture, it tastes that much better.

6. For the Exercise and Fitness Buff.

If the cyclist on your list… hits the gym all winter and typically ends up sore or burnt out,

Then They Might Want: some relaxing yoga DVDs, sore muscle cream, or my personal recommendation, a massage tool like the Moji Mini,

Because: recovery time is just as important as training time.

7. For Bike Commuters (Or Anyone on Dangerous Roads).

If the cyclist on your list… rides on high-traffic roadways every day,

Then They Might Want: a Garmin Varia RTL510 radar tail light,

Because: in addition to making you more visible to motorists day or night, it will alert you any time a vehicle is approaching from behind.

8. For the Outdoor Adventurer.

If the cyclist on your list… ventures outside no matter what the weather,

Then They Might Want: wool socks, like the super comfortable DeFeet Woolie Boolie, or anything by Darn Tough Vermont (although really, you gotta love their World Champion stripe sock),

Because: wool hiking and cycling socks are comfortable, cool, and very warm at the same time.

9. For the Stylish Roadie.

If the cyclist on your list… coordinates their outfit with all their bike parts,

Then They Might Want: aftermarket rubber brake hoods from Hudz,

Because: they come in 11 colors, and surely one will complement their handlebar tape better than the standard black hoods.

I can almost guarantee that one of those gifts will fit the cyclist on your list.

If you have any suggestions for cool gifts, leave them in the comments below!

This article was originally published on November 15, 2008. It was last updated and re-published on December 16, 2019.

Coach Levi

Levi Bloom is an experienced endurance athlete who has been training and competing for over 17 years. A former Cat 1 road and mountain bike racer (professional class on the regional circuit), he is now a cycling coach (USA Cycling Level 3 Certified) and sports nutrition coach (Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certified).

coachlevi.com