Gift ideas for the cyclist in your family. Even if it's you.

The end of the year is fast-approaching. The scramble for meaningful, yet not eye-wateringly expensive stocking filler ideas is on.

I love and appreciate getting socks as gifts from my children (they will read this ). But there may be others out there who would prefer something a little different. Unless they’re cycling socks I guess!

The COVID19 pandemic has had such a big effect not only on our personal lives but also our livelihoods. I thought it would be helpful to share some of the great products I’ve come across recently. You might see something you like and in turn help to support these great businesses. And you won't find links to Amazon...they're big enough.

The list is a mixture of function and form, so there’s something for everyone. I will be adding more as they are recommended to me.

So, in no particular order...

The Handmade Cyclist - Contemporary cycling art, apparel and gifts 

I’ve bought several items from them. I’ll be honest. NOT adding more to my cart was difficult. They have something for everyone.  Amazing prints  celebrating famous routes and events such as The Stelvio Pass and Pari-Roubaix. Perfect for your pain cave or office. Gorgeous notebooks to fill with your every-day thoughts or just stare at! 

And beautiful china mugs (that's mine below!), to enjoy your favourite drink in. While you ponder the weather and write in your notebook :-)

All their designs are created in-house and they ship worldwide from the UK.

   

Altuvista - Protecting your phone and essentials from the elements.

I came across this product recently. I'm not a big fan of having lots of things in my pockets. It annoys me when things jingle around! The Altuvista case  looks amazing for storing essentials such as you mobile phone. It's big enough to carry a combination of items. So together with a small saddle bag, you can carry all necessary spares and more.  It's made from light-weight (super important of course!), all-weather materials. And fits in your jersey pocket.

I do not have one of these but I will be adding it to my wish list for sure.

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Ciclismo Badges - Cycling Pin Badges based on retro and classic cycling jerseys

Pretty much what it says on the tin! Makers of hand-crafted cycling badges based on classic cycling jerseys.  Perfect for cycling fans reminiscing over their past heroes. From that zany Z-Team jersey, to the understated yet regal Bianchi Ursus team replica. There are designs from eras to suit all fans. The attention to detail and quality is superb. 

Collect them all, or the ones from worn by favourite cyclist. The possibilities are endless. 

And now Adam is branching out into retro themed neck warmers* as well. Just in time for those chilly winter rides :-D

*Full disclosure, I won a neck warmer shortly before writing this post. I will write a quick update once I've worn it.

Yellow Club Cycling - Cycling & Travel prints. Perfect for a home or office!

This artist was recommended to me by one of the others and a quick look at their Etsy shop shows why. While the prints are cycling related, I love the travel angle. Many of us have travelled to a location that has "grabbed" us and left a lasting impression.

The prints not only help  recapture those feelings but also place us front and center in the scene and on a bike! I also love the style. The portraits of famous cyclists are just so different and striking.

Victory Chimp -  Cycling Art & Apparel To Make You Smile.

Another recommendation. And oh wow, this company has such cool stuff. Based in Northern Ireland, Victory Chimp offer a wide range of cycling related products. Their cycling kits and accessories look just outstanding. Needless to say, the ones that really grabbed me were any of the ones with the chimp on them. Surprise, surprise!

The website has high resolution photos and clearly show that the products are of a high standard.  I may even have  added a few items to cart! :-D

Stasdock -  The bicycle wall mount that's not just a wall mount.

First up. I have one of these. And no it was not given to me in exchange for this post :-D I bought it quite some time ago for a few reasons.

I had just bought a new bike and I wanted to store it safely. When I came across the website, it made an immediate impression on me. It looked AMAZING. And then I saw what else it can do! It's not only a bike rack. It's also constructed in such a way that you can even store your shoes, sunglasses and helmet. And yes, even your CO2 canisters!

When it arrived I was surprised at the weight of the unit. It's SOLID. That gave me even more confidence in the product. Installing it is pretty simple even for someone who isn't a massive fan of DIY.

Each unit comes with complete with instructions, bolts and a template for drilling . The product comes in 3 colours, which should suit most people and their bikes. 

This is another of those form AND function products. Not only does it keep everything safe and tidy.  Stasdock  promote it as a way to show off your bike. And  it does! In the end, we all bought our bikes because we loved the look of them. With Stasdock, they're front and center!

And the function doesn't end there. The bicycle rests on a foam "lip", so for anyone who is worried about damage, don't be. As well as using it to make a little extra space in the house or shed, the Stasdock is also great for servicing your bike.

While not the cheapest around, the quality speaks for itslef. And I see they're having a Black Friday sale right now ;-)

MyWindSock -  Provides insightful weather data to the cycling community

Let's face it. As cyclists, we tend to become more than interested in the weather. One of our biggest obsessions is the wind.

• Is it blowing?
• How strong?
• Where from? 

We've all had that spin. Where we're running out of energy and then BAM!  there's the head wind....all...the..way...home 

MyWindSock seems to be a very cool app. Some features include;

• Accurate weather forecasts to assist in ride preparation and course reconnaissance.
• Post-ride observed weather data to assist in performance analysis.
• Adds weather analysis to Strava, Ride With GPS, Komoot or upload a GPX file.
• Rolling forecasts show the weather changes around your route.
•  Illuminates the wind direction around the route with Wind Lines
• View the weather for the Strava Segments along your route

I can see some great uses for this app

• Time trials: Help with pre-race reconnaissance. Historic course weather data will enable the benchmarking of performance.
• Road Races: Knowing the weather conditions, especially the wind direction is critical. Having the data at your fingertips,  can help where and echelon or break may occur.
• Recreational cyclists: Knowing when you're going to get soaked and blown all over the road  is super useful!
• Perfect for that one person on the club spin that never knows which way the wind if blowing :-D

If you use the app, please let me know what you think. And in the meantime, I'll be trying it out myself!

So, I hope that this list has give you some gift ideas for the upcoming festive season or a special occasion.  Or to simply to bring a little bit of colour an joy to 2020!

Please feel free to comment and share if someone you know might find this article useful. And let me know of any other producers you'd like me to highlight.

Don't forget. We're running a Black Friday and Cyber Monday Offer. Free shipping and 5% off all of our super cool handlebar tape.