What are the best gifts for cyclists that you can give to your loved one for Christmas?
Fellow cyclists, I know what you are thinking. You have probably told your significant others that you don’t want them getting you cycling stuff you didn’t ask for. We are a particular group, that focuses on spending hundreds of dollars to save a few grams in weight, wear skin-tight Lycra to be as aero as possible, and bike clothes are personal. We don’t want others buying us gear.
Well, guess what? We all enjoy surprising our loved ones with gifts based on their passions and hobbies. Your significant other will be getting you a gift no matter what, so here is Dads Riding Bikes list of best holiday gifts for cyclists. We did our best to exclude clothing and other fashion items (except glasses).
Note: Ordered from least expensive to most.
XL Water Bottles
Amazon Purchase: 30oz Polar Bottles – $13
Staying hydrated is crucial for cyclists, especially when they are out on the bike for long hours. Dehydration can significantly impact their performance. Standard water bottles that fit in the water bottle cages on the bike are 18-22 ounces. But sometimes, cyclists may want to carry more water without having to tuck a third bottle in their back pocket. These water bottles hold 30 ounces, but still fit in the standard cage.
I recommend the Polar brand bottles available on Amazon as they come with an easy-to-use nozzle and a great flow rate.
If It’s Not On Strava It Never Happened T-Shirt
Etsy Purchase: If It’s Not On Strava It Never Happened – $15.34
This is a fun cycling shirt for Strava enthusiasts that can be found on Etsy. It would make a great holiday gift for your significant other.
Silica Super Secret Liquid Chain Wax
Amazon Purchase: Super Secret Chain Wax – $25.00
Have you switched to immersive hot waxing or thought about it, but taking the chain off all the time seems like too much of a hassle?
Well, Silica has solved that problem for you. Their Super Secret Drip Wax takes all the benefits of immersive waxing but puts it in the traditional drip lube format.
Just strip down your chain of all factory grease and then drip this stuff on each link and let set for at least 15 minutes but preferably overnight, and now you have a waxed chain.
This is also a great addition to extend the life of your immersive waxed chain. Instead of putting your chain in the wax every 200 miles (321.87 km), hot wax it initially and top off the wax on the bike with Super Secret Drip Wax every 200 miles (321.87 km) and then re-wax every 1,000 or so miles.
Speedsleev Handlebar Bag
Speedsleev Purchase: Speedslev Diego Small Handlebar Bag – $35
Occasionally, we are heading out on a longer ride and our saddlebag and jersey pockets are just not enough.
Enter the handlebar bag. A convenient place to store extra gels, drink mix, or spare clothing (jacket, vest, or gloves). This is great for winter riding when we typically carry more items.
My favorite is the Speedslev Diego Small bag as it is a good compromise on size vs. sacrificing your aero gains.
Speedsleev Saddlebag
Speedsleev Purchase: Speedsleev Saddlebag – $40
A saddlebag is a must for a cyclist, however, many of them are too large and cumbersome. Speedsleev is an excellent solution for fitting all your necessary tools neatly under your seat.
I am currently using the Speedsleev medium saddlebag which comfortably fits my spare inner tube, C02 canister, tire levers, and C02 inflator.
Silica Hot Melt Chain Wax
Amazon Purchase: Hot Melt Chain Wax – $42.50
As a dad, I am always looking to spend less time maintaining and cleaning my bike and more time riding it.
Immersive waxing your chain solves both those problems. Wax is an alternative to normal drip lube that provides more efficient lubrication, saves precious watts, and leaves no mess, say goodbye to degreasing your chain.
Check out Zero Friction Cycling for more information on the benefits of waxing your chain and a step-by-step guide on how to set it up.
Once you clean your chain the first time, it’s as easy as dropping it in the crock pot every 200 miles (321.87 km).
Silica is my favorite wax.
GCN + subscription
GCN Purchase 12 Months GCN + Subscription – $49.99
If you love bike racing, then GCN+ is a must. They have coverage of all world tour races, along with MTB and cyclocross.
I enjoy watching bike racing because the races are usually long. I can have them playing in the background while I work or do chores and tune in when the announcers start getting excited about a big move. This also allows me to watch replays and fast forward to the last 50 kilometers of a race when things start to get exciting.
They also have a great collection of cycling films and documentaries. I like the Slow Pro Tour series.
Metal Wall-Mounted Bike Wheel
Etsy Purchase: Metal Bike Tire Wall Art – $65+
I stumbled across these cool metal wall-mounted bike wheels on Etsy. Perfect art decoration for a cyclist’s living room or pain cave.
They give you options of having them be white, gold, or black and come in various sizes and styles.
Decorate your home and show off your passion for cycling to your guests.
Steadyrack Bike Rack
Amazon Purchase: Steadyrack Classic -$99.99
If you are shopping for cycling gear for the holidays, chances are you have more than one bike. All those bikes take up space somewhere, and we can all use a better storage system.
The steady rack is the best solution I have found. It’s easy to mount and allows you to just roll your bike on and then you can fold it to the left or right.
You can fit multiple bikes on a wall at a time if you stagger the heights. This is an easy solution for getting your bikes off the ground.
SHOKZ OpenRun Bone Conduction Headphones
Amazon Purchase: OpenRun headphones – $129.95
I have written about my opinion of SHOKZ OpenRun bone conduction headphones and why they are the best headphones for safer cycling.
If your loved ones enjoy listening to music or a podcast when out on the bike, these are a game changer when it comes to safety. They keep your ears free from earbuds allowing you to still hear your surroundings.
Garmin Varia RTL515
Amazon Purchase: Garmin Varia RTL515 – $199.99
Safety on the bike is one of the most important things for our loved ones. If you are riding on the road, it is critical to be seen, which is why you should at the very least ride with a rear light.
Modern technology has taken the rear light to the next level, and the Garmin Varia brings radar technology to your bike computer.
It provides an audible beep as a car is approaching and then shows how many cars are approaching and how fast they are going with a light indicator (red being fast!).
This is my wife and my favorite bike device, as it allows you to ride on the road with a piece of mind that no cars will sneak up on you.
This is compatible with any Bluetooth and ANT+ bike computers.
Photochromic Sunglasses
Rudy Projects: Defender – $269.99
Roka: Matador Air– $290 – Select Photochromic after frame color
Note: I would coordinate this purchase with the person you are buying them for. Glasses are expensive and most of us are particular about the color.
A good pair of sunglasses are important not only for looking good on the bike but also for safety. They protect your eyes from bugs, debris, and rain.
As a dad, I am often riding early in the morning or late in the evening when the light isn’t the brightest. This is where photochromic lenses come in. They adjust the tint to the amount of daylight, so in the morning and evening they are clear, but if the sun comes out they darken enough that they block out the sun’s UV rays.
Zwift Hub
Zwift Purchase: Zwift Hub One – $599.00
As of October 2023 includes 1 year of Zwift – $149.99 value
Looking to find a way to get your spouse more time to be on the bike?
Zwift just realized their new Zwift Hub One. It now is just a single cog cassette and allows you to shift gears virtually (24 virtual gears). Pretty cool for those who do not have enough gears on their bikes for the big steep climbs.
A direct drive smart trainer is an excellent opening to continue riding during the winter, in bad weather, or late at night after work.
Zwift offers a great option with their Zwift Hub. It’s easy to set up and competitively priced. Pair that with a Zwift subscription, and they can be riding anytime they want with thousands of other indoor cyclists around the world.
Holiday Wrap
That’s it from Dad Riding Bikes. We hope you enjoyed our list of gift ideas to get cyclists for the holidays. We tried to make them something we would want, in case our wife stumbled upon it!
Let us know in the comments if you ended up getting anything from the list and how it worked out for you.
Looking for stocking ideas? Check out our Stocking Stuffers for Cyclists list.