4-minute read
Not long now until Christmas and if you’re anything like us, you’re frantically searching and skimming the internet for some last-minute gift ideas for friends and family, and some of these might be gifts for cyclists. Cyclists can sometimes be hard to buy for, as they tend to be very specific in their wants, so allow us to help.
In this blog, our cycling tour guide Tom Mutton gives us his top five gifts for the cyclist in your life. If you have a cyclist in your life, or if you’re being asked for ideas for yourself, then read on for invaluable inspo. You’re welcome!
1. Cycling socks! But not just any socks …
Always a winner at Christmas, and very stocking-friendly – worthy of a Christmas cracker joke, we think! Socks are a must for any Christmas shopping list. But getting a good pair of socks for a discerning cyclist can be difficult. With hands and feet normally the first to feel the cold, a good pair of socks can be worth their weight in gold.
Enter my material of choice … Merino wool (trust me, my second name is Mutton!). Merino is well known for its thermal properties when wet or dry, and if you ride through a UK winter, you’ll experience both! A pair I would recommend is the Swiftwick- PURSUIT SEVEN. Not cheap, but durable and long-lasting. These are a great bet to keep your loved ones’ tootsies happy through the winter.
They are crafted with natural Merino wool, which regulates temperature, controls odour, and moves moisture away from feet. The Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) verifies that the wool used is sourced from farms that meet best practices. They treat their sheep, land, and the health and safety of workers with respect and care. Cosy!
2. Pump, pump, pump it up!
I’ve personally been drooling over one of these for a while now. FUMPA pumps from Australia have been taking the cycling tech world by storm with their line of fast, top-quality electronic pumps. There are four sizes available depending on your intended use. They are small, lightweight, and quick, with a good reputation for durability and replaceability in terms of parts if needed. You can actually use these pumps around the house to accurately put air into everything. From your bike and car tyres, to the kids’ footballs. They’ll even come in handy for the airbed that you’re putting your relatives on over the festive period. Winner, winner, turkey dinner!
3. The tool to rule all tools
An absolute MUST for any cyclist (or indeed homeowner) is a mini ratchet wrench for putting your bike together on your next cycling holiday. This will also be a godsend when building your kids’ first bike on Christmas morning (see below), or putting together flat-pack furniture (arguably the most common use!).
I’ve had one of these for years and it makes me happy every time I use it, which is more often than you think. A mini ratchet can get into all sorts of hard-to-reach areas. The hidden away seat post bolts or that super awkward corner of an IKEA sofa, for example. With a very small size profile these take up no space at all, so they’re perfect to pack and take along on your next road cycling holiday. I’d recommend the TOPEAK Ratchet Rocket which is the one I’ve had for years. It even won a RED dot design award in 2008!
4. One for the kids
It’s one of those really special Christmas memories that you might well have yourself from your own childhood: getting your first bike on Christmas morning! The kids’ bike market has come a long way since the days of my Raleigh Wolf Cub! A child’s first experience on a bike can be the start of getting them into a lifetime of cycling fun, so it’s important to try and get something good quality and not just a ‘bike-shaped object’ from the local automotive/cycling shop.
In my opinion, the real leaders in the kids’ bike market are Frog, and Woom. They’re both designed for kids ‘from the ground up’. They’ve got specific geometry and components that ensure your little ones will have a safe and enjoyable first riding experience. Yes, there are cheaper alternatives out there, but these hold their value really well in the second-hand market for when your little rider grows out of them. It’s so important that the first experience of cycling is a good one so these come highly recommended.
5. Gift Voucher towards a fantastic cycling holiday!
A perfect last-minute gift for the cyclist that already has all the above!
Now I know what you’re thinking, I’m generous, but not THAT generous! Don’t worry, you don’t have to pay for the entire holiday – unless you want to! Making a contributory nudge to book the road cycling holiday of a lifetime could be the permission that the cyclist in your life is waiting for! It will also mean they have something in the diary to motivate them and look forward to throughout the cold winter months!
With a Marmot Tours gift voucher, you choose the amount and the recipient can put it towards the cost of any of our superb, fully supported road cycling holidays in the best spots in Europe!
The voucher can be emailed to yourself or direct to the recipient, so you can get away with sorting this gift super last minute. Just make sure you purchase by 23rd December (don’t worry, we won’t tell!). Simply drop us a line at [email protected] letting us know the value of the voucher you’d like to buy, and we’ll take it from there.
Hopefully this has given you food for thought when thinking about gifts for cyclists, no matter how fussy they are! Happy shopping, and Happy Christmas!
Tom Mutton.
