As the proud daughter of the president of St Austell Wheelers cycle club in Cornwall, I know better than to wing it when it comes to giving gifts to a bike rider. That’s why we’ve asked so many people, from coaches to athletes, club riders to young cyclists, what they would like to receive.
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Speaking of Dad, this year he has moved from his road bike to the world of gravel riding (check out Fairlight Cycles) and is loving it. He treated himself to a Cornish downpour-proof jacket and a set of panniers for a cycling trip to France – and highly recommends them (see below for details). Less so the bike bell someone told him “everyone” uses in France, only to get there and find not a single cyclist he saw had one.
Aside from grilling my own flesh and blood, here is what a handpicked selection of two-wheeled enthusiasts would love to receive this Christmas.
The best Christmas gifts for cyclists
Cute collectible
Cycling figurines
Carys Lloyd, women’s road cyclist, multiple junior European and world champion, recommends Lego: apparently, it’s popular with travelling cyclists as a mindful activity when you’re on the road. There’s no cycling-specific Lego (missing a trick, no?), but these hand-painted figurines are a gorgeous gift for cycling enthusiasts.
Cyclist’s stocking filler
Luxury chamois cream
£13.50 at Muc-Off£11.20 at Amazon
Felix Barrow, men’s T2 para-cyclist, world champion and multi-medallist on the road, loves chamois cream. “It’s not exactly festive, but every cyclist knows it’s the real MVP [most valuable player] of comfort on long rides,” he says.
Bags with benefits
Apidura Aero System luggage
£188 at Condor Cycles
Looking to be king of the mountains on Strava, but bulky baggage holding you back? Sort your bike bag, says Sam Challis, tech editor at Cyclist. “This luggage system is shaped to sit neatly in the lee of the stem and head tube, effectively extending the frame’s surface area, which means the bags reduce drag. Not bad for a bit of kit that also stores snacks!”
Daysaver Essential8 multitool
Going out for long rides? Where possible, you need to be able to fix your bike on the go. Challis says of this multitool: “It looks like a single hex key, but smart design means it houses seven hex sizes and one Torx fitment too. It weighs just 33g and is Swiss-made, from plasma-coated stainless steel, so it’s durable.”
All-rounder shoes
Fizik Tempo Beat shoes
£149.99 at Tredz£152.99 at CycleStore
Whatever type of bike riding you do, Challis rates these shoes as a great all-rounder: “The sole takes two-bolt cleats for use with pedals that suit both on- and off-road riding, but also sports a decent tread to make them easy to walk in. The upper is robust, while the lace closure is classic in style and comfortable.”
Fuelling station
Truefuels energy gels starter kit
When heading out on lengthy winter rides, Challis suggests former Olympic triathlete Alistair Brownlee’s nutrition brand Truefuels’ energy starter kit. “The gels aren’t sickly sweet, and contain 40g of carbohydrates, with a 1:1 glucose-to-fructose ratio. There’s a choice of 1g or 0.25g of salt, depending on the required electrolytes for your ride.”
Travel pump
Cycplus Cube mini pump
£69.99 at Santafixie£64.99 at Amazon
David Watts of Penge Cycle Club swears by the Cycplus Cube mini pump. “I’ve been using one of these while riding along the US Highway 101. One charge and it’ll do three or four tyres. They’re new enough to be a non-obvious present – and an alternative to the CO2 gas canisters the rider in your life might be using.”
Pedal on a classic
Brompton x Tour de France C Line
£1,449 at Brompton
Protective neckwear
Buff snood
£15.95 at Buff£15.95 at eBay
Laura Laker, cycling journalist, co-host of the Streets Ahead podcast and author of Potholes and Pavements, says protective neckwear is a great gift “because the weather can be unpredictable, and snoods don’t flap around like a scarf”.
Home recovery
Decathlon massage kit
£16.99 at Decathlon£20 at Argos
“It’s common for cyclists not to stretch enough, and even commutes can tighten muscles over time,” says Laker. “There’s good evidence that foam rollers reduce muscle soreness after an intense effort (such as chasing a rain cloud home), while massage sticks and massage balls are good stocking fillers.”
For more post-exercise pain relief, read our guide to the best massage guns
Luxury bath products
Neal’s Yard lavender bath salts, 250g
£17 at Neal’s Yard£17 at All Beauty
Neal’s Yard geranium and orange bath oil, 100ml
£22 at Neal’s Yard£14.25 at Amazon
“On returning from a ride covered in muck, luxurious-feeling bath products can work wonders, physically and mentally,” says Laker. “Bath salts soothe aching muscles, while oils help get some of the stickier splashes off – and they’re kinder than Swarfega. Neal’s Yard offers some great options.”
Support a cycling charity
Photograph: Cliff Green/Alamy
Charity membership
“For the cyclist who has everything,” Laker suggests supporting a cycling charity. “Cycling UK’s staff and volunteers are superheroes, fighting for cycling day in, day out. You get free third-party insurance with membership, plus a regular members’ magazine and bike shop discounts.”
Fairlight bike and Gore-Tex kit
Fairlight Secan 3.0 bicycle
Shakedry jacket
From £183.74 at Gore Wear
Waterproof panniers
£124.99 at Cycle Store
Cycling enthusiast Peter Potter (also known as my dad) recommends Fairlight bikes if you want to switch from road to gravel riding, a Gore-Tex Shakedry jacket to protect from the rain, along with Ortlieb waterproof panniers.
Cycling book
Coffee First, Then the World by Jenny Graham
£10.99 at the Guardian Bookshop£10.11 at Amazon
Martine Tommis, a cyclist with the women’s club Team Glow in Manchester, suggests this book by cyclist Jenny Graham about her round-the-world cycle: “She’s a standout cyclist, really down to earth and has a great personality – I saw her speak once.”
Maps subscription for exploring
OS Maps premium, 12 months subscription gift card
£29.99 at Ordnance Survey
Chris Boardman, former Olympian turned cycling advocate and National Active Travel commissioner, says: “My ideas of fitness and health now are exploring by bike in the Cairngorms.” He suggests Ordnance Survey mapping software as a gift because it gives him “the confidence to explore widely”.
Secure phone mount
Quad Lock phone case
Boardman suggests a phone holder and mount so you can safely attach your phone to the stem of the handlebars for “practical visibility of where I am”.
Waterproof trousers
Lupra Gore-Tex men’s pants
£179.99 at Gore Wear
Lupra Gore-Tex women’s pants
£179.99 at Gore Wear
For all-weather cycling, whether commuting or for pleasure, waterproof overtrousers are a must. While most have a waterproof jacket, these “complete the coverage and stop the weather being a barrier”, says Boardman.
Mudguards
Mud Hugger mudguards
Boardman says these are essential. “It makes such a difference to have a dry backside!”
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Warm insulated or down jacket
Sportful Fiandre Pro jacket
Men’s, £135 at SportfulWomen’s, £130 at Sportful
Men’s ultra light down jacket
£69.90 at Uniqlo
My husband, professional photographer Juan Trujillo Andrades, has travelled all over Europe photographing cycling and is a keen rider himself. He loves gravel-riding and suggests, from Sportful, this “warm, versatile jacket with great breathability for on- or off-road riding” so you can stop for a coffee without getting the shivers. Or for commuting, socialising and pub rides, a Uniqlo ultra-light down jacket is a good, affordable option, he says. (The women’s version is sold out, although there is a similar compact jacket filled with hollowfibre.)
An arty touch
The Handmade Cyclist Monuments prints
Do you struggle to get out in bad weather? “Sometimes a bit of inspiration is what you need,” says Trujillo Andrades, who suggests “a collection of prints from the Handmade Cyclist dedicated to the five ‘monuments’”.
Handlebar bag
Wizard Works Lil Presto barrel bag
For those who take a more relaxed approach, a handlebar bag is perfect “to carry not just essentials like tools and your phone, but also a sandwich or some homemade biscuits. They are easily removed if you want to lock your bike somewhere and take your valuables with you,” says Trujillo Andrades.
Cleaning kit
Muc-Off pressure washer starter kit + 30l dry bag
£90 at Muc-Off£114.99 at Merlin Cycles
Fran Brown, a nine-time world champion in paracycling and silver medal winner at the Paris Games, recommends a bike-specific pressure washer as “the easiest and quickest way to clean your bike and kit after messy winter rides without ruining any of the components”.
Hydration on the go
Stainless steel water bottle
£9.99 at Decathlon
“An insulated flask-style drink bottle can turn a miserable winter ride into a far nicer experience,” says Brown. She also says that an Audible subscription is perfect for entertainment as you pedal on a turbo on days when outdoor rides are out of the question.
For more, read our guide to the best water bottles
Lightweight light
Petzl Bindi 200 headlamp
£32.95 at Wildbounds£31.99 at Amazon
Emily Chappell, winner of the 2016 ultra-endurance Transcontinental race and author of Where There’s a Will, suggests this headlamp for bike packing. “The beam can be red or white, making it a good addition to – or emergency substitute for – regular bike lights. They’re tiny and lightweight, and the drawstring means they attach easily to almost anything; body, bike or bag,” she says.
For more, read our guide to the best head torches
Warm layers
Sealskinz socks
£20 at Sealskinz
Pedaled Odyssey women’s long-sleeve base layer
Clare Taylor, a St Austell Wheelers club member and GP, wants accessories to keep warm on winter rides, so suggests warm waterproof Sealskinz socks and merino wool base layers.
A coffee lock
Kryptonite Evolution Mini-5 lock
£45 at Halfords£49.99 at Condor
Taylor is also after a decent “coffee lock”, cycling lingo for a lock to secure your bike while you enjoy a reviving shot of caffeine mid-ride. “After all, cycling is all about the cake and coffee stops,” she says.
For more, read our guide to the best bike locks
Turbo trainer for cold weather
Zwift Ride indoor bike with Wahoo Kickr Core 2
£1,099.99 at Zwift
For Mani Arthur, founder of the Black Cyclists Network, a “Zwift indoor bike is the best way to get you through the winter”.
Personalised decals
Stickers
“Make your loved one feel like a pro by decorating their bike with a personalised sticker,” says Arthur.
The best cycling gifts for kids
Well balanced
Smoothy balance bike
“I’d recommend balance bikes over stabilisers, as stabilisers create bad habits and youngsters end up relying on them,” says Graham Briggs, former professional cyclist and co-founder of the Clancy Briggs Cycling Academy. “Balance bikes allow kids to get the feel of riding a bike and develop their balance, making the transition to pedals much easier. Look for something light, with a low stand-over height (the height from the floor to the bottom of the bike) so that it fits a greater height range (and small riders can get their feet flat on the floor) and a proper headset with bearings rather than plastic bushings (both reduce friction but bearings are preferable because plastic bushings can wear out easily) as this makes the bike much more responsive and easier to learn to balance.
Berg balance bike
£49 at Berg£59.99 at OnBuy
Not raising the next Tom Pidcock? These balance bikes from Berg are a great first bike for a little less money.
Arm and knee pads
Halfords elbow and knee pads
£12 at Halfords
“Perfect for young mountain bikers; these help kids bounce back after a tumble so the adventure can continue with the least amount of pain”, says Briggs.
Warm layers
Kids’ seamless thermal base layer
£9.99 at Decathlon
“A good winter base layer keeps them warm and dry through cold-weather rides, so they stay motivated to get outside,” says Briggs.
Pinnacle 6-in-1 multitool
£4.99 at Evans Cycles£4.99 at Amazon
Don’t fix everything for them – get them involved! Briggs says these are “brilliant for building confidence and learning simple maintenance skills early on”.
Light the way
Halfords USB rechargable LED light set
£15 at Halfords
A great stocking filler, rechargeable front and rear lights “add a sense of independence and make winter riding safer and more exciting”, says Briggs.
For more, read our guide to the best bike lights
Go clubbing
Cycle club membership
Find your local club at britishcycling.org.uk
Andrew Stroud, head of youth cycling at Penge CC, encourages people to pop into their local bike shops rather than always shopping online, “as that way we can help guarantee they’ll still be on our high streets when we need a repair or spare part”. For a keen young rider, he recommends “a membership to a local cycle club, as the best things about riding a bike are the adventures, fun and experiences you have with the friends you make doing it”.
Find the right bike
“In our club sessions and local youth races we see younger riders on Frog, Hoy and Woom bikes. We still see a lot of Islabikes – they don’t make them any more (they still sell parts) but they seem to be a popular secondhand buy as they hold their value well. For slightly older riders, we see LIV, Forme and HUPcc and adult brands in smaller sizes, such as Boardman, Orbea and Specialized,” says Stroud. “A bike that’s too big or too heavy will be no fun to ride, so try out a friend’s bike for size, or talk to your local cycle shop for some advice.” For secondhand bikes try Halfords or the Bike Project, where sale proceeds go to help support refugees.
All gloved up
Woom Tens kids bikes gloves
£18 at Woom
“Nothing makes a winter cycle ride miserable like cold, wet hands,” says Alwyn Gosford, Penge CC youth coach. “Apart from making it difficult to control the bicycle safely, all you can think about are your numb, red fingers. I’ve had instances where we’ve had to stop a winter session early because some of the children had cold hands so couldn’t concentrate.”
A cycle experience
Family cycling in the New Forest. Photograph: UrbanLandscapes/Alamy
“Experiences are the best gift”, says Elisabetta Motta, Penge CC youth coach. “For the young (and not so young) riders in your life, it’s key to spend time on bikes honing skills. There are many places where you can get coached sessions, try new cycling disciplines and hire everything you need for a great day out: from velodromes to BMX tracks, bike parks to trails.”
Try: Bike Park Wales, Herne Hill Velodrome, Swinley Forest, New Forest, Lee valley VeloPark, London BMX, National Cycling Centre, Cairngorm Mountain Bike Park
For more gift inspiration from the Filter, read the best gifts for swimmers, the best gifts for runners and the best Christmas gifts for 2025
