You know how hard it can be to pick gifts. Gear either costs a fortune or, if it鈥檚 inexpensive, it seems like you chintzed out on junk.
That鈥檚 not necessarily the case when it comes to buying for cyclists. Tubes of balm and embrocation run dry, multi-tools tumble out of bike bags never to be seen again, favorite socks get trashed in the mud. And the fact is, nobody wants to spend money on this stuff over and over again. So it鈥檚 a boon when these little items show up under the tree.
Presenting our list of new bike gear and accessories that won鈥檛 break the bank. There are plenty of cool options out there if you want to spend more (like or . But we鈥檙e willing to bet that no cyclist will complain about receiving any of these less expensive presents.
Doma La Bicicletta
We don鈥檛 trust cyclists who don鈥檛 drink coffee. It鈥檚 as unnatural as a road bike without a free wheel or a mountain bike without suspension. And this聽from a small roaster in Idaho makes a perfect gift. The balanced mix of African and Indonesian beans is roasted fresh, the cycling graphics are killer, and a portion of proceeds go to funding a cycling team.聽$17.85/pound
King Cage Oliver Cage
Bottle cages for alcoholics are nothing new. But we鈥檙e partial聽聽because it鈥檚 built around our聽, which will run you an extra $28. This sucker seals up tighter than a newbie cyclist鈥檚 pedals, drinks easy because of the wide spout, and, best of all, reminds us of our grandfathers. And now you can have it at the ready while you ride.
Reynolds Clothes Hangers
This has to be the most genius use of second-quality and damaged parts we鈥檝e ever seen. Reynolds forms defective wheels and returned goods into high-design (and lightweight!)聽, complete with聽Schraeder聽valve and recycled spoke for the hook. Buy four to piece together the least expensive complete carbon hoop you鈥檒l ever purchase.聽$25
Donkey Label Chamois Balm
罢丑颈蝉听聽is unlike any you鈥檝e probably ever used. The blend of jojoba oil, beeswax, avocado oil,聽calendula, lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, myrrh, patchouli, and chamomile smells more like a summer herb garden than a chamois cream. And the olive oil base makes it a bit softer than most options (unless you keep it cool). But it lubricates just fine and lasts all day long in the saddle. If you鈥檙e buying for someone you really like鈥攁nd you must be if you鈥檙e purchasing fragrant cream for their soft bits鈥攕pend the extra $10 for the Premium variety, which comes in a beautiful polished metal tin.听$25
Spurcycle Ringer聽
Whereas most cheap bike bells sound as appealing as a shrill alarm clock on a dark winter morning, the聽聽is both penetrating and melodious. The dome is crafted by聽Bevin聽Brothers, a company with 100 years of experience in the field, which explains why it rings so true. And the hammer and clamping design are accordingly spare and beautiful. It鈥檚 the perfect complement to a classy cruise and the antidote to annoyance during an MTB race where you鈥檒l be passing a lot.聽$35
The Elite Bicycle, by Graeme Fife and Gerard Brown
Few people can resist a good coffee table book, and聽聽is one of the finer ones we鈥檝e seen in years. The book profiles some of the world鈥檚 greatest (and disappearing鈥s in聽Serotta) bike artisans with sharp portraits, incisive photojournalism, and keen essays. The book makes you yearn for the day when all bikes were built with such care鈥攁nd beware, it could inspire the purchase of another expensive ride or two. We have ours displayed in the living room (Christmas came early), and we鈥檝e yet to have a guest come over who doesn鈥檛 take a look and get all wrapped up in it.聽$40
Gruber Images 2014 Calendar
When the Gruber鈥檚, some of the hardest working photographers in the pro聽peloton聽today, first told us earlier this fall that they weren鈥檛 producing their own calendar this year, we were crestfallen. What would replace the stunning imagery that鈥檚 been adorning our walls in 2013. But husband and wife team,聽Jered聽and Ashley, apparently had so many enquiries that they gave in.聽聽is as evocative and inspiring as last year鈥檚, and the high-quality prints are perforated for easy extraction at the end of a month should you care to mount them up.聽$41
Rapha Cross Scarf
This bold聽聽won鈥檛 fit everyone鈥檚 style, but if your cyclist can pull it off, she鈥攐r he鈥攚ill look dashing. We love it dressed up with a suit or tucked beneath a pea coat. And while it seems best suited for extra-curricular bike activities, we can imagine at least a few聽Rapha聽devotees rocking it聽style in the saddle.聽$60
G-Form Knee Pads and Elbow Pads
Most recreational riders don鈥檛 need the hard plastic gear preferred by聽downhillers. But with mountain bikes getting ever bigger and more capable, even the average rider these days is pulling off moves that could end in the ER. The聽are great because they are trim and unobtrusive, yet the thin layer of聽Poron聽XRD is tough enough to protect a laptop being tossed off a three-story building. (Don鈥檛 ask us why you would do that.) And since most cyclists are loathe to buy pads at all, you probably don鈥檛 have to worry about getting something he or she already has.聽$60
Knog Blinder Road 2
We admit that this聽聽the definition of affordable. But it is so sweet and well designed that we simply had to recommend it. With 200 lumens, it鈥檚 plenty bright for use on the road and can even switch-hit on trails in a pinch. (There鈥檚 a 300-lumen variety for an extra $15.) The genius little built-in USB charger ensures you鈥檒l never want for a cable. And the diminutive form and quick mount strapping system means there鈥檚 no excuse for getting caught out after dark.聽$80