With the lead in to Christmas well on the way and Christmas decorations starting to go up (I’ve even heard my first Christmas Carol), it’s time to look at what are my picks for the ten best gifts for cyclists.
In no particular order here are my picks:
Training and Racing with a Power Meter*
This is arguably the best book written about training and racing with a power meter. Written by the power guru’s Hunter Allen and Andrew Coggan it brings the advanced power-based training techniques of elite cyclists and triathletes to everyone. If you understand how to interpret the power meter data it will unlock more speed and endurance than a heart rate monitor or any other training tool.
Garmin Vector 3
Although I’m a PowerTap user (G3 hub on my race wheels and an older version on my training wheel set), for the majority of my clients I’d recommend the Garmin Vector 3. DC Rainmaker says anyone who recommends a single power meter shouldn’t be trusted. I moderate my recommendation by suggesting that this is the best option for the majority of my clients. The reason why I’d recommend this for the majority of my clients is that most of them utilise more than one bike, whether it is a training or road bike with a TT or race bike for events, or a spin bike and their normal road bike. The Vector 3 pedals are easily swapped from one bike to another qwikly and efficiently. Price wise and accuracy wise they are either on par or better than the PowerTap P1 or P2 pedals making them more versatile than most other power meters and a better price or more accurate than similar models from other manufacturers.
Pearl Izumi Bib Shorts
Although I don’t currently own any Pearl Izumi bib shorts I have in the past and can confirm that they rightfully deserve the reputation for having amazingly comfortable shorts due to a quality chamois and fantastic material. You can’t beat plain black cycle shorts for a classic look.
Retro Cycling Caps
To go with your classic black cycling shorts you will need a retro cycling cap. Nothing states your knowledge of cycling more than an old school cycling cap with a team from back when men were men on bikes. A team such as Brooklyn, 7-Eleven or even Z-Team Vétements.
Oakley Radar Prizm Road*
The perfect riding glasses. Prizm™ is a revolution in lens optics built on decades of colour science research. Prizm™ lenses provide unprecedented control of light transmission resulting in colours precisely tuned to maximize contrast and enhance visibility. Prizm Road lenses enhance the road so you can see obstacles like rocks and potholes quickly and feel more confident as you ride.
Wahoo Kickr Snap
As recommended by DC Rainmaker for a mid-price wind trainer. With this being a wheel on wind trainer it makes it easy to turn your regular bike into an indoor training tool. With both ANT+ and bluetooth connectivity it’ll connect to your phone/tablet, computer and/or head unit of your choosing. With a simulated hill of up to 12% and power accuracy of +/-5% for a trainer in this price range and not direct drive you can’t go wrong.
Velo Bling Designs Chain Cufflink and Tie Tack Set
For the cyclist that has everything, this tie pin and cuff link set could be the perfect solution. Made in the USA, using recycled chains.
Muc Off Wash*, Protect & Lube Kit
The Muc-Off Wash Protect and Lube kit contains three essential items you need to look after your bicycle!
- Nano Tech Bike Cleaner – Muc-Off Biodegradable Bike Cleaner has an incredibly effective cleaning formula containing ‘Nano Technology’ that also cares for your bike’s delicate finishes. It contains no harmful acids, CFC’s or solvents and is fully biodegradable.
- MO-94 – an all round wonder spray. It covers all the bases with its incredible PTFE formula to quickly and effectively penetrate moisture, lubricate moving parts and leave a long lasting protective film. MO-94 prevents dirt adhesion and also drives out excess water to keep rust and corrosion at bay.
- Biodegradable Wet Lube – an ultra durable, long distance bicycle chain lubricant, it’s been specifically formulated to excel over long distances in wet or muddy conditions.
Wheelworks Wheelset*
Based in Lyall Bay, Wellington, New Zealand they focus on individually hand building each and every wheel with incredible attention to detail. Their focus on quality ensures the durability and performance of their wheels. They offer FREE world wide shipping on all their wheels and have an unbeatable warranty.
have a read of this article in Australian Bicycling: http://www.bicyclingaustralia.com.au/reviews/gear/engineered-for-success-the-wheelworks-story
I’ve got two sets of Wheelworks Custom wheels – one on my training bike with PowerTap hub that I’ve had for over 10 years and still going strong with only one true (which Wheelworks did for free) and my race wheels with a PowerTap G3 hub.
Continental Grand Prix 4000 tyres*
The perfect pairing for your new Wheelworks wheelset. I know there is the newer GP5000 but the GP4000 is still a great tyre and is now cheaper as a result. 3-ply casing and 330 TPI provide additional reinforcement mean that this tyre is great for both training and racing.
Disclaimer
* Item’s indicated by an asterisk mean that I own and utilise the product in my own training.
I am not paid or involved with any of the companies or products represented here. The links are Amazon Affiliate links. If you click them and purchase I will receive a small commission. This is just one of the ways I keep this blog free and don’t charge for my content.