Christmas is nearly here, if your loved ones are struggling for suggestions for a Christmas present for you pass this list of gifts on to them.

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 936 Bicycle Essentials Kit

The essential one stop kit for bike care and maintenance!

The Muc-Off Bike Care Essentials Kit contains all the basic elements you need to be able to look after your bicycle! The kit contains the following awesome Muc-Off products:

• 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.
• Bike Protect
• Preserve and freshen your bike with Muc-Off Bike Protects incredible water dispersing action. Muc-Off Bike Protect has a high oil content so is a perfect ‘all over’ after-wash corrosion inhibitor.
• Micro Cell Sponge
• Ergonomically shaped, high density foam sponge for all over bike Cleaning.
• Wheel and component brush
• Shaped & contoured to fit spokes and rim – Removes tough grime from hard to reach areas.
• Carrying tote
• Keep your whole Bike Care Regime in our handy draw-string tote for contaminate free storage.

Wheelworks Wheelset*

Based in 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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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We build lots and we fix very few: This is our first cracked Flite rim since March. From whoa to go it was rebuilt within 24 hours and free of charge. This is a Trail model when the customer probably should have been on the Enduro rim with it’s extra material and more impact-absorbent resin. Lesson learned. . Contrary to the “carbon fiber rims will disintegrate” the rider noticed the crack while sipping a beer after his ride. . After-sale backup was one of the main reasons we developed our own rims. We didn’t need to wait for approval from head-office, or a replacement rim to ship, or any one of the million excuses that most companies make for a warranty. We just stepped up and sorted it out. . We take massive pride in our wheels and our ability to stand behind them. . #flitewheels #lifetimewarranty #opps #sendit

A post shared by Wheelworks Handcrafted Wheels (@wheelworkshandcraftedwheels) on Oct 1, 2018 at 3:53pm PDT

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.