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If you’ve got a bicycler to buy a gift for, then you’ve come to the right place.
Buying a gift for someone is usually a tricky thing to get right. But, with bicyclers, it’s a cinch. I’ll tell you about all the various types of gift they like in a moment and, along the way, I’ll also give you some recommendations of gifts that bicyclers absolutely love.
So, why is it so easy to buy gifts for cyclists? Well, when you’re buying for anyone else you have to have some fairly detailed intel on them. You have to know their likes, their dislikes, their pet peeves (and secret loves), their favorite colors, and the tastes they can’t get enough of. Multiply this by all the gifts you have to buy for folk throughout the year (birthdays, weddings, new babies, etc, etc), not forgetting the elephant-in-the-room of Christmas! Phew! It’s easy to see how this can become a major headache.
Thankfully, that’s not your problem (at least not right this moment) because you have a bicycler to buy a gift for.
So, what do cyclists like? Well, interestingly, they all love the same things. They really like bike-themed gifts that show other people how much they enjoy their favorite hobby. Even better when they can use these as a “Conversation Starter” to turn the topic around to discussing all things cycling. They can never have too much bike kit, such as specialist bike repair tools, fancy cycling lights, biking first aid kits, and bike commuting hydration systems (AKA travel coffee mugs that don’t spill). And, to be fair, these kinds of kit don’t last forever: water bottles get muddy and scuffed, bike light batteries stop holding their charge.
What do they love most of all though? That would be New Bike Tech.
Cool gadgets, that make their bike rides even better, and possibly make them go just that little bit faster. Think tire pumps that use compressed gas rather than elbow grease, SatNav devices for their handlebars, and Smartwatches that measure their cadence (whatever the heck that is).
Believe me, I’m a cyclist, and I already have a little drool at the corner of my mouth.
Before I get too carried away, let’s run through my recommended gifts for bicyclers, and give you some more detail on those gift categories.
The categories of gift that bike riders love
If only all giftees were as easy to buy for as cyclists, eh? Cyclists wear stuff out, they break kit, they get enticed by new bikes from new exciting bike manufacturers, and they love bike tech. They’re literally a gift-buyer’s dream come true.
Let’s have a look in a bit more detail about the kinds of bike kit that cyclists love and which are easy for you to buy. Keep in mind that one of the biggest secrets about buying gifts for bicyclers is that they’re available at the widest possible range of price points to suit whatever size of budget.
Cool bike gear for cyclists
Cyclists love new bike gear because, they claim, that it provides some useful purpose. Maybe the new bike light set auto illuminates when they set off. Maybe the new bike lock is so strong it will deter any thief who doesn’t have the strength of twenty-six mountain lions. Maybe the new Compressed Gas Tire Repair set will get them back on the road after a puncture in less time than a NASCAR crew could manage. It might be that the new bike sunglasses make them feel like a pro rider. Possibly the new suspension seatpost will gently cushion their butt cheeks.
This is all true, of course. But it’s also all beside the point, because cyclists really love new bike gear because it’s all so damn cool. We want that new bike light because we just love new bike lights. Please and thank you.
Awesome bike-themed gifts
What is a “bike-themed gift” I hear you ask. Well, it’s simple really. The definition, according to Ben’s Dictionary Of Stuff That Is Probably Correct, is that a bike-themed gift is something that has bike images on it, or is shaped like a bike (but not actually a bike), or is otherwise linked to cycling in some way…without actually being a ‘bike thing’ like for example a bike wheel would be. Clear? Great!
Bike-themed gifts might include clothing, but here’s a word of warning. Clothing is tricky to buy for people as you don’t necessarily know what size they are. With bike clothing this is even trickier as it tends to be worn quite snug (to make it more aerodynamic). My advice is to steer well clear of anything that comes in different sizes – unless you know what size they are – otherwise leave that to the cyclist to buy for themselves when they can try stuff on. Apart from socks. Bike socks are great. If you DO know what size they are, then waterproof bike jackets and padded cycling shorts are excellent choices as they tend to wear out.
Great bike-themed gifts include coffee mugs with bikes on them, bike notebooks, and pizza cutters…shaped like bikes.
The beauty of bike-themed gifts for cyclists is that they act as Conversation starters. Enabling them to talk to people, at length, about their favorite leisure activity even at times when their bike is nowhere to be seen.
Cyclists will thank you for this opportunity. Other people? They may not…
Bike Tech To Die For
Every sport has its own tech and cycling is definitely no exception. All cyclists dream of making their bikes lighter, so that they can go faster and further, and have more stats at their fingertips to prove to their fellow cyclists that they did just that.
Much of this tech is off-limits for gifting as it relies on knowing the exact specification of the cyclist’s bike setup. But there are some notable exceptions.
A couple to mention are SatNavs that sit on the handlebars and give the cyclist turn-by-turn navigation and, more importantly, proof of speeds achieved and distances travelled.
Another recent innovation in cycling tech is the GPS Smartwatch. These are the very definition of all-singing, all-dancing. They can provide the cyclist with a million and one different stats (peak heart rate, V02 Max, cadence, the list goes on) and the fanciest ones can even provide on-screen route mapping.
Conclusion
Gift buying is something that sits just behind ‘watching paint dry’ and just in front of ‘waiting for the pan of water to boil’ as activities that most people would generally not have to spend too much of their spare time doing.
And you can understand why. It’s not easy! You need to know every aspect of the giftee’s wants, dreams and desires and then try and marry these up with an in-depth and encyclopaedic knowledge of what gifts are actually available to buy. Right this minute and at the budget they have to spend. Generally whilst hoping that you get to the right conclusion and take the last one of the shelf before someone else comes along and whips it away from underneath your nose.
Stressful.
But, gift buying for cyclists is a dream. They want the same things. These things are easy to get hold of. They’re available at a great range of prices.
The world is suddenly a peaceful and stress-free place again.
Choose a gift from the list above and wait for the smile to appear on your giftee’s face.
Happy shopping!