The Ultimate Christmas Gift Guide For Fussy Cyclists
It's the most wonderful time of the year!
The time when - if you drop enough strategically placed hints and nudges - Father Christmas might just bring you all the cycling goodies you've struggled to justify buying for yourself throughout the year.
But, if you're the gift buyer, a cyclist's Christmas is a bit of a minefield, a time of stress and worry. A maze of funky fits and techno-jargon to be navigated to find the golden nuggets within.
But fear not! The Handmade Cyclist is here to help you find those solid-gold gifts, the ones that you know will be loved and treasured for years to come.
So read on and rejoice, all ye merry men (and women) - for 'tis the HMC Festive Gift Guide for Fussy Cyclists!
1. Socks.
You can never go wrong with socks. Our Handmade Cyclist legends crew socks are on-point. Made in England, super soft and supportive, perfect to slip on for some post-ride heaven. The national champs stripes doff your casquette to the legends of the game.
1. Socks.
You can never go wrong with socks. Our Handmade Cyclist legends crew socks are on-point. Made in England, super soft and supportive, perfect to slip on for some post-ride heaven. The national champs stripes doff your casquette to the legends of the game.
2. The perfect coffee cup.
We call these our 'Goldilocks' cups. Not too big, not too small... just right, in fact. Our new flat-white sized coffee cups feature all our biggest sellers, but if you were to force us to pick one, we're going for the Dossard 13 King of the Mountains. 10oz of pure good luck.
2. The perfect coffee cup.
We call these our 'Goldilocks' cups. Not too big, not too small... just right, in fact. Our new flat-white sized coffee cups feature all our biggest sellers, but if you were to force us to pick one, we're going for the Dossard 13 King of the Mountains. 10oz of pure good luck.
3. Silca Elettrico Micro Inflator Pump.
As committed Cynical Cyclists we sneered at the new trend for electric bike pumps. After all, we've got a traditional pocket sized pump - and we've got the biceps to prove it. And then we went on a very muddy, wet, puncture-festooned gravel ride... and colour us converted. These little marvels are the future, so pretty pretty please Santa, pop one in our stocking?
3. Silca Elettrico Micro Inflator Pump.
As committed Cynical Cyclists we sneered at the new trend for electric bike pumps. After all, we've got a traditional pocket sized pump - and we've got the biceps to prove it. And then we went on a very muddy, wet, puncture-festooned gravel ride... and colour us converted. These little marvels are the future, so pretty pretty please Santa, pop one in our stocking?
4. Handmade Cyclist notebooks.
Keeping on with the bike-luddite theme, we find that words and notes just stick in our noggin better when they're written down on paper. And we also believe that a great notebook gives you a little bump of joy when you use it - and lord knows the world needs a bit of joy this Christmas. We've got oodles of different designs for your doodles, so get scribbling.
4. Handmade Cyclist notebooks.
Keeping on with the bike-luddite theme, we find that words and notes just stick in our noggin better when they're written down on paper. And we also believe that a great notebook gives you a little bump of joy when you use it - and lord knows the world needs a bit of joy this Christmas. We've got oodles of different designs for your doodles, so get scribbling.
5. Universal Works toe covers.
'Worrisit??' seems to be the cry when non-riders spy these little units on display in our bike cafe, The South Downs Social. But ask any rider whose tootsies have turned to popsicles and they'll tell you - toe covers are a lifesaver. Still look a bit odd though, we grant you.
5. Universal Works toe covers
'Worrisit??' seems to be the cry when non-riders spy these little units on display in our bike cafe, The South Downs Social. But ask any rider whose tootsies have turned to popsicles and they'll tell you - toe covers are a lifesaver. Still look a bit odd though, we grant you.
6. Dossard 13 'Super-Combatif' T-shirt.
Unleash your inner Alaphilippe with a Dossard 13 tee.
Why's the 13 upside down? To ward off bad luck.
Why's it red? Because the most attacking rider of the day at the Tour de France traditionally is rewarded with a red race number to wear the next day. Also, because it just looks badass.
6. Dossard 13 'Super-Combatif' T-shirt.
Unleash your inner Alaphilippe with a Dossard 13 tee.
Why's the 13 upside down? To ward off bad luck.
Why's it red? Because the most attacking rider of the day at the Tour de France traditionally is rewarded with a red race number to wear the next day. Also, because it just looks badass.
7. Victory Chimp A.P.E. Optics Vega sunglasses.
Sunglasses, eh? Yeah, we all know we need them to try and look as cool as MvdP, but oh lordy they cost a pretty penny for a couple of bits of moulded plastic. Fret no more though, for our simian-loving friends over at Victory Chimp in Northern Ireland have cracked the formula with great-looking goggles that won't make your wallet cry for mercy.
7. Victory Chimp A.P.E. Optics Vega sunglasses.
Sunglasses, eh? Yeah, we all know we need them to try and look as cool as MvdP, but oh lordy they cost a pretty penny for a couple of bits of moulded plastic. Fret no more though, for our simian-loving friends over at Victory Chimp in Northern Ireland have cracked the formula with great-looking goggles that won't make your wallet cry for mercy.
8. Handmade Cyclist Parcours Tees.
If - like us - you open that gift of a 'funny' cycling novelty tee with a sinking feeling in your stomach, then pray to St. Nick that your loved one has found this guide. Our Parcours tees are the gifting grail: cool enough that your moody teen will secretly covet it, and still with a nod and a wink from those in the cycling know. You're welcome.
8. Handmade Cyclist Parcours Tees.
If - like us - you open that gift of a 'funny' cycling novelty tee with a sinking feeling in your stomach, then pray to St. Nick that your loved one has found this guide. Our Parcours tees are the gifting grail: cool enough that your moody teen will secretly covet it, and still with a nod and a wink from those in the cycling know. You're welcome.
9. The Cycling Chef: Plant-Powered Performance.
Our mate Alan's not just a bonkers-fast rider, he's a bloomin' Michelin-starred chef and nutritionist to the (cycling) stars too. And while that might well be frustratingly high-achieving compared to our rather more pedestrian world-view, it does mean that that he writes exceedingly good cookbooks. So we're all winners, really.
The Cycling Chef: Plant-Powered Performance.
Our mate Alan's not just a bonkers-fast rider, he's a bloomin' Michelin-starred chef and nutritionist to the (cycling) stars too. And while that might well be frustratingly high-achieving compared to our rather more pedestrian world-view, it does mean that that he writes exceedingly good cookbooks. So we're all winners, really.
10. Pictures on walls.
When we first started The Handmade Cyclist our original insight was that buying bike parts or technical bits 'n' bobs for fuss-pot cyclists was rather scary and daunting, and highly likely to go wrong.
And now, as The Handmade Cyclist enters our 15th year, can we look back and say that the world has moved on and become a more enlightened place, where non-cycling gift buyers can instantly select the perfect piece of cycling technology that's just right for you?
Alas, no dear reader, we cannot. So get it right this year and pick a perfect piece of cycling art that just right for you - because if it's a Handmade Cyclist design, you can guarantee your bike-nerd partner will love it too.
Enjoy the season!