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2018 Christmas Gifts for Cyclists – Money No Object!
Christmas is coming — the adverts are on the telly and everything — so it's time for us to suggest some gifts for the cyclist in your life, and if you really want to shell out on someone special here are some money no object ideas.
We’re not implying that everything here is luxurious or extravagant — all of these products are highly practical — but our suggestions do tend to be priced towards the higher end of their respective categories.
Although there are certainly cheaper options available, each of the products shown below has impressed us greatly in terms of performance.
Hill & Ellis Duke Bike Bag £255.00
If you're after a touch of luxury, this is a beautifully made, high-quality leather pannier. The stitching is strong, every bit of metalwork is firmly attached, and it's built to last. In terms of looks, it's gorgeous to start with and will just get better with age.
The rack hooks can be hidden away under a zipped flap. Zipped up, it looks like an external pocket, and no one in the boardroom would know it's a bicycle pannier.
Garmin Edge 1030 Cycling Computer £499.99
Garmin's top-level Edge is a highly capable bike computer that gives a longer run-time than the previous model, compatibility with Bluetooth Smart sensors and several interesting new features such as rider to rider messaging and training load analysis. The chief reason for choosing an Edge 1030 over a cheaper unit, though, is for its navigational capability, and it has a lot to offer here. Your loved one might spend a lot of time out on their bike but at least you can be confident that they won't get lost.
Osloh Lane Jean £114.94
Osloh's Lane Jeans are very high quality and have a wealth of bike-specific features for the urban cyclist, such as a tab at the ankle for cinching the leg in on the drive side, a reinforced panel on the leg where the chain might rub, and padding in the crotch area. They're comfy both on and off the bike.
Met Trenta 3K Carbon Road Helmet £265.00
Cough! How much? Yes, Met's Trenta 3K is expensive but this is the Money No Object list of suggestions. It's lightweight, feels cool in use and, if you accept Met's claims, it offers an aero advantage over a traditional lid, and who wouldn't want a little extra speed on their Boxing Day ride?
Cafe du Cycliste Women's Yolande Merino Jersey £165
Warm, comfortable and well fitting, the Yolande merino jersey adds some luxury to a winter cycling wardrobe. It's versatile too, the soft fabric on the inside meaning it can be worn either with or without a base layer, while its slim cut allows the use of a gilet or jacket on top.
Brooks Pickwick Reflective Leather 26L £340
The Pickwick Reflective is a backpack that's made from soft, perforated leather with a reflective backing that shines brightly when caught by headlights. It's available in two sizes (12 litre and 26 litre) and now comes in brown and grey versions as well as the original black.
100% Speedtrap Glasses £184.99
The Speedtrap specs provide loads of eye coverage and the thermoplastic elastomer tips of the arms are adjustable for length, allowing you to avoid any interference with your bike helmet's fit system. Various lens options are available.
Birzman Maha Push and Twist II Floor Pump £74.99
This is a really high quality pump and the new head — which works on both Presta and Schrader valves — is simple to use. As the name suggests, you just push it on to the valve, give it a quick twist and away you go. The pump looks cool too, and that always helps when it comes to a Christmas present.
Endura Pro SL PrimaLoft Gilet £129.99
This gilet's provides windproofing along with a Primaloft filling that offers vital heat retention. It's thin, so thin in fact that it's still possible to pack the gilet down into a decent-sized pocket. Moreover, it's cut so that there's little fabric wastage anywhere, which helps keep the form small when it's rolled up into a pocket or its own carry pouch.
Gore C7 Gore-Tex ShakeDry Stretch Jacket £279.99
This jacket provides total rain protection with incredible breathability. The stretch panels help to give a perfect fit that lasts through machine washing and tumble drying. Yes, it's expensive but it's a great jacket for UK conditions.
Scott Road RC Ultimate Shoes £349.00
The price... Ouch! But these are some of the best racing shoes money can buy. Carbitex fabric strips (basically thin bits of carbon that wrap the foot) add extra stiffness in the upper and make for a close fit so no power is lost. This is layered over flexible soft mesh which gives the weightless, 'second skin' type feeling. There are no pressure points, and even though the soles are stiff enough for the most demanding of racers, these shoes provide proper all-day comfort.
PRO Bike Gear Toolbox XL £299.99
The PRO Toolbox XL crams a lot of tools into a pretty compact package so it's a good option for the home mechanic – or the wannabe home mechanic – particularly if they're short of space or they want to carry a full toolkit around to events. All the tools are decent quality and you can cope with most jobs without any additions, so this kit would make an ideal gift.
Shimano Dura-Ace R9150 Di2 Groupset £3,132.81
Save 40% at Chain Reaction Cycles
The latest iteration of Shimano's flagship road groupset offers smooth and reliable shifting, braking that's both powerful and easy to modulate, and plenty of scope for customisation. It's not cheap, naturally, but it's not ridiculously expensive either a no-compromise, top-level groupset.
Rapha Winter Windblock Jersey £160.00
This luxurious winter jersey is superbly made. It offers the cosy insulation and softness of merino wool, backed up by fully windproof front-facing panels for providing a barrier against windchill. The fit, comfort and quality are of the highest order — all good things when it comes to choosing a present that will be appreciated.
Garmin Vector 3 Double Sided Power Meter £849.99
Garmin's Vector 3 pedals offer repeatable and accurate power measurement and they're easy to swap between bikes. They also look neat and aren't heavy. This is a high-quality system for anyone who takes their training seriously.
Mavic Cosmic Pro Carbon SL UST £1,899
Mavic's thoroughly modern Cosmic Pro Carbon SL UST wheels are fast, stiff and stable, and they come with a user-friendly tubeless tyre system as part of the package. They're stiff on climbs and the braking performance is impressive on the way back downhill thanks to the excellent iTgMax brake track.
Cycliq Fly12 HD Camera and Front Light £255
The Fly12 is a light and also a camera that can continuously record footage of a ride. When the memory card is full it deletes the oldest footage to make space for new recordings, an in-built incident detection system ensuring that video of a collision doesn't get overwritten. A clever piece of kit!
Wahoo Kickr £999.99
The Wahoo Kickr continues to be one of the best direct-mount smart trainers out there, providing easy resistance control, a realistic experience, rock-solid stability and easy connectivity to a range of apps like Zwift and TrainerRoad. Things don't get much better than this for serious indoor training.
Assos LL.habuTights_s7 £260
The LL.habuTights_s7 from Swiss masters of cycle clothing Assos make winter cycling much easier with excellent insulation and comfort. The thermal fabric — including a double layer over the knees — means there's no reason to cancel a ride because it's too cold. These are available in both men's and women's versions.
Showers Pass Lightweight Waterproof Socks £27
£27 might sound like a lot to spend on a pair of socks but these are toasty warm, breathable and they keep feet dry in almost all circumstances.
Astute Star Lite VT saddle £179.99
This is a top-quality saddle that offers an exceptional level of comfort. Tri-density memory foam padding provides cushioning and support, the shell incorporates a rubber structure that helps to damp vibration and the build quality is superb throughout. Although it's an expensive option, the Astute Star Lite VT saddle puts in a stellar performance.
Specialized S-Works Venge — Sagan Collection £10,000
Buy now from Specialized Concept Store
If you have £10,000 to spend on a Christmas present — what? Some of you don't? — you can take your pick from any number of high-end models. The new Venge aero bike, designed for disc brakes and electronic gears only, is fast and offers improved handling and comfort. In for a penny, in for a pound... choose the Sagan Collection model with a glittery paint job for added sparkle!
Vielo V+1 £5,499
Fast, exciting and a lot of fun, the V+1 from British brand Vielo is a triumph of design. It's a road plus/gravel/adventure carbon bike that offers a ride that's smooth and composed and it bristles with smart details that make it as practical as it is intoxicating. This is a highly capable bike for taming rough roads and going wild in the back of beyond.
Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now pushing 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.
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