The Best Gifts for Cyclists
Take the Wheel with These Gift Ideas for Avid Road and Gravel Cyclists
Your favorite cyclist may have hit the road before the sun — or you — rose this morning. Let’s say you made coffee, scrolled through the news on your phone, ate a bagel, and still, no rider in sight. Maybe you raked the leaves, read five chapters of your new library book, did the dishes, listened to a podcast — and about five hours later, your beloved cyclist appeared: dirty, sweaty, smelly, beaming.
While you may not understand the commitment to spending countless hours each week on a bike, you can trust that the gift of better gear will help keep the avid cyclists on your list safe and comfy. And, if you’re a fellow cyclist, you know having the right gear can be a welcome upgrade.
Check out our ideas on the best gifts for cyclists below. You can find them all in the shop. We’ve also provided links to our online shop when available, in case you’d rather complete your holiday shopping from the comfort of your home.
22 Gift Ideas for Cyclists
1. MAAP Steve Tilford Foundation Short Sleeve Jersey
$150
2. MAAP Steve Tilford Foundation Bib Shorts
$250
MAAP cycling kits are designed to perform for the long haul and through unexpected conditions. The Australia-based brand creates lightweight jerseys meant to endure long hours in the saddle whether over gravel, road, or anything in-between, made with a commitment to sustainable materials and year-after-year wear. Sunflower is the only place you’ll find the Steve Tilford Foundation branding. STF’s mission is to help young people of all backgrounds find and chase their passion through the sport of cycling by promoting education, mentorship, and access to quality cycling opportunities — and that’s something we at Sunflower are passionate about, too, and believe all cyclists can get behind. (Learn more about our work with STF.)
3. PARK TOOL Super Patch Kit
$5
The Super Patch Kit is comprised of a small plastic case, a piece of sandpaper for roughing up the tube and six peel-and-stick patches (no gluing is required). There's no easier way to patch a tube. Makes for an excellent and practical stocking stuffer, especially when paired with Gift Idea No. 12.
4. SPECIALIZED SL Pro Gloves
$25
SL Pro gloves feature a no-bunching palm construction for optimal hand-to-bar contact, which delivers maximum control and total comfort. The comfortable suede palm and low-profile slip-on cuff creates an incredible fit. The fingertip tear-off pockets make removing hands, even sweaty ones, from the gloves super easy.
5. OUTVI Possm Roll, Size Medium
$39
This roll is sized to fit under the seat (out of the way) and hold tubes, C02s, a pump, a multitool, levers, and whatever else a cyclist might need that can be squeezed in. This is the Outvi workhorse. Ideal for longer road and gravel excursions or any training ride, so you don’t end up having to pick up your rider 30-plus miles out on a ride because they got a flat tire.
6. GARMIN Edge 830 GPS Cycling Computer
$400
While those who wander may not be lost, it doesn’t mean cyclists wouldn’t prefer to know where they are headed. This handlebar tech will map a route, track activity history, monitor your health stats, and a lot more. We just wish it could serve mid-ride nutrition. With a 20-hour battery life, the Garmin Edge will help bring your rider home safely and seamlessly upload their hard work onto Strava (read: earn them bragging rights with their cycling friends). We’re fans of our fellow Kansas-based outdoor industry friends at Garmin and their quality products.
7. SPECIALIZED Turbo Pro 700x30c Road Tire
$50
Tire selection really matters when you're putting big miles in on two wheels. Specialized's Turbo Pro tire is a competitive clincher for competitive and long-distance riders who need a fast, light, and tough tire. It features an extremely low rolling resistance and superior cornering traction. Riders will be climbing, descending, and cornering for miles on end with confidence. (700x30c available in-store only.)
8. CERAMIC SPEED UFO Chain Lube
$50
Applying chain lube is one of those must-do maintenance jobs before every long ride. UFO chain lubricant hardens to a 100% dry coating to protect against unwanted contaminants, which results in a quieter drivetrain as well as reduced friction and component wear. It’s like an oil change for your car — keep up with it regularly so you don’t have more expensive problems.
9. GARMIN Varia RCT715 Camera/Radar-Sensing Taillight
$400
This sensing tail light sees what riders can't. The rearview radar with camera and tail light continuously records the ride and automatically saves footage before, during and after an incident. The bright tail light makes riders more visible to motorists and integrates seamlessly with a Garmin bike computer (see item No. 6 on this gift guide) to alert riders to traffic coming up behind them. It’s the safety tech must-have for visibility and awareness on the bike.
10. SKRATCH LABS Sport Hydration Drink Mix, Orange Single
$2
When cyclists ride for hours, they need more than water to replace all the sweat they lose. Skratch is the easy-on-the-stomach solution to get electrolytes, sodium, and sugar back into the system and keep the legs pedaling longer. We think the orange mix in a single pack is particularly fantastic and ideal for a stocking, but we have multiple flavors and amounts to choose from.
11. GU Energy Chews, Watermelon
$3
While stopping for a slice of Casey’s pizza is not frowned upon, sometimes a rider needs a quicker — and more optimal — fuel source (or can’t find a gas station out on the gravel rollers). These GU Energy Chews can be eaten as a full pack or doled out throughout a ride, and they are a nice break from the liquid or gel options. These chews are a calorie-dense, amino-acid-packed fuel option to prevent bonking. Choose a flavor from the wide variety we stock at the store and online.
12. PEDRO’S Tire Levers (Set of 2)
$6
A tire lever is an essential tool used by almost every cyclist. Pedro's award-winning tire levers feature molded box construction and a proprietary plastic composite blend that makes them the strongest levers available. (Nothing beats the frustration of a flat while on a ride than the tool you need to fix it breaking!) The bold shape of the lever and helpful dual spoke hooks makes removal of even the tightest tires a simple task — and who doesn’t love some bright colors? Shown here as a pair of yellow levers, available in other colors and a 24-pack as well.
13. Sunflower Geo Logo Stem Cap, Orange
$10
Because we know lookin’ good = feelin’ good. The perfect bling for the cyclist who has everything. We may be biased, but we’re pretty sure this ups a bike’s cool factor by a least 10. Available in lots of colors (can you tell we like orange?).
14. MINT The Mob 8” Socks
$24
Designed for the Mob Shop friends in Ojai, California, this is Mint's new favorite sock for graveling. The earthy green matches the classy style of this sock, designed to last and made with top-line fibers in Italy by female-owned MINT Socks. For every pair of socks sold, a percentage goes to the National Interscholastic Cycling Association, also known as NICA. (Sunflower is a founding partner of the NICA Kansas division – we’re big fans of getting more kids on bikes.)
15. DEFEET Aireator 4” Blossom Socks
$15
Affordable and incredibly durable, Aireator's are the most popular cycling sock the world has ever known. The socks feature one-of-a-kind open-mesh construction for breathability, making them a versatile choice for cycling as well as running and hiking. Sustainability bonus: The socks are made from recycled water bottles.
16. KRYPTONITE Street F-500 Headlight and Avenue R-45 Taillight Set
$78
Visibility is a critical component for rider safety, and this headlight and taillight set get the job done bright. Help keep your beloved cyclists safe with robust features, including daytime and nighttime pulse modes and side illumination ports, which allow cyclists to be seen when riding across traffic lanes. Plus: no batteries needed, as the lights are fully USB rechargeable.
17. CRANK BROTHERS m17 Multi-Tool, Midnight Edition
$31
The Swiss Army knife, cyclist edition: This high-tensile steel multi-tool includes a chain tool, spoke wrench, hex wrenches, screwdrivers and more. The side grips ensure a secure handhold, even with gloves on (see No. 4). You really can’t have too many options for mid-ride maintenance and at-home tweaks. (You can also give a Sunflower Gift Card, good for our Bike Service Department, to help the riders on your list maintain their favorite set of wheels year-round.)
18. SPECIALIZED Air Tool Road Pump
$35
This minimalistic pump attaches to a bike frame, so it can go along for a ride and be there when its needed without getting in the way. It’s an efficient and reliable pump for high-pressure road tires, with an impressive volume-per-stroke of 60cc. (It pumps up tires on the road faster than other pumps.)
19. SUNFLOWER PURIST Water Bottle with Geo Logo, Mint/Silver
$12
The Purist coating infused into the walls of this bottle shields the bottle from odor, stains, and mold to keep your water pure and your bottle clean. The simple, hands-free open and close valve is clutch when you’re taking a swing on the ride, and the leak-proof top locks down for transport or mixing powdered drinks (see No. 10). The BPA-Free plastic is made from 100% FDA food-grade materials, and the Sunflower Geo Logo add a sweet touch, only available in the shop.
20. KING CAGE Titanium
$60
For the cyclists who care about the weight of each component — or the ones who already have all the best things — this is an added detail they’ll appreciate. These water bottle cages are lightweight, won’t scuff up the water bottles (especially important for sweet bottles like No. 19), and look amazing on every bike.
21. SUPACAZ Super Sticky Kush Bar Tape
$45
Tuned and tailored to the specific needs of gravel rides or extended hours on the bike, with plush 3.2 mm of thickness for extra shock absorption and control. Each roll is extra long to wrap any way your giftee wants. The real question is which pattern you’ll choose: Galaxy, Star Fade, or Bling?
22. CHAMOIS BUTT’R Original, 0.3-oz Single Packet
$2
Chamois Butt’r Original is a non-greasy skin lubricant developed by cyclists for use with all chamois. (Pronounced “shammy,” this is the pad inside cycling shorts and bibs to prevent chafing.) Chamois Butt’r improves comfort, rinses out of clothes and off skin easily, and is made without parabens, phthalates, gluten or artificial fragrances. Shown as the single packet above to take along to reapply on the ride, or you can purchase a 32-oz. bottle for at-home use with less packaging.
Still not sure? Try a Sunflower Gift Card: We put this guide together because we know that finding the perfect gift can be tough. It's also why we offer gift cards. They make great presents for relatives and friends and are a fantastic way to show appreciation for someone special. (They're always the right size and color, and they are good for a bite and drink at the Sunflower Cafe, too.)
