Gifts for Cyclists

Gift ideas for bike riders: match the gift to the riding

The useful gifts for cyclists are the ones that make more riding possible: a smart trainer that keeps them fit through winter, a bike computer that gets them home from a new route, a power meter that turns "ride hard" into a plan. That is why this guide runs most expensive first. A serious cyclist gets more out of one Wahoo KICKR CORE 2 (Zwift Cog and Click) than out of a drawer of accessories, and the accessories are here too, further down, for the budget that suits.

Sizing the gift is easy: ask whether they ride indoors in winter (trainer), whether they ride new routes (computer), and whether they train with numbers (power meter). If they already have all three, skip to the mid-range and under $50 tiers, or use our gift finder, which uses their FTP to pick the right trainer tier.

The big gift: smart trainers, bike computers, power meters

Smart trainer first. For most cyclists in a cold climate, a direct-drive trainer is the single purchase that changes their year; it turns a dark evening into a structured hour with Zwift or TrainerRoad. The Wahoo KICKR CORE 2 (Zwift Cog and Click) is the value pick because it ships with the Zwift Cog and needs no cassette. The Wahoo KICKR V6 adds a heavier flywheel and more resistance for racers. The Garmin Tacx NEO 3M is the comfort pick for riders doing long indoor sessions.

Our smart trainer guide, power meter guide and bike computer guide compare every model in each category if you want the long version.

Then the computer. A mapping bike computer is the difference between riding the same loop and exploring. The Garmin Edge 1040 Solar is the flagship; the Garmin Edge 850 is the right size for most people.

Then power. A power meter is what lets a cyclist use our FTP calculator, power-to-weight calculator and training load calculator properly. Pedal-based meters like the Favero Assioma Duo and Garmin Rally RS210 are the easiest gift because they need no mechanic; just check which cleat system their shoes use (Look Keo for Assioma, Shimano SPD-SL for the Rally RS).

The big gift Wahoo KICKR V6 around $850 The direct-drive trainer that made WiFi the standard. Plus or minus 1 percent accuracy, 2,200 watts of resistance, 20 percent simulated grade, and a connection that does not drop mid-interval. Needs a cassette to match their bike, which is worth adding to the gift. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

The big gift Wahoo KICKR CORE 2 (Zwift Cog and Click) around $549 The best-value smart trainer on the market right now. Same ride feel as the V6, WiFi, and it ships with the Zwift Cog and Click so it works with any bike and no cassette. If they have talked about trying Zwift, this is the gift that gets them riding indoors this winter. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

The big gift Garmin Tacx NEO 3M around $1,800 The trainer that moves. Motion plates let the bike rock and slide under the rider, which owners say makes long indoor rides far more comfortable. Plus or minus 1 percent accuracy, 2,200 watts, 25 percent grade, road-feel simulation, and it never needs calibrating. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

The big gift Garmin Edge 1040 Solar around $647 Garmin's flagship bike computer with solar charging that stretches battery life toward 100 hours in battery-saver mode. A 3.5 inch screen, multi-band GPS, full maps, ClimbPro and every training metric Garmin makes. The right gift for the cyclist who rides all day. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

The big gift Favero Assioma Duo around $539 The value power meter. Pedal-based, plus or minus 1 percent, 50 hours of battery, and it moves between bikes in two minutes with a pedal wrench. The single most useful gift for a cyclist who wants to train properly and does not have power yet. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

The big gift Garmin Rally RS210 around $900 Dual-sided pedal power on Shimano SPD-SL cleats, so a road cyclist keeps their existing shoes. Plus or minus 1 percent accuracy, 120 hours of battery, and the pedal bodies can be swapped to other systems later. The premium power-meter gift. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

The big gift Shimano Ultegra C50 carbon wheelset around $1,178 Fifty millimetre carbon tubeless wheels from Shimano at a price that undercuts most boutique carbon. Around 1,570 grams for the pair, 12-speed freehub. Check their drivetrain (Shimano 12-speed or 11-speed with a spacer) before buying. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

The big gift Kuat Piston Pro X around $1,589 The hitch rack with integrated LED lights and a one-tap ratcheting clamp that does not touch the frame. Two bikes up to 67 lb each, so e-bikes are fine. The gift for the cyclist who drives to rides every weekend. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

The big gift Thule Epos 3 around $1,700 Three bikes on a folding hitch rack with built-in lights and a licence-plate holder. It tilts away from the car for trunk access and handles e-bikes. For the family that rides together, this replaces a lot of wrestling with straps. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Gifts for new bike riders

Someone who started riding this year has a short list of things they need and do not know they need. A floor pump (Topeak JoeBlow Sport III floor pump), because they are riding on soft tyres. A multi-tool and levers (Crankbrothers M19 multi-tool, Park Tool TL-1.2 tire levers) so the first flat is not the end of the ride. A rear light (Cateye ViZ450 rear light) for the commute home. Chamois cream (Chamois Butt'r Original (8 oz)), which no beginner buys and every beginner needs. If the budget stretches, a Garmin Varia RTL515 radar radar is the safety gift experienced riders wish someone had given them, and a wheel-on trainer is a low-cost way to keep a new habit alive through winter.

For a new rider who is clearly hooked, the Wahoo KICKR CORE 2 (Zwift Cog and Click) is the gift that turns a summer hobby into a year-round one, and our beginner cyclist guide will get them started on structured training.

Useful gifts for cyclists, $80 to $650

This tier is where the smart add-ons live: the compact computer, the climb simulator, the fan that chases their heart rate, the workstand. These are things a cyclist would eventually buy and keeps postponing. Check before buying: the Wahoo KICKR CLIMB only works with Wahoo trainers; helmets and gloves are sized; and a bike computer should match the sensors they already own (both Garmin and Wahoo speak ANT+ and Bluetooth, so this is rarely a problem).

Mid-range Garmin Edge 850 around $500 Garmin's newest compact mapping computer: full maps, a bright touchscreen, ClimbPro, and the training metrics from the 1040 in a body that fits between the hoods. The right size for most riders who do not need a solar flagship. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Mid-range Garmin Edge 840 around $450 The previous-generation compact Garmin, still excellent and now cheaper. Touchscreen plus buttons, multi-band GPS, full maps, ClimbPro and around 26 hours of battery. The sensible mapping computer for a rider who does not need the newest model. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Mid-range Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM V3 around $447 Wahoo's large-screen computer with maps and the simplest setup in the category: everything is configured from the phone app. Owners who find Garmin menus exhausting tend to love it. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Mid-range Wahoo KICKR CLIMB around $649 Raises and lowers the front of a Wahoo trainer to match the grade on screen, up to 20 percent up and 10 percent down. For a KICKR or CORE owner, this is the add-on that makes Zwift climbs feel like climbs. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Mid-range Wahoo KICKR HEADWIND fan around $320 A fan that follows their heart rate or speed and blows up to 30 mph. Every indoor cyclist has a cheap box fan; nobody has a fan that gets harder as the interval does. This is the surprise gift for a trainer owner. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Mid-range Park Tool PCS-10.3 repair stand around $280 The home mechanic stand Park Tool sells more of than any other. The 100-3D clamp holds any tube shape, the stand folds flat, and it makes chain, cassette and brake work a pleasure instead of a floor-crawl. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Mid-range Garmin Varia RTL515 radar around $150 A rear radar that shows approaching cars on their bike computer and flashes brighter as they close. Cyclists who ride open roads describe it as the safety purchase they wish they had made years earlier. Sixteen hours of battery. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Mid-range Shimano Ultegra PD-R8000 pedals around $200 Carbon-bodied Ultegra road pedals with a wide platform and a bearing set that lasts for years. A sensible upgrade for a rider still on the pedals that came with the bike. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Mid-range Giro Agilis MIPS helmet around $120 A MIPS road helmet with Giro's Roc Loc fit system and 32 vents at a price that does not hurt. Helmets are sized; this listing is a Large, so check their head circumference before buying. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Mid-range Lezyne Macro Drive 1400+ front light around $98 A 1,400 lumen front light in a machined aluminium body with multiple modes. Bright enough for unlit lanes, small enough to leave on the bars. The right gift for a commuter or winter rider. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Mid-range Kryptonite Evolution Mini-5 U-lock around $80 A compact U-lock with a 13 mm hardened shackle that fits a jersey pocket or a frame mount. The lock a serious cyclist trusts for the coffee stop. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Mid-range Smith Wildcat sunglasses around $217 Large-coverage cycling sunglasses with Smith's ChromaPop lens and a spare clear lens for dull days. The pair that shows up on group rides everywhere. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Cycling gifts under $70

The workshop and roadside tier. A good floor pump is the most-used object in a cyclist's garage; a cleaning kit is the gift that keeps a two-thousand-dollar drivetrain alive. If you want more ideas at this price, our gifts under $50 page has the full list for both sports.

Under $70 Topeak JoeBlow Sport III floor pump around $70 The floor pump cyclists recommend when asked: a steel barrel, a 3 inch gauge, 160 psi, and a TwinHead that fits Presta and Schrader without fiddling. Around seventy dollars, and it will outlast three bikes. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Under $70 Muc-Off Bike Wash and Drivetrain kit around $55 A bike wash, a drivetrain cleaner and the brushes to use them. The kit that turns 'I should clean my bike' into a ten-minute job. Owners note the drivetrain cleaner is the part that earns its keep. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Under $70 Crankbrothers M19 multi-tool around $37 Nineteen tools including a chain breaker and spoke keys in a tool that fits a saddle bag. The multi-tool that has been in jersey pockets for two decades for a reason. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Under $70 Lezyne Pocket Drive HP mini pump around $35 A high-pressure mini pump that actually reaches road pressures, in a size that disappears in a jersey pocket. Pairs with the tyre levers and patch kit below for a complete roadside kit. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Under $70 Cateye ViZ450 rear light around $50 A 450 lumen daytime rear light. Cyclists who ride open roads have quietly adopted daytime running lights the way cars did; this one is bright enough to matter at midday. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Under $70 Pearl Izumi Elite Gel gloves around $33 Gel-padded gloves that take the sting out of long rides and rough roads. A well-liked, well-made pair from Pearl Izumi; sized, so check their glove size. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Under $70 Tifosi Swank sunglasses around $25 Shatterproof, lightweight sunglasses at a fraction of the price of the big brands. The pair to give a new cyclist, or the spare pair for the cyclist who keeps sitting on theirs. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Under $70 CamelBak Podium Chill 24 oz around $18 An insulated bottle with a self-sealing valve that does not leak in a bag. Every cyclist owns bottles; almost none own enough clean ones. Two of these is a perfect small gift. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Stocking stuffers

Consumables and small parts. These get used, and the cyclist will replace them themselves next year, which is exactly what a stocking stuffer should do.

Stocking stuffer Chamois Butt'r Original (8 oz) around $22 The original chamois cream. Anyone riding over two hours knows why this exists, and nobody puts it on a gift list. Eight ounces lasts a season. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Stocking stuffer Park Tool TL-1.2 tire levers around $7 The tyre levers that do not snap. Three for seven dollars; give them with the patch kit. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Stocking stuffer Park Tool GP-2 patch kit around $7 Pre-glued patches that fix a flat in two minutes. Every saddle bag should have one and most have a dried-out tube of glue instead. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

Stocking stuffer Cateye ViZ150 rear light around $30 A small, bright, rechargeable rear light for the cyclist who has a good front light and a dead rear one. Check Backcountry →See it on Amazon →

What to check before you buy

• Cassette and drivetrain. The Wahoo KICKR V6 and Garmin Tacx NEO 3M need a cassette that matches their bike (speed and brand). The Wahoo KICKR CORE 2 (Zwift Cog and Click) does not, which is one reason it is our top pick as a gift. Carbon wheels need the right freehub.
• Cleat system. Pedal power meters are cleat-specific: Look Keo for the Favero Assioma Duo, Shimano SPD-SL for the Garmin Rally RS210. Look at the bottom of their shoes.
• Hitch size. The racks above are 2 inch hitch models; check the receiver on the car.
• Sizes. Helmets, gloves and shoes are sized. Everything else on this page is one size.

Questions people ask before buying

This guide draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested these products ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. Nothing here is medical or coaching advice. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.