Cycling Christmas gift ideas: The ultimate guide for road cyclists
With yet another year of riding in its legs, Telegraph Sport is able to once again present its annual round-up of cycling gear that has impressed both on and off the bike.
Aimed predominantly at road cyclists – club riders, amateur racers or those who simply like to test themselves in sportives or audax rides – all the kit here has been rigorously examined in the most testing conditions we could find: high mountains, freezing early mornings, lashing rain into buffeting headwinds. You name it, we've ridden it.
Each item on this list has been judged on its quality, aesthetic and, of course, value for money and while doing so we have endeavoured to include kit and clothing to suit most pockets.
Merino socks – Café du Cycliste
If you must insist on buying someone socks at Christmas, make sure they're good ones. While a number of reputable brands – including a few on this list – produce high quality socks for keen road riders, few make them as stylish or, indeed, as festive as these by Café du Cycliste.
Designed in France, but made in Italy with fine gauge merino wool blended with elastane and synthetic fibres, these high-cuff socks marry the two key ingredients for quality cycling gear: design and performance. For those more conservative and traditional riders out there, the socks also come in simpler designs.
Café du Cycliste: £20
Britain's greatest cycling climbs – Simon Warren
Everybody loves riding up steep climbs, right? Simon Warren certainly does and he has been writing about them for over seven years now in his quite excellent collection of 100 Climbs books.
Divided across eight regional anthologies that cover England, Scotland and Wales, Warren covers a whopping 545 climbs with key climbing statistics and location information along with detailed briefings on some of the best – and toughest – climbs in Britain. Housed in a stylish box set, Britain's Greatest Cycling Climbs is a must for keen climbers.
100 Climbs: £50 (RRP), available on Amazon for £29.25
Brevet windblock jersey – Rapha
Having used this piece of kit in all conditions – training rides, club runs and even while racing in the Alps – Telegraph Sport can confirm that Rapha, here, have produced a fine jersey. In fact, this is the best jersey Telegraph Sport has worn and over the years there have been a few.
Made with a delightful mix of merino wool (87 per cent) and nylon, the jersey carries highly reflective strips across its front and back making this not only extremely comfortable, but reassuringly safe too.
With a thin panel stitched onto its front to act as a windbreaker, and thus negate the need to carry a gilet for chilly early morning rides or freezing descents – not that carrying space is at a premium: with a total of five pockets, including three oversized rear compartments with enough space for food, tools, pump and rain jacket – the Brevet jersey follows the maxim that function should precede form when it comes to great design. That's not to say it doesn't look good too, it really does.
During one especially cold day, high in the clouds above Innsbruck, the Brevet, while layered up with one of Rapha's softshell jackets and a merino wool base layer kept Telegraph Sport pushing on through the freezing rain, oblivious to those all around shivering in their sub-optimal kit. There are simply not enough superlatives to describe how good this is. If you really love somebody this Christmas, buy them one.
Rapha: £135
Team Sky hydrodynamic lube – Muc-Off
There are few things more annoying than turning up for your weekly club run only to discover that one of your club-mates doesn't pay quite so much attention to the smooth running of their chain as you do because, let's face, it nobody likes a squeaky chain, right?
If you are that person then perhaps now is the time for you to invest in a decent bottle of chain lube, or if you know that man or woman then give everybody a little bit of Christmas cheer with some high-quality lubricant to guarantee a little bit of peace and quiet on lanes at this stressful time of year. It's decent stuff, it's what Chris Froome et al use.
Muc-Off: £15.99
Jawbreaker prizm road – Oakley
Taking their inspiration from the 1980s, these Jawbreaker prizm road sunglasses are a welcome reminder of a time when good clean-cut American riders like Greg LeMond and Andy Hampsten were not only upsetting the status quo of the European heartlands of cycling with wins in the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia, but also busy setting new trends with their futuristic Oakley Eyeshades.
After making their mark on the professional peloton during LeMond and Hampsten's era, Oakley remain a mainstay to this day, and with good reason. Though not as light as the EVZero Path – which weigh in, barely, at 22g – the Jawbreaker prizm are designed with the serious rider in mind: solid frame, secure fitting and a decent airflow keeping the lens clear whatever the conditions make these some of the best glasses tested by Telegraph Sport.
Oakley: From £175
Little Five jersey – Thousand
Little Five Hundred will, for most cycling fans, bring back memories of the Cutters going wheel-to-wheel with the jocks in the dramatic denoument to the 1979 Academy Award-winning film Breaking Away.
If you love the Peter Yates film as much as Telegraph Sport does, then the latest offering from Thousand, the Little Five sweatshirt, with a rear-zipped pocket and a reflective trim, is the perfect present for those days when you just want to ride around the block. Or to the pub.
Thousand: $78 (approx £58)
Kwaremont gift pack – Brouwerij De Brabandere
Brewed in Belgium, Kwaremont is a relative newcomer to what one would imagine is an already crowded market in its homeland. However, when it comes to selling beer to wannabe Flandriens brewers De Brabandere appear to have struck gold after naming itself after the Oude Kwaremont road that features in the Tour of Flanders, the one-day race through the home of beer, frites and, of course, cobbles.
While the beer itself is eminently drinkable, it is the delightful glass, replete with a base moulded with cobbles and a cyclist climbing up the steep gradient of its stem, that sets Kwaremont apart from the hundreds, if not thousands, of other post-ride recovery drinks on the market. Packaged with four bottles of Kwaremont and glass this is the perfect gift for those with a taste for Belgium – providing they are 18!
Kwaremont via Amazon: £24.64
Skull cap and neck warmer – Le Col
Made in Italy by Le Col, the brand set up by former British professional rider Yanto Barker, these lovely accessories will keep the rider in your life warm whatever the riding conditions throughout the festive period – and the winter months. Trust us, Telegraph Sport has tested both in sub-zero conditions during five-hour rides and barely felt a chill.
The thermal skull cap, made with Italian Roubaix material, manages to keep both head and ears warm while still being thin enough to fit snugly beneath the helmet. The neck warmer, meanwhile, is a fleece lined multi-purpose piece of kit that can transform itself into a mask, neckerchief or balaclava. Both are available in three different colours – red, blue and fluo (pictured) – and have quickly become essential wear for early morning training rides.
Le Col: £30 each
Early winter gloves – Assos
Designed and made in Switzerland, these sleek winter gloves have kept Telegraph Sport's digits both warm and dry on both cold and wet days – including an eight-hour ride at an average temperature of 0℃.
Assos, here, have managed to create a simple looking glove, though on closer inspection one which is clearly designed with the road rider in mind: rubberised pads on fingers both improve handling and gear changes while the extra long cuff ensures there is no chance for drafts of cold air to sneak up your sleeves.
Assos: £65
Cycling prints – The Handmade Cyclist
Whether your loved one, family member or friend is a fan of the spring classics, grand tours or just an all-round cycling fanatic, The Handmade Cyclist are able to provide the ideal gift with either one of their beautiful art prints, bone china mugs or T-shirts, even.
It's The Handmade Cyclist's prints, though, that capture the eye most – even the most strident non-cyclist would find difficulty in turning his or her nose up at one of these affordable prints hanging in the hallway. Now produced in four ranges – monuments, panache, routes and the Hour – can also come framed in environmentally sound sustainably forested solid Ash. Lovely stuff.
The Handmade Cyclist: from £15 to £30; framing service £45
Tom Simpson: Bird On The Wire – Andy McGrath
“Rarely does a book meet its aim so perfectly," said Graham Sharpe, chairman of the judging panel after Tom Simpson: Bird On The Wire was named William Hill Sports Book of the Year last week. "Innovative design, scrupulous research and stunning photography complement each other superbly to produce Andy McGrath's outstanding and startlingly intimate portrait of a British sporting icon. Like another former Bookie Prize winner, Lance Armstrong, Tom Simpson was hugely talented and single-minded, but flawed. Tom Simpson's tragic morality tale inspires awe and respect, yet also unease amongst those who have seen domestic cycling reach international heights he could only have guessed at.”
Indeed, Sharpe is bang on the money here. In Tom Simpson: Bird On The Wire, McGrath has not only written the best cycling book of the year but also one of the most beautiful. One which should be on all cycling aficionados' bookshelves, or coffee tables.
Rapha: £36
Albertine windproof jacket – Café du Cycliste
Designed for riding in the cold, this jacket from Café du Cycliste is that rarest of beasts when it comes to cycling kit: one that looks as good off the bike as it does on one. Made with a combination of thermal padding and merino polar fleece fabric, the Albertine windproof jacket looks part hill walker, part 1990s raver and all power to its elbow for that.
Despite being aimed at the more serious road rider, one would imagine most would be happy wearing this down the pub which is fine by us. However, it is worth considering that for 'casual' use you may want to buy a size up to avoid the short front panel rising up above the belt-line.
Café du Cycliste: £228
Bicycle ultimate valet kit – Muc-Off
Packed with a biodegradable cleaner, degreaser, bike protector and something to make your shiny parts shine alongside chain lubes for all riding conditions, Muc-Off have gathered here all you need to keep your steed fit for purpose throughout the winter months. And beyond. With five different brushes – who knew you needed so many? – along with a sponge and 'microfibre' cloth that sound like they came straight from Q's secret lab makes this 'the bicycle ultimate valet kit'. It really does do what it says on the tin, or in this case the sturdy carrying bag.
If, like me, the rider in your life has a tendency to leave vital pieces of equipment lying around the home, then the bag that houses everything in one handy place will come as a boon. With two separate compartments – one for cleaning products, the other for brushes – with each featuring elasticated holding pens, even the untidiest of riders will restore some sort of order into their lives and may, even, actually enjoy cleaning their bike after a ride. Alternatively, Muc-Off produce a cheaper collection sans sac with the 8 In 1 Bicycle Cleaning Kit (£39.99).
Muc-Off: £89.99
Therma gilet – Le Col
Unlike Tim Sherwood, the former manager of Tottenham Hotspur, Telegraph Sport, ordinarily, is no fan of the gilet. Until, that is, the therma gilet by Le Col was tested out in the lashing rain one morning recently.
Made with WindTex fabric this weatherproof gilet keeps your core warm and dry while, thanks to its materials, remains breathable. Three pockets at the rear ensures that riders are not left struggling extracting gels from jersey pockets which make life a little more comfortable. Worth noting that Le Col kit comes slightly smaller than most brands so consider buying a size up.
Le Col: £140
Crosspoint waterproof hi-viz socks – Showers Pass
These socks do exactly what it says on the tin . . .
. . . they are thick, warm, come in high visibility colours and are waterproof. What's not to like? The perfect stocking filler, so to speak.
Showers Pass: £27
Merino leg warmers – Rapha
Made with 95 per cent superfine New Zealand merino wool – as are the knee (£50) and arm warmers (£45) from the same range – these leg warmers from Rapha have become my go to piece of kit when it comes to keeping the pins safe from an autumn chill through to late spring.
At £55 they may not be cheap, but who wants cheap nylons chafing your legs while out on a six-hour ride? Everybody deserves a little bit of luxury in their lives – and on their rides while grafting away on cold training rides or early mornings in the high mountains – so don't hold back and give the rider in your life the treat they deserve at Christmas.
Rapha: £55
Seat roll premio – Silca
Founded by Felice Sacchi just outside of Milan in northern Italy in 1917, Silca has long been a byword for quality and despite relocatiing to America, the brand remains determined to produce the best products around, be they track pumps, tools or, in this case, saddlebags.
Made with heavyweight cotton canvas that that has been hot-melt waxed for water-proofing, the seat roll premio is both stylish and functional and is the world's first on-bike storage solution to use the Boa closure system – the type usually seen on cycling shoes. With three pockets big enough to carry an inner tube, two CO2 cartridges and a multi-tool – all available on the Silca website, including the stylish Italian army knife – riders can head out training safe in the knowledge that their tools will stay dry and protected from the elements.
Silca: $48 (approx £35)
MilleJacket_evo7 jacket – Assos jersey
Having road-tested various winter jerseys and jackets, Telegraph Sport can categorically confirm that this creation from Swiss brand Assos is the best money can buy. While the design can be a little disconcerting – the arms are quite baggy and flap in the wind – its performance in sub-zero conditions is simply exceptional.
Made with a twin-layer construction featuring both waterproof and insulated materials, the MilleJacket_evo7 is the perfect winter jersey for winter training rides or weekly club runs where, we guarantee, the lucky recipient of one of these on Christmas morning will no longer be that rider complaining about the cold.
Assos: £200