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Holiday gift ideas for the pedallers in your life

Treat a rider in your life, yourself or your little one with the gift they deserve

Treat a rider in your life, yourself or your little one with the gift they deserve. Whether you are looking to drop a hint to someone who might want to spoil you or you are looking for something for a rider one your list here are some ideas to get you started.

polarwatch
The Polar M600 watch ($400) is like all Polar products: full of potential. Currently, you can see tons of data on your wrist, from heart rate, heart-rate zones, speed, distance and elevation. Many of the watch’s functions are handled by Android Wear apps, such as smartphone notifications. Strava will run right on the watch. As new apps become available, the power of the watch will expand. It’s a gift that keeps giving.

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wallet
The Peterborough, Ont.-based Yellow Line Rule makes a variety of jersey wallets ($45, rider edition; $65, roadie edition). All are made from leather and have chain-link tabs to make them easier to grab. The rider edition uses repurposed leather, while the roadie edition is vegetable-tanned. Each is a fine wallet for carrying a few cards and bills on a ride.

mis
Wear your love of the bike on your shirt, jacket or dress. The stainless-steel Carl & Rose Sting-Ray brooch ($60) evokes the freedom and radness of the classic Schwinn bike.

If you make your own ride fuel, such as bars or energy balls, a small Colibri reusable snack bag ($8) will keep your jersey pockets neat. The bag was designed and is made in St. Adolphe, Man. It’s machine-washable. It comes in many patterns, but you want the one with bikes on it.

pump

While the camouflage may hide the Blackburn Chamber HV pump ($120) in some environments, the large numbers on the gauge will make sure you can see the p.s.i. (or bars) clearly. The 31.8-mm stem clamp means you can outfit the pump with a wide handlebar, just ’cause. And, after you’re done pumping out high-volume, low-pressure air, you can decompress with a beer. There’s a bottle-cap lifter near the top of the air chamber.

kiddybike
On the Giant Pre push bike ($180), little riders can scoot along on 12″ wheels as they learn how to balance before they start pedalling. The bike is built using the company’s Aluxx aluminum technology process. As with grown-ups bikes, Giant looks for ways to keep the weight down. In the case of the Pre, it’s a polymer fork that allows the bike to shed some grams. Little riders should also get comfortable wearing helmets. The B MEC Dash helmet ($26, mec.ca ) has an expanded polystyrene inner shell that protects the melons of riders age two to four.

kidbike

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The curved down tube of the Trek Kickster ($200) allows a young rider to step through, making it easier to get on the bike. The small cyclist can also put her feet on the footrest once she has the momentum and the balance. The Kickster’s aluminum frame rolls on 12″ wheels. A steering limiter can keep the rider from carving too sharp a corner.

bikemtb

Get the kids age six to nine riding trails with the MEC Dash hardtail ($375). A Shimano Revo shifter and Tourney derailleur move the chain across the Shimano seven-speed, 14-28 tooth cassette. A Suntour fork helps to smooth out the ride. The aluminum-frame bike was designed in Vancouver at the Mec head office.

helmet

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Smith Rover MIPS helmet ($205) mixes the protection of the multi-directional impact protection system and Smith’s honeycomb Koroyd technology, which absorbs the energy of a hit, so you can shred and not worry about your head.

ryderglasses

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Ryders Nelson polarized glasses ($90) protect your eyes while cutting down glare. They look casual but perform well on the trail as their grippy nose pads and temple tips keep them secure, even when you work up a sweat.