Gift Guide: 7 presents to spoil a cyclist

Hunt 36 UD Carbon Spoke wheels ($2,064, huntbikewheels.cc )

A set of Hunt 36 UD Carbon Spoke wheels would make a massive transformation to any road bike with rim brakes. The hoops weigh a feathery 1,300 g. The Hunt Sprint hub has 48 teeth on its ratchet ring. Three pawls, each with three teeth, grab the ratchet, which then spins up the TaperLock UD carbon spokes and filament-wound rim.

Shimano XC5 shoes ($220, bike.shimano.com )

The Shimano XC5 shoes have a grippy Michelin rubber outsole for when they’re put into service off bike. Each shoe has a Boa dial and hookand-loop strap to snug things up. It’s an excellent pair for cross country races and even gravel adventures.

Lazer G1 ($300, lazersport.com ) or Bollé Furo MIPS helmet ($300, bolle.com )

The Lazer G1 debuted late this past September. It’s the company’s new performance road helmet. A size small G1 weighs in at 190 g. The Advanced Rollsys system, with its roller at the top of the helmet, snugs the helmet to a rider’s head. Twenty-two vents let air pass through, but an Aeroshell cover can improve aerodynamics by sending the wind up and around the helmet.

The Bollé Furo MIPS helmet mixes protection and aerodynamics. The MipS liner helps to address rotational forces that can affect a rider’s head in a crash. The vents and truncated-airfoil design let air pass by smoothly when a rider is pushing the pace at the front of a group or sprinting by.

Garmin Edge 830 ($550, garmin.com )

The Garmin Edge 830 has features for mountain bikers. The head unit can tap into Trailforks’ database of trail maps to offer guidance in the woods. It also keeps track of metrics such as jump count, hang time, what Garmin calls grit – the difficulty of the ride – and flow, how smoothly you rode the trail.

Schwalbe Pro One Tubeless Easy tire ($110 for 25c, schwalbe.com )

This past summer saw the launch of the new Schwalbe Pro One Tubeless Easy tire. The company says it’s improved the souplesse, or suppleness, of its flagship road tread with multiple carcass layers under the Addix Race compound.

Garneau Groad LS jersey and Groad Grip bib shorts ($260 and $295, garneau.com )

For someone who needs to ride the bumpy stuff, there’s the Garneau Groad LS jersey and Groad Grip bib shorts. The bibs have storage along each leg. The jersey has three standard pockets and mesh side pocket. Tethered to the back is a bottle opener, which, if you think about it, shouldn’t just be for gravel rides, but all rides.