Gift Guide: Last minute ideas and stocking stuffers
Small ideas that are as fun as they are functional
The holiday season is fast approaching and, if you haven’t finished you’re shopping quite yet, don’t fret. You don’t splurge on things like lugged steel chairs, small and function items can go just as far to make a bike feel like new. Here’s our list of small gifts and stocking stuffers. While these are fun things, they’re also things people actually need. With a bit of holiday flair, of course.
2020 Gift Guide: Stocking Stuffers
Every cyclist needs new tires, whether they admit it or not. Don’t just give any tires as a gift, though. The Schwalbe Special Edition G-One Ultrabite tires ($110 per tire, schwalbetires.com) are indeed special, and add a bit of seasonal colour. The 700c x 38c treads are versatile, good for mud, trail and gravel. The chain-link-shaped lugs offer great grip. And the sidewalls: olive green. So cool.
Quarter length or tall? Yes. To both. The Stance Embrun cycling socks ($30, stance.ca) stop just above the ankle. They have a light, minimal cushioning and a construction that won’t rip. But let’s say they do rip. Stance will replace them. The Specialized Soft Air Road tall socks ($25, specialized.com/ca) have a 7″ cuff height for a size medium pair. The cuffs are snug, which will keep everything comfortable on long rides.
The new Giant H2Pro handlebar bag ($130 for 9-L bag, $145 for 12.5-L bag; giant-bicycles.com/ca) has a harness that straps to the bars so the waterproof dry bag can clip on and off easily. The bag rolls up from each end and has an air- bleed valve in the centre. The system also has a headlight attachment.
Flobikes live race streaming
How does a Canadian road cycling fan watch all the big races? On the Flobikes streaming service ($200/year, flobikes.com). It has the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España, and Cyclocross World Championships no matter what time of year they run.
New bar tape can seemingly transform a bike. Lizard Skins DSP V2 bar tape (lizardskins.com) comes in three thicknesses. The 1.8 mm tape ($63, black) is the thinnest and lightest at 66 g. Next is the 2.5 mm tape ($68, celeste green), which offers great grip in wet and dry conditions. Finally, there’s the 3.2 mm tape ($70, grey) that can dampen harsh road vibrations.
For mountain bikers who need to get a grip, send the cross country rider the light Lizard Skins DSP grips ($42, blue, lizardskins.com). Give the Charger Evo grips ($40, orange) to the trail rider. The enduro/DH rider gets the Machine grips ($42, red). The Charger and Machine have single clamps for each grip to keep them secure.
