Gift Ideas for Bike Riders

Need a little help? We've found many new gadgets and accessories this year that will make a bike ride more stylish, comfortable, and safe. This Gift Guide for Bike Riders is a compilation of gift ideas any bike rider would love; they're divided into the following categories:

Safety

Comfort

Maintenance

Bike Bags

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1. Helmet - Many municipalities mandate helmet use. A helmet is the essential safety item you need. Come on, get helmet hair with the rest of us.

2. Mirror - Just as in cars, mirrors are an important part of biking. The convex lens gives you a wide angle view of the road or trail behind you without turning your head away. If you ride a road bike you might prefer an end of the bar mounted mirror such as Sprintech Road Bicycle Drop Bar Mirror. Some prefer a helmet-mounted style:Third Eye Foam Helmet Mount Bicycle Mirror.

For hybrids and mountain bikes, the choice mirror is the Mirrycle Bar End Mountain Bicycle Mirror. It's a favorite because it stays in place no matter how bumpy the ride. Mirrors are a great addition to a bike and come in handy for checking for bugs in your teeth.

3. Lights - The first time you go out on a long ride and misjudge sunset time, you'll wish you had a light. A good choice is the Bell Dawn Patrol LED Headlight. With a light as bright as a halogen and the added feature of a blinker, you can't go wrong.

If you don't want to clutter up your bike, you may want to carry an easy snap on light such as Planet Bike Beamer LED Light with Quick Cam Bracket Mount. It's small enough to fit in your bike pack and snaps on quickly.

Helmet mounted lights are great for peaking around bends. A good one to try is the Planet Bike Blinky Helmet Mount.

4. Bell - Now not everyone is going to want a bell, but don't knock them. A bell is a polite way to warn pedestrians, joggers and slower riders that you tend to pass, and the sound of the bell is more readily detected than a voice. The Mirrycle Incredibell Bell has a pleasant ring. For a more discreet look, try a bell that's mounted to the end of your handle bar, such as the Mirrycle Incredibell Bar End Bell. The bell is conveniently hidden in the handle.

5. Lock - This is to keep your investment safe. Nothing is stronger that kryptonite, right? The best selling bike lock is the Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboutit U-Lock

If you want a lock that is less pricey, try the letter combination lock, WordLock . If you have trouble remembering random numbers, this is a great lock for you: BIKE can be your password.

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1. Pump

Tires loose air quickly. Good pumps are a necessity; one for the home and a portable one for the ride such as Topeak Pocket Rocket Master Blaster Bike Pump works for Presta and Shrader valves!

For under $4 you can get the Innovations Alloy Presta to Shrader Valve Adapter to convert your Presta valve to adapt to any Schrader pump which means you can fill up your tires with a gas station air compressor.

2. Tire Gauge

Keep your tires at recommended pressure. For Schrader valves Planet Bike Dial Air Gaugeis a good buy. It's small but heavy duty.

Tire pressure gauges for Presta valves are not always easy to use due to the varying lengths for the valve stems. The AccuGage Tire Pressure Dial Gauge ( Presta Valve) has high ratings.

3. Bike Tool Kit

The Topeak Mini 18-Function Bicycle Tool is small enough to pack on a ride, but big on tools. You'll want this if you ride any distance.It's nice to have all the tools you need in one compact kit. No need to go hunting through your toolbox for the correct hex size. Great for home and for the ride. For a more compact edition, try Topeak Mini 9-Function Bicycle Tool

4. Tire Repair Kit

The Park Tool Tire & Tube Repair Kit takes up little space in your bike bag. You'll be really glad you have it when you need it; and it sure beats walking your bike.

5. Chain Cleaning Kit

Here's a bike maintenance gift you may not have thought of. Bike chains should be cleaned regularly! No one likes to do this, but you won't mind the job with Park Tool Chain Gang Chain Cleaning System You don't have to remove the chain to clean it and the cleaning solutions are self-contained. Easy, quick and efficient! I must rave about this one. If you want to see it in action, check out this YouTube video

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1. Seat Cover

You will love having an extra cushion on a long ride. Planet Bike Anatomic Relief Bicycle Seat Cover is an inexpensive choice and very efficient.

2. Bike Shorts - Saddle comfort is important! Bike shorts add a bit extra padding and are often made of moisture-wicking and antimicrobial fabrics to make your ride more comfortable. There are many styles to choose from! There are even bike shorts that don't look like bike shorts, such as the Canari Men's Baggy Padded Short.

There are also special padded liners you can wear under your favorite shorts - -Canari Women's Gel Cycle Liner

3. Gloves

Bike gloves serve many purposes:

1)They provide comfort for your hands from the constant vibration of the bike.

2)They allow for a better grip of the bike & moisture-wicking elements keep your hands dry from sweat

3) They keep your hands warm in cold climates.

4) They can protect your hands in the event of a fall.

5) Brightly colored gloves bring more attention to your hand signals. There are summer-weight gloves such as Pearl Izumi Men's Select Glove and winter weight, full-fingered gloves Pearl Izumi Men's Thermal Glove

Make sure you select the proper size for your hand or the gloves will not be comfortable.

Sizing chart is below.

4. Water Bottle - No matter how far you plan to ride, always remember to hydrate. When you're looking for a water bottle, consider one with a wide mouth so you can easily add ice cubes. Another great feature is one with insulation to keep your water cool the entire ride. The Polar Insulated Water Bottle is BPA and Phthalate-free , dishwasher safe, insulated and has a wide opening - the perfect water bottle.

5. Eye Wear - You should always consider eye wear when bike riding. If you don't regularly wear glasses, try sunglasses or safety glasses. It's not easy to avoid debris from roads and trails along with insects while on a bike. Protect your eyes. If you don't want to wear sunglasses, try these: MSA Safety Works Safety Glasses

There are bags to go under the seat, around the post, over the handlebar and on a fender. Bags for phones, water bottles, dogs and shoes. Every kind of bag you might want. Every rider needs a place to keep a wallet and keys at least. A bike bag makes a great gift for your riding friend. Take a peak at his bike and see if he might need one.

Biking Tip: Don't ride off with your bike bag unzipped as in this photo! Wallet, phone and keys will all end up in the middle of the bike path; not a good thing!

I hope you found a gift idea you like. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below.