If you have a family member, friend, partner or colleague who is keen on cycling and you are planning to get them a gift, you are probably wondering what to buy without spending a lot of money. Since every cyclist is different and you can’t just read their mind as if you were starring in “Being John Malkovich”, were are here to help you with 5 simple, useful and inexpensive ideas to get it right:
Cycling socks
Always a great choice and no matter how classic and boring the gift may seem to you, there is no cyclist who wouldn’t appreciate a new pair of socks. You just have to know their size, if in doubt, ask their close friend or relative.
If you want to play it safe, buy black or white socks because they go with everything. If you know more about the personal tastes of the cyclist, take a little more risk and get colorful socks like the ones from Siroko.
Chamois cream
Every cyclist will appreciate a bottle of chamois cream. They may have their own favorite brand, but an extra bottle never hurts, no matter what brand it is. In case of a female cyclist, look for a cream specifically designed for female riders or free of ingredients that may cause discomfort to the female genitalia (alcohol, scents). Here are several options for him:
For her:
And unisex:
Anti Friction Cream MigouBCN.
Base layer
Since we don’t always know the tastes of the gift recipient, it’s best to keep a low profile when buying a garment as a gift. That is why a base layer is a safer option than a jersey that may not suit the person’s tastes. Also, cyclists actually tend to have fewer base layers than jerseys in their wardrobes even though the former are exposed to just as much – if not more – wear and tear than jerseys, being in direct contact with the skin and absorbing most of the moisture and sweat salts. So, it is a good idea to change it from time to time and to have different options to adapt to the weather conditions.
Siroko offers base layers for women and men, with options suitable for summer, winter, transitional seasons and in different color tones, in case you wanted to make a double gift and combine socks with an undershirt.
Pack of energy bars and/or gels
Although we are all about DIY recipes, homemade energy bars and gels have a very short expiration date and are not great as gifts. A box of energy bars and/or gels, however, is a gift you can hardly go wrong with. Free fuel!
Depending on the brand, the size of the bars and the ingredients, a pack of 15-25 bars costs around 25-45 euros. Pretty much the same goes for energy gels. You can also find packs combining bars and/or gels of different flavors, and boxes containing a mix of everything.
Chain degreaser and lubricant
A clean and lubricated drivetrain is more efficient and lasts longer. To keep it in tip-top shape, a cyclist needs to use degreaser and lubricant. Well, water is also necessary, but let’s not make a gift of a 5 L water jerry can.
There are packs that include brushes, cloths and other cleaning products, but you will always get it right with just the essentials: a good degreaser (preferably eco-friendly) that costs around 15-20 €, and a bottle of lubricant for around 10-20 €.
The case is the same as with the chamois cream: even if it is not the brand that the cyclist usually goes for, it never hurts to have an extra bottle of lubricant. Keep in mind that you can find several types of lubricants:
- Lubricating oils
- Ceramic lubes
- Wax
In the category of lubricating oils there are dry lubricants designed for less rainy climates where there is a lot of dust or dirt, and wet lubricants best for humid conditions.
Ceramic lubes are suitable for any conditions, they are a little more expensive, but they reduce friction if applied correctly on a clean drivetrain and they last longer than oils.
Wax is the least common choice as it requires melting the wax and then immersing the chain in it; the chain has to be impeccably clean. And although the result is spectacular in terms of performance and protection, the process is a bit complicated and the price is rather high. Bottom line: if you want to choose the right lubricant, opt for a ceramic one. It is easy to use, cheap and practical.
