Gear

RCUK’s Christmas Gift Guide 2015: last-minute cycling gift ideas

Left it too late or just stuck for inspiration? Check out our last-minute guide

Christmas has a habit of sneaking up on you if you’re not careful at this time of year, and there will be plenty guilty of leaving their Christmas shopping too late.

If you’re reading this, devoid of ideas, there’s a good chance the cyclist in your life will be waking up to a big, fat nothing from you on Christmas morning, right?

Christmas has a habit of sneaking up on you if you’re not prepared

But it’s not too late to change that – in fact there are plenty of great last-minute gifts about if you know where to look.

A trip to your local bike shop, for starters, means you can purchase there and then while there are also some great gifts which can be purchased online (most companies offering next-day delivery up to mid-day on December 23).

And if you’re really stuck for ideas, you can still save yourself up to the very last-minute with some of our ideas below.

So without further ado (because, let’s face it, time’s now at a premium), here are our last-minute gift ideas.

CamelBak Podium Chill Bottle 610ml

Camelbak’s Podium Chill bottles boast double-wall insulation to keep warm drinks warm and cold drinks cold

If you’re really struggling for ideas, a bidon can be a suitably quick, last-minute gift idea.

Let’s face it, if it’s good enough it’s likely to get some use – and CamelBak’s Podium Chill Bottle is certainly top notch.

Suitable for keeping warm drinks warm (handy at this time of year) and cold drinks cold, thanks to a double-wall construction, it also comes in a range of colours to match your gear – if you’re that way inclined.

Price: £13.99

Where to buy: Evans Cycles offer next-day delivery up to Tuesday December 22, while their stores will be open Christmas Eve.

Rapha Travel Set

Rapha’s Travel Set use SkinCare products made from the aromatic flora of Mont Ventoux

Rapha may polarise opinion at times, but they do produce some great bits of kit and accessories.

The Rapha Travel Set features a selection of products from their Skincare range, boasting 50ml tins of shaving cream, post-shave lotion and the all-important chamois cream.

Ideal for those jetting off on training camps in the new year or likely to be spending time away racing or training, the products are all made from the aromatic plants and herbs of Mont Ventoux.

Price: £30

Where to buy: Rapha’s last shipping date for Express delivery is Wednesday December 23, before mid-day.

Altura Night Vision Windproof Gloves

Altura’s Night Vision Windproof Gloves impressed us on review

Cycling gloves are another last-minute gift idea which takes little planning and will certainly be appreciated at this year.

Of course, there are plenty of gloves out there and if you want to put some more thought into it you can check out our winter gloves buyer’s guide here.

But if you’re just after a quick recommendation, the Altura Night Vision Windproof Gloves were put to the test by our reviewers this month, and we found them to be ideal for winter commuting or long rides – and at a fair price.

Price: £29.99

Where to buy: Wiggle’s last date for guaranteed Christmas delivery is December 22, the same as Evans Cycles if you’re looking online. Evans’ stores will be open Christmas Eve though.

Redbear Christmas Jersey

We featured Redbear’s Christmas-print cycling jersey in last year’s gift guides and they have expanded the range this year to incorporate a women’s-specific jersey and a new design too.

The classic Christmas print will rival any Christmas jumper and is sure to turn heads on the festive club run, while the new design is a little more subtle – a moonlit skyline and Santa’s sleigh, since you asked.

Christmas comes but once a year, as they say, so make sure cycling garb’s on point when it does – particularly as the jersey will no longer be stocked after this year.

Price: £38

Where to buy: The jerseys can be bought direct from Redbear Sports, while the original Christmas print is also available on Not on the High Street, where the last day for next-day delivery is December 23 at mid-day.

Topeak Rescue Box

Topeak’s Rescue Box is a handy little stocking filler

Topeak’s Rescue Box is a nice, little last-minute stocking filler idea, featuring a professional glueless patch kit in a compact, water-resistant aluminium case.

Also featuring a clip-in compartment for chain link and pins, the kit features six FlyPaper patches and weighs in at 18g.

Easily storable in a saddlebag or jersey pocket, it comes in black, blue, gold, red or silver if you have a colour preference.

Price: £4.49

Where to buy: Chain Reaction Cycles offer next-day and AM Express delivery up to Wednesday December 23.

Cycling Cufflinks

Showcase your love of cycling off the bike too

Not every last-minute cycling gift idea has to be for use when riding – in fact, there’s plenty out there to ensure you’re showcasing your love of cycling off the bike too.

Take these cycling cufflinks, for example, which are one of several pairs available on Not on the High Street.

You can get personalisable rhodium-plated cufflinks, or even wooden ones, but these solid silver racing cyclists are top of the class in our opinion.

Price: £99

Where to buy: Order by mid-day on December 23 from Not on the High Street to guarantee delivery on Christmas Eve.

Sportive Entry

If you’ve left it really late for buying this year, then a Sportive entry might be your best bet.

The boom in popularity of cycling means sportives are growing fast too, and there are events taking place all over the country and abroad.

Hundred-milers; hilly courses; Classics-inspired cobbled courses; off-road events; major European sportives… there are plenty to choose from.

Price: various

Where to buy: If you know what you want, go direct to the event website or check out the British Cycling sportive calendar if you need a bit of inspiration.

Gift Voucher

Another easy buy if you’ve left it to the very last minute is a gift voucher – and you can get creative in the cycling world these days.

Instead of a gift voucher for a cycling shop, or online store, why not show you’ve actually put a bit of thought into it and get your cycling nearest and dearest a gift voucher for their favourite team’s shop.

Lotto-Soudal launched their shop in the summer, and have gift vouchers of €25, €50, €75 and €100 available, while Etixx-QuickStep are another to have embraced the idea with gift certificates worth €10, €25 and €50.

If it’s Team Sky kit you’re after then their shop comes directly through Rapha though – and their e-vouchers go from £25, to £50, £100, £200 and even £500.

Price: various

Where to buy: Check out your favourite team’s shop to see if gift vouchers are available.

Socks

It’s a Christmas cliché but you can’t go too far wrong with socks during the festive period.

And that’s especially true when it comes to cycling socks, with a host of different options in terms of style, function and colour.

Check out our dedicated Christmas Gift Guide for cycling socks here.

Books

Another classic with a range of choices available to suit all tastes, and with most big bookstores open up to Christmas Eve you should be able to find what you want up to the last minute.

As ever, there are some great new cycling books out there this year – including David Millar’s The Racer and Bradley Wiggins’ My Hour, both of which we’ve recently reviewed.

Here’s our full round-up of the best cycling books of 2015 for you to take your pick from.