It’s that time of year again! Friends and relatives will be thinking of the worst best cycling related Christmas gifts to get you. They are possibly dropping hints or asking spouses for ideas. It’s a real minefield. You’re incredibly hard to buy for, don’t you know. This year, why not cut out the middle-man and simply buy the gear you want for yourself. After all, blatant mass consumerism is the true spirit of Christmas…

Here are my “Top 5 Cycling Gifts” you can buy for yourself this festive season.

Castelli Aero Race Jersey

Mate. Has anyone told you that old jersey has seen better days? Well, it has. You’re an embarrassment to the sharply dressed guys and gals in this paceline. Smarten up! Plus you’ve lost a few pounds recently and that XL is looking rather flappy. It’s costing you watts! High end jersey design has changed quite a bit over the past few years. There’s a big focus on aero, while retaining comfort and style. I think it’s time you splashed out on a new aero-fitting jersey from the likes of Castelli. While you’re at it, why not add a pair of matching bib shorts into your cart. You can never have too many.

KAPZ Custom Headset Cap

Personalise your ride with a custom printed headset cap. KAPZ have a huge range of designs on their website, and you can customise each with wording that suits you. They won’t make you faster, but they will make you fancier! They also do custom printed metal bar-end plugs, bolts, spacers, and other accessories.

I’ve got a neat USA flag headset cap plus some custom etched US POSTAL bar-ends on my Trek and I love them.

Dynaglug Tubeless Repair Kit

Are you running tubeless tyres? If so, then it’s hard to go past a DynaPlug. This tubeless puncture repair tool is one of the best rated tools on the market. If you get a hole that’s too large for sealant, simply pop the cap, jam the DynaPlug end into the hole in the tyre, then pull it out. The plug fills the gap and allows sealant to finish the job.

There are many brands of tyre plug on the market, but almost everyone who has used DynaPlug swears by it. I’ve not had to use mine yet, but I have absolute confidence that it would get the gob done quickly and efficiently.

Garmin Varia Radar

This is one of those products that you never knew you needed until you use it. Yes, I’ve ridden tens of thousands of miles without a radar, but it truly is one of those products that once you use, you can’t image NOT using. Okay so it’s maybe not quite that revolutionary, but it certainly provides you with useful information. The radar will alert you to cars approaching long before you can hear them, around 140 metres (450ft) back. You can then use that information to keep you safer (this of course does NOT replace a shoulder check). The rear light even blinks faster and brighter as vehicles approach.

It really is a remarkable device. I’ve got the new RTC715 model with the camera built in, but honestly unless you suffer from a lot of poor driving and think video evidence is useful where you live, I recommend going with the cheaper RTL515 which is just the radar and rear light.

Bar Tape from Lizard Skinz or SupaCaz

That grimy old black boring bar tape you’ve had on your bars for the last way too many years is past it’s prime. Freshen up your bike with some brand new bar tape. Why not go for something fancy? A pop of colour perhaps? Two of my favourite brands of bar tape are SupaCaz and Lizard Skins. Both are high quality, long lasting, and come in a range of sexy colours and patterns. It might cost a little more than the standard stuff, but it’s well worth it!

So there you have it. Five thoughtful gift ideas to get you started. You have my permission to go a little nuts, put a dent in the credit card, and splash out on yourself this year. You work hard, ride hard, and totally deserve it!

Is there anything you would add? Comment below and let me know! 🎅