Cyclist Gift Guide 2025
- AM Van Doren
- Dec 17, 2025
- 7 min read
Read on to find 20+ gift ideas for the cyclist in your life (or yourself) for any budget (including free).
This guide includes gifts for the aesthetic driven cyclist, the pragmatist, experiences to share with someone you love, ways to get more clued into community events and places to give back.
Aesthetic cyclist Gifts
A bicycle is often a prized possession and treated with a lot of care and admiration, so why not gift something beautiful or well designed to complement it?
Socks, starting at $12
Ostroy is known for their bold patterns, cheeky sayings and alternative cycling kits. I’m also a big fan of their resort shirts.
Cargo cage, $45
Most bikepackers will talk highly of the first time they started properly distributing weight across their bike. Know someone still lugging all rear pannier weight up that one Harriman hill? Gift them one of these beautiful cargo mounts. Throw in some straps, a dry bag, or a flexible mount extender to complete the set.
Seat bag, $36
I see a lot of seat bags each week and find most generic at best or poorly designed at worst. These ones come in cool colors and have a unique, sleek design. Throw in a few TPU tubes if you really want to impress someone.
Top cap, $45
A beautiful, hand finished top cap adds just a little bit of personality to your bike. Just make sure you properly tension the headset when replacing - it’s vertical tension first, don’t overtighten, then go for stem bolts - quick visual here or more in depth tutorial via Park Tool.
Pragmatic Cyclist gifts
Cycling comfortably and safely requires a lot of gear and semi-regular replacements. Keep your favorite cyclist happy and healthy by giving them a high impact piece of gear.
Helmet, ~$20 (on sale at Giro) and up
Did you know that helmets have a lifespan of 3-5 years, even if you haven’t had a major crash? I suggest sticking with reliable brands like Giro, Kask, Smith or Specialized when you replace. Look for Mips or comparable technology and ensure the helmet fits the head well.
Cleats $34 / Cleat covers, $18
Have a friend who is always complaining about clipping in? They might be rocking some trashed SPD SLs. Buy them a new pair or two (the yellow, 6 degree of float, is most commonly used and recommended). Do they clip clop (or slip) insufferably? Throw in a pair of cleat covers to give them some traction and prevent some wear and tear.
In the market for a new clipless system? Consider Look Keos for their similar design but increased durability.
Lobster gloves, $95
If you love an all weather cyclist in a winter climate, make sure they have the warmest possible gloves to keep feeling in their fingers for shifting during their commute and typing once they get to the office. Some people prefer bar mitts, but I like gloves that keep me cozy on the ski lift too.
Arch supports, $50
For someone who is riding in cycling shoes and experiencing numbness, it might be time to upgrade the stock insoles. Specialized makes a great cycling specific pair that includes a metatarsal button to support blood flow and proper pedaling dynamics.
Also worth looking at from Specialized: the wide size range in their well-designed saddles, and road bikes that are designed quite proportionally for riders under 5’5”.
Torque wrench, $125
For those who are DIY mechanics or enjoy slowly building up their skillset, a torque wrench saves bolts from being overtightened or stripped while ensuring that components are installed correctly. Even the most accomplished mechanics I know often check their hand tight with a torque wrench.
Feedback Sports makes my favorite flexible, yet streamlined option for componentry changes, where torque specs rarely exceed the available 14Nm of force. For full bike functionality (drivetrain, etc), consider Wera.
Experiential Cyclist Gifts
For the minimalists, eager learners, adventurers and well-stocked gear heads, try an experience gift at any price range. All of the below ideas will likely change and improve your cycling experience for a lifetime or at least until your chain needs waxed again.
718 Micro-Tour, starting at $65
Joe of 718 Outdoors introduced me to bikepacking in 2018 through a micro-tour, and has done the same for much of the bikepacking and touring community in NYC. Join one of his one to two night micro-tours or check out his longer tours venturing all the way to Canada.
If you’re looking to impress a cycling buddy, promise to be online for the tour registration opening on January 2nd at 9am EST and grab two slots.
DIY Bike Repairs Monday 6-9pm at Mechanical Gardens, no cost but donation supported
Are you an aspiring mechanic but need access to some guidance or tools? Bring a friend or two to build your skillsets at Bike Coop for their regular workshop hours. Split loaded fries and a milkshake around the corner at Birdie’s Hot Chicken afterward or turn it into a date night by making a reservation up the street at Win Son.
Full Tune Up, ~ $300 and up
Learned you still have a way to go with your skillset? Have a well-loved bike that just doesn’t ride smoothly anymore? Same affliction, but it’s happening to your friend?
It’s time for a full, in-depth tune up at your favorite local bike shop. The best time for this is January through March, before high season and longer wait times. Spring for the most involved option, ideally including a complete tear down and rebuild of the bike.
Don’t have a favorite bike shop? Try these Brooklyn favorites - Ride Brooklyn, Tuned By, Two Seas,
A Revolutions Per Bikefit, full service starting at $240
It should come as no surprise that I suggest you treat yourself and your favorite people to a bikefit. A bikefit is suitable for any rider from brand new beginners to deeply accomplished cyclists. Whether we’re moving your position millimeters or inches, you’ll leave the session with a better understanding of your body and your bike, as a more knowledgeable consumer, and of course, with a whole new position.
Not ready to schedule? Purchase a Gift Card - discounted pricing (save $10-25) through 12/31/2025 and redeemable at any time.
Clued In Cyclist Gifts
Want to give the gift of feeling included in the local cycling scene?
Leg Day Newsletter, $8 a month
Written by writer and cyclist Daniel Varghese, expect a wide ranging variety of topics including product reviews, recommendations (his gift guide here), his personal cycling evolution, and rides he is hosting (most recently a half century in partnership with the Angels NYC team in Prospect Park that drew a whole crowd). His writing is approachable, funny, informative and decidedly welcoming to the wide variety of cyclist identities that exist in NYC.
Katie Bishop, owner of bike friendly Principles Cafe, has compiled a list of the local rides published in the community, mostly advertised via instagram. If you’re looking to find your vibe or your people, this is a great way to explore what types of groups, time frames and locations they ride from.
The best way to get plugged into the local community is to show up to events until you find something you like and the easiest way to do that is to bring a friend.
Want to make it into a gift? Buy your friend a cup of Principles coffee, comb through the calendar and corresponding instagram accounts to find what sticks out to you and make a plan.
Need to true a wheel, change a flat or find another bike tool you don’t have at home? Principles has got you covered with their community bike nook too.
What do you get the cyclist in your life who has too many bicycles? What about the gift of concierge bike re-homing? Donate good condition bikes and gear to Recycle a Bicycle to support their mission of supporting the Bike New York educational programming.
While you’re there, check out their refurbished bicycles for sale or their wide collection of affordable parts for your bike build or fit update.
This newsletter by Matthew Tyler Johnson features profiles of a wide variety of people across the NYC cycling community. Subscribe (for free!), follow on instagram, or simply dm your friends your favorite profiles where you found out about another niche and amazing local event or group (bike polo? bike bus? rallykat?) for your next bike adventure.
Giving Cyclist gifts
There’s nothing like supporting the organizations that make cycling more rewarding, diverse and inclusive. A few groups you might not know of (but should!) for your end of year giving or in honor of someone who inspires you to make a difference.
Set up a recurring donation to Bike Plant’s Repair Fund to give a loved one a warm fuzzy feeling and access to excellent perks (starting at a 10% discount on most parts and accessories). The repair fund subsidizes services for the local community, allowing Bike Plant to offer accessible repair. Bike Plant is known for being a rare WTFNB owned bike shop in the city and has a loyal customer base, great merch, and educational programming.
The first cycling organization I got involved with when I moved to NYC in 2016 was InTandem and my first big city ride was their All Night Donut Ride through 4 boroughs of New York City. I’ve had a lot of amazing rides here since, but that will always be one of my favorite memories - a midnight start in Central Park with a slew of tandem riders.
InTandem creates cycling opportunities for people who are blind, have low vision or other disabilities that make riding alone difficult or impossible. Whether you’re looking to volunteer on a bicycle, to get involved with a great community, or to financially support access to cycling, InTandem is absolutely worth checking out.
Star Track provides free youth cycling development training at the Kissena Velodrome in Queens for any child 8-16 who is already able to ride a bicycle.
In cycling, racing can often have higher barriers than most other sports. Many Star Track participants go on to race (and win!) at the national level, so supporting a program like Star Track actively supports a more diverse and inclusive future racing context.
Fearless Flyers is a 13 week training program supported by OutCycling and for LGBTQ+ youth ages 16-25. Through the program, participants develop self-confidence, find community and have an opportunity to earn a brand new bicycle, lock, and helmet.
Help cycling change another life, just the way it’s changed yours!
Want even more recs? Last year I contributed a few ideas to Daniel Varghese’s (of Leg Day, above) piece in the WSJ Buy Side.
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