Why not treat that special mountain biker in your life this Christmas? Forget the boring pair of socks or knitted jumper – with our stocking filler guide you won’t go far wrong.
There’s stuff for the cyclist who enjoys spending their time tinkering, like the Icetoolz tool kit. Plus there are some cool clothing ideas from Sombrio and Raceface.
Need some inspiration before you head out into the cold? A subscription to one of the best written, most informative cycling magazines going - MBUK or What Mountain Bike - is just the thing.
And for some silver screen action, check out Seasons, the new freeride and downhill DVD from The Collective, for some jaw-dropping riding.
For the biker who enjoys a tipple there’s the Parktool bottle opener or the Surly hip flask. If you’re after some caffeine comfort there’s the RaceFace thermal mug or Handpresso Wild espresso maker.
£12 and under
Park Tool bottle opener
Park Tool offers a host of practical gift ideas for the riding enthusiast. While not bike-specific, this stainless steel bottle opener wrapped in Park’s famous blue vinyl is the perfect addition to any rider’s kit bag.
- Price: £5.99
- Contact: ultimatepursuits.co.uk
Udderly Smooth chamois and body creams
Winter riding often calls for some TLC where your undercarriage is concerned. Udderly Smooth’s salving chamois cream is the ideal gift for the chafed and battered biker, and there are creams and lotions for hands and body too.
- Price: £6.99/£7.99
- Contact: udderlysmooth.co.uk
Sock Guy socks
With a wide range of designs available, you can go for the pirate look with the Sock Guy’s Skull and Crossbones socks or more Hell's Angel with numerous flame motifs. Trucker types can have the Mudflap Girl or for that annoying mountain biker in your life there’s the priceless Wanker sock.
- Price: £8.95
- Contact: silverfish-uk.com
Stan's No Tubes fluid (quart)
Puncture-proof your tyres with Stan’s sealing fluid. There’s enough here for a dozen cross-country tyres.
- Price: £12
- Contact: paligapltd.co.uk
Raceface thermal mug
Having a piping hot brew on standby is a blessing when you’re working on your bike in the wind and rain. With this stainless thermal mug you need never drink tepid tea on the trail again.
- Price: £10
- Contact: silverfish-uk.com
£15 to £30
Muc-Off Cleaning Kit
Remembering the maxim ‘a clean bike is a happy bike’ will guarantee you smoother riding in 2009. Muc-Off’s handy tub contains everything you need to keep your bike in pristine condition.
- Price: £29.99
- Contact: fisheroutdoor.co.uk
Raceface Scenery T-shirt
RaceFace tees are great value, with a range of designs that riders will love.
- Price: £19.95
- Contact: silverfish-uk.com
Seasons DVD
Sixty minutes of jaw-dropping riding in the world’s top locations, combined with some of the best cinematography going. Plus loads of extras including a ‘making of’ section that’s as interesting as the movie itself.
- Price: £19.99
- Contact: paligapltd.co.uk
Any Forty T-shirt
Any Forty are a small clothing company hailing from Newcastle who make some loud t-shirts with simple designs. Fresh tees for après-riding relaxation.
- Price: £20
- Contact: Any Forty
Park Tool BBQ tool set
Someone at Park Tool has too much time on their hands, thinking up clever stuff like this barbecue tool set that doubles as a pedal spanner and cone spanner. Other non-bike-related tools include a pizza cutter and a toilet roll holder.
- Price: £19.99
- Contact: ultimatepursuits.co.uk
Surly hip flask
When it’s really cold and you’re thinking of curtailing the ride to head home, try a sip of the hard stuff from a Surly stainless hip flask and you’ll be good for another hour at least. Portland, Oregon-based Ahearne also make a bottle cage to mount the hip flask on the bike, available from www.charliethebikemonger.com, priced £19.99.
- Price: £24.99
- Contact: ison-distribution.com
£35 to £50 £50
Raceface Full Zip Hoody
Ideal casual clothing for any cyclist, and the perfect accompaniment for winter riding.
- Price: £39.99
- Contact: silverfish-uk.com
Subscription to a mountain bike magazine
Don’t stress about racing to the newsagents in time to grab a copy of the best written, most informative and stylish-looking cycling magazines going. Get a year’s subscription and let it come to you.
- Price: varies
- Contact: myfavouritemagazines.co.uk
Enigma titanium skewers
These QR skewers from custom titanium experts Enigma are simple, elegant and weigh a paltry 38g per pair. Machined from 6AL 2.5V titanium, heat treated and anodised – they’re perfect if you’re looking to put the finishing touches on your pride and joy, or shave precious grams off a minimalist steed. What’s more, they’re British.
- Price: £49.95
- Contact: enigmabikes.com
Icetoolz Comprehensive Tool Kit
It’s amazing how many people spend thousands on new bikes every year but don’t invest a fraction of that in a quality tool set. This one is good value with all the essential tools a home mechanic might need – it should pay for itself after a couple of jobs.
- Price: £44.95
- Contact: windwave.co.uk
Parktool CT-4 Master Chain Tool
Trying to break and join a chain with a cheap chain tool can bring a grown man to tears. Help the rider in your life to learn to love the process with this well designed chain tool. It’s ergonomic and easy to use, with a chain link pocket that holds the chain firmly in place.
- Price: £50
- Contact: ultimatepursuits.co.uk
£80 - £100
Handpresso Wild
Fancy adding some luxury to your rides in 2009? Now you can make a trailside espresso using only air, hot water and this handy gadget. When you get to the top of the hill watch your mates’ faces drop as you pump the Handpresso’s handle and inject a shot of piping-hot espresso into your cup.
- Price: £80
- Contact: handpresso.fr
Limited edition prints
Pro mountain bike photographer and regular BikeRadar contributor Seb Rogers has a range of signed, limited edition prints available, each one is a triptych of three themed images mounted, signed and individually numbered in a 20x60cm (8x24in) frame.
- Price: £99.00
- More details: Seb Rogers blog
BRAND-X NOMAD X90 pressure washer
How often do you find yourself staring at your mud-caked bike days after a ride? This pressure washer, with its own tank and a motor that runs off a car cigarette lighter, is perfect for cleaning a bike at an event or in a trail centre car park.
- Price: £84.99
- Contact: chainreactioncycles.com
Hope ceramic bottom bracket
Join the ceramic revolution with Hope’s super-smooth bottom bracket. Its slippery bearings reduce friction, meaning it takes less effort to turn the cranks. You can then put all that saved energy to use pumping your trailside espresso maker.
- Price: £90
- Contact: hopetech.com
Sombrio Dwell jacket
What looks like herringbone tweed, is warmer than birthday best wishes, repels water like a duck’s back and is made from the wonder material of the Seventies? That’ll be the stylish new Dwell nylon bike jacket from Vancouver-based meisters of mountain bike cool Sombrio.
- Price: £99.99
- Contact: paligapltd.co.uk
£100
Kona longboard
Can’t get enough of carving turns on the trails? This quality Kona -branded longboard skateboard is easy to ride and lets you surf the black stuff too. As much fun as you can have on four wheels.
- Price: £140
- Contact: paligapltd.co.uk
Campagnolo Big corkscrew
An expensive but exquisitely-made corkscrew from the inventors of the quick-release skewer. It will remove corks easily from bottles of red or white, and will even do a rosé, if you must. The perfect addition to the cycling enthusiast’s collection.
- Price: £131.99
- Contact: chickencycles.co.uk
Oregon Scientific ATC5K helmet camera
Record your off-road adventures with this all-in-one camera from Oregon Scientific. The 1.5in colour LCD screen allows you to view exactly where the lens is pointing and what the video will look like. It can take SD cards up to 4GB and is waterproof and shockproof.
- Price: £149.99
- Contact: actioncameras.co.uk
Garmin Edge 305 GPS
Whether you want to be able to navigate across the Yorkshire Moors by GPS or just have a comprehensive bike and heart rate computer that always knows the score without calibration or messy wires, the Garmin Edge 305 is just the job.
- Price: £199.99
- Contact: ultimatepursuits.co.uk
