Here’s the best way to use this gift guide. Give it a good read. Then leave it open on your monitor, or phone or tablet. If it’s a portable device you’re using, make sure its battery is well-charged. Then leave the phone or tablet in a conspicuous place, open to the gift guide. The kitchen table is good. Coffee table in the living room: also good. Be subtle, but not too subtle. It’s good to get the message out there.
For the rider who needs a bit of help keeping everything organized (which is probably most of us), the Thule RoundTrip duffel ($190, thule.com) is like a checklist and bag in one. Little logos indicate the best spots for a helmet and sunglasses. Stow dirty shoes in their own compartment. With the duffel’s smart layout, a rider shouldn’t forget anything for a race or big trip.
Top Headgear
It’s called the Campagnolo cap ($45, campagnolo.com), but we Canadians know what it really is: a tuque. This tuque is soft and floppy. It’s for a hip rider who needs some warmth off-bike.
The Rapha Peaked Merino hat ($70, rapha.cc/ca) combines the temperature-regulating abilities of wool with a windproof panel at the front. It fits under a helmet well. The winter cyclist on your list will want to wear this from October to April.
The Biemme Summer cap ($25, biemmeamerica.ca) is a classic, and stylish, casquette for big rides with long coffee breaks on bright patios.
The Specialized/Fjällräven bucket hat ($70, specialized.com/ca) not only keeps the sun off, but its mesh sweat band on the inside snags moisture. It packs up nicely into a handlebar or frame bag.
The Bollé C-Shifter sunglasses ($200, bolle.com) with Volt technology enhance colour contrast on the road. The Cat. 3 lens, with its 16 per cent visible light transmission, makes it great for bright, sunny days. Thermogrip rubber at the temple tips and nosepiece keep the sunnies in place.
The Lifts and Trails Mountain Bike Edition game ($42, liftsandruns.com) can keep the family’s stoke going when singletrack in under snow. It’s a snakes and ladders-style game created by six-year-old Rio MacDonald of Whistler. Let ’er rip!
This box set of four Rapha handbooks ($70, rapha.cc/ca) has information for cyclists of all abilities. Beginners will find a lot of useful information in Getting Started in Road Cycling. Riders ready to tackle more challenging…
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