10 Christmas gift ideas from Freewheel

Bad news, it's December. If, like us, you spent the whole of November putting off doing any Christmas shopping, well, it's business time now and it's best to get something done before the panic really starts to set in. 

In the best interests of being prepared - and in an attempt to provide some inspiration to anyone who dreads coming up with gift ideas - below are 10 (ish) things from Freewheel that we think are good options for all kinds of cyclists, from commuters to roadies to mountain bikers and a few things that'll fit all of those categories. 

Dynaplug Megapill and Racer Pro

Probably the best tubeless repair tool money can buy, Dynaplug is a perfect present for anyone who cycles a lot and runs their tyres tubeless. It's worth pointing out here that if you dont know whether the cyclist in question runs tubeless and ask them then you might give the game away, especially if you've previously shown little to no interest in their bikes or riding but still, those are the risks you have to take. 

Dynaplug, in combination with a good sealant, basically makes tubeless a viable option on all types of bikes. Tubeless has been a thing in MTB for a while now, but gravel and road bikes are catching on, the latter taking a little longer because higher pressures make tyres more difficult to seal, but that's literally where Dynaplug comes in. If you puncture just stick the Dynaplug through the hole in the tyre and when you remove it you'll be left with a little viscoelastic core that helps to fill the hole with the sealant blocking any small gaps that are left. 

If you're an off-road rider, the Megapill is a one-stop shop with everything you need to fix a punture out in the wild. It comes with Megaplugs (for larger tyre repairs), standard plus, insertion tools for both, a micro knife and a pipe cleaner, all packed into a smart, alloy, anodised pill-shaped holder. On the other hand, roadies might prefer the Racer Pro which is a slimline tool, easier to slip into a jersey pocket and pre-loaded for super quick repairs. 

FIST Gloves

If, in the true spirit of the season, you want to buy something rather jazzy for someone at Christmas, FIST might be exactly what you're looking for. For the avid mountain biker or MX rider, FIST gloves come in a huge variety of extremely eye-catching designs from Evil Knievel to doughnuts to dinosaurs. Basically if you can't find a FIST glove with a design for you, then you're after something that probably doesnt exist. 

HUMP backpack cover

If the cyclist in your life is primarily a commuter then quality, hardy, high vis clothing/accessories are very important. HUMP is a brand dedicated solely to people who commute by bike or ride in urban areas. Their range is designed to help protect your from the elements and make sure you're seen even in low light conditions (or the dark, the lowest of all light conditions). 

Our utilitarian pick from HUMP is the always-useful backpack cover. You've probably spent a lot of time thinking about how to keep yourself warm and dry on the bike, but with most bags not being waterproof a backpack cover is an absolutely essential bit of kit for any two-wheeled commuter. The Original backpack cover fits bags from 15-35 litres capacity and is fully waterproof with reflective detailing to make sure you're still seen out on the roads. 

If you need something for a larger bag, the HUMP Big Waterproof backpack cover fits bags up to 50L with adjustable straps to make sure the fit is as secure as possible. And for the really safety-conscious the HUMP Shine bag cover is fully reflective and will light you up like Oxford Street in December under car headlights, it's a really impressive bit of kit. 

Kryptonite Messenger Mini+

One of the sad facts of life is that if you're going to leave your bike anywhere in public, you really need a lock. It really shouldn't be the case, but leaving your bike unattended is a risk - even just for a few minutes - and the strength of the lock needs to reflect the conditions in which your leaving it. If you're just popping inside a shop for 5mins, then a heavy, super durable lock might be a bit big and bulky to carry around, but if you're locking it up for the day when you go to work, you'll want something as tough as possible to make sure that it's still there for the ride home. 

Kryptonite are one of the best respected names in the lock world, making locks for bikes, eBikes, motorcycles and even some for stuff like snowmobiles, believe it or not. As such, they have a wide range of different locks for different purposes ranging from stuff like the Messenger Mini+ - designed to be highly secure but also more portable - all the way up to the real heavy duty locks like the New York Standard and Fahgettaboudit and their chain counterparts which are the sort of things that even the most dedicated bike thief will think twice before trying to break. 

Wheels Manufacturing Bottom Brackets

The bottom bracket is one of the less heralded but very important parts of a bike. Fundamental, in fact, as it's the bit that allows your cranks to turn as you pedal. Now you might think that bottom brackets are a bit boring and sure, they're not as flashy as a new set of wheels or fancy carbon components, but Wheels Manufacturing are doing their bit to bring BBs mainstream with their upcoming colour options. 

Previously WheelsMFG has offered BBs in two colours: red or black. But now there's a whole variety of anodised colours to give your bike that little extra touch and complete your dream build. Choose a colour that matches or opt for one that stands out. Either way you wont be disappointed. 

Finish Line Mechanic Grip Gloves

It might not be the most glamorous item here but hear us out: workshop gloves are an essential for anyone who likes to maintain/tinker with their bike at home. Sure, you can use disposable gloves, but they're not the most eco-friendly option and they're also not super hardy for the tougher jobs whereas something like Finish Lines Mechanic Grip Gloves really do make things a little more enjoyable. 

As well as being easier to get on and off, they breathe better so you're not left with sweaty, sticky hands when to take them off, and they're more comfortable to wear for longer periods of time. They're also machine washable so you can give them a clean every now and then to get the grime and grease off. Plus, at £4.99, they're really cheap for something you're likely to get an awful lot of use from. 

Ridgeback Scoot

There are various schools of thought about how to teach children to ride bikes. One is the classic stabilisers approach, but that has its disadvantages when it comes to learning how to balance a bike correctly. That's why Ridegback Bikes are all-in on the balance bike approach. If you've not heard of one, a balance bike is essentially a bike without pedals that operates a bit more like a scooter with a saddle. The child sits on the saddle and moves themselves about by pushing with their feet, learning to balance the bike (see the theme here?) while being used to a sitting position and raised handlebars, but their feet are close enough to the ground at all times that putting a foot down to steady themselves is never a problem. 

It'll come as no surprise that the Ridgeback balance range is called Scoot, for very obvious reasons, and they're the perfect way to introduce a child to getting about on two wheels. 

Elite Suito-T

Yes, this is in a different price bracket to pretty much everything else on the list, but who's to say that some of you haven't been really, really good this year? There's absolutely no doubt that during a British winter there are an awful lot of days where riding outside just isn't the most appealing proposition. Having a turbo trainer gives you the option to ride on those days where you really dont want to be outside but still fancy turning the pedals.

With +/- 2.5% power accuracy, gradient simulation up to 15% and a max power output of 2,900 watts at 60kph, the Suito-T is an incredibly capable trainer, so much so that you'll almost certainly hit your own limits before you challenge those of the turbo. The other very handy feature of the Suito is that it folds up into a very compact, regular shape, making it easy to stow under a bed, for example, if you dont have the space to leave it set up full time. 

Park Tool Hex Wrenches or Sliding T-Handle Hex Wrench Set

Okay, so now it's time for some honesty. Who reading this has either bought the cheapset hex wrench set possible, or checked their current set to see whether they still have sharp edges and engage properly? Come on now, more hands should be in the air. There we are. Despite being probably the most common tool in a workshop, a surprising number of people have either cheaped out on their hex wrenches or use sets that should have be sent to tool heaven years ago. 

Since almost everything on a bike tightens and loosens using either hex or torx bolts, your corresponding tools need to be quality, because rounding out a bolt can be anywhere from a minor inconvenience to a major problem. Plus a quality set isn't mega money, either. Park Tool's HXS-1.2 is just £28.99 and will last you for a very long time providing you treat them well. As ever, though, there is a premium version for super keen mechanics and tool fetishists alike, and that's the THH-1, a beautiful set of sliding T-handle wrenches that combine form with function to make something that's nice to look at and even nicer to use. Treat yourself (or someone else, which we guess is more in the spirit of the season). 

Quad Lock

As simple but brilliant ideas go, Quad Lock really is top of the pile. A simple, quarter turn locking mechanism for your phone, Quad Lock means that you can use one case to attach your phone to your bike, your car windscreen, or anywhere creative that you can think to put one of their sticky mounts (no, not there. Be decent). 

All you need is either a purpose made Quad Lock case for your phone or one of their universal adapters that you can stick to the back of your existing case to make it Quad Lock compatible. For a bike you then need one of their variety of bike mounts like the Out Front Mount Pro or the Stem/Bar Mount and then you're ready to go with the most powerful bike computer you can get sitting right there on your bike