Last minute Christmas gifts for cyclists – very last minute ideas + lots more for the cyclist in your life

Ceramic coatings are all the rage in the automotive scene so why not treat the cyclist in your life to a ceramic coating for their bike too. Ceramic coatings create a durable, hydrophobic layer on the bike’s surfaces, repelling water, dirt, and contaminants which not only keeps a bike looking pristine but also makes it easier to clean.

The Wax Is Dead bike ceramic coating is expensive but the effects are claimed to last two years and the bottle does multiple bikes. It can be applied to all exterior surfaces, including matt or gloss paint, metal, plastic and titanium. It also works on top of existing frame protection and is even said to help prevent it yellowing.

Wax Is Dead advises you to place your order by 9am on Tuesday 23rd December for UK delivery before Christmas.

The Monton Pro Suutu Merino Socks are soft, warm and cosy, and they’re shaped specifically for each foot so they fit closely with no pressure.

The fine merino wool fibres don’t feel at all scratchy, while Spandex (aka Lycra aka elastane) adds to the stretchiness and nylon and polyester help with durability. The merino wool provides insulation against the cold and helps to wick sweat away from the skin when things warm up. The level of comfort on offer here is high.

If you’re fed up with your partner’s bike leaning on the wall in the living room, the Hornit Clug Pro is a great gift. It’s a beautifully simple but very effective storage solution, particularly where space is at a premium. It takes up almost no space when a bike is not in place and the minimalist design is unobtrusive within a home or office space. 

It attaches easily to any wall and the Fidlock function adds extra security and reassurance. The magnetic winch works incredibly well and it’s strong enough to hold up to 30kg, according to Hornit. 

Axa’s Kabelschloss Roll Lock is a valuable last-minute stocking filler. It’s not intended to be the last word in bike security but it will deter opportunistic thieves from targeting your pride and joy when you stop at the cafe, pub or corner shop. 

Its size and weight are its big selling points, taking up very little space in a saddle bag, rucksack pouch, jacket or jersey pocket. The Roll Lock is a three-digit combination setup that is easy to use and the 75cm cable is enough to lock a rear wheel and frame to a post. 

It’s pretty much a given that everyone carries tyre levers when out riding. Even if the gift recipient is a tubeless tyre user, the chances are that they carry a lightweight backup tube from the likes of Tubolito or Schwalbe and a set of levers. Topeak’s Power Lever Pro is a set of tyre levers that does so much more.

It has three core functions: tyre levers, a chain tool, and master link pliers, as well as two additional minor functions: storage for a spare master link, and providing a chain hook to make chain breaking and assembly easy. It’s an excellent chain tool that’s light and compact, and you get the bonus of those tyre levers thrown in. 

Defeet’s Duragloves are a modern classic – simple, with a good amount of grip thanks to the gummy logos all over the palms and fingers. They’re great for spring and autumn use, and also milder winter days when it’s not cold enough to need a windproof option.

The Duragloves are incredibly hardwearing and will probably last for years. Available in a range of colours, these come with silver yarn at the ends of the thumbs and first two fingers to allow you to operate touchscreen devices without the need to expose your hands in cold weather. They’re awesome!

The Cycplus AS2 Pro mini pump is an excellent roadside option for getting going as quickly as possible with the minimum of fuss. It’s a small alloy-bodied electric pump, measuring 70x49x28mm and weighing in at 138g. 

A great upgrade from a traditional mini pump, it features a 420mAh internal battery capable of inflating tyres up to 120psi. For anyone on the fence about switching to an electric pump, this makes a great gift – speeding up roadside repairs and taking some of the effort out of mid-ride fixes.

The Knog Scout is an effective combination of a tracker and a very loud and sensitive alarm that will easily attract attention, adding some peace of mind when you leave your bike in a public space. 

The Scout can be mounted in two ways, either fitted beneath a bottle cage (the stealthy option) or out in full view in a bright yellow cover (the deterrence option). The tracker works in the same way as an Apple AirTag, essentially using other people’s phones to identify where the Scout is. Also, you control the Scout predominantly through the Knog app and Apple’s Find My app.

If you like listening to music on your bike then it’s a good idea to use an open-ear design so that you can hear other stuff that’s going on around you. The OpenRock S2 Open-Ear True Wireless Earbuds are a great choice as they offer really good sound quality, unbeatable battery life, and you can hear the traffic too.

They work well with a helmet and glasses on and are supremely comfortable to wear because you’re not putting any pressure on any part of your ear.

Probably the first thing you’d ask if you’ve been in the market for a pair of open-ear headphones is: how does the sound compare with bone-conduction headphones? And the basic answer to that question is easy: it’s much better. The other advantage over bone-conduction headphones is that the sound doesn’t alter when you move your jawbone, which is used to transfer sound. If you’ve ever tried eating while wearing bone-conduction headphones, you’ll know why this can be an issue.

Apidura’s Packable Backpack is an excellent cycle-specific backpack that squashes down to almost nothing when not in use (measuring 7 x 8 x 9cm in its packed form) making it a cracking solution for when you need to carry unexpected loads in pretty much any situation, on or off the bike. 

It’s made from tough waterproof material, with a surprising number of technical features such as elasticated mesh pockets and reflective strips. There are cheaper options but Apidura offers a lifetime materials and workmanship warranty and will help with repairs where needed.

To ensure that Apidura gear arrives in time for Christmas, place your order by Friday December 19th.

The DK Sonic Ultrasonic Cleaner – 6 litre is an extremely impressive albeit expensive product that works incredibly well at cleaning dirt, grime, and oil from drivetrain components or any other small parts. For those who have more than one bike or who always want the cleanest components, this is a great gift.

If you don’t know what an ultrasonic cleaner is, it essentially creates microscopic bubbles in water, which can generate underneath dirt and lift it off the component. This makes it ideal for cleaning smaller parts that are difficult to clean by hand, most notably cassettes and chains.

The DK Sonic Ultrasonic Cleaner is available in various sizes at differing prices.

A lot of rear lights look cheap and plasticky but the Exposure Boost-R is anything but. You get an anodised aluminium body, a high-capacity rechargeable battery, and a red XPE-R LED.

It’s bright enough to get noticed whatever the conditions, and you can select from a range of different modes and runtimes, so you can choose what’s right for any particular ride. It might be more expensive than a lot of rear lights out there, but it’s a lot better too, and should last years.

If you buy from Tredz, you should order before Friday 19th December for Christmas delivery.

Further, by Michael Hutchinson, explores every aspect of endurance racing and how each one influences another. It is meticulously researched, yet easy to read and is guaranteed to appeal to anyone with a slight interest in long distance events.

Hutchinson presents factual content brilliantly, retelling stories with sarcasm and wit throughout. It’s a book that informs as much as it entertains, and would make a great read for the cyclist in your life.

Stiff full-carbon soles, a comfortable fit, twin-dial closure… These have all the features you’d expect of top-end shoes at a fraction of the price of rivals from other brands. Yes, £169.99 is still a lot to spend on a pair of shoes, but for the quality on offer, these are an absolute bargain.

If you’re bothered by the fact that the white finish is bound to get dirty in winter conditions, black and purple options are available too.

Decathlon, the owner of the Van Rysel brand, advises that you order by Friday 19th December for Christmas delivery.