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BUYER'S GUIDE

Last minute Christmas gifts for cyclists 2023 — very last minute ideas + lots more for the cyclist in your life

If you've left it late, here are some top cycling gift ideas, plus all you need to know about final online purchasing and delivery dates

This article contains links to retailers. Purchases made after clicking on those links may help support road.cc by earning us a commission but all of our reviews are fully independent. Find out more about road.cc buyer's guides.

Are you still on the lookout for the ideal gift for that special cyclist in your life? Fear not, as we've curated a selection of eleventh-hour suggestions to make your choice easier. Time's ticking, so let's take a look at these last-minute gems. 


Last year, Royal Mail strikes meant you couldn't leave your ordering quite so last minute and despite this not impacting Amazon or other couriers, everything was busier as a result. 

Even though there aren't any strikes this year, we recommend against taking it easy for a few more days. With just a few days left, it's best to get on the case immediately. Alternatively, you can always keep it local by visiting your local bike shop and asking what they'd suggest, the good old-fashioned way. 

Final posting dates

Fortunately, this weekend provides the perfect opportunity to scroll through the internet using this gift guide, ensuring your orders arrive before Christmas.

Royal Mail's final posting dates are: 

  • Monday 18th December - Second Class, including signed-for
  • Wednesday 20th December - First Class, including signed-for
  • Thursday 21st December - Special Delivery Guaranteed
  • Friday 22nd December - Special Delivery Guaranteed (Saturday delivery for an extra fee)

For Amazon, you have until Tuesday 19th December for standard deliveries and Friday 22nd December for Prime members, but it's advised you double-check delivery dates before you click buy it now. 

The next-day delivery final posting dates to the United Kingdom for some major retailers, such as Wiggle and Chain Reaction Cycles, are Wednesday 20th December. However, note that the final posting date for bikes has already passed.

Halfords offers next-day delivery until Thursday 21st December, while ProBikeKit and Evans Cycles extend their deadlines to Friday 22nd December. 

E-vouchers

If you really are stuck for choice, e-gift vouchers to their preferred cycling retailer make an excellent choice. These are typically sent out automatically via email, so you could even order them on Christmas morning if necessary. With Wiggle and Chain Reaction still in administration, neither are currently offering gift vouchers, but here are some other options: 

Right then, here are our top last-minute picks for cyclists this Christmas. If you're looking for more options, check out our other 2023 Christmas Gift Guides. You might still find some of the items included in those are available for next-day delivery!

Last minute Christmas gifts for cyclists

Axa Roll Lock

Axa Roll Lock

8
Easy-to-use deterrent lock
Buy now for £13.85 from Amazon UK
Easy to use
Compact
Light
Tyre levers aren't for stiff beads

Axa's roll lock is a valuable last-minute stocking filler, costing around a tenner I'd say it's worth it to 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 which is easy to use and the 75cm cable is enough to lock a rear wheel and frame to a post. 

If ordering from Amazon you have until Tuesday 19th December for standard deliveries and Friday 22nd December for Prime members but it's worth double checking the delivery dates on all orders. 

Albion Winter Socks

Albion Winter Socks

8
It's traditional
Buy now for £20 from Albion Cycling
Warm
Comfortable
Great fit
Soft
Subtle good looks
A few more colours would be nice

Socks? Christmas? It’s traditional. Most cyclists will be only too happy to get a pair of cycling socks, particularly some winter socks to help keep their feet toasty. There are loads to choose from and you can check out our cycling sock guide. 

Albion's winter socks stand out, especially if you prefer a different feel than merino socks. These socks are brilliant at keeping your feet warm and comfortable during the winter, and they boast an excellent fit as well. They are available in two colours - black or orange, and cover sizes from three up to 13. 

These can be purchased from Albion direct who use either Royal Mail or DPD. Royal Mail Tracked 24 hours is free this week or you can order on or before the 20th December for it to arrive in time for Christmas via DPD. 

Hornit Clug Pro

Hornit Clug Pro

9
An effective storage solution
Buy now for £25.99 from Amazon UK
Simple to install
Minimal, low-profile design
Durable
Suits all wall types
Price
Minor issues at either end of fit range

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 minimal design would look good 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. 

It's available from Amazon until 22nd December with next-day delivery. 

 

Topeak Power Lever Pro

Topeak Power Lever Pro

9
The gift of gadgetry
Buy now for £29.99 from Certini
Three key functions
Excellent chain tool, up to 13-speed
Compact
Light
Can be confusing to use the pliers
Don't over-tighten the chain pin
Tyre levers aren't for stiff beads

It's pretty much a given that everyone carries – or should carry – tyre levers when out riding. Even if you're a 100% tubeless convert you should pack a lightweight back-up tube from the likes of Tubolito or Schwalbe and a set of levers. So if you need to carry levers, why not use them as – er – levers, to drive other tool functions?

Topeak's Power Lever Pro has three core functions: tyre levers, a chain tool, and master link pliers as well as two additional minor functions are storage for a spare master link, and having a chain hook to make chain breaking or assembly easy. It's an excellent chain tool that's light and compact with the bonus of being tyre levers too. 

Certini uses Royal Mail so check their final posting dates listed above. 

Wax Is Dead Bike Ceramic Coating

Wax Is Dead Bike Ceramic Coating

9
To keep their bike pristine
Buy now for £45 from Wax Is Dead
Easy to apply
Protects against scratches
Big initial outlay
Prep is fiddly and time consuming

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.

Apidura Packable Backpack 13L

Apidura Packable Backpack (13L)

9
A practical cycling gift
Buy now for £46 from Apidura
Packs very, very small
Attaches to your bike
Roll-top fits and squashes around odd shapes
Very light
Fits well
Reflective
External pockets
Waterproof, tear-resistant material
Not cheap

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.

Apidura uses Royal Mail so check their final posting dates listed above. 

Knog Scout Bike Alarm and Finder

Knog Scout Bike Alarm and Finder

9
Added security
Buy now for £42.99 from Sigma Sports
Easy to use
Loud and sensitive alarm
Find My functionality
Screws could be longer ​
No current Android support

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) and the tracker works in the same way as an 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 ordering from Sigma Sports, all orders received by 18th December 2022 will be sent on time for Christmas. 

The Road Book 2023 Cycling Almanack

The Road Book 2023 Cycling Almanack

10
A classic Christmas gift
Buy now for £55 from The Road Book
Maintains the high standard set from the start

The Road Book 2023 returns for a sixth year, and once again lives up to being 'the ultimate chronicle of the 2023 season of our great sport'. There are already some collectors who are committed to buying every new edition when it appears, but for those who don't, The Road Book is as good as ever and will keep the cyclist in your life busy as they relive the whole 2023 cycling season in incredible detail.

The Road Book is expensive but helping with the value-for-money equation is the fact that the latest offering is the biggest yet: at 992 pages. You can also use the code 23ROADCC at checkout to receive a 15% discount on this year's book.

OneOdio OpenRock S Open-Ear Air Conduction Sport Earbuds

OneOdio OpenRock S Open-Ear Air Conduction Sport Earbuds

9
Very comfortable to wear
Buy now for £89.99 from Amazon UK
Comfortable
Good quality sound
Excellent battery life
Touch controls are fiddly
Case is pretty big

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 OneOdio OpenRock S Open-Ear Air Conduction Sport 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 what I mean.

Van Rysel Men's Long-Sleeved Road Cycling Winter Jacket Racer Extreme

Van Rysel Men's Long-Sleeved Road Cycling Winter Jacket Racer Extreme

8
For cold winter days
Buy now for £89.99 from Decathlon
Versatile with detachable thermal layers
Windproofing is brilliant
Lots of pockets, including a zippered phone-sized one
Three colour options
Really warm
Heavy
No vents or two-way main zip

The Van Rysel Men's Long-sleeved Road Cycling Winter Jacket Racer Extreme is a competitively-priced, water repellent and impressively windproof winter jacket. It's well made and contains zips and buttons aplenty for detachable thermal layers, and with its tight performance fit, this is very much a serious cycling option.

It's a snug fit, which Van Rysel calls Pro Fit, and be aware they're not exaggerating. You're advised to size up if you want 'more volume,' and you may well want that indeed.

It's available in three colours - fluro lime yellow, abyss grey and bordeaux, and will arrive in time for Christmas if you order before December 20th on Decathlon's website. 

Zwift Play

Zwift Play

7
For avid Zwift users
Buy now for £99 from Zwift
Easy to fit
Wide range of functions
Good battery life
Brake/steering paddle a bit vague
Slow to pair
Can't turn braking off

As an alternative to an Xbox or Play Station, Zwift Play controllers enable an immersive and engaging virtual cycling experience for the cyclist in your life - if they use Zwift that is. The controllers put you in control of everything on Zwift from your handlebars, replacing nearly everything that you'd need a keyboard to do, and they unlock new immersive gameplay, thanks to steering and braking controls.

You can order them from Zwift direct and they're currently on sale for £99 from £149. 

DK Sonic Ultrasonic Cleaner - 6 litre

DK Sonic Ultrasonic Cleaner - 6 litre

9
For the cleanest components
Buy now for £149.99 from Ebay
Saves a huge amount of time on cleaning
Gets components cleaner than you ever could by hand
Quick and easy to use
More expensive than normal cleaning solutions
Can't be used for anything with bearings
Not big enough to clean large chainrings in one go
Not recommended for carbon components

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 of us who have more than one bike or who always want the cleanest components, this is a great buy.

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 them ideal for cleaning smaller parts that are difficult to clean by hand, most notably cassettes and chains.

You can use the unit to clean a large number of components of multiple materials. That said, there is a debate about whether you can use it on carbon components; some say it's fine, others say it is risky as you could theoretically delaminate the layup whilst doing it.

Let us know your last minute gift ideas in the comments section below

Emily is our track and road racing specialist, having represented Great Britain at the World and European Track Championships. With a National Title up her sleeve, Emily has just completed her Master’s in Sports Psychology at Loughborough University where she raced for Elite Development Team, Loughborough Lightning.

Emily is our go-to for all things training and when not riding or racing bikes, you can find her online shopping or booking flights…the rest of the office is now considering painting their nails to see if that’s the secret to going fast…

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9 comments

Avatar
froze | 3 months ago
0 likes

That AXA Roll lock is a joke, I bet a fingernail clipper could slice through it!

People, don't buy expensive bike boutique bike frame wax or washes, that Ceramic stuff is $45 for a small bottle, you can use any automotive Ceramic wax product you want, and a much larger bottle will cost you about $18.  Buy the automotive stuff and kill two birds with one stone, use it on your car and your bike.  I buy Meguiars spray on Ceramic Hybrid wax, with 26 ounces of product for just $18, and this stuff works amazing, I made one of my bikes I had that I gave to my grandson look virtually brand new, the paint just glowed after I used that Meguiars Ceramic stuff and that bike is 40 years old!  The same effect I got when I used it on my car.  Meguairs product is very easy to apply.  I now use that Meguairs product on all my vehicles and bikes.  

I used to have classic cars and used a lot of Meguairs products over the years because they work, so I know a good shine when I see it.  Ceramic is not a patented product that one company has the rights to, there are other automotive products using ceramic, if your country doesn't have Meguairs products, not a big deal, find a well-known wax company that does have it in your area.

Avatar
Simon E | 3 months ago
1 like

I have one just like that Axa lock and I won't use it. One good tug and I reckon it would split apart while the wire could be cut in a couple of seconds with tin snips. It's also not much of a visual deterrent.

If you want something for the café stop or nipping into a shop I'd prefer a cheap combination chain or a coiled cable lock. You can find them on the big auction site and elsewhere for less than £10.

Avatar
Brauchsel replied to Simon E | 3 months ago
0 likes

I think they're only really meant to be deterrents against the (very) opportunist thief who sees the chance to get on an unattended bike and ride off with zero disturbance. 

Mine (from a different manufacturer) doesn't come apart when pulled, although doubtless even small bolt croppers would make short work of it. 

It's smaller than my phone though, and I don't want to be lugging a chain or cable around for the (very) unusual occasion that I leave my "good" bike beyond arm's length on a ride. It's better than nothing, and serves its purpose as long as you don't treat it like a real lock. 

Avatar
Sriracha replied to Simon E | 3 months ago
1 like

I've often wondered whether just closing a small padlock around the chain would foil opportunist thieves. It wouldn't stop those who carry the bikes off on a moped etc, but you couldn't just pedal the bike away, neither could you remove the padlock with wire cutters etc. And bolt croppers or an angle grinder would probably be too unwieldy.

Avatar
Creakingcrank replied to Sriracha | 3 months ago
1 like

Padlock on the brake disc (if you have them)? Motorbikes use that approach sometimes. Always room for user error with very discrete locks though. I broke a spoke on my e-bike by rolling it off the kickstand with the axa wheel lock still engaged. Duh.

Avatar
HoldingOn replied to Simon E | 3 months ago
1 like

Its apparently not very good for stiff beads either

Image: 
Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to Simon E | 3 months ago
0 likes
Simon E wrote:

I have one just like that Axa lock and I won't use it. One good tug and I reckon it would split apart while the wire could be cut in a couple of seconds with tin snips. It's also not much of a visual deterrent.

You can usually cut through those thin cable wires with just a pair of scissors.

Avatar
ktache | 3 months ago
0 likes

If you really love them, something from Wolf tools.

If you really love the, something from Abbey.

Avatar
mark1a | 3 months ago
0 likes
road.cc wrote:

Zwift Play
For avid Zwift users

Should read:

"For avid Zwift users who don't use a smart bike, TT bars, flat bars, sprint shifters or Campagnolo thumb shifters"