Our pick of the best gifts to treat your riding buddies (or yourself) with this festive season

Christmas is just around the corner, and yes, we’re allowed to say the ‘C’ word now because it’s officially December. From new winter riding kit to …., we’ve put together a selection of some of the gifts we’d be happy to receive under the tree. And there’s not a pizza cutter or novelty pair of pants in sight!

You don’t need to spend a fortune, either. Us mountain bikers are simple creatures, we just want to get outside and ride. So anything that will help us to do so or keep our bikes running through the winter slop will be greatly appreciated. Of course, if Santa wanted to drop off a new bike, we wouldn’t refuse…

Rapha Trail GORE-TEX Pants – £250

Rapha Trail GORE-TEX Pants

Rapha Trail GORE-TEX Pants

Made in both men’s and women’s fits, the Rapha Trail GORE-TEX Pants are ideal for combatting the winter slopfest. They’re high-performance and waterproof thanks to the GORE-TEX fabric, as well as incorporating a DWR finish for even more weather resistance.

The fully taped seams also help to keep you dry even after several hours on the trail or at the bike park. We love a good waterproof trail pant, and these fit the bill for the UK if you’re continuing to hit the trails throughout winter.

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Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 – £169

Shokz OpenRun Pro 2

Shokz OpenRun Pro 2

Is there anything better than hitting the trail and having some tunes or a podcast blasting through your ears? Well, yes – hitting the trail, listening to tunes AND being able to hear everything around you. The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 premium bone-conduction headphones help to keep you aware of your surroundings whilst providing crystal-clear audio.

The battery life lasts up to 10 hours and they are sweat and water-resistant, so ideal for winter trail riding. The OpenRun Pro 2 is Shokz’ flagship offering, and you can choose between different sized bands and three colours.

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Cube Stray Helmet – £69.95

CUBE Stray helmet 1 green

CUBE Stray helmet 1 green

Available in six colours, the Stray helmet is designed to make sure you get down the hills fast, safe and in style. It’s equipped with the latest Mips technology, with added coverage for the neck and a break-away visor to ensure maximum protection for your head.

13 vents help you to keep a cool head while riding – uphill and downhill. On the back Cube has also integrated its new X-Lock System for mounting a heap of compatible accessories like lights and more. The helmet is now available at your local Cube dealer and direct from here.

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Selle Italia SLR Boost 3D saddle – £409.99

Selle Italia SLR Boost 3D saddle

Selle Italia SLR Boost 3D saddle

A more luxurious gift than most on this list, but comfort on the bike shouldn’t be overlooked – particularly if you’re doing more cross-country riding than downhill runs. The Selle Italia SLR Boost 3D saddle combines Carbon DLS technology with a 3D printed cover to provide targeted support and progressive cushioning.

There are different rail types and sizes of saddle to choose from so you can ensure you get the perfect fit for your ride.

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Cadence Bike Computer App for iPhone and Android – $20/$40 per year

Cadence bike app

Cadence bike app

Not everyone wants or needs a dedicated bike computer, which is where the Cadence Bike Computer App comes in. Download the app and turn your phone into a cycling companion, with customisable screens and over 150 metrics to choose from.

You can also connect your Bluetooth sensors like your heart rate monitor, radar and power meters. The app also allows turn-by-turn navigation, Strava live segments and analysis for after your ride. Subscriptions start at $20 for the year.

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Cycling UK 12-month gift membership – from £2.84/month

From touring the countryside to descending a mountainside, Cycling UK has campaigned for better off-road access for over 145 years – only made possible with the support of their members. A gift membership from Cycling UK not only supports their work, but it includes peace-of-mind insurance, a dedicated legal advice line, and loads of exclusive discounts on new gear and gadgets. Plus, with their magazine Cycle delivered every two months, it really is a gift that lasts for the whole year’

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Scicon Race Day Gear Bag – £95

Have a budding racer on your gift giving list this year? This Race Day Gear Bag from Scicon is incredibly useful for packing all your race-day kit, rather than using an old Sainsbury’s bag from the cupboard. It’s got separate marked pockets for different bits of kit like your gloves, warmers, jerseys etc.

And when you’re done racing, you can store your wet/used kit in the separate waterproof pocket to keep it away from clean clothes. There are also areas to store your helmet and shoes.

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SKS Mudrocker Mudguards – £66

If you don’t already own mudguards, these are one of our top picks for keeping the slop off you and your bike this winter. They’re designed with functionality and durability in mind, and made in Germany from impact-resistant plastic.

They’re easy to install and provide enough coverage on the front and/or rear wheels to keep mud and debris at bay. You can buy these mudguards as a set for £66, or separately for £32 for the front and £36 for the rear.

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Ravemen PR1400 Front Light – £109.99

With daylight so limited in the winter months, it’s almost inevitable you’ll be caught out by the sun disappearing before you’re ready to head home from the trail. This front light from Ravemen offers up to 1,400 lumens of output, meaning it’s ideal for night rides as well as riding to and from the trail.

It’s IPX8 waterproof rated, so ideal for the British winter, and can also be used as a power bank to charge your phone as you ride. The display shows you the runtime left and it comes with a wired button for easy use.

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The Gift of Cycling Through Winter With Rouvy – £129/year

When the trails are just too sloppy or it’s freezing outside, it can be hard to summon up the motivation to get out there and ride. With an indoor training platform like Rouvy, you can avoid the post-ride bike cleanup and make sure your gift recipient stays on top of their fitness so that when springtime rolls around, they’ll be hitting the trails faster than all their mates.

Rouvy offers the ability to ride solo or with others in group rides and races. There are a wide variety of training plans and workouts, too, which are customised depending on your riding goals. You can follow famous routes from across the globe to keep you entertained as you sweat it out in your garage. Subscription prices start at £12.99/month and there’s a flexible pricing system that offers significant discounts for different options.

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Heathland Gravel: your ticket to Unbound Gravel

Image credit: Flanders Classics

One for you curly bar fans, the second edition of Heathland Gravel will lead you over the most enchanting and challenging gravel paths the Flemish province of Limburg has on offer. Why should you sign up? Heathland Gravel is the only official European qualifier for Unbound Gravel, the bucket list event for every gravel lover.

Join some of the world’s best gravel racers from August 8-10 in Belgium to have a shot on winning one of the 50 coins (slots) for Unbound Gravel 2026! Claim your early bird ticket until December 31.

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Newlane Packable Helmet – £89.99

One for the more utility focused rider rather than for hitting the trails with, Newlane’s packable helmet is designed for commuters and casual riders who want maximum protection but already carry lots of kit or don’t want to have a bulky helmet to lug about when off the bike. With its innovative Flip-Clip system, the helmet packs to half its size so it can be stored in a bag with ease.

It’s undergone all the usual rigorous safety tests so you can rest assured that there’s no compromise on your safety. It looks great too and won’t be a present that gets put in a cupboard to be forgotten about.

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