It’s come around to that time of year where there’s happiness in the air, awesome food, and of course presents; it’s Christmas! But every year us cyclists seem to get the same old gifts, useless trinkets we just don’t need! But fear not, whether you’re making your Christmas list or are struggling to think what to get the cyclist in your life, we have the ultimate guide to a cyclist’s dream gifts!
From Ciclavia.org
Giving Tuesday is an opportunity to support CicLAvia and help us create public spaces throughout Los Angeles.
This year, CicLAvia is giving away one Brompton A-Line foldable bike to a lucky supporter. From now through Nov 29, every $35 donation = 1 entry.
Or become a CicLAvia Street Star with a monthly donation of any amount and get 1 entry.
Image courtesy of Brompton
From CyclingWeekly.com
There’s over half price savings to be had at Adidas, including a lesser known cheaper offer on a pair of Adidas The Road Cycling Shoes.
It wasn’t long ago that you couldn’t get Adidas’ Velosamba cycling shoes for love nor money, with stock levels continually drying up due to rampant demand.
But right now the shoe is on the other foot, as it were. You can currently get a staggering 54% discount on the Velosambas in the US and 33% in the UK – plus other huge reductions across the German brand’s cycling range, including gravel shoes, road shoes and bib shorts.
While the UK doesn’t get quite the same money off deals as the US, it does gain the perk of more colour ways to choose from, and even the ability to personalise a pair of the road shoes, making these an ideal gift option (and they’re the cheapest out the range too).
If you’re US based Just use the code CYBER to make sure you grab that extra 40 per cent discount off the currant site reduction price. Or, for a full collection of all the best Cyber Monday bike deals from across the web, you can check out our main hub over here.
Image courtesy of Adidas
Track cycling is very much at the forefront of technology in bike racing, with riders often reaching speeds of over 80kph, all the emphasis is on getting as aero as possible! So it makes sense that the Santini skinsuits that all the riders use are super aerodynamic, not to mention the wheels, bike frames and even the tyres! Manon looks around the Track Champions League paddock, and talks to riders about how their tech is helping racing become even more exciting!
From SF. Streetsblog.org
At 4:30 p.m. on a crisp fall day, two bikers pedaled up to the Madera Grove Children’s Center on the Stanford campus. The rosy-cheeked duo was Arnout and Nicole Zoeller Boelens, who’d come to collect their two-year-old, Ava, from daycare. Arnout, a physical science research scientist at Stanford, was carrying some precious cargo – the couple’s son, Filip. Snuggled under a blue blanket, the four-month-old sat in his car seat secured inside the cargo bike box with an adapter.
Lest you think this was a one-off, it wasn’t. Car-free for 11 years, the Boelens roll exclusively on two wheels. They say they wouldn’t trade their low-stress, adventurous biking lifestyle for anything.
The Flying Dutchman
For Arnout, who grew up in the Netherlands, cycling is in the blood. He met wife Nicole while living in Chicago. Going car-free in the Windy City was a breeze, especially for Nicole, who’d moved there from L.A. and was over being stuck in traffic. After they decided to move to the Bay Area for Arnout’s job in 2017 however, Nicole needed a bit of convincing.
Let’s Give It A Go
The couple purposely chose to live in midtown Palo Alto so both could be within riding distance to work. Aside from renting a car initially to purchase big ticket items for the move, they decided to “give it a go” and never looked back.
“We find it’s just as easy to get around within a five-mile radius by bike than it is by car. We get exercise, fresh air, and save so much money,” said Arnout. Statistics show 48% of car trips are shorter than three miles. Research from AAA states the average yearly cost to own and operate a new vehicle is $10,728, or $894 per month.
Everyday errands are a breeze: Arnout and Nicole ride everywhere including the grocery store and doctor appointments. For outings to San Francisco, the couple hops on Caltrain (using Stanford’s Go Pass, free to eligible affiliates). They take Uber to the airport, use the local host car-sharing app Turo, and rely on friends with cars for getaways to Yosemite and Carmel. On average, the Boelens rent a car three times a year. “Honestly, going carless here is so much easier than I anticipated,” Nicole said.
Photo courtesy of UrbanArrow.com
On Sunday, December 4, we’re opening up streets in South Los Angeles so you can jog, ride, bike, skate, run, walk, skateboard, spectate, and enjoy the route however you want. Our routes are welcoming to people of all ages and abilities! This CicLAvia is presented by Metro.
Be sure to join our email local gems list so you don’t miss any event news and updates. Check out our article on Local Gemsso you don’t miss anything on or off the route! Use the CicLAvia digital map to plan which businesses, local gems, activities along the route and Hubs to check out during the event on December 4th!
As the days get shorter and colder, it can be more and more difficult to find the time and motivation to get out on your bike, and subsequently we can lose fitness. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Hank takes you through a few ways you can maintain your fitness during the winter months.
From BicycleRetailer.com
The scammers are at it again. Sramcycling-dot-com is the latest in a string of websites offering cycling components at prices just too good to be true.
The site offers a large range of SRAM components at incredible prices, with a pledge to “serve every customer with the highest level of sincerity.” The only problem being the site is fake and seemingly offers zero sincerity.
Visitors to the site might have thought Christmas had come early, but these scammers are very much on Santa’s naughty list. The real SRAM has confirmed to CyclingTips that the website is fake and the brand has “taken action.”
As tempting as sramcycling.com’s prices are folks, do not be fooled by the claims “the company is known for providing Quality, Superior Customer Service and Product Selection [sic]”, chances are there is neither service nor product behind that fancy font.
Many cycling suppliers have had to deal with fake sites in recent years, including Wolf Toothand Shimano. SRAM also had a fake site, SRAM.Red, taken down in 2016.
From GearJunkie.com
By Seiji Ishii
Cycling is heavily gear-oriented, and cyclists can be very particular. But don’t worry — we know some gifts to make them happy.
The GearJunkie staff have been deeply rooted in the two-wheel world for decades. Let us help you find the gifts that will be used and appreciated by even the pickiest pedaler in your life.
As you probably know, prices in cycling can be astronomical, but we cover every budget along the financial spectrum in this buying guide.
Happy holidays, and here’s to being the best gift-giver a cyclist could ask for.
Respond to texts, map your route, and more all while hands-free with this smartphone mount ($23+). It was designed primarily for use while cycling, meaning it is designed to be durable and supportive.
The Wraptor’s 360-degree rotation allows you to secure your phone in an upright or landscape position. The brand claims that the phone harness is compatible with both standard and oversized phones, with and without cases, making it an option for just about anyone.
Image courtesy of Park Tool
When you get a puncture on a tubeless tyre it can be tempting to take the old tyre off and simply replace it with a new one. But it doesn’t have to be this way! Alex shows you how you can not only fix the puncture but also keep your tubeless tyres going like new!
