General Cycling Discussion - If you had $200 to buy a gift for a cyclist...

What would you buy? I need to buy my husband an anniversary present soon and am clueless as usual :)

What kind of cycling? Touring, road racing, mountain biking, commuting, etc.

got a pair of Assos shorts, she loves them

What kind of cycling? Touring, road racing, mountain biking, commuting, etc.
You know, he pretty much has one of each for bikes(short of touring) He does a lot of commuting, weather and time permitting. I'd say he's more of a road bike kind of guy than anything though. Seems to love all things Campy. He has q Ciocc, a Colnago, a custom bike he built himself, a ti mtb he is building and a few more I don't know the specs on. I wouldnt trust myself to buy the right parts for any of them, but maybe some sort of accessories?

He might like a wool cycling jersey.
Commuters go through clothing, so maybe a top notch rain jacket. Showers Pass brand.
Does he have a workstand? If not, there you go.

Does he have a workstand? If not, there you go.

Yes, tools are good. Does he do his own wrenching? Maybe a new Park truing stand if he likes to build/work on his own wheels.

Yep. Tools are good. Does he have saddles he likes? Do you think he would want a Brooks leather saddle?

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31zLnIprdvL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

He has a few Brooks saddles, and wool jerseys, and a work stand. I don't think he has anything for building wheels though. That might be a great idea :) can you recommend one please?Edit: I seem to remember him talking about a new type of trainer, one with rollers? Where might I find one of those, online or possibly at my LBS?

Park TS 2.2
It's just under $200 on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Park-Professional-Wheel-Truing-Stand/dp/B0030LBLAY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1327638937&sr=8-3

What would you buy? I need to buy my husband an anniversary present soon and am clueless as usual :)

Gift Certificate to a large bicycle shop, or his favourite bicycle shop.

For example, you could get a gift certificate for Amazon ... and he could pick up cycling stuff or books or DVDs as desired. Or maybe you could get one from a sporting goods or cycling-specific place like ... MEC, REI, Performance, Chain Reaction Cycles, etc., etc.


That way he can buy what he wants or needs, and you won't get him something he already has or doesn't want.

Gift Certificate to a large bicycle shop, or his favourite bicycle shop.

For example, you could get a gift certificate for Amazon ... and he could pick up cycling stuff or books or DVDs as desired. Or maybe you could get one from a sporting goods or cycling-specific place like ... MEC, REI, Performance, Chain Reaction Cycles, etc., etc.

That way he can buy what he wants or needs, and you won't get him something he already has or doesn't want.

+1 ^ This is your final answer!!!

+1 ^ This is your final answer!!!

It sounds like he has a *lot* of stuff already! A gift certificate, while impersonal, might be the best choice. But the truing stand might be a good choice since you've indicated he has built his own bike, he's clearly a wrencher. It's Amazon; you can always return it if he hates it. Or you can send it to me; I accept gifts and that's a really nice looking truing stand :-)

It sounds like he has a *lot* of stuff already! A gift certificate, while impersonal, might be the best choice. But the truing stand might be a good choice since you've indicated he has built his own bike, he's clearly a wrencher. It's Amazon; you can always return it if he hates it. Or you can send it to me; I accept gifts and that's a really nice looking truing stand :-)

He is a wrencher with dreams of being a framebuilder someday fairly soon. I do admit that the guy has pretty much everything he could dream of (short of a Campy tool set, but I don't think I'll find THAT with my budget!), but a gift certificate? I'd rather take the chance on the truing stand ;)

He is a wrencher with dreams of being a framebuilder someday fairly soon. I do admit that the guy has pretty much everything he could dream of (short of a Campy tool set, but I don't think I'll find THAT with my budget!), but a gift certificate? I'd rather take the chance on the truing stand ;)


Nice Choice! ;)

He is a wrencher with dreams of being a framebuilder someday fairly soon. I do admit that the guy has pretty much everything he could dream of (short of a Campy tool set, but I don't think I'll find THAT with my budget!), but a gift certificate? I'd rather take the chance on the truing stand ;)

If it were me ... I'd prefer getting the gift certificate. So much better than receiving a gift I might not want/need.

But then I've downsized dramatically twice, and now try to avoid collecting stuff I don't want/need.

If it were me ... I'd prefer getting the gift certificate. So much better than receiving a gift I might not want/need.

But then I've downsized dramatically twice, and now try to avoid collecting stuff I don't want/need.


I've made the mistake of getting a gift certificate before. I won't make that mistake again ;)

:)Nice thing about the truing stand-
YOUR wheels should be in perfect shape!:)

I've made the mistake of getting a gift certificate before. I won't make that mistake again ;)

Let me guess. He used it to buy something for you?

I don't know if he's a reader or not, but maybe a book would be a nice addition for the winter doldrums. There are several excellent biographies about Jacques Anquetil, and I recently read the book Major, about Major Taylor, who broke racial and economic barriers to become the fastest "scorcher" in America at the turn of the last century. Fascinating reading...

Phil G.

Here's the book I read:

http://www.amazon.com/Major-Black-Athlete-Worlds-Fastest/dp/0307236595/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_c

What would you buy? I need to buy my husband an anniversary present soon and am clueless as usual :)

It's much more than $200. But buy him a trip to one of the tours. Some of the pro teams have this. They usually spend one week on a staged tour and they get to stay with the team and do training rides and even do one or two of the stages but hours before the actual race. The same bikes the pro riders use, support mechanics, massage, food, all that.

consider some nice accessories - gloves, skullcap, headband, base layers, socks of better than average quality. Castelli, Capo, Garneau, Assos, Hincapie come to mind, but there are others. This stuff wears out and needs replacing periodically. If you're in a cold climate, think of some nice warm wool socks and booties.

I've made the mistake of getting a gift certificate before. I won't make that mistake again ;)

Considering this and the other things you have said about him having a lot of bike stuff go with the trueing stand.

If he is inclined to Machkalike (meaning really long) rides a gift certificate for massage or a promise of other support might go well.

Does he do any riding at night? Maybe get him some new lights, front or rear?
You say he does commute alot- what is his current cargo management system?