Need help with a birthday gift
 

and my boyfran's birthday is not until summer solstice. Yes, that seems ridiculous but I like to do my research and read reviews as well. I'm not too interested in giving gift cards and I understand the idea is safe but I hate getting gift cards because I'll buy something and end up with $1.50 left on it with nothing to do.

Few ideas of what I was thinking of buying:

1. Kryptonite Chain (I think he's been wanting to get one)
2. Floor pump (Pretty sure he only has a hand pump :[)
3. Insulated water bottle
4. Backpack that can fit a water reservoir (He's been wanting to get a Camelbak or Platypus. I don't know what backpack but he likes the North St and Sealline bags and I don't think they can fit a water reservoir.)
5. Gloves. (yeah it will be summer by the time I give him the gloves but he's been wearing **** gloves all winter)
6. Sunglasses?
7. Clothing: socks, shorts, rain jacket, outlier pants or something like that, jersey - I don't know about this because I don't know his size and he doesn't wear jerseys. He only got into biking this summer and he keeps losing weight.
8. Bike lights?

I don't really know. I'm pretty sure he is thinking about going on a bike tour and doing cyclocross soon. He also talks about weight lifting and fitness all the time. I don't really mind since he did lose 100lbs in 8 months. :eek: He can brag all he wants. If I can't think of anything to buy I'll probably just end up making something. I always get pretty crazy and creative about making things. hah. I did get him some cool stuff for Christmas.

Alright, my post is turning into a wall of text.

Thanks!

How about a bicycle work stand? It's the kind of thing that everybody who does his own bike work puts off buying for himself but loves having.

The problem with people getting bike-related things for me is that I have very clear ideas about the exact thing I want. For example, I might have decided that someday I'd get a particular floor pump, but someone might buy me a model that I'd decided against. Or I might have decided that an insulated water bottle is not worth the extra weight/reduced capacity. IOW, it's risky. A bike jersey is less risky -- perhaps you can get him a customized one (with your picture on it)?

I use a Planet bike superflash blinkie rear light even in the daytime, so to improve the odds that your newly-thin BF will return from his rides safely, that might be a good gift.

My GF surprised me with one of those (a really nice one too) several years ago and I love it. She's been hearing about how I've liked her other gifts but they weren't as nice as the workstand since then. http://www.feedbacksports.com/produc...air_stand.aspx I use it to tune up bikes for our friends in the spring, benefiting all of us.

How about a nice dinner at a restaurant near the end of his favorite ride? Meet him there and pop the bike on the rack after dinner, take him home and have your way with him.

Yeah. My wife gave up getting me anything hobby or activity related because I'm way too picky and often as not would return and exchange it. A gift card is safe, or something nice that both of you can do, as others have suggested (wink-wink) is good too.

Unless he already has one he's in love with, I second the idea of a rear blinky light because it will fit any bike and can be moved from bike to bike if he upgrades his equipment as he becomes a stronger rider or branches out into different disciplines of cycling. Planet Bike Superflashes are nice as are the the Portland Design Works RADBOT 1000. For research purposes you can find several youtube videos about both and comparing the two.

If your pockets are a little deeper- picking up a used tandem on craigslist can be a lot of fun. My wife and I have vastly different levels of cycling fitness and our tandem allows us to ride together. I've tried for years and spent hundreds if not thousands of dollars trying to get my wife to come ride with me and the tandem is the only thing that worked for both of us. The issues of cost, storage, transport, and if you even want to go ride with him would certainly affect how reasonable this is as a gift idea though.

If you don't mind, just ask him what he wants. It doesn't have to be a surprise.

Out of all the stuff you listed, the floor pump would be most useful. Hand pumps take too long. A floor pump would be something he'll use almost everyday. I use to live with only a hand pump myself and it sucked. I had to struggle to get to the high pressure I wanted. Once I got a floor pump, my cycling life got easier. The best gifts are the ones that you know the receiver will use all the time that way they think of you whenever they use it.

IMO, this is a very good idea. A floor pump has great utility and isn't something to be fussy about.

Off your list:
Floor pump

Not on your list:
I received a surprise bike stand for the holidays this year. Love it. I can get to places on the bike I've never seen before.

What bike does he ride? brand and model.

If he rides a road bike, I would suggest a Silica Floor Pump, it is a favorite on the mechanics forum. I've had one since 1983 and it still works fine. I also like a Lezyne floor pump, if need a new pump this would be it, it also fits presta and schrader valves.

lezyne floor pump

If he is a commuter, and likes his morning coffee ... this is a must have http://www.somafab.com/morningrush.html