What? Holidays? Already? Yep, now that Thanksgiving (not Halloween, mind you, Thanksgiving) is over, the holiday season is officially here. Whether you’re looking for that perfect gift for the cyclist in your life or are looking for a way to drop subtle hints for something you might like to be “surprised” with, we’ve got you covered.
A Powerful Gesture – A lot of us like to geek out and track our training progress throughout the season on the computer and/or share our exploits on sites like Strava. I’ve long been a fan of the Garmin GPS bike computers, and the current Garmin Edge models (the 810 and the 510) are awesome. They have touchscreen technology and allow wireless data transfer to your smartphone. The 810 has turn-by-turn directions for those who are leading group rides. Tracking cadence and heart rate information is old hat for these devices; they’ve also worked with third party power meters for a while. This year Garmin released its own pedal-based power meter – the Vector. While these aren’t cheap (they go for a hair under $1,700) they are considerably less expensive than other power meters and put the technology within reach of people who don’t exactly need it but still kinda want it.
Music to My Bones – If you’re riding your bike on the road, the ability to hear traffic and your surroundings is rather important, which is why we strongly advise against sticking headphones in your ears. If only there was some kind of technology that didn’t interfere with your hearing. Oh wait, there is. AfterShokz uses bone conduction technology that was created for Special Ops units to deliver sound to your inner ear via your cheekbones, allowing you to simultaneously listen to music and traffic. Apparently it really works.
Fender on a Bender – Anyone who rides in the Pacific Northwest knows how handy fenders can be. But we also know that they can sometimes be annoying and cumbersome and kind of a drag to have on your bike all the time. Mission Bicycle Company down in San Francisco has come up with a very cool temporary fender that rolls up when not in use. It’s supposedly quite easy to install, inexpensive and comes in lots of colors.
Lycra-like Levi’s – It’s great to see more and more clothing options for bike commuters who want the benefits of cycling clothes along with the style of street garb. Even mainstream clothing brands like Levi’s now offer threads for cyclists. In fact, they have a pretty big lineup of choices.
BYO Beer Garden – For many, one of the best aspects of Cycle Oregon is that beer and wine are available at the end of every ride. Thanks to Pedal Happy, beer and wine can always be had après ride. Check out their beautiful leather wine bottle holders and growler holders. They would look great on any bike, but these things should be mandatory for rides with Brooks saddles.
The good news is that there’s no end of great cycling stuff, so step away from the computer (or head on over to Amazon) and start shopping! Most of all, have a great and safe holiday season.