When it comes to Christmas gifts, we should look to the centuries-old approved adage of: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. And to every cyclist, some top-quality (but affordable) stocking stuffers under $40.
Chet Malinow x Rustek Wood-Inlay Phone Case
Rustek, maker of handmade wood-inlay phone cases, skateboards and lifestyle accessories collaborated with Chet Malinow to offer a Wood-Inlay Phone Case. The sapele- and maple-wood phone case is aesthetically-pleasing with flowing calligraphy-inspired designs and organic grain patterns. Compatible with all sizes of iPhone, Samsung and Google Pixel phones. Although this is priced at $40, I believe it still fits well within the stocking stuffers under $40. rustek.co | $40
Spurcycle Titanium Key Clip
The Titanium Key Clip from Spurcycle conveniently clips and stashes keys. It also fits very conveniently in a Christmas stocking and allows room for other items, in case you’re feeling generous. Laser cut from a slab of ¼-inch titanium, it is a robust, rugged and light key clip that is made in the USA. Bonus feature includes an integrated bottle opener, because why wouldn’t it? spurcycle.com | $39
Freshly Minted Socks
These hip, made-in-Italy cycling socks have mid-century modern designs and colors and they’re made (in Italy) for the cycling life. All socks are $20 and a portion is donated to the National Interscholastic Cycling Association, also known as NICA. Jump here to the SpinCycle News to read more about NICA to get more kids on bikes. Because each sock is $20 and the theme is stocking stuffers under $40, you can buy two pairs! Thefreshlyminted.com | $20
Spurcycle Multi Pouch
Cyclists will appreciate the new Spurcycle Multi Pouch because it keeps essentials organized regardless of where they’re carried—jersey pocket, backpack or pannier. It’s made of durable Cuben fiber, measures a scant 11.5 cm x 19 cm and weighs in at only fourteen grams. The multi-pouch folds and snaps to best fit essentials and keeps them within easy reach, wherever it is stowed. The pouch can also be snapped two different ways to compress it either horizontally or vertical or snapped back to back with a second pouch for more cargo capacity or simply to separate items. Bonus points that it’s Made in the USA. My favorite item to carry in my Spurcycle pouch? A Spurcycle Titanium Key Clip. spurcycle.com | $29
Trail Butter Mixed Nut Butter
As an all-natural endurance energy food, Trail Butter can be thought of as either a “spreadable bar” or “blended up trail mix”. Either way, it’s healthy, unprocessed nut or seed butter comes in many forms: Single-serve packets, pouches and sixteen-ounce jars. Each flavor has its own unique blend of real-food ingredients and provides a balanced, slow burning energy that is calorie-dense for those long hikes in cool weather. So far my favorite way to eat this is to spread on a Pamela’s Gluten Free Graham Cracker and mix into oatmeal. trailbutter.com | $12 – $20
Chamois Butt’r for Her’ Anti-chafe Cream
This butter you don’t eat, but any cyclist would welcome this stuffed in her Christmas stocking. Like the Original version, the Chamois Butt’r for Her’ is non-greasy, prevents chafing on long rides and rinses easily in the shower or bath. It’s the ingredients that make it a little more inviting than the original flavor. Her’, I have found, doesn’t go on nearly as thick. Its ingredients include aloe vera, green tea leaf extract, tea tree oil, shea butter and lavender oil. chamoisbuttr.com | $18
Hangtime KOALA
Another perfectly-sized gift for the Christmas stocking. The Hangtime Koala is an ingenious clip and silicone harness system to quell the fears of losing your $1,000 Smartphone on the trail, in a lake, or down into the pongy abyss of a pit toilet. The phone harness is made from industrial-grade silicone that stretches enough to fit any phone. It attaches to your body (or backpack straps, jacket pocket, etc) via a strong polycarbonate clip and urethane tether that stretches up for four feet. The more you tug on the tether the harder the clip’s teeth sink into whatever you have it anchored to. Simply attach the Koala to your phone, clip it to your pack’s harness strap or a jacket pocket and go. hangtimegear.com | $25
North St. Fuel Pouch
As gravel riding and self supported endurance races are gaining in popularity, so are the needs for bike packing necessities. North St. of Portland, OR is meeting the demand with its North St. Fuel Pouch. When jersey pockets don’t offer enough room, or an item that can’t be trusted to jersey pockets because it would be easily tossed out of a pocket or fall out during a crash (read: keys or a cell phone), the North St. Fuel Pouch provides a great option to store those valuables. Riding with the pouch on your top tube makes it convenient when you need something quickly like gels or your phone to snap a picture. northstbags.com | from $39.99
