On the hunt for the best gifts for the gravel riders on your holiday shopping list? Cyclists, in general, are tricky to buy for, and gravel bike riders can be especially tricky. Are they a serious racer, a weekend doddler, an all-terrain explorer, or maybe even the kind of adventurer that heads out on week-long, self-supported bikepacking trips? Any way they ride gravel, though, and we can help find that perfect gift that will put a smile on the face of your favorite gravel bike riders.
Keep Your Core Cozy & Warm
One of the great things about gravel riding is getting out on the bike, no matter the weather. But to keep adventuring year-round, you need the best gear. The Smartwool Smartloft Vest ($190 straight from Smartwool) is a great mashup of old and new fabrics to keep you cozy on and off the bike. A wind-blocking recycled nylon shell with DWR coating protects recycled wool quilted insulation inside, then a soft merino fleece inner layer for maximum comfort next to your body. Plus, there are several color options to coordinate it with your favorite cold-weather riding kit. There’s even a ‘hybrid’ jacket version with merino blend long sleeves and thumb loops if you need to stay cozy on even colder gravel rides!
And don’t forget to pick up some cozy merino biking socks for around $20-25 when you are vest shopping. Smartwool has a Sock Finder on its website’s top navigation bar that will help pick the perfect gravel biking socks. I know it sounds a bit cliché, but nothing beats unwrapping a pair of comfy wool socks at the holidays.
Sponsored Placement
Essentials At Your Fingertips
Nothing beats a toptube bag for keeping your snacks and essential electronics close at hand. Perennial favorites are those that naturally keep water out, are almost self-closing, and can be easily opened and secured shut with one hand, even while riding over rough terrain. Our first pick is an OG on the fast-packing scene in the 1L Apidura Racing Top Tube Bag with the magnetic clasp on its flap top. Pick the bolt-on version (on sale at $80 from Backcountry) if your buddy’s bike is new enough to have bolts on its toptube, or the strap-on version (61€ from Apidura) to fit almost any bike.
Our second pick is the newer but similarly-shaped 1.1L Tailfin Top Tube Tube Bag Flip (75€ directly from Tailfin), which features a versatile mounting setup with or without bolts on the bike’s toptube. Either option is big enough to carry a smartphone, compact camera, or plenty of snacks. And having one can free your gravel grinding lifestyle from the need to wear a traditional cycling jersey with pockets. Strap a top tube bag on, and enjoy the freedom of riding in your favorite t-shirt.
Haul All Your Gear
Gravel and bikepacking go hand in hand, so it’s always important to be able to strap a few days’ worth of gear onto your gravel bike to head out on an adventure. But even if credit card fast-packing is more your (your favorite graveler’s) speed, you still want to have trusty packs to keep your gear safe. Nothing beats Ortlieb’s made-in-Germany Waterproof Guarantee.
We especially love the easy-to-attach and expandable Ortlieb Handlebar Pack QR ($165 via Backcountry) for its handy bar mount and easy packing.
And their mid-sized 11L Seat-Pack ($175 at REI) offers plenty of adjustable storage in a classic, easy-to-mount bikepacking saddlebag design. Pair the two together, in original black or new dark sand, and you’d be ready for everything from a backcountry overnighter to a week-long adventure tour.
Cover Your Butt
Riding gravel means getting dirty on drop bars. But that doesn’t mean that your butt needs to get wet and dirty, too. Ass Savers has your rear in mind with their simple, lightweight but effective Win Wing 2 Gravel fender (27-29€ from Ass Savers). The wishbone bracket straps onto virtually any bike’s seatstays in seconds, and can be topped with various fender blade designs to show off a little style while taming rear wheel spray. We’re partial to the low-key look, but feel free to express yourself when buying presents for your special gravel someone. I even like to ride one under a big bikepacking saddlepack to keep things cleaner, while getting gear in and out.
Ready When the Lights Go Out, In More Ways Than One
When it gets dark, the riding doesn’t have to stop. We love a simple bike light to keep the fun going after the sun goes down. The Lezyne Macro Drive 1400+ headlight ($100 at Backcountry) packs plenty of light output for keeping the ride going after the sun dips below the horizon. And their smart Strip Ai Alert 400+ taillight ($70 at REI) provides bright and long-running rear lighting for those late evening road transfers to find a nice B&B for the night, with automatic braking light function built in. (Don’t worry, the Ai Alert in the name is about smart algorithm controlled brake light function, but this light does not track you or collect rider data.)
If you are looking for even more off-road-ready lighting, we love the 2360 lumen output of Exposure’s top-tier Zenith 4 headlight ($305 direct from Exposure). Jeremy just reviewed this bright light mounted to his helmet. But it also comes with a bar mount, making it versatile for all types of off-road riding, and a sound all-around bike light investment.
If your gravel-riding loved one rides a bike with a wireless electronic SRAM drivetrain, they’ve invariably run out of juice, out on a ride. A spare AXS battery ($59 at Backcountry) is the perfect insurance policy to not get caught out with a bike that no longer shifts. They’ll keep it charged and ready at home, and pack it in their bags for any longer trip. And they will thank you the next time the battery on their bike runs out!
Be Ready For Failure, Too
Well, at least be ready for a flat tire. Every rider of every type of bike should be prepared to fix a flat. Carrying spare tubes used to be bulky and kinda heavy. But no longer with fancy, light TPU tubes that pack down small. There are a lot of brands and fun colors out there. The trick for gravel is to get the right size – width, and valve length. Most of the time, you’ll be good with the standard 32-47mm width & 48mm long valve from tubes like the brown WTB NanoAir TPU gravel tube ($25 at REI).
But there’s a full rainbow of more good TPU options, like the blue MilKit TPU Road & Gravel, Panaracer Purple Lite, yellow Pirelli Cinturato Smarttube ($38 at Backcountry), orange Tubolito S-CX/Gravel, or transparent white Schwalbe Aerothan or Continental ContiTPU. All are great options, really. Before you hit buy, first maybe double-check if your friend’s gravel bike has deep aero wheels (which would need longer valves) or giant >2″ MTB-sized tires (which would mean 29″ MTB size TPU tubes).
Stay Hydrated Out There
The core of our being, cyclists need water to pedal. And big gravel adventures can only keep going if you stay well hydrated. The ultra-distance bikepacker’s secret weapon is the almost 1L made-in-France Zéfal Magnum Pro high capacity 975ml/33oz water bottle that fits in standard bottle cages (11€ from Zefal direct). No other bike bottle is as trusted by those serious gravel cyclists who venture far off the beaten track.
If you are looking to haul more than a couple of big bottles, bike hydration vests have become a popular off-road biking option. This summer, we faced off with 8 of the best cycling hydration vest offerings, comparing and contrasting their best attributes. One of our favorites is this EVOC Hydro Pro 1.5L pack ($91 on sale now at Backcountry) for its light and effective water & snacks carrying capacity.
Stay Safe On The Road
We gravelers may dream of car-free riding everywhere we roam, but the truth of the matter is that we often ride on asphalt in between gravel bits. On those sections sharing the road with traffic, a smart light that combines visibility with radar to warn of approaching cars is hard to beat. There are more and more cycling radar taillight solutions on the market these days. But our choice for gravel riders is the Wahoo Trackr Radar ($250 at Backcountry), as it can be set to low light output levels and a battery extender mode that won’t irritate your riding buddies with regular flashing. But it still gets bright when it detects an approaching car and has real-world run times up to 20 hours to keep you alert on even the longest rides. Plus, it pairs seamlessly with the latest Roam in our Best Gifts For Cyclists guide, as well as the Ace & Bolt, too.
Support The Local Bike Shop
We can’t say it enough. But when in doubt, pop into the local bikeshop nearest to the gravel cyclists on your gift list and get them a Gift Certificate. Almost everything above can be sourced through that local shop. And all shops are happy to get you a gift certificate suited to your gifting budget. Then, when the time comes for regular maintenance or to replace something that’s simply worn out, the local bikeshop is always a great place to start. Everyone loves a gift certificate from somewhere they actually want to shop. You can even be sneaky and ask your special gravel cyclist to recommend which bike shop they think is best in town, if you want to be sure to support the right one.