Cool inexpensive gifts for mountain bikers that could light up someone’s day closer to you, here are some of the gifts that might be something on their wishlist for a long time or just a personal gesture, here’s a list of some of the cool gifts that may go very well with your loved one.
Gifts list :
As a mountain biker myself I think these gifts would make a great gift for them as well If you don’t know what they might want or need I have written a guide below on how to pinpoint what they might want or need.
How to Shortlist :
All of these gifts are great if you are having trouble short listing a gift you can check the end of this article i have written some tips so you can have a better idea on what to buy.
Sunglasses :
Sunglasses can be an amazing gift if they don’t have a pair already you can gift someone one they are great, On trails, there are many sections that they could be considered very useful since they are riding mostly in forest section or on rocky trails and there is shade and suddenly sun coming out and blinding you they can be very helpful in those situations.
Tubeless Tire Repair Kit :
If they run tubless tires then a repair kit could be a great gift tire tubeless tires have great stability and toughness but avoiding a puncture is next to impossible on trails and a tubeless tire repair kit could be a really great gift if they already don’t own one or they have a kit that’s old or worn out.
Park Chain Cleaning System :
The chain cleaning system may not appeal to you too much but its something mountain bikers usually don’t buy and hope if someone may gift them, they usually make do with what they have on hand so it can be a great gift as well when the mud from trails and grease mix up it makes the chain stuck or the chain starts to malfunction chain cleaning system could be a great gift as well.
Dry Lube/Wet lube :
If you are not a mountain biker yourself then you might not know the difference between dry lube and wet lube, Dry/wet lube are for a chain if you didn’t know already, I am trying to point out the difference here so you can understand what’s what and buy according to their(your loved one’s) need.
Dry lube is great for dry weather/trails which is most of us ride dry lube is great because it doesn’t catch much dust keeps the chain much more cleaner and is great for dusty tracks, it also makes a lot less noise, and it really makes a big difference for a mountain biker.
Wet lube is great for wet weather, dry lube, in this case, watches off as we drive through water puddles, for wet areas or if you live in the area where it rains a lot wet lube could be a great asset to have.
You can gift either one depending on the weather condition you have in the area and if you know they already have any of these already you can gift them the other one which would be a great gift.
Cleaning Brushes :
Cleaning brushes usually come in a set they are used to clean the bike if you had known or not though I might drop it here in case you didn’t know, Again these may not seem a big or a good gift to gift but they are there and they are definitely really useful for mountain bikers cleaning the bike is a daily chore for mountain bikers specially.
Mountain bikers are a messy bunch and if you have had experience on trails you already know how they return from the trails there can never be enough of the brushes they are used daily so after a few days they do lose their potential significantly so we are always in need of new brushes and if we can get an extra set as a gift much appreciated I had say.
Bike Hanger :
A bike hanger as the name suggests is used to hang bikes they can be a little bit on the expensive side but if you can eye up something cheap and if they(your loved ones) don’t already have one that could be a great gift.
As I said a cheap one is fine as well if it gets the job done then its all good, they might be using a homemade wooden stand or something like that so if they can get an actual bike stand that could be great at least it would be portable and store able and also something more useful than some wood logs.
Mountain bike specific Shorts :
if you are having trouble what to pick then shorts may be the way to go they are daily use items and you can just have enough of them if you get an extra one as a gift that could be great as well.
If you are not too sure if only shorts would look good well you could mix it up with a fork cork that I have explained below you can pair them both and they could be a great present.
Torque Wrench :
Torque wrenches are used to tighten the bolts usually torque wrenches used for bikes are around 4-7Nm, if you don’t get the complicated stuff, they just make the job easier.
Mountain bikes usually are almost composed of bolts torque wrenches are a great asset to have so it could potentially be a great gift as well.
Shock Pump :
Shock pumps are just like pumps for tires except shock pumps are used for air forks they are used to adjust the pressure in the forks/suspensions of the rear or front wheel, if they(to whom you are gifting) don’t already have a shock pump it could be a great present as well.
Mountain bikers usually don’t buy it themselves we usually tend to just make do with something they are available on trails as well but still, if someone were to gift this it would make a great present.
Tubiltio :
Subito is a spare tube as with other things that I mentioned mountain bikers usually don’t buy tubilto is one of them as well it’s a great asset in case we run out of the sealant which is used to seal the puncture an extra tube can save the day to get the tire fixed or to get out of a pinch.
It could be a great present as well if they are into long journey riding then they can be an absolute best as well a spare is always a great thing.
Fork Cork :
Fork Corks are THE Best accessory that I love myself and would love as a present as well Fork Corks are little plugs that fit right between the suspension fork, steerer tube, or even in crankshafts they can prevent the mud from getting into the tubes and are great to store some valuables like little cash or tools like spare valves or something like that.
They are a huge help and a great accessory, if you are shortlisting some stuff remember to add fork corks to your, list as well as they are a great accessory and loved by all.
EDC Oneup Pump and Toolkit :
EDC toolkit is a cool gift the reason I mentioned it with the fork cork is that you can fit the EDC tool kit right into the steerer tube of the bike as well so that’s a very big plus point they can buy a fork cork with it to make a combo and both of these products can be a great gift.
One pump is a mini-pump it works fine for mountain bikes if they don’t own a mini pump then this could be a great gift as well, both of these things may cost you a lot but if you had like to gift someone anyone of them they could be a great gift as well.
appropriate speed chains/Cassette :
Don’t be mistaken speed chain refers to cogs on the cassette of mountain bikes, Here’s a simple version of what I am trying to say the cluster of the teeth you see on the back wheel of a mountain bike is called a cassette and it is detachable and also it’s not a fixed bundle its made up of several small rings with teeth the number of those rings are called counted as speeds.
If someone had let’s say 7 rings on the Cassette it would be called a 7-speed and so on it goes up to 12 speeds for mountain bikes, appropriate speed chains are really important for mountain bikers if they (you are thinking of gifting) you can gift them a better cassette than what they are using right now it could be a great present as well.
Cassettes may be a bit pricey but if you had like and you think they had like it can be a very great present.
Derailleur Hanger :
The derailleur hanger is the little piece that’s attached to the frame and the derailleur usually mountain bikers do keep a spare on them all the time its an aluminum piece that brakes easily, if you are wondering why it brakes easily it is actually made to break easily because in case it won’t break under too much stress it would damage the frame so it’s a necessary devil
Derailleur hangers are really cheap you can gift a pair if you had like it is an amazing gift as well.
Cleaning kit :
Cleaning kits for mountain bikes usually come with a whole set of supplies containing brushes (3-4 brushes) lubricant for chains and a shiner/washer to give the bike some shine, it may be a little bit costly but it would make a great gift as well still if you are low on cash you can always gift them either brushes or lubricants alone they are perfectly fine as well.
Tires :
Tires are an expensive gift but they could be a great gift if it’s an occasional gift as a birthday or a Christmas gift or any other occasional gift as I said they are an expensive gift but if you can afford a pair that could be a huge gift, you may wanna know which tires they run usually people with an average height of 5-5.5 run 27.5″ inch tires for heights lower than that they may be running 27 or 26-inch tires same as that for heights higher than that they may be running a 29er but still it would be best if you know yourself what they run.
As I said it’s usually this way it is not a given that they might be running those tires when it comes to tires it is just what suits or works with the riders so if you can find out what they might be running beforehand it would be great.
Gloves :
Clothing accessories are just not enough for mountain bikers even if we have 3 or 4 pairs on us 1 more couldn’t hurt it’s because the weather is always changing and we like to mix something up so gloves would make a good gift as well
Helmet :
A helmet could be a great gift as well if they already don’t have one or they are simply making do with an old one a helmet is a great gift it is protective gear and the most important one as well there’s nothing better than a helmet as a gift, though you might wanna know what kind of helmet they wear a full face or a half-face if they prefer any than that could be great even if you bought without the knowledge that’s okay as well it just means a change of taste it won’t go as a wasted gift.
Here’s an example of a full-face helmet
good multitool :
A good multi-tool is something that we all could use or have as a gift they don’t take much space and they are cheap as well but a good multi-tool might be a bit expensive but they are not pocket robbing expensive so it would make a great gift as well.
Chain guide :
A chain guide is a little tool that’s attached to the lower part of the frame it prevents the chain from slipping or skipping, while mountain biking the trails are filled with loads of jumps and uneven terrain and when you ride that kind of terrain there is a chance of the chain dropping or skipping chain guide is installed on the bike to keep the chain from moving around too much and keeping it sturdy on the gears.
So if they have been complaining about their chain dropping or something like that it could be a great gift as well.
Basic goggles :
Basic goggles can be a nice gift as well they can be used for mountain biking and normal use as well, they protect the eyes from sun and dust to some extent that’s good and they can be used regularly as well and they are comparatively cheap as well
Basic pads :
Pads are a good gift as well in case they don’t already own them it could actually be a great gift, pads are not so expensive look good, and protect the riders as well you can gift them a pair as well for elbows and knees it would make a fine gift.
GoPros :
Some of the knocks off GoPros cost less than a 100$ they would make a fine gift as well, it is one of those things as well which we had rather had as gifts they are a fine gift if the person you are gifting is someone may be interested in the cameras and filming.
chest mount :
If the person you are gifting already has a GoPro or a camera then a chest mount could be a great gift even a really good one would cost you around 40 bucks that is cheap and would really make a great gift.
Spare chain :
spare chains may not appeal to you but as far as mountain bikers go they can be a great gift since there is a big possibility always that they may break on the trail so having a spare is always a great gift. Spare chains do not always cost much as well there are some really great now out there that may be near 100$ but you can get a spare chain around 40$ easy so not much of an expense and a great gift as well.
First aid kit :
First aid kit as a gift may sound awkward but it just shows your concern about them and they would surely love it as well since you can be as careful as you can but little bruises and injuries are a part of the sport there’s no avoiding them so they can be a great gift as well.
grips :
Grips for handle bars can be a great gift as well especially if they dont have a good pair already they are cheap and would make a great gift as well again they may not appeal to you as much but if you are gifting them to someone else they are surely a great gift.
Gifts are a great way to express your love to someone and if they are someone closer to you the gifts need to be special as well, before giving you a list or something like that here’s what might be better than that.
Gifting what they might want/need not what you think they might want :
We are quick to think what others need but that may not be what they want, In the case of mountain bikers it just gets harder to guess but still, gifts should not be rounded as what you think they might be needed while there’s nothing wrong with that but if you give them something that they had on their mind for a long time if you already know what they may want or needed or they have been saying it over a long period of time than that’s great go with it I will provide a list below maybe there might be something that they need or something similar that you might be looking for.
But if you don’t know what they might want and you are struggling with their thought process then here’s how to get it out from them.
How to Know What They Might Need :
the quickest way would be a quick conversation with them, drop a sudden question on them like
“If you had money on you right now what would you buy”
There’s a chance you might end up with a list but there might be something they might say they would get that first, well that’s one way just starting with this kind of convo you can easily find out what they might want that could be the best gift that they receive and even appreciate and remember it live long.
If for some reason you can’t make the conversation and you are trying to start the convo with a gift or you are just trying to surprise them with a gift then you could watch their routine and make a guess what they are having trouble with they might be saying it in their conversation as well as “I am having trouble with this or that and only if they had that tool or that thing ” that’s probably a good surprise gift as well.
Don’t stress about the price :
If you don’t have money to buy the exact same thing they need but you have enough to buy something similar then its probably best that you don’t stress too much about it Remember cheap or not gifts are gifts and if it’s their need now maybe it won’t be there need tomorrow and maybe they work it out somehow and you might get puzzled as to what to gift then and that might be expensive as well.
So the best way would be gifting what they what might be stressing them right then and there that would make an awesome gift, If you think they might need that gift for a long period of time and you had like to save up to gift them a special version of it that’s good as well.
How little gifts are better than one big gift :
As I said about inexpensive gifs, If it’s not in your budget to gift something expensive then it’s okay not to do so if they are really close to you they might even figure it out as well and they might even feel bad for it as well, here’s why I say little gifts are better than big one’s.
You can gift 10 little gifts to someone and only one big gift if you stop to think about it those 10 little gifts will last for a very long time as you will be giving them from time to time and it will even last longer on them while an expensive gift may be good as well but you can win with numbers and trust me it works every time so again don’t stress too much about it and don’t think that your gifts are any less than anyone’s else’s.