If your favorite cyclist rides to and from work or school, or just uses their bike to get around town, the market, or the store, these are some of the best gifts for bike commuters to make their lives easier (and safer) no matter how they’re using their bike.
And if you’re treating yourself this holiday season, be sure to also check out our Commuter Cycling Buyer’s Guide for more great selections for the hardcore commuter. No matter which list you pull from, every item we recommend has been approved by one of our editors…
Best Gifts for Bike Commuters Under $25
Consider this price point to be our suggestion for those who just started commuting and need the essentials. Every cyclist needs a few basic repair items, and these make great stocking stuffers: Park Tool Tire Lever & Patch Kit ($8, at REI), for fixing flats, and the Crank Brothers M10 Mini Tool ($18, at REI) for fixing everything else. We especially like this tool’s longer bits, making it much easier to use, yet still compact.
SockGuy’s Turbowool Socks ($15.95, at SockGuy) come in a ton of fun colors and designs. These are affordable while also adding variety and most importantly, comfort. Their Turbowool line is stronger than Merino wool and has superior moisture-wicking capabilities that help keep your feet warm in winter and cool in summer. If you get the Turbowool socks with some padding and arch support, your feet will be extra happy!
The VeloToze Roam Shoe Covers ($10, from Performance Bike) are a rubber slip-on shoe cover that protects your dress shoes or sneakers from water, mud – whatever. They’re reusable and fairly durable, and even a great way to just keep your feet a bit warmer on a winter commute. They’re grippy, so you can walk in them easily, and they come in stealthy black and hi-vis yellow. These won’t last forever, so it’s always a good gift idea so that they have a few pairs!
Best Commuter Gifts Under $50
The Delta X-Mount Pro ($60, from Delta Cycles) is an option for quickly sticking our phone to the office e-bike and spinning around town–if you’d rather not have to run a special phone case. Whether we’re mapping our way to a new taco shop, or just keeping tabs on Slack while, um “working remotely”, it’s proven to be a secure mount for any type of phone and case.
The Delta hexAir Saddle Cover ($30, from Delta Cycles) was one of the most surprisingly awesome things we’ve tested in the category. Not only does it provide a waterproof cover for your bike seat, but it’s also super comfortable! Got a road or gravel bike you’re commuting on that has a “performance” saddle? The hexAir makes it comfortable without padded bike shorts, turning almost any bike into a commuter bike.
Another “cover-up” that’ll make it super easy to commute on a road, gravel, or mountain bike with clipless pedals is the Pocket Pedals Adapter ($30, available direct). It slips over SPD and SPD-SL pedals, making it easy to ride with regular shoes without having to change your performance pedals for those around-town rides.
With a metal base and body, easy-to-read 2″ gauge, and long 42″ hose, the Specialized Air Tool Sport Floor Pump ($50, from Specialized) is a bargain. We’ve been using one of their pumps for a while and it’s become a go-to for quick top-offs and pressure checks thanks to the simplicity of the SwitchHitter head that works on Presta and Schrader automatically. Bonus points that it works great for road, gravel, and kids’ bikes, too!
Best Gifts for Bike Commuters Under $150
No matter what you (or your favorite commuter) think they need, the more they ride, the more they’ll get to know all the little things that make their rides better. Or just get them back on the bike, like a replacement tube, a new tire, or fresh grips. Maybe even just a tuneup to get an older bike back in top shape. For that, nothing beats your Local Bike Shop! A gift card is one of the best gifts for bike commuters and it supports a local business!
The Angel Revo saddle ($125 at Velo Saddles) features Velo’s new AtmosFoam technology which provides ultimate comfort. For those who commute to and from work, school, running errands, and everything in between, the Angel Revo is an excellent choice. It has a lower thermal conductivity which keeps the seat cooler in hot weather and has outstanding shock-absorption capabilities due to the nitrogen infusion in the foam, so you can ride in luxury and style! (Sponsored Inclusion)
Every commuter bike, whether it’s a dedicated city bike or a converted road/gravel bike, needs fenders. And while we like smaller stick-on options in a pinch, the SKS Veloflexx 55 ($70, on REI) set provides full coverage in a universal design that will work on almost any standard bike with round tubes…and even on suspension forks.
The PDW Everyday Rear Rack ($104, at Amazon) extends backward to ensure any panniers will clear your heels as you pedal, and an integrated wood rack adds a touch of class and makes it easier to strap things to the top, too. Both this and the basket below do require your bike to have rack mounts built into the frame, so double-check before ordering.
The Wald 1392 Front Basket ($45, at Amazon) pulls double duty, letting you mount it to the front OR rear of your bike…or put one on both ends! With an 18×13″ footprint and, despite its skinny appearance, a 15lb payload capacity, it’s more than enough for most grocery bags and beer runs and works with popular bags like these…
Best Commuter Gifts Under $250
For carrying groceries and gear, we’ve got three bags to recommend, depending on what you’re carrying. The smallest is the Swift Industries Sugarloaf ($183, from Swift, top right). They’re perfect mini-duffels for a change of clothes, a tool kit, or a picnic. At 14x7x7″, you can nest two of them into the Blackburn rack listed above, too.
For an all-purpose bag that has external pockets for small stuff and a cavernous interior that’s perfect for groceries and farmer’s market hauls, the Surly PorteurHouse ($120, 16×11 base, 15.7″ tall, at Surly Bikes, bottom left) is just the right size.
If you want something insulated for real grocery runs, or to keep drinks chilly on the way to the party, the Hydro Flask Day Escape 18L Tote ($149, 20x8x12″, at HydroFlask) will easily hold a gallon of milk, a six-pack, eggs, and more, and the soft sides will mash into that rack, too.
The Ortlieb Back-Roller Free Panniers ($195/pair, at Backcountry) are some of the best pannier bags on the market. Ortlieb’s known for making incredibly durable, totally waterproof bags, and these oversized versions give provide tons of capacity when you need it, and cinch down when you don’t. They clip onto standard rear bike racks, so you’ll need a rack on the bike to use them.
The Kryptonite KryptoLock 685 Folding Lock ($100 at Backcountry) comes with a handy frame mount for easy transport, and gives you a quick (and conveniently compact) way to secure your bike and front wheel to a rack. It’s covered by their lifetime warranty, and even covers your bike against theft!
Also from Kryptonite, the Incite X8 & XBR Light Set ($170/set, at Amazon) puts out an intelligently-shaped headlight beam that illuminates the area you need to see for safely navigating dark streets. Side illumination helps cars see you as they approach from side streets, and the rear blinky light has multiple modes that use an accelerometer to automatically turn it bright and solid (like a brake light!) when you slow down. Read our full review here.
If you’re going to commute year ’round, there are gonna be “those days” when the weather turns on you. The Duer All Weather Jeans ($200, from Duer, in Men’s and Women’s cuts) look and wear like regular denim, but have a weatherproof membrane to keep you dry. Available in Heritage Rinse (dark blue) and Black in tons of sizes and lengths, their Coolmax, Lycra, and cotton blend with reflective accents under the cuff makes them a perfect 4-season pant.
Best Gifts for Bike Commuters Over $250
If you live somewhere rainy, then good wet-weather cycling kit is worth spending a bit more on. Shower’s Pass is among the best, and their Syncline CC Jacket ($135, in men’s and women’s versions) is one of their more affordable models that keeps all the key features like taped seams and zippered vents. Pair it with the Transit Pants ($135, in men’s and women’s versions) for head-to-ankle waterproofness that’ll have you seeking out the puddles!
If you’ve got the space and budget for it, we’ve found that having a purpose-built commuter bike makes it far easier and enjoyable to run errands, get to work, go on dates, and just scoot around town without the car.
The Aventon Level ($1,949, sold direct) is all you need to get started. It comes with fenders, front suspension, a rear rack, and your choice of standard or step-thru frames. It’s a highly affordable pedal-assisted alternative to driving and even has a throttle for those times when you just don’t feel like pedaling – though we find that the throttle is more useful than most walk assist modes when walking the bike (especially loaded).
For hauling the kids or bigger shopping trips, the Yuba Spicy Curry V3 ($5,199, at Yuba) is a great pick. We’ve carried two small kids to school with it, hit the farmer’s market, and even managed Costco runs on this. It’s big, but if you need capacity and quality, it’s the one to beat. Bonus points for its adjustability, meaning almost everyone in your household can ride it!
