Last year’s holiday gift guide was so well received that I decided to continue the tradition in 2018. Below you’ll find a list of items that I’ve used and would recommend as gifts for even the most discerning bicyclists.
2018 Holiday Gift Guide
Camp Fire Relief Fundraiser
The recent Camp Fire has become the deadliest wildfire in California’s history. As of November 19th, the death toll has risen to 80, with 993 people who are unaccounted for. To help support the relief efforts, GRAVELBIKE is donating 100% of the profits from the sale of limited-edition stickers to the Sierra Nevada Camp Fire Relief Fund and the North Valley Animal Disaster Group.
First Impressions: Silca & Topeak Cages
Even with the popularity of hydration packs and cycling-specific luggage, it’s hard to beat the convenience of a bottle cage. Whether used for storing beverages or cargo, the venerable bottle cage is one accessory that no rider should be without. And with cages enjoying renewed popularity, more and more companies are developing new and improved designs that satisfy the needs of recreational and utility cyclists.
2018 Full-Finger Glove Roundup
Mention full-finger gloves to many bicyclists and they immediately picture bulky, winter models. That’s what I used to think, too. That is, until one of my favorite trails became overgrown with shoulder-high vegetation during an unusually damp summer. Riding that jungle-like trail made it painfully obvious that traditional mitts would no longer suffice, and it was time to make the switch to full-finger gloves. Even after the foliage withered away, though, I still found myself opting for full-finger gloves during the remaining summer months. Now, several years later, you won’t find a single pair of half-finger gloves in my closet.
Second Look: Hayes CX Disc Brakes
When I reviewed the Hayes-equipped Volagi Viaje in 2014, hydraulic disc brakes for drop-bar bikes were very much a rarity. Since then, cable-actuated brakes have taken a back seat to their hydraulic counterparts. That’s not to say that mechanical disc brakes have gone the way of all flesh. Hayes’ CX brake may have been off my radar for a few years, but my curiosity was piqued when All-City spec’d the company’s $1999 MSRP drop-bar Gorilla Monsoon with Hayes’ mechanical calipers.