Bikes + Gears: 10 Christmas Gift List for Transport Cyclists for 2020

5 min readDec 3, 2020

It has been a tough year for everyone but that does not mean we will forget the gift of giving this Christmas season, right? To help you finalise your list of gifts for your loved ones, friends and colleagues who have chosen to commute by bicycle because of the pandemic, here’s a list of 10 bike gears that I am sure they will love.

Windbreaker

Light jackets are perfect for early morning rides to resist wind chill and light rain. We suggest that you find those that are compact and easy to carry around, pocketable and has its own bag for storage.

U lock

Bike locks should be one of the best gifts a daily bike commuter can get. Look for locks with tubular shackle made of hardened steel. So your loved one can worry less whenever he or she park his or her bicycle in public places.

Mask

Face masks are now part of our “new normal” because of the ongoing pandemic. While washable cloth masks are suitable for everyday use, we recommend masks that can protect against motor vehicle pollution which remains a problem for a bike commuters. Totobobo masks from Singapore is one of the best in the market, if not the best. It is lightweight and compact and is made of soft plastic, does not absorb sweat or moisture and is easy to keep clean.

Lights

Bike lights should be the easiest gear to buy locally. There are so many options but it is important to choose which will be relevant to the trips made by your family member or colleagues. If they do more than one hour of riding and find themselves riding at night or in low light conditions, it is best to find lights that have at least 200 lumens. USB rechargeable lights are now the standard, these are easy-to-use and environment-friendly.

Pants

Stretchable pants are best for any commute on bicycle. Pants that are made of materials that are comfortable, easy-to-wear especially as you pedal and bend your knees should be on your list.

Helmet

We strongly recommend bike helmets to everyone. So it should be the case for you and your loved ones. Find them a helmet that complies with safety standards, looks good and comfortable to wear. More vents means better airflow hence cooler rides. But make sure the sizing is correct.

Baskets and racks

Any commute on a bicycle is most enjoyable when you don’t bring your load or cargo on your body. Make your bike do the heavy lifting. Get him or her a basket or rack that is appropriate to his or her bicycle trips.

Bike tools

Apart from helmet, locks and lights, multi-tools are the essentials to any bike commuter. There are so many choices out there but you can ask your local bike shop and get those that have the popular hex wrench sizes into one convenient fold-up tool.

Cycling themed socks

We love socks and would definitely go gaga over cycling themed socks.

Bike bags

Last but not the least, most if not all of the aforementioned gifts will have to go in a bike commuting bag. There are tons of choices of bags in the market now, not only those that are made abroad but also locally. But I am a bit bias with Two Wheel Gear bags from Canada because I use these every day and can vouch for their design, functionality and usefulness. I mean, if you are able to use a quality backpack and messenger bag that converts into a pannier bag, I don’t think you will ever go back to your regular backpack or messenger bag.