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Short answer: under $50, give the Endura SingleTrack Windproof Glove ($22.94) or merino winter socks. From $50 to $150, a bike light like the Lezyne Lite Drive 1200+ ($89.99) is hard to get wrong. From $150 to $500, a Garmin Varia RTL515 radar ($199.99) or Edge 540 ($349.99). To splurge, a Wahoo KICKR CORE 2 smart trainer ($549.99).
These are the best gifts for gravel and mountain bikers, pulled straight from our buyer’s guides, sorted by price, with a plain “works with” note on every pick so you don’t buy the wrong thing. Shopping the sales? See our Black Friday bike deals tracker.
Quick picks: the best gifts for gravel and mountain bikers
| Tier | Safe pick | Why | Works with | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50 | Endura SingleTrack Windproof Glove | Warm hands on every winter ride | Any rider | $22.94 | Buy at Jenson USA |
| $50 to $150 | Lezyne Lite Drive 1200+ | Short days, used right away | Almost any bike | $89.99 | Buy at Jenson USA |
| $150 to $500 | Garmin Varia RTL515 radar | Warns of cars from behind | Almost any bike | $199.99 | Buy at Jenson USA |
| Splurge | Wahoo KICKR CORE 2 | Indoor riding all winter | Check axle and cassette | $549.99 | Buy at Jenson USA |
| For e-MTB riders | Magicshine ME 2000 V2.0 | Runs off the motor, nothing to charge | Must match their motor system | $99.98 | Buy at Magicshine |
| For night and ultra gravel | Lezyne Mega Drive 2400+ | 2,400 claimed lumens | Almost any bike | $189.99 | Buy at Jenson USA |
Gifts under $50 (stocking stuffers)
The best gift for a mountain biker under $50 is a pair of winter gloves, like the Endura SingleTrack Windproof ($22.94). Socks, a neck gaiter or tubeless sealant round out the stocking.
Giro Merino Winter Sock
Midweight merino wool socks for cold rides. Cheap, useful and easy to wrap. Works with: Works with any rider. Price: from $15.37 (on sale, was $27.95) at Competitive Cyclist. Why we picked it (our winter MTB gear).
Endura SingleTrack Windproof Glove
A windproof trail glove for cold fall and winter rides, and our safest pick under $50. Works with: Works with any rider, on any bike. Price: $22.94 (on sale, was $55) at Jenson USA. Why we picked it (our winter MTB gear).
45NRTH Vindkast Reversible Neck Gaiter
A neck gaiter for cold descents and windy gravel days. Works with: Works with any rider. Price: $28 (on sale, was $40) at Competitive Cyclist. Why we picked it (our winter MTB gear).
Orange Seal Endurance sealant with injector
Tubeless tire sealant with the injector for topping up. A true stocking stuffer. Works with: Only if they ride tubeless tires. Price: $12.98 at Jenson USA. Why we picked it (our tubeless sealant guide).
SILCA Ultimate Tubeless Sealant
A premium tubeless sealant for the rider who already has the basics. Works with: Only if they ride tubeless tires. Price: $42 at Jenson USA. Why we picked it (our tubeless sealant guide).
Stan’s Race Day Tubeless Sealant
Stan’s race-focused sealant, for gravel and XC racers. Works with: Only if they ride tubeless tires. Price: $44 (on sale, was $46) at Jenson USA. Why we picked it (our tubeless sealant guide).
Gifts from $50 to $150
The safest gift from $50 to $150 is a bike light, like the Lezyne Lite Drive 1200+ ($89.99). Winter riding gear is marked down hard right now, so jackets and pants land in this range too.
Lezyne Lite Drive 1200+
A 1,200-lumen USB-C front light, rated IPX7 by Lezyne. Short winter days make a light a gift that gets used right away. Works with: Works with almost any bike. Price: $89.99 at Jenson USA. Why we picked it (our bike lights guide).
Magicshine ME 2000 V2.0
A claimed 2,000-lumen e-bike headlight that runs off the bike’s motor system, so there’s nothing to charge. Works with: Must match their e-bike’s motor system. Price: $99.98 at Magicshine. Why we picked it (our bike lights guide).
GOREWEAR Endure GORE-TEX Insulated Glove
A waterproof, insulated glove for real winter rides. Works with: Works with any rider. Unsure of fit? Let them choose. Price: $60 (on sale, was $100) at Competitive Cyclist. Why we picked it (our winter MTB gear).
Specialized Trail Rain Jacket
A waterproof trail shell at a big markdown. Works with: Apparel: check their size first, or buy from a store with easy returns. Price: $70 (on sale, was $174.99) at Competitive Cyclist. Why we picked it (our winter MTB gear).
POC Guardian Air Jacket
A light windproof shell for cold, dry days. Works with: Apparel: check their size first, or buy from a store with easy returns. Price: $95 (on sale, was $190) at Jenson USA. Why we picked it (our winter MTB gear).
PEARL iZUMi Summit AmFib Lite pant
Full-length trail pants for cold and muddy rides. Works with: Apparel: check their size first, or buy from a store with easy returns. Price: $105 (on sale, was $175) at Competitive Cyclist. Why we picked it (our winter MTB gear).
Five Ten Freerider Pro Mid VCS
A mid-top flat-pedal shoe for cool, wet trail rides. Works with: Only for riders on flat pedals. Price: $113.97 (on sale, was $189.95) at Competitive Cyclist. Why we picked it (our winter MTB gear).
Giro Fixture Mips II
A value trail helmet with Mips. Works with: Helmets are personal. See the FAQ before buying one as a surprise. Price: $84.95 at Competitive Cyclist. Why we picked it (our MTB helmets guide).
Fox Speedframe
A popular trail half-shell from Fox. Works with: Helmets are personal. See the FAQ before buying one as a surprise. Price: $109.95 (on sale, was $129.95) at Jenson USA. Why we picked it (our MTB helmets guide).
POC Joint VPD Air knee pads
Light, pedal-friendly knee pads for trail riders. Works with: Mountain bikers only. Unsure of fit? Let them choose. Price: $80 at Competitive Cyclist. Why we picked it (our knee pads guide).
Fox Launch Pro knee guard
A burlier knee guard for rough trails and bike parks. Works with: Mountain bikers only. Unsure of fit? Let them choose. Price: $149.95 (on sale, was $169.95) at Jenson USA. Why we picked it (our knee pads guide).
EVOC Hip Pack Pro 3 with 1.5 L bladder
A hip pack with a water bladder included, for riders who want weight off their back. Works with: Works with any rider. Price: $150 at Competitive Cyclist. Why we picked it (our hydration packs guide).
Panaracer GravelKing SK+ tire
A popular gravel tire. Budget for two. Works with: Must match their wheels. Check their tire size before you buy. Price: $84.99 per tire at Jenson USA. Why we picked it (our gravel tires guide).
Gifts from $150 to $500
The safest gift from $150 to $500 is the Garmin Varia RTL515 radar ($199.99), which works with almost any bike. Bike computers like the Garmin Edge 540 ($349.99) are the next step up.
Garmin Varia RTL515 radar
A radar tail light that alerts the rider to cars coming from behind. Our safest pick in this range for gravel riders. Works with: Works with almost any bike. Pairs with most bike computers or a phone. Price: $199.99 at Jenson USA. Why we picked it (our bike lights guide).
Lezyne Mega Drive 2400+
A brighter all-in-one light, with 2,400 claimed lumens, for night trail rides. Works with: Works with almost any bike. Price: $189.99 at Jenson USA. Why we picked it (our bike lights guide).
Crankbrothers Stamp 7 flat pedals
Thin, grippy flat pedals. Works with: Only for riders on flat pedals. Price: $159.99 (on sale, was $199.99) at Jenson USA. Why we picked it (our flat pedals guide).
DMR Vault flat pedals
A long-running favorite flat pedal for trail and park riders. Works with: Only for riders on flat pedals. Price: $178 (on sale, was $215) at Jenson USA. Why we picked it (our flat pedals guide).
Osprey Raptor 14
A hydration backpack for long rides that need tools, layers and food. Works with: Works with any rider. Price: $179.95 at Competitive Cyclist. Why we picked it (our hydration packs guide).
Fizik Nanuq 2 GTX (flat-pedal version)
An insulated GORE-TEX winter shoe with a BOA dial and zip cuff, for the cold rider. Works with: Only for riders on flat pedals. Unsure of fit? Let them choose. Price: $299.99 at Competitive Cyclist. Why we picked it (our winter MTB gear).
Smith Forefront 3 Mips
A premium trail helmet. Works with: Helmets are personal. See the FAQ before buying one as a surprise. Price: $300 at Jenson USA. Why we picked it (our MTB helmets guide).
Garmin Edge 540
A button-operated GPS bike computer with maps and training features. Works with: Works with almost any bike. Price: $349.99 at Jenson USA. Why we picked it (our bike computers guide).
Wahoo ELEMNT BOLT 3
Wahoo’s compact GPS computer, set up from the phone app. Works with: Works with almost any bike. Price: $349.99 at Jenson USA. Why we picked it (our bike computers guide).
Garmin Edge MTB
A small, button-operated computer built around Trailforks maps, with enduro and downhill ride profiles. Works with: Mountain bikers. Works with almost any bike. Price: $399.99 at Jenson USA. Why we picked it (our bike computers guide).
Magicshine Monteer 8000S V2.0
A claimed 8,000-lumen light with an external battery and wireless remote, for serious night riders. Works with: Works with almost any bike. Price: $419.99 at Magicshine. Why we picked it (our bike lights guide).
COROS DURA 2 SOLAR
A 3.5-inch touchscreen computer for the ultra and bikepacking rider who hates charging. COROS claims up to 120 hours of GPS on a charge, plus solar top-up. Works with: almost any bike. Price: $499 without a mount, or $549 with the COROS mount, at COROS. Why we picked it (our bike computers guide). See it at COROS.
Splurge gifts ($500 and up)
The best splurge gift for a cyclist is a smart trainer like the Wahoo KICKR CORE 2 ($549.99), which turns cold, dark evenings into ride time. Check their bike’s axle and cassette first.
Wahoo KICKR CORE 2
A direct-drive smart trainer, and our safest big gift for riders stuck indoors this winter. Works with: Check their bike’s rear axle and cassette first. See our trainer guide. Price: $549.99 at Jenson USA. Why we picked it (our smart trainers guide).
Wahoo KICKR CORE 2 with Zwift Cog and Click
The same trainer with Zwift’s virtual shifting, so you don’t need to match their cassette. Same price as the standard version at Jenson USA right now. Works with: Check their bike’s rear axle first. See our trainer guide. Price: $549.99 at Jenson USA. Why we picked it (our smart trainers guide).
Garmin Edge 850
Garmin’s compact touchscreen computer with maps and a speaker. Works with: Works with almost any bike. Price: $599.99 at Jenson USA. Why we picked it (our bike computers guide).
Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE 2
Zwift’s smart bike frame paired with a KICKR CORE 2, so there’s no bike to swap on and off. Works with: Works with any rider. Adjusts to the rider; no bike needed. Price: $1,299.99 at Zwift. Why we picked it (our smart trainers guide).
Garmin Tacx NEO 3M
A top-end direct-drive trainer for riders who train hard all winter. Works with: Check their bike’s rear axle and cassette first. See our trainer guide. Price: $1,799.99 (on sale, was $1,999.99) at Jenson USA. Why we picked it (our smart trainers guide).
A new bike
For a big shared gift, let the rider choose. Start with our best gravel bikes under $3,000, under $5,000 and under $10,000, or our full-power e-MTB shootout. Bikes on sale right now are on our Black Friday tracker.
Gifts by rider type
- Night and ultra gravel rider: Lezyne Mega Drive 2400+, Garmin Varia RTL515, COROS DURA 2 SOLAR.
- Colorado winter trail rider: GOREWEAR Endure Insulated Glove, Fizik Nanuq 2 GTX, 45NRTH Vindkast gaiter, Giro Merino socks.
- e-MTB rider: Magicshine ME 2000 V2.0 (match the motor system), Fox Launch Pro knee guards. More in our e-MTB tires guide.
- Indoor winter trainer rider: KICKR CORE 2 with Zwift Cog and Click, Zwift Ride. Then pick an app with our best indoor cycling apps guide.
- New rider: Lezyne Lite Drive 1200+, Endura SingleTrack glove, EVOC Hip Pack Pro 3.
No-guess gifts (if you don’t know their bike)
- Safe with almost any rider and bike: lights, a radar, bike computers, socks, gaiters and gloves.
- Let them choose: helmets, shoes and apparel are personal. Only buy these if you know their size and fit, or pick a store with easy returns.
- Smart trainers need to match their bike’s rear axle and cassette. Our smart trainer guide has a fit checklist.
- Tires must match their wheels.
- e-MTB lights must match their bike’s motor system.
- Returns: Jenson USA and Competitive Cyclist both list 90-day returns on their product pages.
How we picked
Every gift here comes from a Gear Stash buyer’s guide built on published specs, maker claims and attributed tests. No brand paid to be on this page. Read how we research, our editorial policy and our affiliate disclosure. More guides are on our gear hub.
FAQ
What is a good gift for a mountain biker under $50?
A pair of winter gloves, like the Endura SingleTrack Windproof Glove ($22.94 at Jenson USA), is the safest pick. Giro Merino winter socks (from $15.37) and the 45NRTH Vindkast neck gaiter ($28) also work for any rider. Tubeless sealant is a good stocking stuffer only if they ride tubeless.
What do gravel riders want for Christmas?
Gear for long, dark and cold rides: a Garmin Varia RTL515 radar ($199.99) to warn of cars from behind, a bright light like the Lezyne Mega Drive 2400+ ($189.99), or a long-battery computer like the COROS DURA 2 SOLAR ($499 without a mount).
What are good stocking stuffers for cyclists?
Merino winter socks, a neck gaiter, windproof gloves and tubeless sealant. Orange Seal Endurance with injector is $12.98 at Jenson USA, but only buy sealant if they ride tubeless tires.
Is a smart trainer a good gift?
Yes, for a rider who wants to keep fit through winter. The Wahoo KICKR CORE 2 ($549.99) suits most riders. Check their bike’s rear axle and cassette first, or pick the Zwift Cog and Click version so you don’t need to match the cassette.
Will a smart trainer fit a mountain bike?
Usually, if you check the rear axle. Most modern gravel bikes use 12×142 mm thru-axles and many mountain bikes use Boost 148. SuperBoost 157 bikes need a trainer that lists it. Our smart trainer guide has a fit checklist.
Is a bike light a good gift for a mountain biker?
Yes. Short winter days mean a light gets used right away, and it works with almost any bike. The Lezyne Lite Drive 1200+ ($89.99) is our safe pick. For e-MTB riders, the Magicshine ME 2000 V2.0 ($99.98) runs off the motor but must match their motor system.
Should you buy someone a bike helmet as a gift?
Only if you know their fit and style. Helmets are personal, and a helmet should be replaced after a crash. If you are not sure, pick something from the safe list above, like lights or gloves.
What’s the best splurge gift for a cyclist?
A smart trainer like the Wahoo KICKR CORE 2 ($549.99), or the Zwift Ride with KICKR CORE 2 ($1,299.99) if they want a dedicated indoor bike. For the biggest shared gift, a new bike, let them choose.
When should I order cycling gifts to arrive before Christmas?
Order early and check the retailer’s shipping estimate at checkout. Jenson USA and Competitive Cyclist both list 90-day returns, which helps if a gift doesn’t fit.
We compare listed specs and live prices; we haven’t tested this gear. Prices subject to change. How we research
