The Best Cycling Gifts Under $50

Tire plugs are nothing new, but the tech in Stan’s Dart is a leap forward. This cylindrical tool is preloaded with a barbed plastic plug that can be quickly jammed into a tire puncture. The barbs then hold the plug in place as you remove the insertion tool, and the flexible material conforms to the contours of the tire to create an instant seal. Once you’re back up and riding, any excess plastic that pokes out will gradually wear away.

No more bacon strips hanging out that you need to trim post-ride or—if you’re on a road bike—annoying bumps with every rotation of the wheel so any cyclist would want this as a gift.

The Timber Bell has an adjustable clapper so it can be silent on the climbs and loud on the descents. It’s not an excuse to ride like a lunatic—and it may not be loud enough for the oblivious among us who blast beats on their earbuds—but it will cut down on surprises, which makes everyone’s day a bit more pleasant.

The world of off-road riding has gone tubeless, but that doesn’t mean tubes are obsolete. These, made from a thermoplastic elastomer called TPU, are far lighter than a standard tube and pack down to less than half the space.

Saddle bag space is always a hot commodity, and these let you use either a smaller and lighter pack or bring more spares in the same bag that previously held only one tube.

One of our weight weenie editors loves them because they trim roughly 100 grams from the saddle bag he carries on race day. Besides the 29-inch tube here, Tubolito also makes options for 27.5-inch wheels, as well as road and gravel tubes.

At $30, this 300-lumen front light is powerful enough to get a cyclist home, even on roads and paths without streetlights—one of our editors even used one in a cyclocross race. On its low setting, the battery lasts for 32 hours. This set also comes with a 110-lumen taillight as a nice bonus.

This chest strap features both ANT+ and Bluetooth connectivity and has multi-point connectivity, simultaneously pairing with three devices if you wish.

It can also store up to 16 hours of data for future download and analysis, should you go for a ride without your computer. Plus it’s compatible with dozens of third-party apps. We have no complaints with the soft, adjustable strap and we love the slim profile.

This gizmo keeps the chain tensioned when the wheel is out of the bike—handy when washing a bike for easy cleaning of the chain and drivetrain. It’s also useful for transport because it prevents the chain from flopping around.

We were skeptical that $40 shorts could be this good. But the Black Bibs earned our Gear of the Year award in 2019 not just for their value but because they consistently outperform shorts that cost six times as much.

They’re very simple—no fancy fabrics or creative cuts—and that’s why we love them. Made entirely of plain, black Lycra with mesh straps and large bands of leg grippers at the cuffs, they don’t look like much to write home about. But even after logging over a year in the Black Bibs, one tester consistently reaches for them first.

Weighing only 14 grams and measuring less than four inches in length, this tiny but useful tool is a perfect gift for the off-road weight weenie in your life. It tucks neatly into even the most overpacked saddle bags, or can be affixed to the bike using the cage-mount silicone holder for quicker access when seconds count.

And who wouldn’t love the fact that it’s carbon? It comes with five plugs, and additional plugs can be purchased should you have the misfortune to use so many.

Give your favorite day-tripper or bikepacker the gift of a full charge: This solar-powered portable unit delivers power to two devices at once. It’s the size of a large smartphone while folded, but unfurls to expose four solar panels.

These anodized aluminum tubeless valve stems are the perfect budget-friendly stocking stuffer for your favorite cyclist. Easy to install with a 4mm Allen wrench, these come with three different rubber stoppers to fit with nearly all rim profiles, as well as a machined aluminum valve-core removal tool. Best of all, the stems are available in 10 colors, so you’re sure to find the right one to spice up those hoops.

This wrap wrangles a tool (included), a 29er tube, Co2, and a tire lever. The hearty strap and grippers hold the bundle fast, and its wide strap holds it secure under almost any seat.

Gear nerds will love this sculptural mug that looks like it's made out of bike chain links. This 14-ounce mug has a ceramic interior and its 3D design has a realistic chain sheen to it. Just don't let your cyclist friend stick it in the microwave.

This incredibly useful multitool is an ideal gift for cyclists who prefer to pack light. The tiny contraption includes 3, 4, 5, 6-, and 8-mm hex wrenches, a T-25 Torx wrench, a tire lever, two spoke wrenches, a chain tool, and more.

Made to track real-time cadence, this handy device attaches easily to a shoe or bike crank (mounts for both are included) and syncs via Bluetooth to your iPhone, Android, or cycling computer. It’s also compatible with indoor workout programs like Zwift and TrainerRoad.

If you know a cyclist with an immaculate frame but a beat-up plastic cage, give them an aesthetics upgrade with this anodized aluminum bottle cage. Cages come in a ton of colors to match—or add a pop of color to—almost any frame.

The Road to San Donato started as an article in the pages of our print magazine, and was later published on our website here. This adventure memoir tells the story of a 425-mile cycling adventure the author and his 64-year-old father embarked on through Italy to reconnect with their family’s history.

You don’t need to race enduro to appreciate these colorful, practical gloves. Whether for hot-weather cycling or just a minimalist flash of color, these will protect your hands while helping maintain a secure grip on your handlebar and all these makes them a great gift.

Multitools are incredibly convenient, but can be hard to manipulate in tight space, or when you need extra torque to loosen a stubborn fastener. This micro ratchet is a smart alternative that can lead to faster repairs and adjustments. It comes with hex wrenches of 2-, 2.5-, 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-, and 8-mm widths, plus T10 and T25 Torx wrenches, a Phillips screwdriver, and two tire levers. Despite all that, it's still small enough to stash in a hip pack or hydration pack.

Polar Bottle’s 24-ouncer has triple-wall insulation that’s designed to keep water cold twice as long as previous models. That’s a bold and ambiguous claim, but in real life (especially if pre-chilled in the freezer), the Breakaway works extremely well in the summer heat. The insulation properties that keep drinks cold in the summer also prevent them from freezing in the winter, and we’ve regularly ridden for well over two hours in sub-freezing temperatures with these bottles before there was too much ice buildup to drink.

Pro tip: Preheat the Breakaway with hot water for a few minutes. Then, dump that out and use warm tap water instead of cold water from the fridge when you mix up your drink. As a bonus, this bottle is also BPA- and phthalate-free and dishwasher-safe.

No one should leave the house without a flat repair kit, but most take up precious room in a jersey or saddle bag. Instead, this Lezyne kit mounts on bottle bosses, allowing the rider to use it with or without a bottle cage. Either way, it comes with two tire irons, a C02 head, C02 cartridges, and a multitool.