Christmas gift ideas for the mountain biker in your life
Words: Anna Beck
Photos by: Colin Levitch, Mike Blewitt and Bike Bot
If you’re anything like me, buying gifts can be overwhelming. What do they want? What do they have? What can I afford?
Sometimes this can get too difficult, and I do yet another year of gifting socks and undies.
To avoid this, I contacted our contributors to pick some hot gift ideas for the mountain biker in your life. You’re welcome!
Mike is no stranger to AMB, having been at the helm for years. Mike continues to support AMB with as a sometimes contributor and loves a bike pack tent! Here are Mike’s ideas for gift-giving this year: the gift of words and tools.
‘A great gift for the mountain biker in your life is a subscription to AMB – there’s nothing like having stories and advice delivered right to your door’.
(Ed note: Mike was definitely not paid to say that)
https://www.ambmag.com.au/subscribe/
‘Some of the best gifts I have received are awesome for mountain biking, but they’re useful for tonnes of other things as well. A Leatherman Squirt is one of those things. It is small enough to take on all-day epics, useful enough to be worth taking, and versatile enough to find a place in a pocket or bag for just about anything I’m doing outdoors.’
Brisbane contributor Bam da Silva follows suit with the tool theme:
“Think of a tool you know a good friend needs. This is always a cool present. A Wera Allen key set, a nice set of snips, or perhaps a chain stretch tool”.
Ben ‘Moshy’ Morrison only recommends one thing for the mountain biker in your life:
“The best gift, I think, would be a Dynaplug Racer. Super handy and hard to get!”
Contributor Kath Bicknell has suggested a host of ideas for the mountain biker who specifically doesn’t want/need any more tools in their arsenal:
“A ‘Keep Tassie Wild’ tee or hoodie. 50% of profits go Tassie environmental organisations so you can keep riding there in the future!”
An online course on Mind Skills for Mountain Bikers from Intelligent Action! A new way to keep improving your mountain biking from the comfort of your couch if you’re sick, injured, or the trails are underwater! The first course, ‘Using cues to reduce mental overload’ is launching in November. Learn strategies for moving well on the bike when the ‘just do it’ approach isn’t enough.
As the editor, My recommendations follow;
The gift of time: whether it be a weekend away exploring new trails, a bike pack overnighter, a few days at Thredbo, or an event like the Quad Crown Black Pearl. My time is at a premium (like many readers’!), and the ability to get away for a guilt-free escape is unparalleled.
It doesn’t have to be expensive; a day out exploring new trails and a picnic would be pretty exciting for a lower-cost option.
You want to spend up big? Crankworx Whistler or BC Bike Race are bucket list events requiring more travel.
