15 Awesome Holiday Bike Gifts for Triathletes (2022)

Our editors and guest experts share their top 15 bike-related picks for the 2022 holiday season—from premium carbon to budget finds under $100.

Photo: Hannah DeWitt/Triathlete

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.

Not sure what to gift the one you love (or to gift yourself) this holiday season? Don’t worry, we can help. We’ve compiled a list of our favorite bike-related items for those who might need a little on-bike motivation or the tools to get faster and stronger. Our wish list below includes 10 items chosen by our editorial team and five pieces of gear from three cycling gear experts.

Scroll down for the bike stuff on our lists this holiday season, broken down into three price categories: under $100, $100-300, and over $300.

Looking for more great gifts for triathletes? Check out the rest of our 2022 shopping lists:

Section divider

Awesome Holiday Bike Gifts for Triathletes: Under $100

Continental Grand Prix 5000 S Tubeless Ready Tires
$100 each, continental-tires.com

Bike gifts for triathletes

Ok, this is technically a $100 item if you buy one, but bear with me: If your giftee hasn’t used the Continental Grand Prix x000 line before, they’re missing out. This is a great set of tires for training and even better for the rigors (and potential risks) of race day as well. The best thing about the S TLR version is you can use these tires on a standard clincher setup with an inner tube, or you can use them with a tubeless tire setup. So if you know the recipient has tubeless-ready wheels, this is a great reason to actually make the switch to tubeless with sealant.

Pedro’s Pig Pen II Drivetrain Maintenance Kit
$50, pedros.com

Bike gifts for triathletes

Triathletes are typically nothing if not meticulous about the condition of their equipment. Well, sometimes. Whether your giftee is a neat freak or a total slob, keeping their bike’s drivetrain clean is essential to performance, speed, and durability of their moving parts. This complete kit from Pedro’s includes a hands-free chain cleaner, gear brush, degreaser, and chain lube. This setup not only works well, but also makes drivetrain maintenance easy, so you know they’ll reach for it often and save their bikes in the process.

Daysaver Original9 and Coworking5 Multitool
$100, daysaver.fun

Bike gifts for triathletes

Swiss-based Daysaver might have one of the most self-descriptive brand names out there, but for sure this ultra-tiny mini tool set will save your day when you need it the most. Between the Original9 and the Coworking5, these magnetically mated multitools boast 14 functions at a gram counter’s list-topping 74g. Even though it looks like only two or three tools, the tightly engineered kit has everything from hex wrenches (2.5mm-6mm), a Torx bit, a Philips bit, chain breaker, tire lever, spoke wrench, valve core tool, and chain link storage. Sure it’s not a cheap multitool, but it’s the lightest and more ingenious setup around—the perfect gift for the triathlete who has everything.

RELATED: 14 Tools, 72 Grams: The Daysaver Multitool Review

Section divider

Awesome Holiday Bike Gifts for Triathletes: From $100-300

Elite Crono CX Carbon Aero Water Bottle
$130, elite-it.com

Bike gifts for triathletes

One of the common threads we saw when we looked at the pro bikes and the bike count in Kona was the omnipresence of Elite’s sleek 400mL water bottle on the downtube of any superfast bike that could accommodate it. And bear in mind we were seeing this nifty little bit on plenty of pros’ bikes who were in no way affiliated with Elite, so they were ponying up their own money to get this carbon bling.  Not only does it weigh in at a scant 26g, according to Elite, but it has a high-flow nozzle that only requires a tiny bit of manual feedback—in other words, this’ll get your liquid from point A to point B super fast, particularly useful if you’re trying to reload a front-mount hydration system quickly on the go.

Muc-Off Pressure Washer Bicycle Bundle
$320, us.muc-off.com

Bike gifts for triathletes

This isn’t the first time Muc-Off’s novel pressure washer bundle has found its way onto our gift wish list, but there’s a reason it keeps coming back: No one else makes a bike-specific washer that so completely covers and cleans all kinds of road grime off your precious bike. Using the unique “snow foam lance,” this setup lays down a thick foam layer that clings to dirt before you spray the bike down and clean. This bundle includes the pressure washer, drivetrain cleaner, protect finish, lube, and cloths—everything necessary for the deepest clean possible on even the gnarliest bikes.

Bontrager TLR Flash Charger Floor Pump
$155, trekbikes.com

Bike gifts for triathletes

Though $150 might seems like a lot for a floor pump, there’s something unique about this beefy pump from Bontrager: The large main chamber can be pre-charged for a big burst of high pressure—precisely what you need to seat a tubeless tire on a tubeless rim if you don’t want to commit to purchasing a giant, loud air compressor (or take your bike into the shop every time you want to change your tubeless tire). When not being used to seat tubeless tires, this pump is a reliable, highly durable everyday floor pump with a 160psi-max digital pressure gauge and dual compatibility with Prest and Schrader valves.

Section divider

Awesome Holiday Bike Gifts for Triathletes: Over $300

Favero Assioma Uno Pedal Power Meter
$514, cycling.favero.com

Bike gifts for triathletes

If you’re looking to get your giftee into the world of cycling with power, it’s tough to beat industry insiders’ choice, the Favero Assioma Uno. Using one-sided power measurement (which software then doubles for an accurate estimate) that communicates with your devices via Bluetooth and ANT+, the micro-USB rechargeable setup goes for over 50 hours on a single charge. Despite the fact that the Uno is cheaper than other pedal-based power meters, it still boasts +/1% accuracy at a huge range of temperatures and uses KEO-compatible pedal cleats.

Wahoo Elemnt Roam Cycling Computer
$400, wahoofitness.com

Bike gifts for triathletes

Wahoo’s latest GPS cycling computer is an excellent gift for any triathlete who needs an easy-to-read color display and dual-band GPS for navigation, as well as a slim form that fits on any super sleek aerobar setup. This new version has more storage as well as great features for triathletes like custom alerts (nutrition, anyone?), an intuitive LED interface for quick, at-a-glance reference while working out, and even preloaded training plans. As good as the new Roam is for tri, it’s even better if your giftee ever heads off road.

RELATED: Reviewed: The New Wahoo Elemnt Roam GPS Bike Computer

Kuat Piston Pro X Bike Rack
$1,400, kuat.com

Bike gifts for triathletes

Yes, $1,400 is a lot for a bike rack, but the Piston Pro X Bike Rack is the granddaddy of all premium bike racks. Our reviewer gave this setup a perfect five-star rating due to its super easy, hitch-mount design, the fact that it’s shockingly lightweight for how strong it is, safety features like integrated tail lights, and the universality of the rack for literally every kind of two-wheeled transport out there. Best yet? The Piston Pro X is hands down one of the prettiest-looking bike racks we’ve ever seen, and will complement any luxury (or luxury-to-you) car on the road.

RELATED: Reviewed: Kuat Piston Pro X Bike Rack

Hunt 7387 Aerodynamicist Wheelset
$1,470, huntbikewheels.com

Bike gifts for triathletes

We may look crazy for including a pair of deep-dish carbon wheels on a holiday gift guide, but it’s not too crazy when you consider this pair of premium hoops costs less than $1,500. For that price, you’d be gifting someone a pair of 73mm (front) and 87mm (rear) wheels with a massive 34mm (front) and 30mm (rear) width. Wheels this wide obviously only come in a disc brake version, but the extreme width also means you can run a matching wider tire (optimized for 25 and 28mm tires), run a lower pressure, and still have as good or better rolling resistance than wheels nearly twice the price.

RELATED: We Review The New Hunt 7387 Aerodynamicist Wheelset

Section divider

Our Experts’ Holiday Wish Lists

Varia RCT715
$400, garmin.com

Bike gifts for triathletes

The Garmin Varia was first released as a rear light and bike radar combo, alerting cyclists to traffic coming behind them. Now, Garmin has leveled up the original Varia concept with the RCT715, which combines the powerful rear light and radar sensing with a camera that will automatically save footage if it detects an accident. It’s always good to have peace of mind while riding, and a light, radar, and rearview camera really is the trifecta for safety.

Puncture Plug Repair Kit
$15, muc-off.com

Bike gifts for triathletes

The idea of plug kits for tubeless tires isn’t new, but it’s an often-overlooked tool when cyclists build their flat kits. And with tubeless tires being the way of the future, every athlete on two wheels should be carrying one to quickly and effectively repair tires when sealant isn’t doing the trick. For once, a cycling-related gift that won’t break the budget and makes a good stocking stuffer.

  • Kristin Jenny, Hawaii Ironman finisher, veteran gear reviewer

Gore Wear C5 Gore-Tex Infinium Jacket
$220, gore.com

Bike gifts for triathletes

Southern Hemisphere folk can look away now, but for everyone else – as Taylor Knibb showed when propelling herself to the Ironman 70.3 world title in Utah’s chilly climes – a warm cyclist is a happy cyclist is a fast cyclist! Twinned with a decent base layer, this softshell, budget-friendly, fleece-lined jacket ticks the boxes for being windproof, breathable, visible (from neon yellow to black-fireball), and water-resistant enough for plenty of long winter hours in the saddle.

Castelli Estremoi Shoe Cover
$170, castelli.com

Bike gifts for triathletes

You might start to spot a theme here for winter riding, but blocks of ice for feet aren’t particularly fun when you’re turning over the cranks. The best solution? A pair of decent, hardwearing overshoes. One of the best investments you can get for riding comfort, the every-stylish Castelii offers up the Estremoi, with Gore Tex Infinium material on the outer and plush stretch fleece on the inside.

  • Tim Heming, Journalist, gear reviewer

BIVO Stainless Steel Water Bottle
$35, bivo.com

best cycling gifts for triathletes

This might just be the greatest leap forward in bidons…ever! The ingenious gravity pouring system of this lightweight stainless steel bottle delivers a quick, no-squeeze liquid delivery that no traditional plastic bottle can match. Even better: there is no off-putting plasticky taste. The silicone nozzle and straw are fully removable for easy cleaning and the bottle is dishwasher safe. They’re a bit pricey for a cycling water bottle, but the lifespan is endless. And who can’t celebrate a world with a little less plastic? Include the dust cap with your order which will be appreciated by athletes who like to take any of their two-wheel jaunts off-road.

  • Matthew Kadey, writer, Registered Dietitian, connoisseur of jersey-pocket fuel

Jan Frodeno Reflects on His Final Ironman World Championship

Immediately after finishing 24th place at his final Ironman World Championships, the Olympic medalist (and three-time IMWC winner) explains what his race in Nice meant to him.

Keywords: