Affordable small cyclist gifts, guaranteed to fit and make them happy!
Cycling gifts are extremely hard to buy, particularly for the small riders. I should know, because I and my wife are only 5’3 :). We small riders find it challenging to buy cycling clothes, accessories and bike gear that will fit us and our bikes. We spend hours scouring the internet searching for that perfect fit. Constantly entering into Google XS, S, small, extra small, and large teenager.
Now imagine how hard it is to buy that special gift for your partner, friend or relative. To buy vertically challenged riders the perfect gift is damn hard! It is difficult enough to buy for the picky hard-core cyclist and near impossible for a small rider.
The worse thing that a gifter could do, is buy a great cycling gift for a small cyclist but find out that it unfortunately doesn’t fit. đ And then the small cyclist must deal with the dilemma of re-gifting.
But there are some great gifts out there for the small cyclist.
If you want to find the perfect gift for your small cyclist partner, relative or friend, then read on!
Gift 1. Small Cycling socks
The number one most popular gift for small riders are cycling socks. And not just any pair of cycling socks, but socks with style. Cycling socks normally are plain and simple – white or occasionally black. But now cycling socks come in a variety of designs, materials and sizes – many xs size and s sizes which are guaranteed to fit. Fashion is finally coming to the cycling industry, and we first saw it with the jerseys and bibs. But now the trend is spreading to socks, which is fantastic. Because a pair of cycling socks can be found for any sized rider.
Small riders will not think of cycling socks for themselves as the perfect gift. For they are too busy trying to find the bike that fits! Cycling socks are perfect for the small rider.
Gift 2. XS Saddle bag
The second most popular gift is the saddle bag. Saddle bags are usually the plain black, triangular shape. And they sit just under the seat (saddle), naturally :). What makes saddle bags the perfect gift for short riders, is that saddle bags usually fit all sized bikes. I have seen occasionally a saddle bag being too big for a short rider, but this has been extremely rare. Do not buy bags that slide and hang off the horizontal bar on the bike, as some short rider bikes are too small, and their legs will hit against the bag when riding. So, make sure you buy a saddle bag that sits underneath the saddle, but of small size.
Gift 3. Compact Lights
No matter how small (or even big) the rider is, any light (unless it is extremely unique) will fit on a bicycle. And in fact, it doesn’t matter if the rider is hard core or recreational – any rider will appreciate lights and if they donât, they should! A good set of lights is imperative for riding, even during day time. Typically, all cyclists would have a flashing red light at the back of their bike. And a cyclist can never have too many lights!
Gift 4. Small Winter Gloves
Now, this may sound strange but hear me out. When riding in the winter, you need a great pair of winter gloves. Typically, cyclists will search for snug fitting gloves, and those with small hands will struggle to find ones that fit. What I have found is that the perfect set of gloves for the small rider are not really cycling gloves. The best are Blue Dive gloves which are used for divers (underwater) who need to keep their hands warm and protected from sharp objects. These gloves are the best because even their medium size would fit the small rider, and they are extremely effective. If the small rider has super small hands, then go for the small size.
Now I want to re-emphasize that this sounds a little strange to use scuba diving gloves for cycling, but to be honest, they are fantastic. I do have one caveat, and that is the gloves have dimples on the outside. So, if the cyclist is super hard core and is concerned that anything that is not aerodynamic will not be worn, then don’t buy these gloves. But I would be hard pressed to find a small rider that would be willing to forgo riding fast for freezing hands because the gloves don’t fit properly.
Gift 5. Compact Hand Pumps
Any cyclist will need a good hand pump (or they will use the carbon cylinder canisters). But generally, for those who are simple and like to use pumps, a good small hand pump is the way to go. Small hand pumps can slide into the back pocket of the jersey and the smaller the better for any rider. Generally, a cyclist wants to have a hand pump that can push enough air to create enough pressure to continue riding. They don’t mind if it takes a few more minutes, as long as they can create sufficient tyre pressure to ride on. The worst pump is one that may pump quickly but cannot push enough air to inflate the tyre. This means, the pump is almost useless because the tube is still under inflated and continuing to ride may damage the wheel rims against the road surface.
Gift 6. Small Cycling caps
Cycling caps are fantastic gifts for the small rider. Often cycling caps will fit even the smallest of heads, and in todays world they come in various styles and motifs. These are becoming extremely fashionable and trendy. Mind you, for the beginner cyclist, the last thing they would think about is a cycling cap, but hey, as a gift for the small rider, these would make the perfect gift. Because itâs cool to wear and it will fit!
Conclusion
Buying the perfect gift for a small rider isnât easy. But with the 6 gifts that I have listed out above, you wonât go wrong. In fact, the small rider will love you for it, because it will fit, and they are useful and cool to use. If in doubt send me an email or leave a comment at the bottom of the page, and I will reply promptly.
Happy hunting for gifts for the small cyclist rider!