Cyclists can be a picky bunch to buy for during Christmas. They either have everything they need or they're just too specific in what they want. But fret not, as here are our top picks of the best Christmas presents that'll please any mountain biker or gravel rider.

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SixSixOne Recon Advance knee pads

The best MTB knee pads are an absolute must-have for almost every mountain biker and the SixSixOne Recon Advance knee pads are an excellent option. These pads come with a pair of large D3O LP1 inserts with a range of thermoformed EVA inserts littered around the pad. They're light but mighty, conforming to a European safety standard EN1621.

Boosting the protection further are the Padlock connectors that allow the fitting of plastic caps that are ideal if your mountain biking loved one often rides through rocky terrain. Those are sold separately.

> Buy the SixSixOne Recon Advance knee pads from Merlin Cycles for £80

 

Renthal Fatbar 35

Thanks to its foothold in the motocross market, Renthal is a household name in the world of mountain biking, offering some of the blingiest but most practical handlebars you can buy. The Fatbar 35 comes with an 800mm width and 35mm clamp diameter. It's made of 7 series alloy and it's graced with a beautiful, hard anodised finish.

Better still, its finish is shot peened, so if this bar were to get scratched after a crash, it'll be well hidden, keeping the bar looking as good as new. The graphics are permanent too.

> Buy the Renthal Fatbar 35 from Merlin Cycles for £80

Tubolito S-Tubo-CX/Gravel inner tubes

No cyclist can ever have too many inner tubes, especially when they're as lightweight and stretchy as the Tubolito S-Tubo-CX/Gravel inner tubes. These tubes are incredibly small, weighing in at only 35g and this makes for an ideal inner tube to shove in a pocket on your casual gravel rides.

This tube isn't affected by leftover tubeless sealant, so it's an excellent spare but it offers low rolling resistance so it can make your bike extra competitive if you're one for the odd race.

>Buy the Tubolito S-Tubo-CX/Gravel inner tube from Tweeks Cycles for £26.99

Granite Design Stash RT multitool

Ideal for the more forgetful cyclists out there, the Granite Design Stash RT is a multitool that hides inside the bike's steerer tube. It takes the place of the star-fangled nut and offers almost all of the tools you'll need to repair most trailside mishaps. 

Better still, the top cap can be adapted to become a Wahoo, Garmin, or Bryton mount, and the bottom can accommodate an air tag holder, all of which are sold separately.

Lezyne CNC Tubeless Drive pump

A perfect follow-on from the Stash RT is the Lezyne CNC Tubeless Drive as it's not only a pump but it's your one-stop shop for all manners of tubeless tyre repair. That's because inside this CNC-machined aluminium pump is a CO2 inflator, a number of puncture plugs, and an insertion tool.

It's rather small too, measuring 173mm in length. It can inflate up to 30 PSI and comes with a long hose so you can be sure it won't ruin your valve cores, and its head is flippable, working with Presta and Schrader valves.

>Buy the Lezyne CNC Tubeless Drive from Tweeks Cycles for £64.99

Stolen Goat Enduro Jacket

Every cyclist is itching to get riding, even throughout the winter but without a good mtb jacket they'll come back cold and wetter than an otter's pocket. That's where Stolen Goat's Enduro Jacket steps in. It's specifically made for off-road riding, with the longer drop protecting your bum from any trail spray and the water-resistant fabric shakes off light drizzle. This is a good jacket for colder temperatures, and still offers great breathability through the mesh vents and if you get too hot, you can unzip the jacket using the two-way zip. 

Wolf Tooth Waveform pedals

Every cyclist can appreciate a good pair of pedals and that rings ever true with the Wolf Tooth Waveform pedals. While relatively fresh to the market, their high-quality build and easy serviceability are just a couple of the benefits that this pedal rocks.

The CNC machined aluminium body is double concaved and it rotates around a stainless steel axle with the help of three cartridge bearings and a bushing. They're then sealed to keep the crud away.

DMR Vault Special Edition pedals

Special-edition pedals are extra special and a safe gift. These DMR Vaults come with a special Liquid Camo colourway that makes them stand out from the crowd. They also have a large platform for stability and plenty of pins in order to offer the best grip you can get.

> Buy the DMR Vault Special Edition pedals from Tweeks Cycles for £115

Gusset S2 Lock-On Grips Extra Soft Oil Slick

You can never have too many grips in the shed as they're a consumable items. It's always handy to have a spare just in case you wear through your current set, or you're just looking to upgrade your bike for an extra blingy look, or you just want even more grip.

The Gusset S2 Lock-On grips offer all of those things thanks to their Extra Soft rubber compound and neat oil-slick collars. Their texture has been specifically selected to offer just the right amount of grip for particular parts of your hands.

> Buy the Gusset S2 Lock-On grips from Tredz for £17.99

Fidlock Phone Case + Mount

Is the cyclist in your life constantly trying to better their Strava times or using their phone for navigation? The Fidlock Phone Case and Mount allows riders to secure their phones to their handlebar with the clever use of magnets - and easily use it for maps or chasing those Strava segments. There's a huge range of mounts to choose from, so you can attach your phone to wherever suits and there are cases to fit almost any phone on the market... But don't scroll and ride!

Squire Stronghold D16/320 lock

Even though our bikes cost an absolute fortune, the best bike locks are often overlooked so why not buy your cycling loved something that'll secure their bike well and properly? The Squire Stronghold D16/230 uses a 16mm hardened boron steel shackle with a security rating of 10+.

It's then got a hardened steel lock body and its six-pin high-security cylinder has over 500,000 key differs, so it's unlikely that another Squire lock user can open yours. This lock is Sold Secure Bicycle Diamond approved too, so you know you'll be buying a very secure bit of kit.

Silca Gravelero hand pump

A gravel-specific mini pump? Yep, that's definitely a thing. This Gravelero pump from Silca promises to deliver up to 35% more air thanks to its fatter barrel. It comes with a handy thumb lock, and a retractable hose and can inflate up to 80 PSI. Included in the pack is a direct-mount bracket and the pump can work with Presta and Schrader valves.

Hammerhead Karoo 2

The Karoo 2 is one mighty little cycling computer that offers easy access to maps, elevation and a range of statistics to help your cycling loved one ride better. That's just scratching the surface too as this is one powerful machine, showing off a full-colour screen, Wifi and Bluetooth connectivity while being able to talk to a range of satellites. 

Our own Team ORCC has been using the Hammerhead Karoo 2 with great results.

> Buy the Hammerhead Karoo 2 from Sigma Sports for £359

Exposure Sixpack MK12

If like me, the cyclist in your family is exceptionally busy they should probably try their hand at night riding but they will need one of the best lights on the market. The Exposure Sixpack MK12 will do just the trick, illuminating the trail with its 5250 lumens. It comes packed with neat features too, such as the Reflex tech that adjusts the light's output to what you're riding and this particular SYNC model can pair to a little switch that mounts to your bars.

> Buy the Exposure Sixpack MK12 from Wiggle for £399.99

Halo Gravitas MT 29" wheelset

Any mountain biker would be absolutely smitten with the Halo Gravitas wheelset. These wheels are built to take on the roughest, gnarliest descents whilst spinning as reliably as possible. They are made using a 6061-T6 heat-treated alloy and 27.5mm internal widths to offer big tyres plenty of sidewall support.

It then uses the 120-point MT freehub with sealed bearings and super wide-spaced flanges for increased stiffness and longevity. Halo says that the Gravitas wheelset can fit almost any modern mountain bike with a quick release through to Super Boost options. They can also fit Shimano HG, Microspline and SRAM XD cassettes. If the stealthy look isn't for you, Halo offers graphics kits so you can match the colours to your bike.

Vitus Nucleus 26

Last but not least is the Vitus Nucleus 26 hardtail mountain bike, and what better present is there than a mountain bike? This one is based on the brand's adults size bike and it's dripping with excellent componentry. From the SR Suntour air fork to the Maxxis Ikon tyres, it'll be tough not to please with one of these.

Though the Nucleus 26 isn't for your loved one, Vitus offers a range of kid's bikes from balance bikes, gravel and cyclocross bikes, right up to this mountain bike.

> Buy the Vitus Nucleus 26 from Wiggle for £420

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