Christmas cycling gifts: Our team’s all-time favourite pieces of kit

Waterproof Crab Hand winter gloves

£14.99 Planet X

I use these gloves below 0°C on my road bike, which, as I live in the Scottish Highlands is quite often. They have a soft lining inside which is attached, so that when you pull the glove off, the lining doesn’t come out. I’ve had mine for five years now – they’ve been washed many times and are about knackered now. I’ll be buying another pair soon.

Amanda Wagstaffe, Golspie Bothy project coordinator

Betty merino neck warmer

£30 FINDRA

One good thing about the cooler months is I can wear my favourite neck warmer, which is my stripey FINDRA merino one. It’s just so soft and does the job of keeping me warm perfectly.

Gwenda Owen, engagement officer – Wales

Topeak Alien II multi-tool

£32.99 Wiggle

This multi-tool lives in the bottom of my bag, but saves the day when called on. I’ve used it for the last 10 years riding across Scotland – from a simple saddle adjustment to taking bikes apart with it. You just need to go through the experience of having a rubbish multi-tool miles from home in poor weather to realise the value of a good one!

Ralph Jessop, Big Bike Revival development officer for Stirling, Perthshire, Clackmannanshire, Fife and Dundee

Cinelli Jungle Zen cap

£15.99 Prendas Ciclismo

I love the look and feel of this cap, which is guaranteed to brighten up a ride on even the dreichest Edinburgh day. It gets bonus points as my 18-month-old daughter’s favourite cap, who enjoys nothing more than parading around our flat wearing it!

Sam Waller, communications manager – Scotland

LifeLine tubeless repair kit

£4.99 Wiggle

I remember being high in the Canadian Rockies when my tyre suddenly gave way. My riding mate was ready to break out the inner tubes, when I started to talk worms. He watched, puzzled, as I stuck this odd brown strip into my tyre with what looked like a mini screwdriver from a Christmas cracker.

Pulling out the tool, the worm remained, sealed the hole and I was back on the bike in less than three minutes, still with a fully functioning tubeless set up. An awesome piece of kit that doesn’t cost the earth.

Ross Adams, cycling development programme manager

Valdipino poncho

£40 Vaude

My sister, who lives in Holland, got me this a couple of Christmases ago. They’re more common there than here, so perfect for that cyclist who wants to stand out from the crowd and commute in style, especially on a Dutch-style bike.

I ride a bike with drops and it works great too. This is a robust waterproof for all weathers which will do a better job of keeping your legs dry without the extra bother of waterproof trousers. For me, it also beats body-fitting rain jackets in the summer months.

Esmond Sage, Big Bike Revival development officer for Edinburgh

Waterproof cold weather sock with Hydrostop

£42.50 Sealskinz

I bought my first pair of these about 10 years ago and they are perfect for winter riding. They keep your feet so nice and warm and dry! You can wear them with overshoes on a cold wet day or ditch the overshoes if it’s not wet, but cold. The Hydrostop technology is fantastic because it stops water from coming in through the top of the sock which was an issue with older versions.

Josh Murray, engagement officer – Northern Ireland

Women’s Body Geometry Dual-Gel long finger gloves

£22.50 Specialized

These are a must-have if, like me, you suffer from cyclist’s palsy – pain, tingling or numbness in the hands. They’re ideal for autumnal days or summer evenings, and thick enough for a quick ride in the winter.

They have gel padding in the main stress points of the hand which is so much better than traditional foam padding, relieving the pressure on your ulnar nerve and absorbing the shock from bumps on the road so that even the clingiest of riders doesn’t feel uncomfortable.

Lauren Purdy, digital communications and media officer

Sports sunglasses

£24.99 Snowledge on Amazon

Sporty shades can be stupidly expensive for something that’s easily lost or broken, but this set is great value. You get five different lenses, from clear to shiny mirrored blue, which have kept my eyes free of mud and bugs in everything from night-time downpours to those dimly remembered cloudless days during lockdown.

The lenses are easy to swap over and the “unbreakable” frames have proven to be just that so far, despite my three-year-old having decided that daddy’s “special glasses” are his new favourite toy. The whole lot comes in a handy pouch to keep spare lenses safe.

Remember – if you’re shopping at Amazon, go via smile.amazon.co.uk and select Cycling UK as your preferred charity to support. 

Rob Kingston, communications and media officer

Merino cowl neck top

£100 FINDRA

Santa has been trained to deliver a FINDRA garment to my stocking every year; they are always top of my list as a practical luxury, and from a women-led ethical small company in the Scottish Borders. I’ve got a top in almost every colour and find they are just as perfect for work meetings as they are for the 30-mile ride home from Edinburgh.

Suzanne Forup, head of development for Scotland

Cateye Velo Wireless cycle computer

£25 Halfords

My brother bought me this for my birthday a good few years ago and it’s still going strong. A lot of people like to use their phones these days, but for me this simple computer with an easy-to-read screen is great and has tracked my way through a many a long ride.

Jim Densham, campaigns and policy manager for Scotland