Contender's 2025 Holiday Gift Guide

With Thanksgiving gone and December underway, this time of year brings the giddy anticipation of giving or getting that one cycling thing you or your loved one has pined for–be it sleek gear, comfy clothing, or an on-point upgrade. 

But here’s the catch: cycling products can get technical in a hurry, and cyclists are known to hold strong preferences, often choosing to just shop for themselves.    

So if you’re the giver, shopping for the cyclist enthusiast in your life, how can you get them something within budget that will also knock their socks off? And if you’re fortunate enough to be the receiver, how can you ensure your non-cycling loved ones will get it…right?

Not to fear, because Contender’s Holiday Gift Guide is here, freshly updated for 2025. 

For this year’s Gift Guide, we’ve gone deep on the products we love:

 ✔ Handpicked items that are unique to Contender

✔ Exclusive products that carry our name and logo 

✔ Clothing and gear that’s fit for the winter season ahead–whether you’re riding indoors or outside 

✔ And products that we’ve personally tested and can stand by, fully confident that just like Saint Nick, they’re guaranteed to deliver the goods. 

And with economic uncertainty in the air and budgets tightening everywhere, we’ve organized everything by price tiers, so you can find the perfect gift, at any level. Should nothing below fit the bill–on either price or product–there’s always a Contender Gift Card, good for in-store or online use, and available at a range of price points.

Happy Gifting, Happy Riding, and Happy Holidays, from all of us here at Contender! 

$50 or Less: Stocking Stuffers Sure to Surprise & Delight 

• Contender Honeycomb Socks ($14): Soft, breathable, available in a range of great colors, these shop favorites feature a honeycomb homage to our stomping grounds (the Beehive State). An easy, low-cost gift that adds comfort and personality to every kit. Plus, a sock within a sock (stocking)...what’s not to like??

• Contender Hats ($20–30): From our classic rope hats to our more breathable 5-panel mesh hats, there’s a Contender-branded hat for every bike nerd in your life. Only available through the shop, and perfect for post-ride errands, trainer sessions, or simply repping your favorite SLC shop (not that we’re biased or anything). 

• Silca TPU Tubes ($39): A lightweight, compact upgrade that experienced riders swear by, these ultra-packable TPU tubes save weight, space, and frustration, letting riders focus on just that: the ride. 

• Blackburn Honest Digital Pressure Gauge ($35): Accurate pressure makes every ride better, be it road, gravel, or single track. This pocket-sized gauge removes the guesswork, keeping tires dialed for winter base miles and spring race prep.

• Contender Carbon Bottle Cages ($40): A simple, effective upgrade that looks sharp on any bike. Lightweight and durable, these cages deliver a premium look without the premium price.

• Lizard Skins DSP Ultra Bar Tape, 2.7MM ($54): One of the easiest, most affordable upgrades for any road or gravel bike? New bar tape for the new year. To that end, we’re loving Lizard Skins new DSP Ultra Bar Tape. Available in six colors and 2.7 or 3.5mm thickness, this bar tape is grippy, comfy, and poised to add a pop of color and dash of panache to any bike. 

$50 to $100: Ride-Ready Gifts for the Mid-Range Budget

• Q36.5 Winter Rain Gloves ($85): Thin, flexible, and far warmer than they feel, these high quality gloves from Q36.5 are new to the shop this year, but perfect for shoulder-season rides, unpredictable weather, and winter commutes. 

• Restrap Race Top Tube Bag, Short Version ($88): A sleek, secure top-tube bag that keeps essentials right where riders want them—easy to grab without slowing down. Lightweight, weatherproof, and rock-solid on rough terrain, this new to the shop item is a great gift for gravel and endurance riders.

• Blackburn Digital Shock Mini-Pump ($90): For riders who like their suspension dialed just right. Compact, precise, and dependable—great for gravel and MTB riders who obsess over setup.

$100 to $200: Elevated Swag, For that Swaggy Rider In Your Life 

• Contender Pre-Waxed Chains ($121–185): One of the highest impact upgrades per dollar spent, and one of our best-selling Contender exclusives. Cleaner, quieter, and more efficient, a waxed chain is perfect for winter training miles and early-season racing.

• Silca Elettrico Ultimate Pump ($159): Italian precision and style in a compact electric pump, easily packable in a jersey pocket or saddle, crossbar, or handlebar bag.  Fast, accurate, and shockingly convenient. 

• TONS Helmet / Shoes / Glasses Rack ($175): A beautifully minimalist storage solution for helmets, shoes, and glasses. Perfect for the neat freaks, err design enthusiasts, in our lives. 

• Outbound Portal Helmet Light ($185): As captured in our recent Journal on MTB lights, the Portal’s exceptional lumens, wide spread, and intelligent settings make it our light of choice if only running a single light. Lightweight, stable, and incredibly efficient, it’s an essential accessory for early or late riding, especially in the winter. 

• Lazer VeloVox Open-Ear Communication System ($185): A safety-minded, open-ear audio system that delivers clear sound and effortless group communication in a lightweight, all-day design—perfect for riders who want seamless connectivity without sacrificing awareness.

• Q36.5 Bullet Proof Base Layer, Long Sleeve ($190): A perfect mashup of Italian style, upper body coverage, and sweat wicking warmth, this long sleeve base layer version is a must-have for winter mileage.

$200+: Premium Picks for Serious Cyclists

• Wolf Tooth DEL Gravel Pedals ($220): Been riding gravel on road pedals? Then these are for you. As summarized in our recent Journal, these new gravel pedals from Wolf Tooth are stable, durable, and poised for excellent power transfer. Available in a stealthy black, or with a bright pop of color (ultraviolet purple). 

• Q36.5 Women’s Adventure Vest ($230): Not afraid of the cold? Neither is this vest from Q36.5. A truly versatile winter layer built for adventure riding and everyday cold-weather miles, it’s lightweight, packable, and impressively warm for its size, adding insulation without bulk, and working seamlessly over base layers and long sleeves. 

• TONS Laptop Race Table Holder Kit ($350): Know a cyclist planning to spend winter indoors, putting in countless hours in the pain cave? This is for them. A sleek, sturdy laptop holder for indoor trainer setups, this gorgeous product from TONS is ideal for streaming content, or getting your game on via Zwift or Trainer Road. 

• Q36.5 Unique Pro Road Shoes ($600): A top-tier road shoe made with anatomical shaping, premium materials, and Italian craftsmanship. Stiff, supportive, and built for long, fast days on the bike.