17 excellent gifts of joy
It is the time of the year when we think about gifts for loved ones or ourselves and below are a few thoughts along those lines. In no particular order you will find 17 gifts that keep on giving, and at the very bottom have links to them all. Happy holidays.
blueseventy nero tartan jammers and swimsuit
Whenever I go to the pool there is a sea of simple black swimsuits and this blueseventy Nero tartan line certainly breaks that mold. Available in men's jammers and a women's one piece you can certainly show a bit of your own style and flair. And you do not have to have Scottish heritage to own them.
Smith Optics Pivlock Arena glasses
Smith Optics has been offering the Pivlock frameless designs for quite a while now and they really are ideal for triathletes or anyone else who sits in an aero position on their bike. The Arena is the newest model in the line and is available in a huge variety of colors to match your personal kit and style.
MSRP: $159
Fizik Tritone 6.5 carbon braided saddle
The Fizik Tritone carbon braided saddle is a beautiful piece of art and it can also be considered a fine and considerate gift for your crotch. Which saddle works for an individual varies greatly, but these types of short saddles are here to stay in triathlon and slowly gaining space on the road too. The concept was started by ISM, but other brands like Fizik and Specialized have taken it to another level – and you can take it home.
MSRP: $300
Garmin 920XT watch
The Garmin 920XT came out in early October with all guns blazing and it is likely the most popular multisport watch right now. I personally lam a watch fan boy and have a variety of styles in my house, but I catch myself over and over that I have this Garmin on my wrist most of the time, despite my gripe that it looks a bit too gadgety. But two big thumbs up for this Garmin 920XT and all the fine features it has.
MSRP: $449
Enve SES aero road bars
Enve has jumped into the fight for the aero road bar market with this flared SES model. Narrow on the top and wider at the bottom and these bars are available in 3 widths. 35, 37, 39 on the top with 40, 42 and 44 widths on the bottom. So quite narrow near the hoods where most folks these days keep their hands. They would be a very fine gift for someone who recently made the transition to an aero road bike.
MSRP: $400
Giro Synthe helmet
Aero matters indeed and that is true for helmets too. Giro was the first brand to push the topic hard with the Air Attack and with the Synthe they added another very fine aero tool to their offerings. Some folks were not fond of the BMX feel of the Air Attack, but the sales numbers have done well despite those few nay sayers or non adopters. The Synthe on the other hand is very stylish and should suit everyone and comes in a variety of color options.
MSRP: $250
Shimano SH R321 cycling shoes
Shimano cycling shoes fit a large variety of feet and especially those wider North American ones. They are typically a very smart purchase when it comes to bang for the buck, and usually you do get a lot of bang indeed. The SH R321 are the very top of the line ones and they should make even the most discerning cyclist happy. But the entry cost for a fine shoe is as low as $100.
MSRP: $380
Lupine Neo 2 light system
During the holidays everything is about lighting and with it getting darker sooner lights for cyclists are also very important. The German Lupine brand is among the most respected bike lighting brands and rightfully so. The Neo 2 for one packs a lot of punch in a very tiny package, and what is advertised is also what you get. Running time is 2.15 hours at 700 lumens for this magnificent light. A 4SC version that runs 3.25 hours is also an option.
MSRP: $245
Tender Belly bacon
Bacon in general makes a very fine gift, but not all bacon is created equal. Be sure to check out the Denver, CO based Tender Belly group and their very delicious offerings – especially the Dry-Rub Uncured Maple Bacon edition. They also offer many other meat products and can ship to you too. They also sponsor Ben Hoffman and what is not to like about that? Bacon of the month club sounds about right at this time.
MSRP: starting at $14.75 a pound
Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 shoes
You should not be wearing your running shoes when you go out socially, not matter how much you like to show that you are a runner or triathlete. It is bad for those expensive running shoes, plus it is not very stylish. Grab some retro shoes from Onitsuka Tiger like the Mexico 66 edition below and you can you will be very suave. Look through the whole site though, there should be a style and color offering that will tickle your fancy.
MSRP: $85
blueseventy transition bag
I have had one of these bags for years now and it is my favorite travel bag and the only thing that makes it obvious that I am somehow connected to triathlon. I really do not use it in transition, but others certainly do. With space for wet stuff below and many small compartments you can keep all your gear organized. Rumor has it that blueseventy has attempted to improve the bag, but could not find enough that needed changing.
MSRP: $100
Park Tools dummy hub
Any time you pack up your bike you might be worried about what to do with that chain and that is where this dummy hub comes to the rescue. It nicely holds the chain in place while the rear wheel is out and does so also when you are trying to clean your bike. It does not connect to the other side, so it isn't really a dropout bridge, but it is a great gadget.
MSRP: $20
Silca valve extenders
Nothing is more annoying than a leaky or noisy valve extender and Josh Poertner of Silca has made sure that his valve extenders do neither of these things. They are available in 4 lengths and next time when you pump up your deep carbon wheels you will be very thankful that you indeed listened to this advice. Do you really need extra stress on race morning or do you prefer to have a calm start? The Silca valve extenders help you obtain the latter.
MSRP: $34
Grounds & Hounds coffee
Most triathletes like coffee and the choices are endless. Grounds & Hounds not only has a fine selection of offerings but they also help hounds in need. 20% of all Grounds & Hounds revenue will be donated to rescue partners working to make a second-chance mission a reality. In short, you can really feel good about drinking this coffee.
MSRP: $8.75 and up
Endurance Conspiracy Seek and Enjoy
We can go outside and seek and enjoy or we can hold on to our smartphones or tablets and peruse Facebook and other social media sites. The choice is up to us and the folks at Endurance Conspiracy want to remind us all that we indeed have a choice when we are not at work. Do you seek and enjoy?
MSRP: $35
Clif Shot Vanilla
Even if your life is not too vanilla, you still can enjoy vanilla products. I for one really like this Clif Shot Vanilla gel and word has it that Santa might bring me a box of it. Not only do I like the taste of it, but I also like that the top part does not end up on the ground when you open it up thanks to the litter leash design.
MSRP: $29.99 (24 box)
F-bomb paper weight
You shouldn't throw F-bombs around figuratively and literally, but this very clever F-bomb paperweight could find a nice home on your desk and would also make a great gift for that friend that has everything already. It would also allow you to add some very creative words to the card.
MSRP: $45
Resources
– blueseventy nero tartan swim
– Smith Pivlock Arena
– Fizik Tritone saddle
– Garmin 920XT watch
– Enve SES Aero road
– Giro Synthe helmet
– Shimano SH R321 shoes
– Lupine Neo 4SC light
– Tender Belly bacon
– Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66
– blueseventy transition bag
– Park Tools dummy hub
– Silca valve extenders
– Grounds and Hounds coffee
– Endurance Conspiracy shirt
– Clif Shot Vanilla gel
– F-bomb paper weight
