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Holiday Gift Guide: Saris’s Wish List

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bikerumor pic of the day jackson's trail moab utah
Photo Credit: A past Pic of the Day here, by Adam Kollgaard

Having blown right past Thanksgiving and into the pre holiday season, it’s time to start dreaming of Christmas gifts for you and yours. It’s never easy, but hopefully this Holiday Gift Guide gives you (and my boyfriend) a little inspiration.

To give you fair warning, my tastes lean towards the more gravity oriented mountain side of things. But no matter what I’m riding, you’ll be sure to catch me airing out curb cuts, scoping bonus lines, and trying to find out where that random goat path actually goes.

EXPERIENCE

My bike has taken me a number of incredible places, but there are still a number of locations and experiences on my mountain biking bucket list. Among the highest priority items are doing a heli-drop (um, anywhere), racing the Trans Provence, heckling at a World Cup DH Race, and making it out to Moab.

I’m hoping to make it out to the red desert sometime in the next year with some good friends in tow. Peak riding season is said to be March-May. If you have any riding/crawling/moto/beer/ or camping suggestions, please leave them in the comments for me.

ROAD / GRAVEL / CROSS BIKE

Niner RLT 9 gravel grinder road bike review and actual weights

While I think we can all agree that the term “gravel grinder” is ridiculous, the concept isn’t half bad. Particularly for mountain bikers such as myself, who’d love a second (or third, or fourth) bike that could pull double duty on the dirt and pavement. Throw in some fender racks for light touring duty as well, and you can see why models like the Niner RLT 9 and Specialized Diverge are so appealing.

MOUNTAIN BIKE

Cedric Gracia Santa Cruz Nomad Bike Check_007
Cedric Gracia’s EWS Race Rig

I rode so many great bikes this year, it’s hard to pick just one I’d like to see under the Christmas Tree. The two in particular that gave me be the biggest grins were the Pivot Mach 4 and the Santa Cruz Nomad. They’re both completely different but I consider each a genre defining model.

My personal favorite would have to be the Nomad, although it’s a bike I would be afraid to actually own. Think of it as the Nissan GTR of enduro bikes. It allows its driver to effortlessly take it to the limit, but that kind of speed is both addicting, and terrifying.

COMPONENT

New Fox 36 2015 Float

Whether the lowers were grey, brown, or black, the Fox 36 has always been the fork I’ve lusted after. In recent years though, the fork had fallen out of favor due to just how capable the lighter 34 series was, and because it wasn’t available in a 27.5″ configuration.

All that changed this year when Fox introduced a completely redesigned 36 model, which features an all new air spring, a lower axle-to-crown, big weight losses, and a number of other improvements. All of which make it the best fork Fox has ever produced, and a worthwhile competitor to the much heralded Pike.

GEAR

NiteRider Lumina 650 Side View

It’s hard to appreciate how wonderful bright lights are until you have them. Whether you commute, ride the backroads, or occasionally hit the trails, having powerful lights will make you more visible and your ride more enjoyable. Amongst my favorite manufacturers of mid to high end lights is NiteRider. Their Lumina series is self contained, relatively light, and has served me well for a number of years.

For those with a dedicated commuter or town bike, Sparse’s beautifully designed lights are also well worth a look.

KIT

Giro New Road spring 2014 womens cycling clothing for commuting and road biking

Just as comfortable on asphalt as it is on the trail, Giro’s New Road Kit has become my go-to for all types of riding. A few years ago this type of gear would have been targeted toward the commuter set, but with its classic aesthetics, quality construction, and great fit, it’s perfect for adventuring outdoors.

The new women’s line is particularly awesome because the shorts have real pockets. Like deep ones, that will actually fit a cellphone!

SHOES

Specialized 2FO Flat Pedal Shoe (1)

Announced earlier this year, the new Specialized 2FO line of shoes are the best thing to happen to the flat pedal market since, um, I’m not sure. But the shoes are fantastic. Think FiveTen levels of traction while being nearly as comfortable as the discontinued Teva Link models.

They also incorporate nice technical features like a well reinforced toe box (something I’ve accidentally but thoroughly tested), cushioned midsole, and mesh upper for breathability. The shoes are also available in a clipless version if that’s more your thing.

…And THREE SMALL THINGS

Hope cranks dropper guide fatsno 150 carbon seat post (15)

Cyclists are notoriously difficult to shop for, but one thing we all love is a little bling, particularly anything machined. So you can’t go wrong with an anodized seat post collar from Hope.

If there’s one thing cyclists love more than fancy bits of aluminum though, it’s beer. The YAWYD drink top cap from Niner Bikes is a great way of adding a little personality to a bike, and showcasing your favorite cold one.

My last pick for a small stocking stuffer is the new decal kits from Fox. Available in a number of different colors, each kit comes with several sheets of stickers, and are a great way of adding a little custom flair.

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Timquila
Timquila
9 years ago

Utah: Buy beer before you cross the border into Utah. In Utah it’s all like 2%, boring and available at state stores on state hours only. Ask servers in restaurants about the rules about food and beer ordering. We learned this about 5 years ago, I haven’t been back to see if these are still the rules, it’s certainly worth some investigation.

I’m not sure how the Microbrews fair there.

All that said, Moab is a must!

vulgarbulgar
vulgarbulgar
9 years ago

Timquila – Utah used to be silly with alcohol, but recently they have changed their laws, and microbrewing has exploded there. You can get lots of great brews at the liquor store and restaurants. The only silly thing they still do is use a calibrated measuring dispenser for hard alcohol at bars. Basically anything with hard alcohol at a bar is weak and a ripoff. Otherwise as a California native, I had no issues getting good beer whenever I’m in Salt Lake.

Tom
Tom
9 years ago

Moab: Do not miss the newly expanded Mag 7 network of trails, the Moab Brands Trails, and the North Klondike Trails. Plus, of course, the iconic Slickrock Trail. And Pipe Dream for a late afternoon “double down” right from town. And much, much more, including the tough, but fun and only recently officially opened Blue Dot Trail (now named Gold Bar Rim, I think).

I’m with you on the Gravel Grinder term. Almost as goofy as “Enduro”!

Greg
Greg
9 years ago

Camping next to the Colorado is a nice way to go.

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