I’m practical. I know my wife and family wouldn’t dare buy me more than a $20 cycling item. They know that no matter who they ask, it’ll probably end up being the wrong size/fit/style/color. That said there’s always room for stocking stuffers so here’s a list of the last minute little things I (and I assume most cyclists) can’t get enough of:
Glove Liners – I’m not sure of the physics, but glove liners keep my hands feeling dryer in my wet gloves. I also tend to loose these a lot, thus the need for many.
Smartwool Socks – I’m sure other brands are just as good, but I love my Smartwools. They are perfect for combating wet feet and they can pinch-hit as work socks if I forget.
Red Blinkies – I always loose/break these things. I strap them to all of my bags and like to keep extras on hand when I run out of battery.
Chamois Creme – I’m partial to Greyhound Juice, but there are plenty of players out there. It’s a consumable and I prefer to have a stash in my closet, my garage, my gym locker, and in my messenger bag.
Cycling DVD’s – When I need to, I ride the trainer, and the only thing better than watching “Lost” on the trainer, is a bike movie. 90 minutes never went by so quick.
Base Layers – Now that I’ve gotten used to these, I use one for every ride. The more base layers, the less often I need to do laundry.
Knogs – Like rear blinkies, these are great to have on hand in case I get caught out a little later than planned.
Casual Wear – who doesn’t need a cool heather-green T-Shirt?
I’d love to hear other ideas, mostly so I can try out more stuff!