The Best Stocking Stuffers for Cyclists

Indoor riders sweat straight onto the bike, and sweat is salty enough to corrode a headset bearing and pit a frame over a winter. A sweat net stretches from the bars back to the seatpost and catches it first. That is the whole product, and it is exactly as useful as it sounds.

It fits nearly any road or gravel bike, so you do not need to know what they ride. If they already have one, a second is not wasted — they wash them. Our trainer setup guide covers why sweat protection is step one, not an afterthought.

Heart rate is the number that tells a rider what an effort cost them, and most training apps display it front and center. A chest strap that broadcasts both Bluetooth and ANT+ works with Zwift, TrainerRoad and any bike computer without configuration.

Check that they do not already have one; it is a common gap and a common purchase. If they do, the strap-free and premium options in our heart rate monitor roundup are the upgrade path.

Indoor riding removes the wind, and without it heat builds until the heart rate drifts up and the session gets cut short. Most riders own one fan and need two. A compact turbo like this one is the classic second fan: pointed at the face from the desk while a bigger unit covers the body.

There is nothing to check and no way for this not to be used. If the budget stretches, the bigger picks in our fan roundup are the main fan; this is the one that goes on top.

A trainer lifts the rear of the bike, and unless something lifts the front to match, the rider sits pitched slightly forward for every session. Many riders use a phone book. A riser block is the proper fix and it costs almost nothing.

There is nothing to check: it fits any tire width and any trainer. Our riser block roundup explains when a multi-height block is worth the extra few dollars, and when this one is all they need.

If they run Zwift or TrainerRoad from a laptop and have ever said the word "dropout," this is the gift. It gives the computer a dedicated ANT+ radio for the trainer and sensors, and the long cable puts that radio next to the bike rather than behind a metal desk.

Find out what they ride from first. If it is a computer, buy this. If it is an Apple TV or tablet, skip it — those use Bluetooth only. Our ANT+ adapter roundup has the details.

Cadence is how fast the pedals turn, and it is prescribed in most structured workouts. A cadence sensor straps to the crank arm and broadcasts the number to whatever app or head unit they use. This one does it for very little money and speaks both wireless languages.

The one check: many smart trainers already report cadence, in which case this is redundant on the trainer bike but still useful on a second bike or an outdoor one. Our cadence sensor roundup explains the difference.

A direct-drive trainer takes the rear wheel off the bike and puts the chain on a cassette bolted to the trainer instead. Fitting that cassette needs two specific tools — a chain whip and a lockring tool — and a remarkable number of riders do not own them.

The check is simple: does their back wheel come off to ride indoors? If yes, this lands. If their bike sits on the trainer with both wheels on, skip it. Our cassette guide covers the SRAM exception, which needs a different lockring tool.

A wheel-on trainer presses a roller against the rear tire, and a normal road tire responds by shedding fine black dust and wearing flat in a season. A trainer tire uses a harder compound that does neither, and it runs quieter too.

Two checks: the back wheel must stay on the bike when they ride indoors, and the bike must run 700c road wheels. If either is a no, pick something else from this list. Our trainer tire roundup has the alternatives.