How we recommend
We recommend gear by category and use, not by brand, and do not quote prices. We may earn a commission on purchases at no cost to you.
Get training
This page explains what governing bodies, standards bodies and road authorities publish. It is not a substitute for cycle training from a qualified instructor, for a qualified bike mechanic, or for medical advice.
Before you buy: what is better left to the rider
Four kinds of kit are hard to buy as a surprise, for reasons the rules themselves give:
- Helmets. Which standard a helmet needs depends on where the rider lives and races: the US requires CPSC 16 CFR Part 1203 for helmets sold there, Australia's 2024 supply standard accepts six named standards, and USA Cycling says helmets with European CEN certification may be worn only in races on the UCI calendar. The rider knows which rule applies to them. The helmet guide explains each.
- Bikes and frames. Fit is personal, and riding position is the work of a bike fitter; Cycling Industry News reported in May 2016 the launch of the International Bike Fitting Institute, an accreditation scheme for fitters. For racers, the UCI's approval sticker qualifies a frameset for UCI-sanctioned competition, though the UCI says riding without one is not restricted.
- Shoes and pedals. These have to suit the rider's feet and bike, and setting them up is fitting work. In Great Britain, Highway Code Rule 60 also requires amber pedal reflectors at night on cycles made after 1 October 1985.
- E-bikes, batteries and chargers. London Fire Brigade (28 January 2026) says products bought online, new or second-hand, that do not meet UK safety standards are particularly prone to fires, and names chargers and conversion kits among frequent causes. The UK's Office for Product Safety and Standards (27 February 2025) advises buying from reputable sellers and using parts the maker recommends. New York City requires lithium-ion batteries sold there to be certified to UL 2271 under Local Law 39 of 2023. A spare battery or charger is a purchase to agree with the rider first. See e-bike batteries and fire safety.
Nothing on this page says a product is certified, safe or legal.
Our picks by category
Cycling books
Books need no fitting. The sport's governing body has a long record to read about: the UCI says it was founded on 14 April 1900 in Paris by the national federations of Belgium, the United States, France, Italy and Switzerland, after continental delegates walked out of a congress of the older International Cycling Association, and it marked its 125th anniversary in 2025. The Canadian Encyclopedia says Canada's Canadian Wheelmen's Association was also a founding member; the UCI names only those five, and an old copy of a Wikipedia article says 30 countries were originally affiliated. For any training or technical title, the edition and date matter, and no book replaces an instructor or a mechanic. See the UCI.
Best for: Readers, racing fans and anyone interested in the history
Bike lights
Lights do not have to fit the rider, and in Great Britain they are a legal requirement at night under Rule 60: a lit white front light and a lit red rear light. Rule 60 permits flashing lights and recommends a steady front lamp where there is no street lighting.
Best for: Any rider who might be out after dark
Bike locks
A lock needs no fitting to the rider. Sold Secure grades its pedal cycle locks Bronze, Silver, Gold and Diamond, and recommends a lock with its powered cycle rating for an e-bike. If the rider's bike is insured, the policy may name a required grade, so it is worth asking first.
Best for: Riders who park in public
Bike computers
For riders who track distance, speed or training data. In UCI racing, Article 1.3.006 bis allows devices recording data such as power, cadence and heart rate, and from 1 January 2028 the UCI caps computers in racing at 126 by 71 mm. We found no rule on computers away from racing.
Best for: Riders who like to record their rides
Bottles and cages
A simple gift for riders of any kind. In UCI racing, Article 1.3.024 bis limits bottles to between 400 and 800 ml, carried only on the down tube and seat tube; we found no rule outside racing.
Best for: Any rider
Cycling gloves
Gloves are personal in size, so the rider's own size helps. The UCI's only glove rules are for racing: gloves may not be built into a jersey or skinsuit, and mittens are not allowed on the track.
Best for: Riders whose size you know
Car bike racks
Racks for carrying bikes by car. We did not research racks, so we make no claim about types, fit or load. Whether a rack suits a particular car and bike is a question for the rack's maker, so this is a gift best agreed in advance.
Best for: Riders who drive to rides or races
Repair stands
A workshop stand for people who already work on bikes, or who are training as mechanics. The Association of Cycle Traders lists assembly, set-up and ongoing servicing under its Cytech Technical Two level, a training standard for bicycle technicians. This site gives no repair or maintenance procedures.
Best for: Riders who already do their own servicing
Sources
- US CPSC, bicycle helmets business guidance
- Australia, Consumer Goods (Bicycle Helmets) Safety Standard 2024, explanatory statement (F2024L00362)
- USA Cycling, Policy I (helmets)
- UCI, frameset approval: what's in a sticker
- Cycling Industry News, International Bike Fitting Institute launch (30 May 2016)
- London Fire Brigade, record number of e-bike and e-scooter fires across London in 2025 (28 January 2026)
- OPSS, warning on UPP e-bike batteries (27 February 2025)
- NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, certified lithium-ion batteries reminder (8 September 2023)
- UCI, the Union Cycliste Internationale celebrates its 125th anniversary (April 2025)
- UCI, 1900: the ICA is dead, long live the UCI
- The Canadian Encyclopedia, cycling
- Old Wikipedia copy (FICP mirror), founding affiliations (secondary)
- GOV.UK, The Highway Code, rules for cyclists 59 to 82 (updated 22 October 2025)
- Sold Secure, pedal cycle ratings
- UCI, Clarification Guide of the UCI Technical Regulation, Articles 1.3.001 to 1.3.034 (bilingual copy hosted by the Japan Cycling Federation, uploaded March 2026; edition date unverified)
- UCI, Management Committee meeting (2 to 4 June 2026)
- Association of Cycle Traders, Cytech training