Few people understand the demands of bike touring quite like Saoirse Pottie. Fresh from an epic 7,000km journey across Africa, crossing 10 countries in 5 months, Saoirse has put touring gear through some of the most challenging conditions imaginable.
From the dusty tracks of Mozambique to the hills of Rwanda, her recent adventures have provided the ultimate testing ground for our cycle touring equipment.
Essential cycle touring gifts: Saoirse's Selections
Sleep system for the long haul
While many cyclists are winterising their bikes, you'll find Saoirse planning her next grand adventure. The foundation of any bike touring adventure is a good night's sleep and Saoirse's experience crossing continents has led her to recommend our Pipedream 400 sleeping bag paired with the Numo Sleeping Mat. When you're covering 50+ miles a day recovery is everything and this combination offers the perfect balance of warmth, comfort, and packability. If you know someone who's dreams are bigger than their current bag you cannot go wrong with this great combo.
Bike packing mastery
Panniers or rackless, we are constantly refining our bike packing system and Saorise is no different. Her extensive African expedition put this to the test and she has several tried and tested suggestions for you:
- Deluge Stem Pack: A small bag that sits within easy reach on your bike so you can access snacks during your ride. As it is rackless it can be attached to just about any bike.
- Lunar Frame Bag: Functionality and safety combined. By day this bag looks like just a regular frame bag, but by night it is a reflective for extra visibility. Can be attached to your road, gravel or mountain bike with just a few supplied soft straps.
- Deluge 13 Handlebar Bag: Waterproof storage for electronics and valuables that straps directly to all handlebars - no special tools required!
- Koala 13L Saddle Bag: The perfect sized bag for attaching under your seat for clothing and camp gear. Koala comes with its own straps so you don't have the added weight of a pannier.
Camp kitchen essentials
After thousands of miles on the road, Saoirse knows the value of a reliable cooking setup along with a supply of tasty food. Saorises's suggestion is small, lightweight and eminently packable:
- Kraku Stove: Ultra-light and dependable stove that is smaller than Africas largest beetle - the Goliath Beetle
- MytiMug 650: The perfect size titanium cooking mug for both cooking and brewing coffee
- LyoFood: Real food that packs light and tastes great
Shelter solutions
For lightweight, liveable space you can carry on your bike, Saoirse recommends:
- Ultra 1 Tent: Our smallest, lightest, most packable tent for individual, minimalist bike adventures
- Soloist Tent: Lightweight doesn't have to come at a premium. Soloist has been turning dreams of multi-day journeys into reality for many cycle tourists. Not only that, see how quick and easy to pitch...
Surprise your friends with with safety and practicality
Cyclists can spend literally thousands on their bikes, perhaps leading you to think, what is there left to buy! Fortunately there are a bunch of opportunities with our accessories, and what's better is that they can be transferred from bike to bike. These are the essential items that Saoirse recommends you never leave behind:
- Phase 550 Bike Light and Halo Rear Bike Light: A USB rechargeable bike light that packs a big punch. Phase delivers enough light to see on unlit trails and Halo has a clever sensor that gets brighter when you brake - yes a brake light for your bike!
- Trailside Multitool: Don't leave home without one, this multitool has saved countless adventures. Tighten bolts, screws, spokes and fix chains all in one handy tool.
- Hiplok Z-lock: A light weight bike lock that's small enough to fit inside a Christmas cracker. This lock is ideal for day riders and bikepackers who might just have to nip into a shop to pick up supplies, but don't want the weight penalty of a heavy lock.
- Hydrater: This soft drinks flask is ideal if you know an adventurous cyclists heading into remote area. What makes this great is that it squishes down when empty so only takes up as much space as the water you need to carry.
Gift with confidence
As Saoirse discovered during her African crossing, reliability is everything when you're days from the nearest bike shop. We stand behind every piece of kit, giving you the confidence to plan your own adventures, whether they're weekend explorations or cross-continental expeditions. That's why each piece comes with our Alpine Bond guarantee – we stand behind the quality and durability of our equipment. With our 123-day returns policy, there's plenty of time to ensure each gift is welcomed into its new home. You can return or exchange your gifts online or in any store.
What if you still can't choose?
Saoirse's hand-picked cycling essentials have been chosen from our extensive range of products for adventure loving cyclists. If one of these hasn't ticked your boxes, or you are buying for someone else and getting tied up in jargon, just hop on to the live chat at the bottom of the page, or visit one of our stores for more expert advice.
Gift Cards - For when you are struggling to find that perfect cycling gift
If, even after all of these great ideas, you are still struggling to put your mouse on that perfect present, our gift cards come to the rescue. We have physical gifts cards you can send to your loved ones, an Alpkit Foundation Giving Card and an e-Gift Card for when time has got you beat. These can be redeemed online or instore.
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