Five Cyclocross Items For Your Christmas List That Support Small Businesses

Every year, Oprah does her favorite things lists that garners insane amounts of attention, and causes people to go crazy trying to get the products on the list. Here are a few things from the Bikeworldnews Cyclocross desk that are must haves for the cross racer in your life, but also help support small businesses across the country, just in time for Small Business Saturday.

SpeedSleev SeatSleev Large

SpeedSleev, a Pennsylvania based brand, makes minimalist saddle packs that allow you to carry just what you need on a ride, and not much more. The pack is made with small compartments where you can slide in two 16g CO2 cartridges, an inflator, two tire levers, a patch kit, valve extender, and one mountain or two road/cross tubes. The tubes are wrapped in their own central compartment, with the remaining compartments built into the large wrapping wings that make up the outside of the pack. These wings wrap around the tube compartment to keep everything inside. Two outer straps wrap around the saddle rails and the entire pack to hold it steady under your saddle.

Two material options are available, standard black ballistic nylon, and carbon woven sail cloth. The black ballistic nylon will easily handle anything you throw at it, but the carbon woven sail cloth is stronger and more durable for epic adventures.

$40.00

www.speedsleev.com

 

Fix It Sticks Roadie/Tri Set

To go along with the SpeedSleev SeatSleev, the Fix It Sticks Roadie/Tri Set is perfect for a minimalist seat pack. Brian Davis started Fix It Sticks on Kickstarter and has successfully gown his product offering to a staggering number of combinations of bits. These steel or aluminum multitools would fit great in one of the small compartments of the SeatSleev, and give you all the tools you will need on a ride. Face it, if an hex wrench or a Phillips screw driver can’t fix your problem when you are on the side of the road, a cell phone to call your ride home will be the only tool you need.

Fix It Sticks are two aluminum or steel sticks with bits on each end, that convert to a T handle tool to give you better leverage than your average multitool. The SupCat orange anodized aluminum version is lighter weight, 55 grams, but only handles about a maximum of 15 newton meters of torque. The chromed steel are heavier at 97 grams, but handles about 40 newton meters of torque. Each set comes with a sleeve to store your Fix It Sticks that is made from an inner tube. The Roadie/Tri set come with 3, 4, and 5 mm hex bits, along with a Phillips #2 bit, but any combination is available though their custom program.

Steel or Aluminum – $29.99

www.fixitsticks.com

Mad Alchemy Pure Chamois Cream and Uber Secret Coffee Warming Embrocation

Cyclocross is typically wet, muddy, and cold. When it comes to your chamois cream, you need something tough enough to last during these nasty conditions.  Mad Alchemy Pure Chamois Cream should be your go to product for protection of those sensitive areas. Personally, this is my favorite chamois cream, one I can’t live without when the temperatures drop or on a nasty wet day.

Pete Smith makes each batch with love in Broomfield, CO, using all natural ingredients. Paraben and preservative free, the Pure has a waxy consistency blended essential oils that stays where your apply it and doesn’t wash away during the ride. Creamy chamois creams can’t compete.

When the temperatures drop, it is time to put on the embrocation. Mad Alchemy has had you covered (no pun intended) for years with embro that range from no heat to insane heat. The Uber Secret Coffee Warming Embrocation is middle of the road in heat, but the hazelnut and coffee notes will wake you up for that early ride. It uses a coffee butter as the base, and includes other natural oils to add the heat and protect your skin. Adding some embro will keep your legs warm, and provide a layer to keep water and mud off your legs.

Pure Chamois Cream – $19.95
Uber Secret Coffee Warming Embro – $23.95

www.madalchemy.com

Handlebar Mustache T-Shirts, Socks, Stickers

Another brand out of Colorado, Handlebar Mustache Apparel offers a line of cycling inspired clothing to show your passion for the sport on and off the bike. Brett Richards and his wife Ashley continue create designs using cycling icons of past and present, along with phrases that will motivate you during your ride. When you buy their cloths, you are  also supporting a cause. Ride for Reading, Livestrong, and Raisin Hope are just a few that they have worked with over the years. Most recently, they created multiple products for the Amy D. Foundation, after the untimely death of Amy Dombroski.

If you’ve been watching the domestic cyclcross scene, you’ve seen some of their products in action. Ben Berden (Raleigh-Clement), has been racing in Handlebar Mustache’s High-Vis Pink socks, and has even been spotted with a Belgian The F*ck Up sticker on the frame of his Raleigh RXC Pro Disc. If you are going to sock dope, these are the socks to do it in. They are also available in yellow, orange, and black.

Keeping in the Belgian theme, the BTFU jersey keeps you visible high-vis yellow. The kit was created to honor the hardest riders in the world, and inspire you to ride like one. After a trip to ride the Ronde course, and seeing their socks against a cobblestone background on the Muur, they knew it had to be made. Handlebar Mustache partnered with Curve to produce these Italian made jerseys. Add a matching pair of their understated bib shorts, and you’ll stand out on the road or cross course in a good way.

T-Shirts – $26.00
Hoodies – $40.00
Track Jackets – $45.00
Socks – $12.00
Jerseys – $90-135
Bibs  – $125-155
Stickers – $2.00

www.hbstache.com

 

Green Guru Gear Spinner Bag

When you are heading to a race, it always helps to have a good bag to carry all of your gear. You pack it the night before and grab it on the way out to make sure you have everything you need in one spot. It is important for it to be weatherproof, durable, and large enough for your needs. The Spinner Backpack is Green Guru Gear’s third largest backpack, giving you 1368 cubic inches of space. It’s more than just an empty void though. The main compartment features a laptop sleeve that doubles as pouch to hold a hydration bladder, with a loop at the top to hang it from. There is an outer compartment with multiple dividers and a zippered pouch to keep your small valuables divided and secure. The outside features a sleeve on each side to carry water bottles and reflective taping down the center that you can hook things though. Once everything is packed, pull the compression straps tight to keep everything in place. Along with the shoulder straps, there is also an adjustable waist strap to keep it from bouncing around when you are active.

Besides the storage, the Spinner is a very durable bag, but also eco friendly. Green Guru Gear uses upcycled inter tubes on the front and bottom of the bag for durability. The sides and inner liners are made from 100% recycled PETE fabrics, created from recycled post consumer water bottles and the straps are made with 60% recycled PETE aerospace mesh. All of this means that you are keeping discarded products from ending up in a landfill and giving them a second chance at life. All of these materials are assembled in Boulder, CO to make these unique bags.

For the holidays, Green Guru Gear created Christmas Gift Kits, that include some of their favorite accessories, with one of their choice bags. The Spinner Gift Kit comes with one of their bi-fold wallets, made from recycled tubes and recycled PETE fabrics, 2 Upcycled Street Sign Scrap Reflective Triangles, an Upcycled Street Sign Scrap Pin, and an Epic Tasty Nutrition Bar. All of this is wrapped in a festive red package, perfect for the holidays.

Spinner Bag – $99.95
Spinner Gift Kit ($143 value) – $99.95

www.greengurugear.com