Holiday Gift Guide
It’s the holidays and that marks the season of giving! All throughout the year I’m asked about my favorite this or that, my preferred piece of equipment, favorite book, or best place to travel. So rather than offering my personal preferences one at a time, I’m excited to present for the first time ever, an iamtedking Holiday Gift Guide. Sure sure, this list includes a variety of items from my sponsors. Lest we forget, I’m in a very lucky place in this sport where I work with the very best in the business. There are a whole smattering of items from companies that I’m not endorsed to support, so rest assured that this entire list is personally curated for optimal performance and fun. These are products and companies that I wholeheartedly believe in and know will make your holidays brighter!
It seems odd that winter is technically still more than a week away since I saw my first snowflakes of the season in late September. There’s a blanket of white outside as I write this here in Vermont, but that’s no reason to be cold. The Alpha Long Sleeve by Velocio is among the smartest, most comfortable pieces of clothing I’ve seen. The ultra soft material offers what amounts to a cozy hug, while the rear pockets provide function to this piece that’s meant to be worn with a layer on top.
Oh, do you need a layer on top? Save yourself some time and look no further than the Ultralight Rain Jacket. Foolishly light yet impeccably waterproof, this is another incredibly well thought out item. Access to rear pockets, a soft neck and wrists, an impressively easy to use zipper when you’re fumbling around with slippery numb hands, this jacket is tops. What really sets it apart is that every company this day and age makes black rain jackets which is about as intelligent as making a solar powered flashlight. I dig my yellow jacket for its style and for its hi-vis on dark days. Plus for a limited time, for every $200 spent, you'll receive a $40 Gift Card.
“Ted, your saddle bag is open.” Many a kind riding partner will offer up this warning, whereupon a closer inspection results in, “Oh, never mind. Hey, sweet saddle bag. What is it?” In general a saddle bag is like a dopp kit where you throw in the essentials, then toss in one or two other things, then you zip it up tight and don’t give it another thought even though it’s bursting at the seams. The Possm by Outvi isn’t just another saddlebag, it’s a super convenient, mobile, rolled-up toolkit. With a quick tug of the velcro, the “bag” unfurls and hangs from beneath your saddle so that you have quick and easy access to your tube, CO2, plugs, and multitool rather than having to unload the contents and display them in a yardsale format on the ground. Maybe you saw this GCN feature and noticed its excellence in action.
Let me be frank: handlebars with flare did not make sense to me. I thought they were a curvy, superfluous add-on without any real purpose. As things progressed, things got real weird when flared bars went further and further out, so that you may as well have your hands on a school bus steering wheel with a three foot diameter. I then talked at length to a friend who’s a Zipp engineer and he explained that Zipp’s XPLR handlebar has just the slightest bit of expansion to provide additional dexterity when in the drops, yet identical hood position when up in the tops or hoods. Every little bit you need and nothing you don’t. I’ve been sporting the XPLR on my gravel bikes and think they’re sweet. Consider me converted!
The Goldilocks of flare. Not too much, not too little, just the right amount.
Probably the biggest question I’ve received in 2019 went something along the lines of “Hi Ted, I’m thinking of a new gravel bike. What do you think of the Topstone versus the SuperX?” Sheesh, how do you pick your favorite child? Which is better, a Ferrari or Porsche? What’s a most ideal Mediterranean coastline, the Italian or Spanish? Darn near impossible questions.
Look, plain and simple, they’re both amazing bikes. They’re race proven and each are enormously capable. When push comes to shove, the SuperX has more of a penchant for flat out speed. Last January I rode The Coast Ride, which is 4 days and 500 miles of Californian paved riding on the SuperX. I had 44c slick tires in there (more on that later) and the bike rode like a dreamboat. The next weekend I raced the first Grasshopper of the year and the only change was setting the bike up with knobby tires. It climbs like an angel, rides like a road bike on paved roads, and slices and dices like the cyclocross pedigree from which it’s designed.
The Topstone is the more exploratory sibling to the SuperX. The clearances are quite similar, although I think you can get a slightly wider tire in the Topstone. This bike allows 650b wheels as I rode and LOVED at Griduro. That makes the bike a touch more nimble, which is then paired with the (ahem… Ted) Kingpin which soaks up just enough chatter and vibration to make the ride silkier than the SuperX. The added eyelets provide infinite additional options for toptube nerd purses, water bottle mounts, fenders, or whatever else you’d like to saddle up on your machine. Either way, you can’t go wrong.
If I could lock down LLBean as a sponsor, I’d be happy as a clam. Orrrrr as happy as my feet in a set of LLBean slippers. They come as a pair of identical slippers, meaning there is no right or left when you get them, but as you trod around the house they customize to each foot and fit like a glove. Or slipper, as it were. They’re wicked good which is why they’re called the Wicked Good Scuffs.
In the running for the most common question I receive is “What’s your tire choice?” Let’s face it, choosing a tire this day and age is like going to the peanut butter aisle at Whole Foods and picking out a jar. Almond, cashew, peanut, hazelnut, sesame seed, an assorted mix, plain, salted, lightly salted, even more delicately lightly salted, chocolate, vanilla, maple, crunchy, super crunchy, or smooth plus every iteration in between. The options are dauntingly extensive. And therefore just as Justin’s streamlined the nut butter decision by creating the most delicious nuts butters on earth (Maple Almond Butter. You’re welcome), Rene Herse has streamlined the tire choosing process. When it comes to slick tires, I suggest running the widest tires you can fit. I run 44c Snoqualmie Pass on my SuperX or 35c Bon Jon Pass on my Synapse for example. You can run lower pressure without increasing rolling resistance to an impressively low pressure which increases comfort, dexterity, grip, and fun. Then when it’s time to shred the gnar, my favorite are 38c Steilacooms. Yes, you can go to a 42c if it’s particularly chunky, but 38c suits my needs for the vast majority of what’s out there. Much like peanut butter’s decision of chunky or smooth, you need to choose your tire’s rubber compound by whether you’re riding chunky or smooth. Super chunky terrain in your future? Go Endurance or Endurance+. Want something buttery smooth? Standard casing or Extralight are your go-to options here.
GP-1x scoping out Iceland.
ROKA is making the lightest, best performing glasses out there, bar none. I don’t have a preference between their GP-1x and CP-1x, but at the very least let me shed some insight on them. GP stands for ground protection so the frame is just at the bottom towards the ground. CP is complete protection so the frame surrounds the glasses entirely. GP are therefore a touch lighter, while the CP are a bit more rigid with the added frame up top, although still both foolishly light. They fit snug on my face as much as they snap into place in my helmet. There are -1 and -1x where the former is the standard sizing, while I opt for 1x since those are a bigger lens for my enormous head. Best yet, you get to mix and match virtually any color scheme you could ever dream up. Meanwhile off the bike, I’ve never been an aviator kind of guy. I always wanted to be but they just never fit right and it felt forced when I tried them. But then I got my hands on and face in some Phantom aviators and they’re so awesome that I wear them all the time. Seasonal bonus, all aviators are 20% off right now!
CP-1x in complete protection mode.
Dreamy.
It’s amazing how much mullet there is in cycling. From Rooted Vermont’s #mulletprotocol to SRAM’s “mullet” drivetrain, what’s fun about gravel is having a touch of seriousness with a whole lot of party in the back. I love SRAM eTap. Much like how Apple has somehow engineered a micro dose to your brain’s reward receptors when your hear the ping of your phone indicating you’ve received a text, I feel happy every time I shift. Heck, every time I see an AXS drivetrain I’m happy. Seriously. eTap AXS is crisp, clean, efficient, and spot on every single time. There’s creativity and fun in SRAM’s lineup so that you can mix and match, put an AXS dropper post into the mix and be either 1x or 2x up front. At this very moment I’m really enjoying the 1x set-up with a 44 tooth front chainring on a Quarq with an enormous 50-10 Eagle cassette and rear derailleur out back. Party on!
If you’ve followed me for a long time, you may recall TUSB. The initial Toughen Up Sissy Boy regime was followed by TUSB 2.0 and 3.0, all of which are an ethos of training that comes from first getting into cycling in Vermont and being a New Englander at heart. Through some internet migrations, a few iterations have been lost into the ether, but my favorite column talked about the benefits of the frozen “slush faring”, where if you ride long enough through the winter, a grayish brown ice will form along the back of every piece of your bike providing a sweet aero advantage. Frame, stem, seatpost, even the derailleur and better yet spokes! The whole foundation of TUSB is “with enough warm, waterproof clothing you can ride in anything”. And while there’s truth to that, it’s also not always smart. Nor pleasant. Nor safe. I’ve proudly partnered with Saris and I can’t sing enough praises on the H3. It’s my first direct drive trainer, so the set up is remarkably simple and the bouncing around from a traditional trainer is a thing of the past. And while you may balk at the price tag, they’re actually $200-300 less expensive from the immediate competition. It’s “smart”, so you can link it up to any app at your disposal. I’ve been particularly partial to TrainerRoad and Zwift lately.
Already have a trainer and don’t want to be quite that spendy? The Trainer Desk is the sleekest addition to my training room, plus there’s a great story to go along with it. An engineer at Saris had a bit of extra time between projects so he was tasked with using extra material from the making of Saris racks (cough cough, pro tip: get the MTR2). With a little bending and bolting, they developed the Trainer Desk which at the very least with quadruple your indoor riding enjoyment and productivity. There’s even a multi-purpose outlet for the ridiculous fact that you need electronics despite spewing out hundreds of watts. And after touring the Saris factory in October, the coolest part is that they’re entirely made in the USA!
Inadvertently, I’ve proudly been part of inGamba Tours before there was inGamba Tours. It was a back of the napkin idea – actually a paper placemat idea – when I visited João in Chianti while we both raced for Cervelo TestTeam in 2010. I did what every other pro cyclist did who doesn’t live on the Continent full time and got myself a place in Girona. Two years later I also rented a place in Lucca, Italy which was wonderful as well, but it was that visit to Chianti with João where my entire perspective changed of European culture in tiny Lecchi in Chianti. Time slows down there. Despite my only being able to speak as though I’m a three year old, the kind folks who run the café and market take you in as if you’re a long lost cousin. To ride through the center of Sienna just a dozen or two kilometers down the road, albeit a very sinuous, rollercoaster road, is something you’ll remember for life. There are some tremendously special spots on the inGamba Tours calendar (looking at you northern Portugal), but nothing makes me happier than to be in Lecchi.
Let’s call a spade a spade; traveling with a bike is a pain in the ass. ShokBox is a British company that’s made traveling with a bike a considerably less awful experience. I’m 6’2” and ride a 58cm bike. I have complete appreciation for the bike bag companies that allow you to disassemble your bike and not get charged an arm and a leg, but given how much I travel, I prefer to keep the disassembly as brief as possible. Furthermore, the go-to check-in line of “Umm, these are display materials” no longer works in duping the kindly person behind the desk. Every check-in agent knows that it’s a bike even before they saw your helmet dangling from your backpack. The protection in a ShokBox is second to none, the four wheeled, infinite steering capabilities make it truly enjoyable to roll through an airport, and you can travel with peace of mind that your bike will arrive safe and sound. Not inexpensive, but neither is your bike.
You’ve heard me preach the gospel of maple syrup for years now. Heck, the entire business of UnTapped came about because people knew me as the guy in the ProTour with a tasteful obsession with maple syrup. But have you tried it? Have you tested the benefits of UnTapped on a ride, run, ski, hike, or even chucked it in your glove box to avert disaster if you find yourself at IHOP with no real maple syrup? The product lineup continues to grow so now with the very recent addition of Salted Raspberry UnTapped, you get to play with tasty options to mix and match and make the tastiest UnTapped Sample Pack out there. Three maple packs, four waffles, and two drink mixes let you set the matrix to your liking. And at just $25 and free shipping, plus because literally everyone loves maple syrup, this is the perfect gift for your entire shopping list.
My voracity to reading goes in bits and spurts. Here are the books that I give a very high endorsement towards.
Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters. A very good friend gifted this to me and I ripped through it. In chatting with him, he said I’ll appreciate it again and again when my daughter is 3 months, 3 years, 13 years, 16 and so forth. His daughter is 24 and it still helps him out. This all makes a lot of sense. So if you’re a father of a daughter, get this book.
Be Prepared. Not to be exclusionary to just parents out there with daughters, this book is terrific for anyone with a kiddo of any age.
Somewhere way way north of where you’re reading this.
Three Day Road and Through Black Spruce. Remember that totally ridiculous winter bike ride I did with three friends in February, riding south along the James Bay in -40 degree conditions? That was an adventure to (nearly) end all adventures. It was amazing and life changing and eye opening in so many ways. Not least of which was to see the indigenous culture there that has been marginalized yet somehow makes it work in some of the least hospitable conditions on earth. I’m reading Through Black Spruce which is a great book by Joseph Boyden — thanks very much Nelson. And when I told some folks that I was reading this, I was immediately recommended Three Day Road, which is Boyden’s more acclaimed novel. If you want to see a glimpse of this fascinating part of the world, here’s your next read.
Happy campers start with comfy butts and comfy butts ride on Berthoud.
Speaking of our James Bay Descent, I’m pleased to report that all of our butts were treated to the utmost comfort with the Berthoud saddles. In an array of colors, but coming only in colors that will compliment your steed, these saddles are a throwback to an older era, but then complimented with a Byzantine sophisticated touch. Micro adjusting the saddle tension, coming in a variety of materials, this saddle was a dreamboat. If you want to class up your bike, look no further than here.
Anything that I can do to streamline travel is worth it. Easier luggage, a trip through TSA-Pre, packing the week before the trip, anything that makes a trip go smoother is worth it in my book. Coffee also makes the world operate smoother and for that Laura and I use Aeropress. Or should I say Aeropresses. In fact, we have four of them, two live at home, two live in our suitcases, one for each of us. The Aeropress was designed by the clever dude who made the Aerobie and it makes as delicious cup of coffee as the Aerobie throws far. Quick and easy clean up, after testing out probably a dozen travel coffee making devices, this has been in my go-bag for years.
And we’ll wrap with a few last minute items that are much lower in the overall budget. Designed in New England, made in Italy. That’s a tough byline to beat for the hearty bike rider in your life looking for clothing. Velocio’s wool socks are my go-to socks if I’m riding a bike or working in the UnTapped office. They’re comfy, durable, plus fit perfectly with just the right amount of stretch meets warmth. And Zipp’s Service Course handlebar tape is the best in show. Much like a pair of socks, they’re durable, comfortable, and have classy style. You can’t go wrong here.
So that’s it folks. Happy shopping and happy holidays to you and yours. Remember it’s the company with which you keep that will make your holidays shine. These gifts will make them smile so that helps make for a great holiday too.