FIVE GREAT CYCLING PRESENT IDEAS FOR VALENTINES DAY

Yes, why not!

Let’s get a little silly and a tad soppy and suggest some ideas so can show your feelings for your better halves on a day that originated as a Christian feast day in the 3rd Century honouring two early martyrs named Saint Valentine. Then in the early 19 Century St. V became associated with romantic poetry and home-made cards sent out by the hundreds by desperate young men, and then morphed into the multi-million and dare I say rather cynical operation that it is today.

“Oh thank you very much, let me just google these chocolates by a brand I’ve never heard of to see how much you think I’m worth, be right back… or not.”

So, here’s a few ideas for cycling-related gifts that’ll win the affection of your better half for… well, possibly ever.

LEGOR CUSTOM MADE GRAVEL FRAME

I met Mattia Paganotti, the mastermind behind Legor, in Mongolia of all places, when he and his friend were taking part in the Mongolia Bike Challenge on their own custom built single speed hard-everything MTB bikes. That was enough to fascinate me, when everyone else, me included, were riding full suspension geared MTBs.

Mattia is an Italian who relocated to Barcelona after studying under Gino Lissignoli, a master frame builder and then working part-time with another legend, frame builder Tiziano Zullo.

“When I started to make frames, I understood that I couldn’t make anything without a master. So I went to a shop close to my home and I met Gino Lissignoli,” he states on his website.

“I asked him for some tubes and he said to me, “you want to make frames, are you crazy?” He told me I will be your master, and we did the first frame together.”

He also cites the great Dario Peregetti as a friend and guide.

He makes all his frames out of custom Columbus tubing, and for about $3200US, you could surprise your loved one with one of his beautiful frames, resplendent with a custom paint job, so why not throw on a thousand little love hearts to make it the perfect Valentine’s pressie?

I’d go for one of his gravel frames, the Porecca or the LWTUA. Gorgeous, and what better way to show your love than to get your partner the present you wish they’d bought you?

2. CO-MOTION KALAPUYA TANDEM

The Oregon-based company Co-Motion doesn’t only make tandem bikes but with 16 distinct models, and having been making them since 1988, tandems are definitely in the company’s DNA. They seem to have a model for everyone too, from family three seaters to speedy models designed for the road, to gravel tandems.

The custom Kalapuya model is designed for fast off-road riding but switch out the knobbly tires and you’ve got a road tandem. Available with Shimano or Sram gruppos, this pressie will put a smile on both your faces.

And to ensure that it comes with industrial quality construction site earmuffs, two sets. Just joking.

Custom build price starts at $8795.

3. MONTON MATCHING COUPLE’S CYCLING KITS

You know that feeling when you see something for the very first time, and the moment you do you realise that you’d wanted it all your life?

Well, this isn’t it, but if you enjoy spending time with your one-and-only cycling whilst dressed in matching kit and letting sheep smell your nu- I mean feeding sheep nuts, playing ukele in your cowfolk hats and caressing your large pumpkin that’s a substitute for a child because a) it doesn’t talk back and b) if it ever did, you could eat it, then, this truly is the kit for you!

Made by Taiwanese brand Monton, the jerseys start at $79.99 US and some of them do in fact look quite good. If you’re into that kind of thing.

4. BIKE FURNITURE

Bike what now? Yup, you hear right, get him / her / they some bike furniture.

First up is this rather nice table-style effort that holds your bike and turns it into the objet ‘d’art you always wanted. It’ll set you back $566 though (please don’t say ‘I could make that myself!’ because I already did), and it does look good. Courtesy of CHOL1.

How it would look in that house with no mess, no kids, and that you probably cannot afford anyway…

I’m very much digging this piece of velo furniture too, from, erm, Velo_Furniture. Can’t seem to find out how much it is but yeah, I know, you could make it your- Just buy it, you cheapskate!