All I want for Christmas...

So, it's less than a month before Christmas... have you done your shopping yet? Wanna beat the rush? Are you already panicking as to what to get your favourite cyclist?

Well, here's 20 gift ideas in the shop right now that might be perfect for the remaining people on your shopping list.

1. Socks. Who doesn't love opening a fresh pair of socks and putting them on for the first time? Have you ever heard anyone say, "Man, I just have waaaay too many socks!" No? That's because they're so silky, so smooth, so comfy and always getting eaten by the dryer monster.

Icebreaker makes some good short socks and no-show socks as well as a "multi-sport" sock. They're merino-tastic and pure quality! If you're looking for something a little warmer, we've got some ski socks from Icebreaker as well. The Chrome line also does wooly warm socks with partial merino and range from ankle no-show to over the calf socks.



2. Neck warmers/Buffs - Remember when you were a kid and you wore a neckwarmer and it was the best thing ever because it was SO WARM? Well, icebreaker has brought 'em back with a vengeance. Now with more merino to avoid that itchy scratchy feeling at your throat. There's a shorter, thick version and a thinner and longer version for the more creative types who want to ride to work with a pirate 'do rag flapping out the back of their helmet.



3. Gloves - Gloves are something that everyone can use and no one's going to say no to. Grab a pair of waterproof Gore Countdowns that are all the rage these days. Wind and waterproof with a little bit of insulation, these babies will keep your digits toasty warm all winter long even on the worst of days...

Other gloves include the Gore Mistral - windproof and the glove of choice for being low bulk and will fit a liner glove underneath if you're getting chilly.




The newest glove in the shop is Giro's Proof Glove. A bit more bulky than Gore, these babies have both a westerly wool inner liner and a weatherproof outer shell to keep you warm and dry no matter the conditions.

4. You can also invest in a pair of glove liners. We have a 200 and 260 weight glove liner from Icebreaker that will give you that extra bit of warmth when you're looking to keep those digits warm on your commute to work or when you're out enjoying the seawall on a sunny crisp day. They're a nice little stocking stuffer too!

5. Beanies. Beanies are a great Christmas present because they're so versatile. Under the helmet, out for a run, cool spring mornings and summer nights, out for a ski - they does it all. Icebreaker does a 200-weight beanie as well as a reversible one that's kind of fun too.



6. We've also got tons of cycling caps if you're looking for some face protection from the elements and have some team loyalty.

Cima Coppi has hats too - both warm wooly ones as well as earflapped winter caps.

7. Arm warmers are another key piece for any cyclist. Perfect for when you it's not warm enough for short sleeves but too warm for a full long sleeve jersey. We've got wool and synthetic, patterned and plain.

8. T-shirts for those casual days. We've got some from Chrome, Mavic, BMC, as well as Cima Coppi Velo Love and Paris-Roubaix.

9. What better present for wintertime than baselayers? These cozy shirts and leggings keep you warm and cozy whether you're commuting to work, climbing Cypress or out for a ski or hike in the mountains.

Both zip necks and crew neck tops as well as leggings and 3/4 legless as bottoms, these are a good gift for that active person in your life. We've also got a few remaining Craft baselayers on sale so come in and check 'em out!

10. Jerseys - Our summer stuff's on sale so now's the time to grab one up for a good deal. We've also got Gore and Louis Garneau windproof long-sleeved jerseys.

We've also got locally-made Cima Coppi stuff. Long and short-sleeved jerseys and track jackets for both men and women, these are one of the coziest gifts to give!

11. Shoes are a bit trickier to buy for someone as fit tends to be a little more personal but it's doable. We've got some Chrome stuff in stock for both the SPD and regular footwear-er in your life. As well, we've got some brand-new-this-fall waterproof DZRs through the door so get that special someone to come in and try some shoes on then get a "sudden chocolate craving," send them down to Cocoa Nymph with a very tricky order, and grab those shoes before they get back. 

12. Bags! We've got a ton of bags in stock right now from Chrome, Mission Workshop, Truce, and Pac. Come check 'em out! Messenger style, laptop capable, big bags, little bags, the works! If you need a waterproof, bombproof bag, we are the place to come!

 13. Jackets! We've got a few Mission Workshop Orions in stock at the moment but they're selling like hotcakes so get in here quick!



They're a fully waterproof Canadian-made jacket with pit-zips, a removable hood and several pockets, making them a great jacket on and off the bike. We can also acquire their new jackets - the Trigger and the Eiger Field Jacket.

We've also got the Chrome Storm series - both the ladies' Storm Pasha and the men's Storm Cobra in both black and olive colours.

 Made of a nylon fabric, these jackets are also for the walk-around style-y type that want a rain jacket that works on and off the bike. Pit-zips, hood, and multiple pockets make them another good choice if you want to buy just one jacket this season.

We also just got Swrve's Waxed Riding Jacket. Made in the UK, it has a waxed cotton outer and a wooly inner to keep you warm through the upcoming cooler months.

14. Locally, we've got some Winterluxe mittens that you should definitely check out. They're incredibly soft and fuzzy and come in a few different styles and colours. Made from recycled cashmere, these mittens would make a great stocking stuffer.

15. Keeping with the local motif, we've also brought in SAHN helmets. Designed in Vancouver, these stylish helmets are a great gift for the chic cyclist.

We also have Nutcase, Giro, Bell, and Lazer in stock.

16. Lights! What a better way of keeping safe than a couple of really bright lights. The Blackburn Flea USB light set is a great gift for the safety conscious as they're bright, rechargeable and easy to stash away.

17. Bells! Need a stocking stuffer for little ones in the family or even the young at heart? Dring Dring hand painted bells could be the ticket.

18. Sunglasses! Oakleys are still in stock with casual and racing-specific lines.

19. Musettes - Red Flag Designs makes a nice little musette that is perfect for when you want to carry some things but not including the kitchen sink. Red Flag also makes neat u-lock holsters out of leather.

20. Chamois Cream! Sportique's Century Cream is the best we've found so far for comfort on those longer rides. Made with natural ingredients, this stuff smells good and works great! They've also got a whole line of products including, Rad Rash Remedy for those bad spills, Element Cream for cold days, Sportsman's Friend and Shea Butter hand creams for rough hands, and other skincare bits and pieces.

Summer Sale Happening Right Meow!

Hey y'all, it's back again. Our summer sale. Come in and get some sweet deals on all sorts of sweet cycling and walkabout clothes and accessories.

Here's a taste of our deals...

Our Gore jerseys are 35% off for men's and 25% for women.



Sugoi jerseys are going for 25% off. Grab one today and you'll be as hammerific as this dude!

Swrve's going for 15% off. You can look oh-so-hipster too! Lose the cap if you want to be more stealth though.


Shebeest is 25% off ladies' jerseys.


Last year's Gore jackets are 30% off and this girl's amped about it and thinks you should get amped too!

Sugoi, Mavic and Gore's flippy flappy shorts are 20-30% off. Who needs an upper body when you've got these sweet Remote shorts on? Not this guy:



Sock guy socks are 50% so come get 'em before they disappear! We've got divas, beer, and bacon socks, oh my!Fingerless gloves are 30% off. They go great in the winter with a glove liner or non-padded gloves underneath.


Derny's going for 30% off. These clothes are always ready for action whenever you are, on or off the bike!


These are just some of the deals going on so come onnnnnn doooooooowwwwwwn!

Layered Like A Cake... Or Maybe An Onion...

As a cyclist, you may find yourself constantly fighting a battle of wearing enough to stay warm but not too much that you're sweating. Even though your legs are spinning those perfect circles, you aren't really moving your upper body and you have to deal with the wind factor on hands and feet.

This is where the layering system comes in. Generally, you're looking at three layers of clothing on top when you're riding to keep your core warm: base-, mid-, and outer layer. If you keep your core warm while riding, your circulation tends to take care of the extremities. As always, there is the exception of having bad circulation so you may need to bundle up those bits that get chilly.

Baselayers provide warmth and wick sweat away from the body as quickly as possible to keep you from getting clammy. In order to do this properly, the fit of a base layer must be snug like this fine gentleman from IceBreaker is modelling:

photo: IceBreaker

There are three "weights" in the base layer catagory:

1. Lightweights are good for summer and for intense activity. They provide excellent wicking but not a lot of warmth.

2. Midweights are for low intensity activities and have good wicking properties and some warmth to them. They are one of the more common layers as they tend to be more multi-purpose across different temperatures and sports.

3. Heavyweights are still a wicking material but act as more of an insulation layer. So, if you're racing, you're more likely to go with a lightweight base layer but might use a mid-weight for warming up or training, and a heavyweight for going for an easy ride around the seawall or hanging out post-race to cheer your teammates in.

Lightweight baselayers are also work well in summer condition. Now maybe you're reading this and probably going, "Base layer in the summer... Whaaaaat?! Are you nuts?!" but they can be useful. Having another layer between your jersey and skin is a good idea because it will wick the sweat away quicker and create space between your body and the midlayer for air circulation. The Craft Cool Mesh Superlight, perfect for a light summer underlayer.

Wool is a good baselayer as it has good wicking properties and doesn't smell even after a few times out on the bike. A synthetic layer is good because it transfers moisture without holding onto it.

Midlayers are your insulator layer, to provide warmth. Unless you're racing, they should be a looser fit but not baggy. The reason for this is that this layer is designed to trap body heat. Depending on how hot you run, a jersey (either wool or synthetic), a light softshell jacket, or shirt would work perfectly.

Jerseys work as perfect midlayers as they are durable enough to go over a baselayer on their own but light enough to be under an outer layer. photo: Sugoi

Outer layers are your weatherproofing. They need to be able to withstand whatever the day is throwing at you. In Vancouver's typical climate, the challenge tends to be finding something that's waterproof, warm AND breathable. Goretex is unbeatable when looking for a waterproof shell but is sometimes lacking in the breatheability category. Other companies are coming out with light shells while still keeping the waterproofness as high as possible. Basically, determine what you want out of your outerlayer and choose accordingly or come down to OtR and let us know what you want and we'll help you out, I promise! There's the Hydroshell from Sugoi that is a super breatheable jacket for riding in the rain but can't be worn with a bag on your back. The Gore Power jacket is completely waterproof and tough enough for a daily commute.

Customer Andrea Akelaitis keeps cool and looks cool as she shows off effective layering with the Craft Performance Rain Jacket while on a bike trip in Oregon this past spring. photo: Andrew Summers

Taking a well-deserved break during a day of riding. photo: Andrew Summers

On the bottom side of things, you can usually follow the same concept though you may not need as many layers. Depending on how warm you get, you can go with tights, knickers, shorts, or a combination of all three. Now there are many companies that have created lifestyle clothing that work on and off the bike. We've had a lot of good luck with Swrve and Chrome and have recently brought in Derny. All three are geared towards people who want multi-purpose clothing without looking like too much of a sportster.

A sleek and sexy cut that'll keep your hems out of the chain and your calves looking good. Photo: Swrve

Companies like Swrve now make jeans that have highlights such as being more durable, having a higher waist in the back and lower in the front to keep you from embarrassment, pockets big enough for a u-lock, and reflective strips.

photo: chicken strip

You can also accessorize with arm, leg, and knee warmers, higher socks, shoe covers, and gloves. These are great because they are, for the most part, easy to put on and take off and make a world of difference if you're feeling chilly or overheated. Most can be stashed in your jersey pockets on a training ride and/or don't take up a lot of room in bags while commuting.

Sugoi's track arm warmers can help you signal your win at the end of a race or simply taunt cars as you whip by them stuck in traffic on the way home. photo: Sugoi

So, figure out what works for you. Some people need more layers, some need less. Some people can't stand the feeling of merino wool next to their skin, others can't wear anything but. Some people need two layers of gloves, others run with fingerless year round. At the end of the day, you're the one wearing the clothing and riding the bike so you should be comfy. And if you're not, your body will let you know. If you have any questions, give us a shout or drop by.

Til next time... as a good friend tells me, "Rubber side down, keep it between the ditches."