Stocking Stuffers for the Indoor Cyclist Under $20
Tis the season to begin the quest for the ultimate gift for the indoor cyclist in your life. While nobody should ever turn their nose up at a pair of socks with dogs riding bikes, some cyclists may be looking for a more useful addition to their cycling pain cave and workout routine. https://yourexercisebike.com/ is the domestique elf to your Santa Clause gift giving and we’ve produced a top 10 under $20 list to wow your favourite Zwifter or Peloton Pro rider and stuff their indoor cycling stocking this winter holiday.
My recommendation of top 10 gifts for indoor cyclists under $20
1. Chamois Butt’r Eurostyle Anti-Chafe Cream, 10-pack of 9mL packets
- Chamois Butt’r is the original non-greasy chamois cream and the favorite of many professional and recreational cyclists.
- 10 – 9ml packets of Chamois Butt’r Original
- Made in the USA.
- Washes off skin and clothing with soap and water.
- Contains no artificial fragrances or colors and is paraben and gluten free.
Why We Recommend It: Purchasing a box of 10 packets is a great way for indoor cyclists to try out a product without investing in the larger tubs or tubes. These individual packets are also convenient to carry when cycling outside because you can easily tuck them in a pocket or top-tube bag or even along the inside hem of a pair of cycling shorts making them ideal for longer rides when re-application is required.
2. Honey Stinger Organic Energy Chews – Fruit Smoothie, Sports Nutrition, 1.8 Ounce (Pack of 4)
- CONVENIENT: Honey Stinger organic energy chews are the ideal snack for any cyclist, before or during workouts.
- FUEL FOR EVERY ACTIVITY: Honey has low glycemic properties that are scientifically proven to increase athletic performance by providing a sustained energy boost allowing blood sugar levels to remain constant during activity without a high insulin spike.
- USDA CERTIFIED ORGANIC and GLUTEN FREE: The organic energy chews are made from organic honey and organic tapioca syrup. They are USDA Certified Organic and Gluten Free.
- VITAMIN C: Organic Energy Chews are formulated with 100% RDA of Vitamin C, natural energy from honey and 0% trans-fat to meet the specific healthy needs for individuals and athletes.
- 160 CALORIES: Each packet of Energy Chews has 160 Calories.
Why We Recommend It: Consuming enough nutrition on an indoor trainer or when cycling outdoors can be difficult because it’s often realized too late and when you’ve already begun to bonk that you’re in need of an energy boost. And although energy gels are a convenient form of energy, some indoor cyclists do not like the consistency of a gel, (which can be described as a swallowing a mouthful of thick molasses). If that’s the case, then we recommend energy chews which offer the consistency of a gummy bear and tastes just as delicious but without the high insulin spike. Additionally, Honey Stinger offers a product that is easier on the stomach because they are made from natural and organic ingredients.
3. Vega Sport Electrolyte Hydrator Berry Drink Powder (40 servings, 5.2oz)
- HYDRATION THAT LASTS AS LONG AS YOU DO. Replenish electrolytes that you lose while you sweat. Only 3-4 calories per serving. 0g sugar. No artificial flavors or sweeteners
- 100% DV OF VITAMIN C a dietary antioxidant which protects against free radicals
- EASY TO MIX HYDRATION POWDER that tastes delicious. Add one scoop to 2 cups of water and mix or shake. Use during and after workouts, running, or other activities to help prevent dehydration.
- MADE FOR ATHLETES, Informed Choice Certified, vegan certified, and gluten free
- KETO- FRIENDLY ELECTROLYTE SUPPLEMENT with 0g sugar, sweetened with stevia, no artificial flavors and only 3-4 calories per serving. Available in two tasty flavors: Lemon Lime and Berry.
Why We Recommend It: The best thing you can do for your body when cycling indoors is hydrate with electrolytes. Proper hydration keeps your body cooler which maintains your performance and maintaining sodium level prevents muscle cramping. During workouts you experience a loss of water and sodium and the old school advice of drinking when thirsty has proven to be inaccurate. It turns out we are not very good at measuring fluid loss. How can you tell you’re drinking enough? Weigh yourself before and after a workout and if you’re heavier after a ride, drink less but if you’re lighter then drink more. How can you tell you’re losing electrolytes during a hard ride? A tell-tale sign is salt on your clothing after a workout.
Adding a scoop or two of Electrolyte Hydrator to your water bottle is easy and because it flavours the water it means that most indoor cyclists will drink more. This product is vegan, gluten free and has no artificial flavours making it easier to digest especially for sensitive stomachs. And because it’s sweetened with stevia instead of sugar you won’t experience a harsh insulin spike.
4. Spurcycle – “Must [GO] Hard” Purist Water Bottle, 22 Ounces
![Spurcycle - "Must [GO] Hard" Water Bottle|22 Ounces. Purist Water Bottle with MoFlo Cap, Resists Stains & Tastes Better. Flexible Bicycle Bottle. Don't Forget to Hydrate.](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/310NFs0Qo-L._SL500_.jpg)
- Original Artwork: This bottle’s artwork comes straight from the great minds at Spurcycle who bring you some of the best bicycle bells in the industry.
- Purist Technology: Purist technology shields the inside of the bottle from any bad taste, mold, or staining. Nothing sticks, so your bottle stays clean, and your water always tastes pure.
- MoFlo Cap: The MoFlo cap delivers effortless use that is 100% leakproof when closed.
- Keeps you hydrated: hydration is key to performing well in any sport, make sure you get the water you need.
- 23 Ounces: Enough water to get you through your hour-long ride
Why to Buy: There is a palatable difference between a quality water bottle and a low-cost water bottle, and I personally swear by this brand and have my own dishwasher full of assorted styles and sizes. Specialized Bicycle Components manufacturer these bottles in Morgan Hill, California and produce varieties for teams, clubs, and companies around the world. I cannot name another manufacturer of water bottles that perform the tomato test: leaving tomato sauce in a bottle overnight to test and ensure the bottle remains stain free and residue free after rinsing it with water. I am personally guilty of leaving my water bottle on my bike for a day or two in between workouts. With the Purist bottle, there is no lingering taste of whatever I’ve forgotten in the bottle the day before. With a gentle rinse of these bottles, my tastebuds are none the wiser to my insufferable laziness. The Spurcycle branded bottles offer three options of condiment inspired, original artwork: “Must GO Hard”, “Faster Catch Up”, and “Relish Your Ride”. Who knew a water bottle could be so fun?
5. Powr Labs Bike Sweat Guard for Outdoor and Indoor Bikes
- Sweat Proof & Waterproof: Keep your floors and training area clean and free of stinky sweat!
- Protect Your Bike: Acting as a bicycle frame saver, the bike sweat guard protects your expensive bike and training gear against corrosive sweat.
- Fits Any Bike Trainer or Bike: One size fits all road bikes, stationary trainers, spin bikes, peloton bike trainer and mountain bikes.
- Easy Install & Washable: Simple velcro straps with elastic stretch make it easy to install & remove the bike frame sweat guard in under a minute. 100% washable.
- Not Boring: Who wants a boring bike sweat guard to stare down at while training? Stay motivated with a ‘Shut Up Legs’ phrase to push through hard intervals.
Why to Buy: We all sweat more indoors and sweat can corrode the metal surface of your bicycle including cables, cable housing, metal bolts and screws. Have a look at the screws of your water bottle cage after a season indoors and you will likely notice some rust. While a towel is easy enough to throw over the top tube of your bike, keeping it put when you’re riding in and out of the saddle is an almost impossible feat. A sweat guard will provide better coverage, also protecting your drivetrain and pedals. The sweat guard fastens to the handlebars and seat post with Velcro straps and will accommodate any indoor training bike or bicycle mounted onto a trainer. Jan Ulrich’s signature phrase, “Shut Up Legs” is printed on the top of the guard and offers that extra bit of motivation when you need to dig deep during a training session.
6. Lamicall Bike Phone Holder Mount For Outdoor and Indoors
- Easy Installation: This upgrade mountain / road bike phone mount is easy to install to your bike handlebar without tools. Suited to several types of bicycles, motorcycles, stroller, shopping cart, electric scooter, indoor treadmill, and indoor bike. Fits handlebar diameter in: ⌀ 0.59 – 1.57″ (15-40mm)
- Wide Compatibility: Universal bike cell phone stand for 4.7 and 6.8 inches with thickness up to 15mm (including phone case), like iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 12 Pro Max Mini Xs XR X 8 Plus 7 6s 6, Galaxy S10 + S10e S9 S8, Note 9 8 7, Huawei, Nexus, Motorola, Pixel, Oneplus, LG ThinQ and other Android cell phones.
- Shockproof Protection: This one hand operation adjustable bike phone mount comes with silicone pads that keep your phone from scratches and vibration. The motorcycle phone mount holds your phone perfectly when cycling.
- Adjustable Features: Easy to adjust the cellphone to horizontal or vertical screen. It is convenient to answer the phone, play music, GPS positioning during the riding.
- Sturdy and Safe: The unique shape of this motorcycle phone holder grips each corner of your phone securely. It ensures the safety of your cellphone attached to the bike handlebar even on a bumpy road.
Why to Buy: There are times when it is easier to use your phone for an indoor cycling workout than it is a tablet or laptop and for these times, we recommend using a bike phone mount. It is important to have a secure phone-mount that is easy to install and just as easy to uninstall when you decide to take your bike outdoors. We chose this model because it offers tool-free installation and is quick to install and uninstall. This model also offers the option of using your phone in portrait mode or landscape mode with a simple twist of the holder, ideal for app-based indoor cycling workouts. For those who cycle indoors but also enjoy cycle touring outside, will benefit by having a phone mounted to your handlebars or stem in a landscape position making map-reading a breeze compared to the smaller monitors on cycling computers.
7. Zacro Gel Bike Seat Cover For Outdoor and Indoor Cycling
- Best gel material: You cannot enjoy your bicycle leisure time when you are suffering in pain
- Enjoy longer riding: Explore new grounds and enjoy longer rides on your bike
- Easy Installation: Easy to mount, low-cost solution will make your saddle feel much better
- Common Dimension: This gel seat saddle dimension is 11×7 inches
- The bike seat covers also appropriate for Spins Class and Indoor Cycling. Please confirm this bike seat cushion can fit your original bike seat before ordering.
Why to Buy: Of course, we recommend that eventually you purchase a properly fit saddle, however, seat covers are a cost-effective way to buy some time before investing in a professional bike fitting. In fact, many indoor cyclists find a gel cover to be the solution they need when they already have a saddle, they enjoy for cycling outside but soon experience discomfort when cycling indoors because due to riding in the saddle for a longer duration with less movement on the bike. We like this model because it has more padding near the sit bones and a cut-out near the soft-tissue area, which is often needed with a more upright, endurance position of indoor cycling.
8. Muc-Off Equipment Cleaner For Outdoor and Indoor Cycles
- You train to get fitter and stronger so why train riding a germ fest?! Instead use this advanced all-purpose cleaner for all indoor trainers and gym equipment.
- Suitable for: Aluminium, stainless steel, carbon, plastic, and vinyl.
- Just spray and wipe. No rinsing necessary.
Why to Buy: Even with a sweat bra and a towel, your bike gets dirty, and germ ridden. Rather than using your all-purpose cleaner under the sink which could damage sensitive bicycle components, we recommend instead this antibacterial, all-purpose cleaner that is tough enough for dirt, sweat and sticky nutritional gel but gentle enough for the rubbers, plastics and other synthetic materials on your bicycle or indoor training bike. Muc-off claims that it destroys 99.9% ok known germs while remaining safe for all surfaces, including your fancy new carbon bike. As with all Muc-off products, it smells good too, with this cleaner coming in an apple scent.
9. Muc-Off Sweat Protect For Outdoor and Indoor Bikes
- Introducing the ultimate protection for your indoor trainer or gym equipment. Muc-Off Sweat Protect uses state of the art anti-corrosion additives and inhibitors to provide class leading protection against corrosion. It even works on surfaces that already have rust and corrosion…it simply stops rust in its tracks!
- It drives out moisture and leaves a protective anti-corrosive layer on your bike’s frame, metal parts, and paintwork to keep the harmful effects of moisture and sweat at bay.
- The end of corrosion caused by sweat on your training equipment!
- For use all over indoor trainers and all gym equipment
- Prevents and stops corrosion on metal surfaces
- Penetrates and protects
- Non-drying film
- Rust preventing / anti corrosion
- Dissolves rust
- Integral tracer dye – aids accurate application to ensure total protection
- Easy to apply using ‘Genius Straw’
- Protection lasts up to 3 months*
- Wash your bike and reapply Sweat Protect periodically to ensure total protection.
Why to Buy: Indoor cycling offers you and your bike protection from the elements and terrain, not to mention other vehicles, but it also means you produce a lot more sweat, and that salty liquid is tough on your bike. Protecting your frame and components is a must when cycling indoors and so we recommend this spray to keep the rust and corrosion away. Your bike mechanic will thank you the next time you take your bike in for repair and your bike will perform better indoors and outdoors.
10. WEND WAX-ON Chain Lube 1oz Pocket Wax – SPECTRUM
- WEND Wax‐On is the first ever “rub‐on”, wax based, chain lubricant.
- Wax‐On not only keeps your chain clean; its friction-reducing additives make for an extremely quiet and efficient drivetrain. Wax‐On is quiet, quick, and clean. It is no secret that the most efficient chain lubrication method to date is immersing a chain into a vat of molten paraffin. However, this method is time consuming, temporary, and dangerous. WEND Waxworks set out to create a lube that would perform equal to or better than hot waxing and that would be easy to apply. After two years of development, the R&D at WEND has come up with Wax‐On.
- Wax‐On is a sophisticated paraffin-based formula that includes proprietary friction reducers as well as proven lubricants such as Zinc and Teflon.
- The application is a cinch as the user simply rubs the wax onto the chains rollers, resulting in a race ready chain in seconds.
- Overall user satisfaction is high due to the ease of use, product cleanliness, and lubrication performance.
Why to Buy: There’s no questioning the importance of a properly lubricated chain, and many elite and pro cyclists will swear by a wax-based lube because a waxed chain produces the cleanest and best performing drivetrain. Who doesn’t want smoother shifts and longer lasting parts? However, in addition to difficult task of dipping a chain in wax, not all cycling conditions are ideal for wax and in fact, rain and mud can prove to be literally worse for wear. The great news is that wax is ideal for indoor conditions since there is no mud shedding required and you can avoid the arduous process of removing your chain and dipping into a pot of hot wax with Wend Wax-on Chain Lube. The 1oz pocket wax is a great way to try out the product and see if it’s right for you. We chose the spectrum pocket wax because it’s fun to color match your chain to your bike not to mention each color is scented. For those indoor cyclists who prefer more subtlety in their drivetrains, there’s also white wax available.
Written by Ryan Petersen, an NCCP Cycling Coach and IBFI and Retul Level 2 Bike Fitter and a 15-year veteran in bicycle retail and distribution. She has coached beginner and intermediate athletes in road cycling, mountain biking and indoor cycling. She has competed in road cycling, triathlon, cyclocross, ultra endurance cycling, downhill and cross-country but her heart belongs to bike packing and cycle touring. She is shade-grown on the west coast of beautiful British Columbia, Canada.
Hi there, I'm Sayed Hamed Hosseiny, the founder and one of the authors at yourexercisebike.com (YEB). I am a former indoor cycling instructor and personal trainer with nearly 20 years of experience. With a passion for indoor cycling, I have spent years designing cycling parts, repairing, and importing exercise bikes. All the articles, tips, guides, reviews, and comparisons on YourExerciseBike.com (YEB) reflect my personal opinion and expertise in the field. I'm excited to share my knowledge with fellow exercise bike enthusiasts and help people find reliable indoor cycling information and the best exercise bike for their needs. If you have any questions or suggestion, you can contact me at sayed@yourexercisebike.com.
