Welcome to our deeply unscientific look at six of the most common pedalling personas we
think you’ll encounter out there, along with some handy Christmas gift recommendations
for these types of cyclists.
The Adventure Dude
The Adventure Dude is all about backwoods, gravel tracks and untouched nature. He gets
off on searching out new trails through the forest on a bicycle laden with everything he
needs for a week in the wilds. He likes his rides to be rugged, off-the-grid, but still with
enough battery life and mobile data to upload his latest #lightbro snap to Instagram.
The Adventure Dude likes products that match his bushwhacking on-bike persona, so
make sure to peruse our range of bike-packing tech. If you’re looking to push the boat out
on something that Adventure Dude can use on long-distance jaunts, the ‘carry everything’
Burra Burra Stabiliser Seat-pack boasts 20 litres of storage space and a super-strong
aluminium stabilising arm (to prevent any unwanted wobbles). Then, if you want to go
really hipster, there’s always our Pizza Rack and Pizza Bag combo, designed to let you
carry pizza-shaped objects on the front of your machine.
{: 5159, 5161, 5239}
The Competitor
The Competitor is your classic bike racer – they’ve been riding bikes competitively for
years, maybe even decades, and it definitely is all about winning as far as they’re
concerned. For them, speed and weight are always of the essence, so they probably
already have a dialled in S-Works or Specialized Tarmac to ride on race day.
Seeing as you don’t have to splash out on the bike, what can you get them that’ll help
them get more joy out of that rainy winter criterium race next February? Well, for starters
how about a skinsuit, the specially-made ‘onesie’ favoured more and more by professional
riders competing in the world’s top races. The S-Works Evade GC Skinsuit may look a little
racy, but isn’t that the point?
In the endless quest for tiny advantages, most bike racers would give their right arm for a
helmet like the S-Works Evade, which promises a time saving of 46 seconds over 40km.
This could be the lid that finally helps the Competitor step up to Cat 3!
{:4015, 12512, 4442}
The Family Figurehead
The Family Figurehead has found a way to combine two great loves in their life – their
family and their bike. While during the week they may look more like they belong to
another of our cycling tribes – or maybe none of them at all – at the weekend they come to
life, heading out for all sorts of fun and adventure with the kids.
The Family Figurehead knows that being safe means being seen, so they’ll no-doubt
favour the Roubaix Elite Hi-Vis Rain Jacket. Then, of course, there are the essential tools
that allow for a quick puncture fix on the roadside – items like our Air Tool Carbon Road
Mini Pump and a spare tube.
{:12295, 6682, 1818}
The Diehard
Commuting come hell or high water, the Diehard is dedicated to – some might say
‘pathologically obsessed with’ – getting to where they need to be by bike. At this time of
year, the Diehard’s lot in life is to be perpetually a bit cold and a bit wet, thanks to the
inclement British weather. As such a few pieces of good quality gear can really make a
difference to their lives.
The first thing the Diehard could do with is a set of super-grippy tyres, perfect for riding all
conditions. The Tracer Pro 2Bliss Ready cyclocross tyre fits the bill perfectly. Our Deflect
H20 Gloves are the perfect thing for riding in wet weather and make a similarly thoughtful
present for those aiming to ride all the way from autumn to spring. Finally, there’s our
Deflect SL Pro Rain Jacket, the ultimate protection against foul weather.
{:6303, 7052, 6916}
The Petite Pedaler
Inspired by their first experiences of the open road (or trail) the Petite Pedaler is all about
having as much fun as possible on their bike and discovering new two-wheeled ways of
having fun.
At Specialized we remember the exhilarating rush of our first steps into cycling and have
produced a line of kids products intended to help kids feel that same way. The Shuffle
Youth LED is a helmet with built-in flashing LED light – for enhanced visibility, so the Petite
Pedaler is always safe and seen. The Mio helmet is the perfect companion for toddlers
making their first forays into the world of cycling, while the Riprock 24 is all about those
kids who are ready to take the step up to their first ‘big kids’ bike’.
{:12540, 2462, 2609}
The MTB Maverick
The MTB Maverick marches to the beat of a different drum and values self-expression just
as highly as performance. They want to look good while they ride safe, so a mix of form
and function is essential.
First up, we have the best-in-class full-face helmet, the S-Works Dissident. This lid is built
for use by our elite performance downhillers and we can confidently say it’s the lightest,
most-ventilated, and technically advanced carbon fibre lid out there. Then, of course,
there’s the mighty Specialized WomenTech Insulator Jacket, intended to keep you
warm and performing on even the coldest days on the col. The coat is protected with a
water-repellent DWR treatment and features an adjustable hood.
Finally, there’s our 2F0 ClipLite MTB shoe – delivering incredible connection with the pedals and a dash of style to
boot.
{:12475, 6882, 7074}
