Father’s Day is this Sunday (June 16th) and as a dad who loves mountain biking, I think I’m pretty easy to buy for. If you're struggling to pick a Father’s Day gift for your biking dad, I've been looking at potential MTB ideas, and these suggestions would make for a very happy Father's Day in my household. This list of items includes some of my favorite off-road products and some useful practical goodies perfect for the best MTB adventures.
I've also selected a fairly costly item that's been on my wishlist recently, so it's a great option if your father's 'Dad Skills' have been on point this year, and you're feeling extra generous. Either way, there are no novelty mugs or random celebrity biographies, there are socks though, you can't ever have enough socks. So, if your dad is a mountain biker, read on – any of the ideas I have selected will surely put a smile on his face this Father's Day.
1. Rapha Trail Socks
Socks may be frowned upon as a gift but the best mountain bike socks are always most welcomed and in my opinion, you can never have enough cycling socks. Rapha's Trail socks are a blend of Merino wool and Nylon designed for comfort on long days out on the trail. The combination of the two materials means natural moisture wicking and insulation from the Merino wool and the Nylon element helps to keep the socks where you'd want them and prevents them from slipping down your ankles.
Available from Rapha, priced at $25 / £18, they come in a selection of color choices, that will be sure to have Dad's smiling. There are plenty of offerings in the sock department from some of the best cycling brands and I've also added a few more options below.
2. Muc-Off Mobile Pressure Washer
Now this could be stretching the piggie banks slightly, but this is a very nice piece of kit that I would love to get my hands on. Muc-Off pressure washers are designed specifically for cleaning bikes and they have recently launched the all-new Mobile Pressure Washer. It's a game changer when it comes to choosing the best pressure washer for mountain bikers as this self-contained, battery-powered unit is designed to be totally mobile and allows you to clean your bike anywhere. No more loading filthy bikes into cars or hunting about for an electrical outlet to plug into or a tap to connect a hose. This bad-boy is completely self-sufficient, with a 500w motor and a 40v rechargeable battery power, and 20 liters of water in its reservoir, it's more than enough to clean a few bikes.
There are a few packages available at Muc-Off but the starter package comes with four lances which are bearing-friendly and also a snow foam lance which transforms your bottle of Muc-Off Nano Tech Bike Cleaner into thick snow foam for the ultimate and efficient deep clean. There's also a five-metre hose so there's no need to move the unit while cleaning your bike. It also has handy wheels if you do need to move it though and a sturdy handle for carrying even with water inside.
Available from Muc-Off pricing starts at $250 / £250 / €275
3. Five Ten Freerider Pro MTB Shoes
The Five Ten Freerider Pro shoes have been around for over a decade and are the top dogs in our best MTB flat pedal shoes guide. The Bike Perfect crew are big fans and we think they are, without doubt, the very best flat shoes money can buy.
So what makes them so good? The list is long. Firstly their casual looks make them great for mooching about in and I wear them all the time – from looking like the coolest dad at the school gate to enjoying the post-ride beers.
When it comes to actually riding in them, their design features mean the Five Ten's come into their own. The Stealth S1 compound on the sole delivers supreme grip and locks feet brilliantly to the best MTB flat pedals with ease and for me has proven to be extremely hard wearing too. The robust plastic uppers mean they clean up well but also do a great job of protecting feet from most trail debris like rocks, sticks, and other unwanted trash.
I also love the Five Ten Sleuth DLX shoes which offer better waterproofing and increased protection. There is a wide selection of colorways that are regularly updated, across the entire Five Ten range – so plenty of options to coordinate Dad with the season's must-have riding wardrobe or bike.
4. RRP ProGuard Bolt On Fender V2
A superbly practical Father's Day gift idea and maybe not the most exciting to some but will be most welcomed by your mountain biking dad. The best MTB mudguards are designed to catch the trail crud thrown off your wheels and will keep rider and bike cleaner and lighter. Our best mudguard or fender overall is the RRP ProGuard, Rapid Racer Products has recently updated its direct-mount front mudguard, and the V2 version now brings greater fork compatibility and several other performance upgrades too.
The RRP ProGuard Bolt On V2 is now compatible with most of the best mountain bike forks like RockShox, Fox, Marzocchi, Suntour and others. So whatever fork your Dad runs it should be compatible with the new V2 fender. The new versions also promise better protection for fork seals and there are three sizes including a new 600mm 'Max Protection' size joining the existing Standard (503mm) and Mini (389mm) options.
The RRP ProGuard Bolt On V2 comes in three sizes and costs £39.99 (US price TBC).
5. Endura MT500 Spray Trouser
Scottish brand Endura has a reputation for producing some of the best mountain biking protection and apparel around. Its MT500 MTB range is renowned for delivering superb performance in the toughest of conditions. Endura provided some of the MT500 kits for the 'Biking the Bothies' feature I did in Scotland and can vouch for its overall durability and waterproofing.
Part of the range is the MT500 Spray Trousers which performed exceptionally well when reviewed by Bike Perfect's Editor, Rich Owen. Some of the design features that he loved were the medium-weight fabric that gave a comfy fit, the DWR (durable water repellent) waterproofing that meant they kept dry in most conditions. They also coped remarkably well in resisting undergrowth, mud and everything else, making them some of the best mountain bike pants on the market.
If you're thinking of a Father's Day gift, then a new pair of MT500 pants will certainly go down very well.
6. Crankbrothers m17 multi-tool
You might think a multi-tool is another uninspiring Father’s Day gift idea but the best mountain biking multi-tool could make all the difference in getting trail-side repairs done quickly and avoid the dreaded walk of shame. So Dad will be very happy to open up one of these.
Crankbrothers makes some very cool-looking and highly functional tools including F11 multi-tool. The m17 has been around for ages and has remained relatively unchanged offering a nice balance of tools to fix the best trail mountain bikes should a mechanical strike. Crankbrothers has kitted the m17 out with – you guessed it 17 tools, and there are 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8mm hex keys, Phillips and flat screwdrivers, and a T-25 tool. On top of that, there is a chain tool with 0, 1, 2, and 3 spoke wrenches integrated into it, as well as 8mm and 10mm open wrenches. The chain tool covers most bikes too as it works for 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12-speed chains.
Crankbrothers m17 multi-tool is priced at $29.99 / £29.99 and comes in four colors.
So there you have it a fine selection of Father's Day gift ideas that will have the hardest to please mountain biking dad very happy. Below is a selection of other mountain biking essentials to consider, if your feeling extra generous, and well you can never bank enough 'Lift from Dad' taxi tokens.
