* The soul-rider's gift: a race-proven, fully loaded full-suspension cross-country bike from one of the elder statesmen of dirt. The Gary Fisher Sugar 1 ($3,300) is equipped with tubeless (and therefore pinch-flat-proof) Bontrager tires and rims, and super-lightweight Rockshox SID air shocks front and rear. The cost is equivalent to four second-hand Dodge Omnis, but it's unlikely you'll be able to trade straight up.

* A cycling classic, the Bellwether Windfront Tight ($69) keeps your legs toasty even when temperatures dip into the twenties. The layer next to your skin wicks perspiration, while the windproof fabric Versatech keeps your quads from getting air-cooled (left).

* Ride this winter: The Pearl Izumi Kodiak Barrier Jacket ($150) is lined in a layer of fleece for cold-weather pedaling, and sheds dirty slush like a California otter (middle).

* The Zoic Rubicon Wind Jacket ($80) is constructed from ripstop nylon, has four-way stretch panels for enhanced mobility, and is tapered in the back to keep you covered when you're reaching for the bar ends—or going over them.

Photos: Clay Ellis; Sam Yocum