The television adverts keep assuring us that Christmas is just around the corner. We refused to accept it here until it was at least December, despite some stores having their decorations on display with only the merest hint of November having made itself known.

Anyway, we thought it was probably about time to have a look at some alternative presents for the cyclist in your life, or if you happen to be struggling to answer that question of 'so what would you like for Christmas?'

.cycling caps from smeear
Anyone who has ever wandered through the pages of the London Fixed-Gear and Singlespeed forum will likely have come across smeear; and while he has been making cycling caps for a little while now, recently things have been taking off, so much so that you can even get them from a real-life legitimate bike shop in London: Cavendish Cycles.

The sheer number of different caps you can get is mind-boggling, and over and above that you can even ask for bespoke designs. And for those cold winter days there's a rather cool (though not literally, obviously) cap complete with ear flaps, which can also be tied up for those all-too necessary Sherlock Holmes moments while you're cycling.

You can visit smeear's blog, and see pictures of loads of the designs, as well as get information on how to get hold of one of his caps, by clicking here.