The best surprise for a partner who has just ridden their first 100 miles celebrates that ride, not cycling in general. A print of the actual route with their name, time and the date is hard to beat, and you can usually get the ride without asking: find it on Strava with your own free account, use the event's published route, or send me the activity link. Add a recovery treat and you have a gift that says you noticed.
Why their first century deserves a proper gift
If you have lived with someone training for a big ride, you have seen the early starts, the soggy kit on the radiator and the weekends planned around long rides. Finishing a first 100 miles, a charity ride or a tough sportive is a big deal. A small, thoughtful present tells them you noticed the effort as well as the result.
Gift ideas that celebrate the ride
1. A print of their route
This is the one I know best. A map print shows the exact line they rode, plus their name, the date and stats like distance, elevation and time. It is personal, it lasts, and it is about their achievement rather than a generic cycling theme. A3 prints start from £35 and every print is made in the UK. I explain how to make one in secret below.
2. A recovery treat
After a big effort most riders want three things: food, rest and someone to rub their legs. A sports massage, a meal at their favourite restaurant or a lazy weekend with no riding planned all go down well.
3. A framed photo from the day
Event photographers often sell photos of riders on the course. A good shot of them mid ride or crossing the line, simply framed, sits nicely next to a route print.
4. Get the medal out of the drawer
A box frame for the medal, rider number or charity ride T-shirt keeps the memory on show.
5. A donation in their name
For a charity ride, topping up their fundraising total or giving to the same cause means a lot, especially if they rode in memory of someone.
6. Something for the next challenge
If they are already talking about the next one, an event entry they have mentioned or a bike service can be a winner. Just check before booking anything big.
How to get their ride quietly
This is the question I am asked most. To make a print you need the ride as a GPX file, which is just the route saved as a file. Here are the sneaky but honest ways to get it.
Find it on Strava with your own account
Most cyclists upload their rides to Strava. Make a free Strava account of your own, find their ride on a computer (not the phone app), and look for the GPX button over the map. The steps are in downloading GPX files from Strava. You do not need their password, and please do not send me one.
Send me the activity link
If you can see the ride but cannot find the download button, copy the link to the activity and send it to me through the contact form. I will get the file from there.
Use the event route
Many sportives and charity rides publish their route as a GPX file before the day. If your partner rode the official course, that file will give you the line. Check the results page for their finishing time.
Ask a riding mate
Someone who rode with them may have recorded the same route and be happy to share their file, and keep the secret.
If they do not use Strava
Most bike computers sync to their own app, such as Garmin Connect, and you can export a GPX from there. There is a guide to getting GPX files from Garmin Connect. If the ride was never recorded, you can recreate it by creating a GPX file from the route.
Making the print
Once you have the file, upload it to the map builder. Add their name, the ride or event name, the date and the stats you want. For a first century, distance is the obvious hero number, and the date matters more than you think. My Strava poster design guide has more tips on colours and text.
You check the design before it goes to print, so read the name and numbers twice.
Or let me make it for you
If that sounds like too much fiddling, use the Done For You option. Get in touch first so we can agree the details, then send me the file (or the activity link), their name, the colours you like and the stats you want. I build the map and send you a proof before printing.
Keeping it a surprise
- Do the downloading on your own computer, with your own account.
- If you use the event route or a friend's file, check the stats against the results or with the friend.
- Leave yourself time. Prints are made in the UK, and international orders arrive in an average of 5 to 8 working days.
- If time runs out, my cyclist gift guide covers what to do when you are stuck.
Which rides make the best surprise prints?
- First 100 miles. A milestone every keen rider remembers.
- Charity rides. Especially if they rode in memory of someone.
- Sportives. A clean map of a tough course looks great.
- Multi-day challenges. Several files can go on one print. If they have done something like LEJOG, my post on LEJOG keepsakes has ideas.
If they already own every gadget going, have a look at gifts for cyclists who have everything too.
FAQ
How do I get my partner's ride without asking them?
Find the ride on Strava with your own free account and download the GPX, use the published event route, ask a friend who rode with them, or send me the activity link.
What is a good first 100 mile ride gift?
A print of the route with their name, the distance and the date, paired with a recovery treat like a massage or a good meal.
What if they do not use Strava?
Export the GPX from their device's app, such as Garmin Connect. If the ride was not recorded, the route can often be recreated.
Can you make the print for me?
Yes. With Done For You I make the map from the file and details you send, and you get a proof before printing.
A gift about their ride
If your partner has just done something they will be talking about for years, a print of the route is a lovely way to say well done. When you are ready, start on the map builder.
