Hermes

• What do you give the cyclist that has everything? It's gift giving season, and every other person through the door poses this question in one form or another. My default answer is usually a pair of colorful Knog Frogs, because they're inexpensive, novel, cute, and appropriate on commuting and performance-oriented bikes alike. And most folks lose lights with regularity. Wool socks are nice, as are custom caps (though those dang winter Dellers aren't here as yet!).

  But what if you're really trying to impress? For a special someone, a matched set of Brooks leather handlebar tape and saddle shows class and practicality. A fellow recently asked me if there was an Hermes of the bicycle world. I suppose in some ways Rapha is pretty special, but its aesthetic and silhouette is not suitable to a wide audience. Gilles Berthoud's bags, on the other hand, can look equally impressive on a Campagnolo-equipped Merlin or a vintage mixte. Berthoud bags are handmade in Pont de Vaux, not far from Lyon. Pairing waterproof canvas and leather trim, they are the finest contemporary example of traditional French cycling accessory design. If $400 for a set of panniers is a bit intimidating, consider the GB288 Saddle Bag. It's 1.5 liters of perfection, and at $65 a deal and a half. Best of all, it can be mounted on the handlebars! Black or grey. Mounted to a set of Nitto Noodles, this is about as close to an Hermes scarf as you'll find in the cycling universe.

  TATI carries the full Berthoud lineup, which includes fenders, bags, and decaleurs -- as well as framesets! Most items take about a week to arrive, but I'll try to keep a few gifty items in stock with some regularity.