How To Gift a Bike

‍A bike makes for a great birthday gift, but how exactly do you gift a bike? More importantly, how does one even wrap a bike?

A bike is a wonderful gift for any occasion; however, like most things, the presentation is just as important as the gift itself. This is why you need to know how you can gift someone a bike and the best way to present it to them.

When gifting a bike, you can either go the wrapping paper route or hide it in a box. If you're using wrapping paper, use good-quality paper since the cheap stuff can rip, giving away the gift inside. If you're using a box, use one that's big enough to fit the bike and get creative with it. 

Getting someone a bike shows them that you really care about them, so ideally, you should try and get the presentation spot on. The whole idea behind giving a gift is the look on the recipient's face when they open it and realize what it is. To help you get the reaction you're looking for, we're going to tell you all about gifting a bike and the best way to go about it.

We've wrapped a lot of gifts over the years for birthdays, Christmas, and many other occasions. And yes, our team has also gifted a few bikes to their loved ones. With all our experience behind us, we're going to tell you all about the different ways to gift a bike and how to go about each one.

‍Gifting a Bike

Once you have purchased a bike to gift to a child or an adult, it's time to take all the necessary steps for the real reason you went through all the effort - the big reveal! Here are some of the options available to you and how you need to approach each one. 

Wrapping Paper

If you want to go old-school when gifting a bike, then wrapping paper is going to be your best bet. While covering your child's bike in Christmas wrapping paper may appear to be the most apparent option, it is also one of the most time-consuming and difficult to master.

Before you start wrapping, make sure the bike is as near to where you want it to be opened as possible, because it's no fun attempting to lug it around after it's wrapped. Because you'll need a lot of wrapping paper and tape, this is a better alternative for smaller wheeled and balancing bikes rather than larger cycles.

Use high-quality wrapping paper since cheap, flimsy paper rips easily. Some folks (with a lot of spare time) opt to wrap each individual component of the bike; allow several hours for this. A more time-efficient method is to wrap a large sack around the bike to conceal it. Wrapping each element of the bike separately is a decent compromise. It does, however, need a great deal of patience.

Using lights is also a great way to add a little oomph to the effort of gift wrapping a bike, and it's certainly going to make your gift the most memorable one yet. Wrapping a bike with fairy lights is a great way to make it more special, and if the bike has a basket, you can use it to hold additional gifts as well. This will be very effective if the lights are turned out and the curtains drawn. As soon as the recipient enters the room, they'll see the bike lit up in the dark - it'll be spectacular!

Wrap the Parts Individually

If you happen to be gifting the bike to an adult and want to try something different and fun (and make them earn it), then you can detach the various components of the bike, gift wrap each individual part, and place them under the Christmas Tree. This makes for a great gift idea if you want to really surprise the recipient and keep them guessing as to what the parts are for as they unwrap each individual part of the gift bike.

This is also a great choice if your bike didn't arrive completed. You may wrap each element separately and conceal it in different spots under the tree to keep them guessing until they've found all of the pieces.

However, this one will need a significant amount of work, so start packing well in advance so you're not strapped for time before the big day arrives. Using this option is also a great way to bond with your kids or loved ones who receive the gift, provided they aren't too young. However, if the recipient is old enough to handle a screwdriver, then why not. 

Use a Box

Why not creatively conceal their new bike if you want to add a little more flair to the whole thing? The bike's box provides you with plenty of stuff to work with, so simply let your creativity go wild. You may choose something festive, such as a reindeer, or something spectacular, such as a unicorn or a rocket. If the bike you bought didn't come in a box, no worries.

First, you will have to find a box that is large enough to fit a bike. Ask your local home appliance retailer if they have huge cardboard boxes stashed away in the back from refrigerators or washing machines. Employees at the store will likely be glad to assist you if you explain that you intend to surprise your child by wrapping a bike inside a huge box. Double-check that the cardboard box will fit the bike based on your specifications.

Attach the big bow to the top of the box using tape or glue. While your youngster is out of the room, roll the bike out of its assigned hiding position, activate the kickstand, and set the box over the bike, open side down. When your youngster enters, he or she will be greeted by a massively wrapped present. You or your child may pull the box up to show the sparkling new bike inside.

Wrapping the bike in a box is the most effective way to disguise it — it's simple and quick. The bike may already be in a box, depending on where you purchase it. If it's a larger bike that came built, go to your local bike store and ask for a bike box; chances are they might have several and would be pleased to give one for free. To fit the bike into the box, you may need to remove the front wheel or both wheels as well as the pedals. Regardless of what you pick, your child will never guess what's inside. 

Disguise the Gift Bike

Using a tiny hole cutter, make a small hole in the bottom of a present bag. Thread the end of a ball of string or ribbon through the opening in the bag. Tie the end of the thread or ribbon to the bike and hide it. Create a trail for the receiver to follow by winding the string or ribbon through your home. To hide the thread or ribbon, stuff the bag with candy or other little objects. 

Use Misdirection

One great way to gift a bike is by creating some suspense around it, like intentionally misleading the recipient. You can do this by simply storing the bike in another room and wrapping a similar present, such as a helmet, as a clue. You can then include a message inside the present that directs the recipient to another clue that will eventually reveal the bike's location, such as "go out to the garage." 

Throw a Blanket on it

If you are looking to keep your gift bike low-key, for some reason, then you can also make good use of camouflage that you can easily find around the house - for instance, a sheet or a blanket. Using this option when gifting a bike makes sense since no one would ever think of a bike being under the blanket, and the recipient is sure to be surprised when they find one.

Covering the bike with blankets or sheets is one of the simplest and quickest methods. This is especially useful if you need to wrap a larger bike or have a trash-free Christmas. This is a terrific way to use a festive piece of fabric or a Christmas blanket if you have one. Just one piece of advice for all those folks out there who are going to use this idea: don't get oil on your blanket or sheets, and preserve the chain and gearing mechanism with bubble wrap or an old towel.

Also, try not to be tempted to use chili lights with this option since the lights tend to get hot easily, which could pose a fire hazard. So, be safe and don't wrap the bike with lights if you plan on using a blanket or sheet to cover the gift bike.