Whether you ride a unicycle or an odd bike like a clown bike or a mini bike, being prepared with the proper unicycle safety gear is absolutely imperative.
These are the essentials. Don’t ride without them!
A Helmet (It’s a Good Idea to Ride with Sunglasses, Too!)
This is the single most important piece of safety gear and the only one that you should never, under any circumstances, ride without. There are laws in some places requiring it!
The vast majority of cycling accidents are not severe and result only in scrapes and shattered expectations. However, the vast majority of serious cycling accidents involve injury to the head or neck.
Wearing a helmet reduces the chances of injuring your head by 50% and the chances of injuring your neck and face by over 30%. Always, always wear a helmet.
Speaking of protecting your face, wearing sunglasses is a good idea, too. They’ll keep sand and dust out of your eyes when you take a spill and they’ll also protect your eyes from UV when you’re out there on the road or trail!
Gloves and Wrist Guards
It’s instinctual to “reach out” and break a fall when you experience an unplanned dismount, whether from a bicycle, a unicycle, or an odd bike.
This is one of the many reasons that so many unicyclists wear gloves. They protect their hands not only while riding but also in the event of a fall.
Wrists guards are also available and add a secondary layer of protection, by supporting and covering your wrists, diminishing the strain on them while riding or during a fall.
Knee Pads and Elbow Pads
Even if you don’t instinctively reach out when falling, your body’s extreme points – your hands, feet, knees, elbows, and even hips, and often the first ones to contact the ground.
This means they take the brunt of most impacts. Unfortunately, sharp impact to your knees and elbows is not only painful, but it can also result in injury.
After a helmet, knee and elbow pads are some of the most important pieces of unicycle safety gear. Padded, breathable models can protect you against unplanned dismounts and reduce the risk of injuries after a fall. Some riders prefer to bundle their knee, elbow, and wrist pads together or buy protection pad sets and save on the bundle.
Some unicyclists prefer to up their knee pad game by wearing leg armor, which adds extra protection to a rider’s legs.
Leg Armor like Kris Holm Percussion Leg Armor provides full protection to both the front and the back of the legs. They shield the knees and shins against impact and abrasion and are made from tough, 1200 Denier ballistic nylon.
They also include PU patches on the inside of the leg to protect against tire abrasion, are vented behind the knees for comfort, and are machine washable for convenience.
Protective, Comfortable, Preferably Breathable Footwear
While protective footwear isn’t necessarily a specific sort of unicycle protective gear, we still consider it important.
You should always wear protective shoes, sneakers, or other footwear while riding. A pair of lightweight, breathable sneakers may be all you need. They will provide you with lightweight traction and will protect the soles, sides, and top of your feet in the event that you fall.
Get a pair of vented, breathable sneakers – they’ll keep you cool, even in the heat.
Planning for Unplanned Dismounts! Get What You Need at Unicycle.com
The best thing you can do is be prepared. You can never know when an unplanned dismount is going to strike, but you can be as ready for it as possible by always wearing protective unicycle safety gear.
You can find some of the best equipment in the industry online at Unicycle.com. They carry helmets, gloves, leg armor, knee, elbow, and wrist pads, along with much more. Visit their website today and reach out to their customer service team if you need assistance!