The use of a helmet is an absolute imperative in cycling sports, whether BMX, bicycle-commuting or freestyle riding with a unicycle. While the majority of unplanned dismounts and other falls and accidents result in minor (or no) injuries, most serious injuries arise from impact to the head.
For this reason, wearing a helmet may even be regulated by law in some instances, but it is a necessity of riding, regardless. There are no circumstances surrounding which it could be considered acceptable to forgo a helmet.
Beyond that, the rider’s discretion will determine what other protective gear is necessary to pursue the sport safely and comfortably. For example, a rider might choose to abstain from wearing knee, elbow and wrist pads, despite their obvious benefits, simply because they can be hot, heavy, bulky and generally uncomfortable.
Considering the fact that knee, elbow and wrist pads can save you from many unpleasant scuffs, scrapes and bruises, abstaining from using them hardly seems reasonable, especially when there is so much cycling safety gear out there that is specifically engineered expressly for comfort.
For instance, consider the MBS Core Pads that are available as a pad set online at Unicycle.com. These sets contain knee pads, elbow pads and wrist guards and are made using a tough, 600 Denier nylon outer skin paired with lightweight EVA foam padding. They are light yet highly protective – but also very comfortable.
All of them are adjustable for an excellent fit, so you’ll never have to experience the uncomfortable sensation that your safety gear is going to shift into the wrong position when you need it most. For their part, the knee pads are open at the back, which enables you to put them on or take them off without messing with your shoes.
Another great example of comfort merged with function is the Kris Holm Percussion Leg Armor, which is also available online at Unicycle.com. It provides excellent protection to both the front and back of the legs, as they are full length, they serve as shin guards in addition to knee pads.
They are made using 1200 Denier ballistic nylon and have polyurethane patches inside the legs to resist incidental contact with the tire. They may sound bulky, hot and uncomfortable, but they are well padded, resist sagging and shifting, and are very well vented behind the knee, to keep the wearer cool and comfortable.
With knee, elbow and wrist pads like these, you’ll never have to trade protection and comfort again. Even the helmets available at Unicycle.com are designed for the maximum balance of comfort and protection. For example, the Giro Fixture MIPS (Multi-Directional Impact Protection System) Helmets available on their website contain a proprietary arrangement of ports for ventilation – keeping the rider both well protected and as comfortable as possible.
To learn more about why you should never have to choose between comfort and protection, visit Unicycle.com. There you will find all of the protective gear listed in this post and many others, and if you have any questions about them, you can contact their customer service team directly at 678-494-4962.
