Safety gear for riding

[UniMD]

I'm curious how many of you use safety gear to ride or practice and if so how much. At my local clubs practices it seems like I'm the only one that wears anything. Maybe it's the fact that I know I'm not invincible and that if I break my arm, I can't work well. I always wear wrist guards, if nothing else, even for simple A to B rides. If I'm doing anything else I'll usually add 661 legs and a helmet. The 661 arms go on if I'm hopping or doing things I'm really not comfortable with. All that being said, it's extremely rare for me to fall, MUni not included.

[Julia B]

Ankle guards always, unless my shoes cover my ankle bone (and my current ones don't). No shin guards if it's hot or I feel lazy which is 90% of the time. No helmet unless it's required by a skatepark. Gloves kill all my tricks, let alone wristguards. What are arm guards??

[Obtusellama]

I was wondering about this, myself. I usually only ride with my 661 shinpads but I have recently ordered a helmet because I keep falling back when grinding and am scared that one day it will result in a nasty injury.

So, unless I'm doing street riding it's usually just the shinpads.

[Aillaragis]

I ride armored to the teeth: helmet, wristguards, elbow pads, and leg armor that goes from mid thigh to well below my ankles and the top of my foot. I hate getting hurt so much. I don't heal well. I had a mystery injury with my knee once. Nothing happened. One day it just started hurting like hell. After going to several doctors who all basically just said "IDK" I walked with a cane for months. When you are jealous of people because they can walk, you really learn to value a properly working body.

[UPD in Utah]

For Muni I wear helmet (Bell Faction multisport), KH Pulse Gloves (w/ wrist protection), KH Percussion shin/knee guards, and 661 elbow guards. (The ONE time I skipped the elbow guards I took a nasty backwards fall on a steep bit [I had just dropped crank size from 165 mm to 150 mm] and smacked my left elbow on a rock. Nothing broke, but I still can't lean on it for long after 6 months.)

For commuting on the 36er I wear pretty much the same stuff as for Muni, but I substitute a vented bike helmet with rear-view mirror attached.

For goofing around parks (i.e., mellow street) I wear the multisport helmet and Hillbilly gloves (with serious wrist protection), KH Percussion guards, and 661 elbow guards if it's not too hot.

If I'm just riding flat asphalt I sometimes go with only the Hillbilly gloves and 661 knee pads, or just the Hillbillys.

I really don't want to break a wrist or my noggin -- both would cramp my style -- and livelihood, so I'm pretty religious about protective gear. (And I know something about TBIs from a running buddy who stepped out of a [slowly] moving car and hit his head on the curb. He's never been quite the same since.)

So, are you thinking of writing this up for the NEJM? Might be worthwhile. Someone did the same for tele skiing injuries and releasable bindings a few years back. A good read for those of us who "free the heel."

Cheers,

UPD in Utah

[JBAB]

Commuting on my 29", nothing. Practicing wheel walk on my 20" helmet and wrist pads. Still does'nt save my butt. But now I'm wearing a towel at my tailbone for practicing WW. Practicing 180 jumps, everything (Helmet, wrist pads).

[DSchmitt]

shin guards, gloves , helmet.


i've learned teh hard way twice about gloves...got 2 perm scars now on both hands.


pls.


just wear gloves.

[Rowan]

I selected no safety gear but I would have chosen shoes and clothes if it was an option, also a sunhat is quite important I've found, especially on long rides. The sun in NZ can be pretty harsh.

Hitting the concrete sure is a wake-up call to remind you of how real unicycling is. I've twisted my wrist behind me and wished I was wearing wrist guards, but after trying wearing them I can't stand having safety gear that I will only sometimes need. They feel restrictive. I'd prefer to try not to crash too bad.

[Hung Like Saddam]

Gloves and helmet for any riding on MUni or 29"

[alicefish]

Recently got some 661 shinguards which are amazing. I wear them whenever I ride, even if it's just simple practice in the backyard....I learned the hard way how bad metal pedals and pins hurt the naked leg >___<"

I have a helmet also, but I haven't worn it yet...I don't think I'm doing any tricks big enough to require it.

[Gainza]

I wear shinguards and gloves always. And helmet in few occasions (downstairs, high jumps, downhills, muni,...)

[Obtusellama]

Oh! I forgot about my ankle protectors!

I made 'em out of some old soccer shinpads I had laying around, I never go out without them after I smashed my ankle with my crank...I was out for weeks. Too scared of that happening again.

[Schrodinger]

I always wear ankle protectors and shin-knee guards. If I go muni or big street I use helmet as well.

[hugo]

It depends.

On 36" and 29" (geared) I wear

• helmet
• O'Neal madass jacket
• O'Neal pumpgun knee/leg protection
• O'Neal protection pants
• gloves

It isn't funny to slide over the ground with more than 20 km/h and no protection, I can tell you.

On 24" muni I wear the same but if the terrain is easy and when it's hot, I wear ellbow protectors instead of the madass jacket.

On my 20" trials I wear

• helmet (sometimes )
• gloves
• KH leg protection
• ellbow protection

On the 20" standard uni I tend to wear no protection stuff.

[Kartochitatel]

For me I use KH knee snin guard - at winter time on 36er.