The
most unusual sport of the century has come to life in the last 20 years. The
unicycle was once known as a device used only in the circus; it has now
developed into a tricky sport undertaken by many who are up for a challenge. A
hundred years ago no one believed that balancing on one wheel is even humanly
possible. Now, we see unicyclists all across the globe landing 15 foot drops,
grinding rails, and descending rough mountainous terrain. What had to happen to
give someone the idea of mountain biking with no gears, handlebars, and only
one tire?
Kris
Holm, the name which must be addressed when speaking of unicycle sport, is
perhaps the leader of all unicyclists today.If it was not for Kris Holm the
world would have never seen unicycles that are tough enough to survive
mountainous terrain.Holm is currently doing things like
filming in Mercedes commercials on his unicycle and attending various
competitions across the world. Holm pioneered the engineering of skimpy circus
unicycles into atough framework of genius that is able to withstand all sorts
of abuse. He spent years creating blueprints of his unicycles which were
analyzed and manufactured in other parts of the world. Each new design is then
tested by Holm on the mountains of Vancouver BC. McClellan, a writer for
Bicycle industry and retailer news described Holm as “a champion unicyclist who created an eponymous, high-end unicycle brand
for serious riders.” Most professionally sponsored unicyclists today either ride
or own a Kris Holm unicycle.
Holm is not
as much a business man as he is a celebrity athlete and scientist. Not only
does he manufacture unicycles, but he takes his sport seriously; he sponsors
athletes who promote the sport as well as participate in it. His aim is not to
have fun in itself but to show the world that downhill unicycling can be done
by anyone who is motivated and is able to face up to the challenge. He spends
some of his time inspiring and teaching younger athletes how to balance
properly and apply adequate safety techniques. When describing the art of
balance to Andrew Klein, a writer for “Science Wonder”, Holm says:"for
humans, your center of gravity is near your hips” (Klein). Perhaps Holm is the
perfect candidate to teach people how to unicycle and where to unicycle because
he is a geologist that studies landslides. With his knowledge of land forms and
mountains, he is able to determine where unicyling to the extreme is even a
possibility. In order to remain unscathed after riding on dangerous land forms,
Holm integrates his effort into designing safety equipment. Producing
safety gear for serious riders is as much of a concern for Holm as is
developing top notch unicycles. “Kris Holm” brand safety gear comes in the
color blue and ranges from knee pads to elbow guards. When it comes to falling
off a unicycle, perhaps the most common area of injury is in the hands and
elbows. According to Kris Holm’s website, “falling on your hands happens
frequently to everyone, regardless of ability, making wrist support an essential
part of your protective gear” (Holm).Although Holm
has risked his life many times by balancing on rails that overhang unthinkable
drops, he still endeavors to promote safety. Extreme unicyclists consider safety
obvious reasons like the prevention of broken bones and serious injuries. Riding
a unicycle on mountain bike trails is a safe sport when it is done correctly;
Holm demonstratessafety in his riding while informing the unicyclist community
of proper balance.
