Brief by Central Staff
Recreation – December 2004 – Colorado Central Magazine
We’ve been around long enough to remember our surprise the first time we saw a bicycle on a back-country trail; today, of course, mountain-biking is a popular pursuit and the single-track trails of Central Colorado are a significant tourist attraction.
However, we haven’t yet seen what could be the coming thing: mountain unicycles.
A short feature in the Nov. 5 edition of the Wall Street Journal explained that “Mountain unicycling, or `MUni,’ an off-road version of unicycling practiced on rough trails, is climbing in popularity among people who like the compactness and portability of the one-wheeled vehicles, the challenge they offer — and the fun of mastering a skill very much on the fringe of mainstream sports.”
It appears to be growing in popularity. The story quoted two retailers. One in Georgia said it sold 700 off-road unicycles last year, up from 200 four years earlier. In Florida, a dealer said sales doubled last year to 2,100.
According to the article, “a decade ago, most mountain unicycles were jerry-rigged together with tires from mountain bikes,” but now there are about 10 manufacturers, with prices ranging from $200 to $1,500.
There are about half a dozen annual gatherings and competitions for mountain unicyclists, but we could find none listed in Colorado. So if Central Colorado wants to jump into the vanguard of what could be a major new sport — here’s an opportunity.
