Those guys hauling down the trail on mountain bikes? Pussies. With their twin wheels. Handle bars for steering. Hill-flattening gears. Brakes. Seriously, how extreme are brakes?

No longer just a mode of transportation for clowns, jugglers, and that weird emo kid from high school who wrote death poetry, the unicycle is reinventing itself as the new equipment of choice for extreme workouts.

One option is the V2 from Coker Cycles, a unicycle designed to take the beating of an off-road workout. It's got a gelled seat, four aircraft-grade Cro-Moly fork tubes that create two parallel vertical V’s for a smooth and stable ride, a huge, lightweight 48-spoke wheel with a wide button tire for extra grip, and a touring handlebar to lean on during long distance tours. This is no circus cycle.

I know what you're thinking: "Yeah BG, but unicycles are for geeks and clowns." And I would find it hard to disagree. I mean if I saw a guy one-wheeling it down the street like that guy in the pic, I'm pretty sure I'd have something to say. Loudly. But after reading that studies show riding one burns 330 calories per hour, gives a great leg and core workout and builds six-pack abs, I'd be remiss if I didn't at least give you a heads up.

So lets look at the pros and cons.
Pros: Great workout, lightweight, fits in your trunk, stores anywhere (good for apartment/dorm dwellers), compact transportation for urban office workers and college students, getting props for bucking the norm, chicks eyeballing you and nodding.

Cons: Clown stigma, people asking you to juggle stuff, chicks eyeballing you and shaking their heads.

Your call.

$569.95
www.cokercycles.com