Tag: Wrist Bands

It’s an unfortunate reality that if you ride a bike on the road (or even off road), you may have a serious accident. And when that accident occurs, you can’t predict if it will be one you can walk away from without injury or one where you’ll need medical assistance.

While it’s smart to have a list of friends or family you could call to assist you, there might be times where your injuries prevent you from doing so. In fact, if you were to be involved in a bad enough accident where you couldn’t move 0r you were unconscious, what would you do, especially if you were in need of an ambulance? That’s why wearing some sort of emergency contact wrist band is really an essential item every cyclist should have.

What is an Emergency Contact Wrist Band?

If your a bicyclist or runner, emergency contact bands (also known as interactive ID bands) are worn on the wrist. They can be made of various materials, but in most cases they are long, thin plastic like a watchband.

As Bicycling Magazine mentions, the ID usually has “your name, drug allergies, and an emergency contact to help identify and care for you if you cannot speak for yourself.” Interactive IDs help to protect your identity, so they have a “unique code [that] allows a first responder to access a detailed profile by web, text, or voice call. Interactive IDs usually require a membership…”

Road ID Interactive IDs

For many years as I did road rides and events, I never thought about a crash or accident where I might be incapacitated. I always carried my phone with me, but I never thought what I would do if my phone was broken or I was unconscious far from anything.

Then one day, as I thumbed through the latest issue of Bicycling Magazine, I saw an advertisement for Road ID. It said it offered a way for a first responder to be contacted if you were ever in accident. I jumped on it right away.

Road ID has been in business since 1999 and is based in Kentucky. In fact, I don’t live far from their main office and headquarters. Road ID makes a high quality yet affordable product with laser engraving of your information on stainless steel. You can add up to six engraved lines.

Getting A Road ID Account

I’ve had my Road ID for years. In fact, it still looks as good as when I got it and the text on the badge hasn’t been dimmed by sweat or the elements. The only thing I’ve ever had to replace was the clasp on the band because it broke. The company now offers silicone bands or slip on bands if you want to forego the clasp.

The company states its product is interactive, which is true. Once you have your Road ID, you can create a profile on the company’s server, login, then add all your personal health information and your emergency contacts. Road ID will assign you a serial number with a pin so first responders can view this information.

Road ID also has an iPhone app, which I haven’t setup yet. But from what I could glean from the app description, it uses the device’s GPS function to track you. Eventually, I’ll be doing a post specifically about cycling apps and talk more about this app in the future.

When you purchase a band and ID badge, Road ID gives you a free membership. Once it expires, you can renew for as long as two years. Prices vary for the bands, which come in different colors, styles, and materials. If you decide you later want to change your band, you should be able to move your ID badge over without a problem. Road ID’s website interface makes it easy to find what you’re seeking.

The company also makes ID tags that fit on your shoe or they can be worn like dog tags if you’re a runner. Road ID also has an ID for your dog and a basic health ID for those who don’t see themselves as athletes. You can even get an ID badge that will fit on your activity monitor, such as an Apple Watch or Fitbit.

Other Interactive IDs for Bicyclists

Since Road ID has been around for over 20 years, it’s no surprise other companies have come on the scene to offer similar products. I can’t comment on the quality of these two following brands because I haven’t used them. But a brief look at their websites show they both sell products that look like Road IDs in some aspect.

First off, there’s One Life ID, which is a British company. They are very similar to what Road ID offers in terms of their bands and badges. The company gives a customer the ability to setup an account that contains health information and contacts. A couple differences are that One Life ID has bands with mixed colors along with bands that function like a traditional watch band. For the badges, the company will engrave a QR code so someone can just just scan an injured athlete’s wrist with their phone instead of worrying about a serial number and a pin.

Breck ID states that its IDs are for runners. However, again, they look similar enough to products Road ID offers, so I’m sure a bicyclist could use one as well. They have thin or thick bands, clasp bands, and silicone bands. In fact, Breck ID seems like a straight copy of Road ID but at a lower price point than both Road ID and One Life ID.

Last Thoughts

If you exercise alone, then using a wearable ID is a good investment. It’s a preventative measure, absolutely. But all it takes is one bad accident that leaves you unable to move or where you are unconscious and can’t help yourself.

Plus, wearing an identifier adds piece of mind, much like all the items I’ve classified in this series as ride essentials. I wear mine every ride I do and leave it among my ride paraphernalia so I won’t forget to slap it on before I head out the door. Do the smart thing and get yourself a Road ID or something similar from one of the other two brands I mentioned.