Ed Pratt

The Unicycling Explorer

Ed Pratt has built a remarkable online presence as a British adventurer and YouTube content creator who gained international recognition for becoming the first person to circumnavigate the globe on a unicycle. Born in 1995 or 1996 and hailing from Somerset, England, Pratt has transformed his passion for unicycling into a platform for adventure, storytelling, and charity fundraising.^[1]

World Unicycle Tour

In March 2015, at just 19 years old, Pratt embarked on what would become his defining adventure: a journey to circumnavigate the world on a unicycle. Setting off from his home in Curry Rivel near Taunton, Somerset, he pedaled approximately 21,000 miles over three and a half years, filming his experiences and sharing them on his YouTube channel.^[1] Although some sources cite his journey as covering 22,000 miles, what remains undisputed is the extraordinary scale of his achievement.^[2]

Pratt's route was comprehensive and ambitious. He traveled from the UK through Europe to Turkey, then through Asia via a Caspian Sea ferry and onwards through Southeast Asia to Singapore. From there, he flew to Perth and cycled across Australia to Sydney before flying to New Zealand's South Island. His journey continued with a flight to San Francisco, after which he traversed the United States before flying from New York to Edinburgh and completing his final leg south through Scotland back to Somerset, England.^[1]

Challenges and Perseverance

The journey wasn't without significant obstacles. Originally planned to take less time, the expedition ultimately stretched to three and a half years, lasting 16 months longer than initially projected. At various points, Pratt had to suspend his journey due to hazardous conditions, including icy roads, and a near-accident with a car in Kazakhstan.^[8] During his time in Kyrgyzstan, he paused his travels for six months to teach English as a foreign language in Bishkek, demonstrating his adaptability and commitment to cultural immersion.^[1]

While Pratt's journey was groundbreaking, it's worth noting that it isn't officially recognized by Guinness World Records. Before setting out, he had contacted Guinness about their requirements but decided not to adhere to their specific rules-particularly the stipulation that he couldn't stop somewhere for more than 14 days-preferring to conduct his journey on his own terms. Nevertheless, his achievement is recognized within the unicycle community as an unofficial round-the-world ride.^[2]

Charitable Impact

Beyond personal achievement, Pratt's world tour served a greater purpose. Throughout his journey, he raised over £300,000 for School in a Bag, a charity that provides backpacks filled with educational tools and materials for disadvantaged children worldwide.^[1]^[4] His fundraising efforts will help approximately 15,000 vulnerable young people gain access to essential school supplies.^[4]

In recognition of his extraordinary fundraising accomplishment, Pratt was awarded the 1015th Points of Light award by then-UK Prime Minister Theresa May in October 2018. In her personal letter to Pratt, May acknowledged, "Your dedication to fundraising in support of School In A Bag's important work is remarkable. As a result of your record-breaking unicyle trip around the world, thousands of vulnerable young people will be able to access essential school supplies and educational equipment."^[7]

Recent Adventures

Not content to rest on his laurels after his world tour, Pratt has continued to seek out new challenges. In 2024, he embarked on another ambitious project: traveling the entire length of the River Thames without leaving the water. This 210-mile journey from source to sea involved wading, swimming, and kayaking along Britain's busiest waterway. True to form, Pratt undertook this challenge alone and self-supported while documenting the experience for his YouTube audience.^[1]^[3]

For this adventure, Pratt chose to support The Rivers Trust, setting up a fundraiser on JustGiving and even selling Thames-themed merchandise with half the profits directed to the charity. This continued his pattern of combining personal challenges with charitable causes.^[3]

YouTube Growth and Influence

Pratt established his YouTube channel in August 2014, shortly before beginning his world unicycle tour.^[6] His commitment to documenting his journeys has resonated with a growing audience. As of May 2025, his channel boasts over 536,000 subscribers and has accumulated more than 74 million views across 262 videos.^[9]

His channel has shown steady growth, with analytics indicating he gained approximately 18,000 subscribers monthly in early 2025. Daily view counts regularly exceed 50,000, demonstrating consistent engagement with his content.^[9] This growth reflects both Pratt's engaging storytelling style and the unique nature of his adventures, which continue to inspire others to pursue their own challenges.

Pratt's influence extends beyond his own achievements. His world unicycle tour has inspired others to attempt similar feats, including Alessandro Pagliai of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, who in 2022 was preparing for his own world trip by unicycle, directly citing Pratt as his inspiration.^[5]