I hear what you're saying and you're right in that there is nuance. I normally will give a light glib comment about something and then wait to see if I get any back. If I do it's good fun and I'll do more but if I never do I know the person isn't ready or willing to engage on that level. I find that people usually use the "It's just a joke" line after saying straight up rude things rather than light remarks.

Additionally: what motivations does one have to ride a unicycle instead of a bicycle? I can only think of reduced storage space being a practical benefit.