Big Wheel Keep on Turning

The Big Wheel almost disappeared recently, but is making a comeback with a new company. I can't believe the new models don't have a hand brake on the side. That was the best part of Big Wheels. Growing up, our driveway was really steep and covered with chert rock. We'd ride Big Wheels down it at breakneck speeds and then pull on the brake and turn the wheel really hard to spin out at the bottom. We were really rough on Big Wheels, and probably went through half a dozen of them or more.

We also used to ride our Big Wheels off the end of the pier when we camped at the river during the summer. They float, but you can't really propel yourself in the water very well while you're riding them. My cousin Mark and I used to theorize that you could modify the main wheel to provide better aquatic propulsion, but we never had the means to implement it.