Memories of the Big Wheel
 
We always had big wheels growing up. There were four of us, and we lived on a gravel road. We made a LOT of noise coming down the road, as I'm sure you can imagine. I can't believe the energy I must have had to be able to ride a big wheel uphill. Haha!
-charlieclemson 1981

  
 
 
I was hell on wheels i even "accidently" ran over some one,but i didn't mean to do it as you can guess i got in trouble for that.
-april2867 1967

  
 
 
god,these were fun... :-) i had a pink and white one, and my brother had a blue and red "hot wheels" one...i think we got them for easter one year....i LIVED on that thing until i outgrew it....came across one similar to it at a flea market last year for only two bucks(can you beleive that???) and now, my b/f's 5 year old has a favorite riding toy...who's have thought that with this day's high tech toys...lol..but she loves it :-)
-emma-jane~~~fishing for rainbows!~~~ 1977

  
 
 
My grandmother bought me and my 2 cousins each a Big Wheel for Christmas one year. We rode those things till the center part of the plastic tire was gone. We had so much fun. It seemed like such a huge thing back then and we were so happy. We literally rode the wheels off of them!
-thumzup 1967

  
 
 
I was never blessed with a big wheeel untill our preschool teacher bought 3 big wheels, a red and yellow one, a pink and white one, and what looked like an old Strawberry Shortcake one. Every week she'd pull three names out of a hat, and those whose names were on the little Post Its were the lucky ones who played with them at recess. Ahh If i were still smaller to ride one again:}
-StrawberrySista 1985

  
 
 
I remember riding my big wheel! It was my favorite thing to do! It gave me that sense of freedom.....I got to ride with the big kids! I'm sure I had my parents worried to death everytime I went out to ride! There was this one little bridge (VERY LITTLE) It was such an accomplishment for me to get the courage to ride up and and over it :) lol looking back at that bridge now......i laugh.....It used to be soooooo big....now it's soooooooo tiny!
-irresistibleme 1985

  
 
 
My big wheels was a cabbage patch one, and it fell apart piece by piece. First the snap-on cabbage patch part came off, then the seat. So I either went without or used it was a scooter. Unfortunately it never went very fast because I had an unpaved driveway with lots of rocks in it, and i wasnt allowed to go all the way out to the street, haha. Of course in my eyes, there was only one thing to do... get a power whels instead. Think I ever got one? Nope!
-MoxieRules 1983

  
 
 

I think I got my first Big Wheel when I was about 4 or 5. I used to ride it with my brother and his friend - they were both about 10 or 11 at the time - and yes, I do mean all 3 of us at once. We used to ride it down this hill, and we devised a method of braking by jamming the pedals and making the front wheel skid. Between us, we actually wore the Big Wheel out, but Mom and Dad came through with another one! It was definitely my favorite of my childhood playthings.
-wargoddess 1970

  
 
 
I had a Popples Big Wheel!!! There was a purple Popple in between the handle bars and when you squeezed a little trigger, she popped up! =o)

A boy that lived across the street had a Big Wheel too, and we both decided one day to take off the seat back and use the thing like a scooter. Pretty cool idea, except for the fact that our only brakes were the toes of our shoes. Seems like Mom and Dad were buying me a lot more new pairs during those days. =o)
-MissPeppy 1983

  
 
 
Big Wheels were big deals in my neighborhood. From morning until nightfall the dull roar of Big Wheel wheels could be heard. We had races all the time to determine the fastest kid on a Big Wheel. Living on a hill helped immensely for that extra boost of speed which ended in a mega spin-out at the bottom.

As the wheels wore out, we combined parts and made hybrid Big Wheels. One such modification had the rear wheels on the front and back which made steering impossible but the ride down the hill was the best.

These days lasted until I finally broke the "chassis" on my Big Wheel as I'd grown too big for it. That was a sad day. :(
-Engineer 95 1972