Like a Big Wheel, but cooler.

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  • Jo Miran@lemmy.ml
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    18 hours ago

    One of the greatest toys ever. So many injuries. No regrets.

    We could not afford it, but my cousin had one and we would take turns flinging ourselves down their ridiculously steep and long driveway.

    • EnmebaraGuesser@piefed.caOP
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      17 hours ago

      I am imagining many shins getting thwacked by madly spinning pedals as it barrels down a steep hill. No ability to coast (right?) So if it goes too fast on a steep hill, you’d have to remove your feet from the pedals and try not to get beat up by it.

      • Jo Miran@lemmy.ml
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        13 hours ago

        Like I said, many injuries. Plus, your feet were the brakes/stabilizers, so they were too busy keeping you alive to pedal.

  • grue@lemmy.world
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    15 hours ago

    I’m a little surprised it was marketed to “8, 9, 10 years old”. I’m pretty sure I’d graduated from a big wheeler to an actual bicycle by that age.

    • EnmebaraGuesser@piefed.caOP
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      15 hours ago

      For comparison, big wheels were advertised 4 - 9, so quite a bit younger range. But there was also a little wheel for 2 1/2 - 4, and a mini wheel for tots 1 1/2 - 3.

      For bikes, pediatric groups have fuzzy ranges and say most children learn some time between 3-9. Random web site claims ahead -> The fraction of children who learn to ride a bike is 75% (UK numbers) where their parents were at 95%. The US was on a similar trend, but since 2018 it has reversed, and there is a surge of children (and adults!) riding bikes.

      • P00ptart@lemmy.world
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        14 hours ago

        I tried and tried to get my kid to ride bikes without training wheels and he refused, always preferred his scooter. Then his friends got annoyed that he couldn’t keep up and BOOM. He knows.

        Edit: I worded that poorly. His friends taught him in like 2 days to ride without at age 10, when I’d been trying for like 5 years.

  • Bonus@sh.itjust.works
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    17 hours ago

    We used to play stuntman on our big wheels. We had a hill with grass on it. We’d watch Evil Kneival specials, The 6 Million Dollar Man, and then we’d go launch ourselves off our big wheels into the bushes, inadvertantly finding rocks with our kneecaps and the like. I still have the scars to prove it.

    These Green Machines were for the fancy kids. I still don’t understand them. you’re using the sticks to turn? What? Why did they make it more complicated than a tractor? There’s no brake. You have your pedals. That’s it. Big Wheels had a big ol brake you could slam onto one rear tire, force a drifting effect or even spin completely 180 degrees around. I’m surely distorting the facts with my version of memories here.

    • schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works
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      10 hours ago

      These Green Machines were for the fancy kids. I still don’t understand them. you’re using the sticks to turn? What?

      It’s just like racing pods back home on Tatooine.

    • TIEPilot@lemmy.world
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      17 hours ago

      Don’t leave out “The Fall Guy” my brother and I hurt ourselves recreating those stunts.

      Oh and the skid out lever on big wheels were the best! I destroyed more big wheels, skinned knees, mild concussions from that damn bar!

    • Crozekiel@lemmy.zip
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      13 hours ago

      I couldn’t remember what it was from, but I 100% pictures this entire fake commercial in my head when I saw this thing. lol