Big Wheel (tricycle)
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Big Wheel is a brand of low-riding
tricycle A tricycle, sometimes abbreviated to trike, is a human-powered (or gasoline or electric motor powered or assisted, or gravity powered) three-wheeled vehicle. Some tricycles, such as cycle rickshaws (for passenger transport) and freight trikes, ...
s, made mostly of
plastic Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient. Their plasticity makes it possible for plastics to be moulded, extruded or pressed into solid objects of various shapes. This adaptab ...
, with a larger front wheel. Introduced by
Louis Marx and Company Louis Marx and Company was an American toy manufacturer in business from 1919 to 1980. They made many types of toys including tin toys, toy soldiers, toy guns, action figures, dolls, toy cars and model trains. Some of their notable toys are Rock' ...
in 1969 and manufactured in
Girard, Pennsylvania Girard is a borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,994 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Erie Metropolitan Statistical Area. History Girard's history began with a petition to "Township Status" in 1832 by re ...
, Big Wheel was a very popular toy in the 1970s in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, partly because of its low cost and partly because consumer groups said it was a safer alternative to the traditional tricycle or
bicycle A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A is called a cyclist, or bicyclist. Bic ...
. The large front wheel also made it a stable, easier tricycle to ride for children.


Design

The original Marx Big Wheel tricycle had rotomolded parts made of red, blue, and yellow plastic. The resulting components were hollow and the pedals connect directly to the front wheel instead of using a chain. The seat sits very low to the ground and is adjusted by pushing two large pegs in its base into pairs of holes in the frame. The large front wheel is the size of a manhole cover. In the 1970s, a handbrake was added in front of the right rear wheel to facilitate intentional spin outs. Models included the Champion Cycle with a
coaster brake A bicycle brake reduces the speed of a bicycle or prevents it from moving. The three main types are: #Rim brakes, rim brakes, #Disc brakes, disc brakes, and #Drum brakes, drum brakes. Most bicycle brake systems consist of three main components: ...
in the front wheel, the Mini Sweetheart for female toddlers and the black Cobra Cycle, featuring cobra graphics and a "
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" that could be personalized.


Imitations

The design was quickly imitated, under a variety of brand names. Although "Big Wheel" was a
registered trademark The registered trademark symbol, , is a typographic symbol that provides notice that the preceding word or symbol is a trademark or service mark that has been registered with a national trademark office. A trademark is a symbol, word, or word ...
, it was frequently used as a generic name for any toy whose design resembled that of Marx. Following the
bankruptcy Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor ...
and liquidation of Marx Toys in the early 1980s, the Big Wheel brand name and molds were sold to Empire Plastics, makers of the Power Cycle brand, which was Marx's biggest competitor. By the late 1990s, few manufacturers were making these toys. Empire filed for bankruptcy in 2001. The Big Wheel brand was reintroduced under new ownership in 2003. The Big Wheel was inducted into the
National Toy Hall of Fame The National Toy Hall of Fame is a U.S. hall of fame that recognizes the contributions of toys and games that have sustained their popularity for many years. Criteria for induction include: icon status (the toy is widely recognized, respected, an ...
at
The Strong The Strong is an interactive, collections-based educational institution in Rochester, New York, United States, devoted to the study and exploration of play. It carries out this mission through six programmatic arms called "Play Partners": * Nat ...
in
Rochester, New York Rochester () is a City (New York), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, the county seat, seat of Monroe County, New York, Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, ...
, in 2009. In 2021, the Big Wheel brand name was acquired by Schylling, Inc., a company specializing in classic toys and games.


Annual races

Annual races are held for Big Wheel-style tricycles in some locations. One, the ''Bring Your Own Big Wheel'' (BYOBW) race, takes place on Easter Sunday in San Francisco. A Big Wheel race was hosted by the Tulsa Big Wheel Racers LLC as a fundraiser for the Cancer Sucks cancer research center on June 13, 2009.


See also

* Penny-farthing (High wheel) *
Tricycle A tricycle, sometimes abbreviated to trike, is a human-powered (or gasoline or electric motor powered or assisted, or gravity powered) three-wheeled vehicle. Some tricycles, such as cycle rickshaws (for passenger transport) and freight trikes, ...


References

*


External links


Original Big Wheel
– present manufacturer {{Human-powered vehicles 1970s toys Tricycles Physical activity and dexterity toys