Nov 14 2007
A Real Toy For Real Boys (And Girls)
Just when you thought that we’d be raising a country full of wimps living in padded cages, along comes a re-issue of a good old-fashioned terror of a toy. The Green Machine.
It’s too bad they don’t make an adult sized version. It would be perfect for letting off a little steam.
Let’s just hope the Helicopter Parents don’t pressure the company to pull this toy. Where’s the helmet? Where’s the seatback? My Darling Precious Snowflake might get hurt! Damn right, I say. Skin a knee. Whack a head on the pavement. Gotta learn sometime.
Update: Here’s a print-ad of the original. Like the Big Wheel, it had a hard plastic front wheel. Since the pedals were connected directly to the wheel, you usually stopped it by skidding–and creating a nice flat spot on one part of the wheel. (You notmally “locked” the wheel in the same position, depending on where your legs felt the most natural.) The new version uses a rubber tire, which should be an improvement. We’ll see.
It is interesting that this new version seems to be using less plastic, though I like the handles on the old one a lot better. (Who needs a hand brake?) Also weird that the old one had a true bucket seat, but the new one doesn’t.
Update 2: I just checked out the Huffy site and the final production model looks better. They painted the metal black & green, removed the safely plastic around the wheel, Â and gave it a bucket seat. (It’s interesting to see how a design changes through the development process.) Take a look at the site here: Green Machine Site
6 Responses to “A Real Toy For Real Boys (And Girls)”
I think I speak for Ann and for myself when I say that the Big Wheel and its cousins are the coolest kid transportation devices in exisitence. I can’t wait to buy one for Arianna. She and Glenn can start street racing at 3!
I spent a boring summer work day looking up adult sized big wheels. They are very very hard to find, and most are now out of production. It made me very sad. The Bigwheel was the best bike ever. It was great when your plastic wheels wore down and got all holey…
The weight limit on these is 180 lbs, so maybe they are thinking that more than a few adults would try riding them.
Never had one but I guess they’re a lot of fun.
That’s okay. Dave mainly used to push and/or pull us around. Pull us up the hill, Dave! Push faster, Dave!
I’ll never forget the day we went tobaganing and Dave had to drag it up the hill time and time again. Ron, you were evil!
We have the pictures to prove it, too.