The first thing most rookie Big Wheelers figure out is the iconic children’s ride doesn’t hold up well to adult sized weight. Dozens of racers rolling down Vermont Street in San Francisco this weekend had to stop half way with flat tires and broken forks.
Despite the equipment failures, the 16th annual “Bring Your Own Big Wheel” was a rousing San Francisco success. The guys who dress up as BART cars were there. There were several Donald Trumps, a number of princesses of both genders and a half dozen Woody and Buzz Lightyear combos. Rides included the eponymous Big Wheel, Green Machines, Lil’ Tykes and even a few daring drivers on desk chairs.
The race was born on the city’s more famous twisty street, Lombard, but was moved in 2008 to Vermont Street. Which is twistier is up for debate: technically Lombard has a greater number of curves, but Vermont has a higher “sinuosity”. More importantly to the Big Wheel set, Vermont is steeper.
San Francisco's 16th big wheel race features costumes, crashes. https://t.co/ZX1Jy4RDt3 pic.twitter.com/UABPoft0bB — NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) March 28, 2016
