The Wheel was made for doing summersaults. I started by drawing a 4 foot diameter circle on a half sheet of 3/4″ plywood. The cut outs were aproximated.
The chair was made from a 3/16″ thick section of poly plastic sheeting. 6 shelf brackets were used to secure the seat to the plywood.
A seat belt mounted with a big bolt holds the pilot in place.
For the tread I cut a continuous slit down a 1-1/4″ diameter thick rubber tubing and secured it to the ring with screws spaced every ten inches.
Foam pipe insulation was added to keep from bumping your head while rotating.
I took this to the Burningman art festival several times. One lady hoped on unexpectedly and started to roll, only to fall on her head, hence the added warning.
It’s a real hoot to ride. I’ve completed 14 summersaults in a row before falling over in laughter. Only one other fellow has matched me.
I normally use this on a grassy surface like a park, a baseball or football field. I try to stay on level ground. Going downhill can be very dangerous
as you soon gain speed and go completely out of control, leading to severe scrapes or broken bones. Be warned.