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Muscle Bike: The Huffy Wheel

Huffy Wheel

After featuring a nicely preserved Schwinn Krate earlier today, it got me thinking about how much I wanted one of those bikes when I was a kid. Krates were too expensive for me though so I settled for a Huffy Chopper instead. There’s still a few old bikes hanging in my parent’s garage to prove that the barn find bug bit me long ago. The bug has just grown two extra wheels! Anyway, I started looking around online for more two-wheeled finds and boy, did I stumble upon a duesy. Huffy had a full line of drag race inspired bicycles and this could be the wildest of them all! It was called” the Huffy Wheel” and it featured a drag brake, flaming stack chain guard, wood grain console, and even a real steering wheel! This one is currently listed here on eBay with a surprising starting bid.

Huffy Drag Bike

If you look closely you can make out the wood grain on the console around the shifter and the exhaust styled chain guard. They may have been gimmicks, but for Dads who were car guys, they must have been good ones!

The Huffy Wheel Ad

Here’s a kid demonstrating the sort of wheelies that this drag bike was capable of! Man, I would have loved to have one of these when I was a kid. Do you guys have any memories of a special bicycle from your past?

Comments

  1. Avatar Mark E

    Complete with ‘tigeroo’ tail, no less! (I had a Schwinn Stingray bike with a Tigeroo on the handlebar!)

    Like 0
    • Avatar Howard A Member

      Hi Mark, I thought that was an ESSO tiger in your tank, tail. I think the steering wheel came off in a hurry. I think I remember these with just regular high rise bars.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Jesse Staff

      The Tigeroo looks like fun, but I’d want one of these. Notice the Dad in one of the shots.

      Like 1
      • Avatar Ruben

        Hello Jesse

        That was cool! At 9 years old my Mom bought me that Huffy Wheel Bicycle. Used it for my newspaper routes. Would consider buying one even at this age, 60! Just to have for the great memories.

        Thank you Sincerely,

        Ruben

        Like 3
  2. Avatar Stuart

    The Esso ‘Tiger in your tank’ tail is an excellent period touch!! I also remember adhesive horse shoes affixed to bedroom mirrors but not sure what the relevance was to the Tiger theme…

    Like 1
    • Avatar Mark B. Morrow

      The Horseshoes were promotions for Gulf No-Nox premium.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Mark B. Morrow

      Here they are.

      Like 0
  3. Avatar krash

    Wow…

    ….would have been an added bonus if it had an actual car horn… (instantly making me public enemy #1)

    I would have pedaled this baby right into my friend’s driveway and leaned on the horn until his father either:
    1.threw my bike into his pool
    2.shot me

    …by the looks of the ad, the next photo would be this kid screaming bloody murder as he was being transported to the nearest emergency room (minus four front teeth)…

    …..did the next edition come equipped with an airbag?

    Like 0
  4. Avatar bonneville 64

    I didn’t have a bike growing up in Pennsylvania, dad thought the hills were to steep and my brother and I would get killed. this was back in the mid to late 50s’ and early 60s’. About 1972 I ordered a “chopper” kit out of the Montgomery Wards catalogue for my wife’s younger brother, who was about 11 or 12 at the time. Had long extended forks for the front, high rise “ape hanger” handle bars and a banana seat, about 12.98 plus shipping. He was king of the hill after we got it assembled, but sure didn’t like the really wide turning radius with the extended forks.

    Like 1
  5. Avatar Tom Stewart

    We used to put old steering wheels on bikes when I was a kid. Well, my brothers did, and we had a ‘bike boneyard’ in our backyard of old parts and bikes that we would gather from the neighbors or the junk yard to make Franken-bikes.

    Like 0
  6. Avatar jim s

    never liked the steering wheel near as much as i liked handle bars. not as much leverage and you had to look to see where the front wheel was pointed.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar Mark B. Morrow

    I got one exactly like this for my 8th birthday. The console contained a Drag Brake. I rode that bike for a few years before getting one with gears. Very fond memories.

    Like 1
  8. Avatar Don Stamper

    I had one new as a kid sometime around 67-68 I think. I picked it out at the local Gibson’s discount and the folks bought it for my birthday a few days later. I don’t recall the price but it was more that most bicycles on display and the old man didn’t like that, he gave in though. The original front tires where a lot thinner, mine did not come with that “Flaming” chain guard but I can’t remember what it had there. I never had a problem with the steering wheel coming off and I was as good as the best of ’em at riding wheelies. We lived on bicycles in my area since there where miles of paved streets with few or no houses and nearly no traffic. After a year of so I made some angle iron fork extensions. I remember one neighbor in particular make fun of it for the longest time and after I had cords showing the tires the same guy traded me a Go-cart for it that he was unable to get running. Hours later he regretted it when I had it going again. I have some old home movies of me riding it on that birthday.

    Like 1
  9. Avatar BETTY J grover

    I have that bike it was my husbands.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Ruben Torres

      Hello Betty,

      Would you consider selling yhat bike?

      Sincerely,

      Ruben,

      Like 0
  10. Avatar Phil

    One of the rarest of all the muscle bikes especially the drag brake because it was only made one year due to safety.

    Like 2
    • Avatar Mark B. Morrow

      Mine had the Drag Brake. I would have preferred having gears for the Pittsburgh hills.

      Like 0
  11. Avatar Ruben

    Anyone know how much one would sell for today? I had one in 1969, used for my paper routes, one during weekdays another on Sundays. Great bike, went everywhere on that. Sure would like to buy one if available.

    Thanks for the memories!

    Like 0
    • Avatar Ronnie

      I have a 1969 huffy wheel bike with drag brake. All original down to the tires. It even has the black bolt guards on the back wheel axel bolt. Sold new for 60 dollars in 1969.

      Like 0
  12. Avatar Robert Butler

    Did you ever find a huffy wheel bike i just found one a 1968 all original wheel bike

    Like 0

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