Building Your Own Ultimate Wheel

I used to start with a Schwinn steel bicycle rim (rim = wheel without
spokes, rubber, or hub). They're stronger than other steel rims. I'd
weld something in the middle to support the pedals, and put a tire on
with a lot of air pressure. By using a large diameter wheel, you can
more easily trap the tire between your legs, to help keep the wheel
upright. To eliminate much of the friction between your pants and the
sides of the tire, I put a layer of electrical tape on the sides of
the tire, which helps tremendously.
One thing I discovered the hard way: The middle of the wheel
should be filled with a steel plate, screen, plastic layer or
something like that. Otherwise, if you start to fall off, you can get
a foot caught up in the wheel, and fall hard.
Have fun!
- Jeff
www.odd-bikes.com