FACT # 5

"A roller coaster whips through the middle of the BIG O wheel in Tokyo, Japan - one of the only Ferris wheels to operate without a CENTER AXLE or SPOKES."

5,000 Awesome Facts, About Everything₃, National Geographic, 2015

The Big O

literally. IT’S A BIG O. NOT THE BIG-O-O-O….(HAD TO)

At first, I could not find much information on how a hubless Ferris wheel operates, but I stumbled on a Larson International, Inc that has patented the O-wheel, or, the “Hubless Wheel”. It works by having two concentric rings, one that remains fixed while the other ring rotates giving the illusion of a regular Ferris wheel. The other ring that is rotating carries 1 gondola on each side, which doubles the capacity for more riders. More riders equals more revenue. Pretty smart. They advertise the wheel with “Put your logo in the middle,” or, “take a walk…