Strate's wheel is nice looking, one of the better built ones in my opinion besides say RCS's big wheel. Strates wheel is taller than any other wheel out there except RCS and Reithoffer and given the choice I would rather ride a Euro Wheel than a Chance, much better ride.

Yeah the Kroon wheels that Strate's, Reithoffer, and RCS have are 33 meters in height without blocking which is about 108 feet tall.
I love these big Euro wheels as they are an awe inspiring site towering over the midway dwarfing just about any other ride. Both the Strate's Holland wheel, and Reithoffer's Dutch wheel have pretty awesome LED packages on them now that sure make them very beautiful.
These are the type of wheel that i think of as an Authentic giant wheel with 24 seats and the A frame tubular or girder structure, the Chance wheels just do not compare to them , we had Big R's Gentle giant here in Frederick,MD back in 2012 instead of the dutch and it sure did not have the same look on that far end of the midway as the Dutch wheel, im glad we usually get the dutch here every september. I think all Kroon wheel's the tubs were built to rotate around the support pole in Europe, does anyone know why that feature was taken away making the tubs on the Kroon wheels here stationary? always wondered about that especially after seeing video's of the Kroon wheel in Paris with rotating tubs
paris giant wheel 

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Seems like Reithoffers has had a tub upgrade too, someone correct me if I am wrong, but didn't their tubs look more like the tubs on Deggellers old European wheel, and now they look the ones Strates has on his?

Does anyone remember who all had the big euro wheels here when they first started showing up, here is what I remember:

Deggeller
Reithoffer
Strates
Conklin
Cammack


Who brought the first one?

Saw Deggellers in '85. Strates got theirs in '86. Saw reithoffers in '86 too
Think Conklin had theirs before that.

Conklin had theirs at least a few years before Strates.

Of course Conklins may have been Deggler's

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Conklin had theirs at least a few years before Strates.

Of course Conklins may have been Deggler's

I could be wrong but i have heard that Deggeller's Kroon Dutch wheel debuted at the 1984 Ohio state fair with just A frame spotlights and the spoke lights were added at a later time. anybody know how many years Deggeller used the wheel since i think they sold it to Knoebels in PA in 94 in favor of the current Chance giant?
can anybody help get these facts straight for me as this was long before my time LOL

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I don't think the model Conklin had was Deggellers, one they had them at the same time, and the tubs were different on each of them.

Not sure when Deggeller first got his or the lights, I first saw it in 1988 when he brought to the Upper SC State Fair, then Strates set theirs up in Anderson, and Reithoffer in Piedmont.

But I know that Deggeller set it up in Columbia for the state fair before he lost the spot to Conklin, can't remember exactly the year but pretty sure early 80s.

Wasn't Conklin's Southern Comfort origonaly Deggeler's Magic Midway?

I think Strates' wheel was built by Houser.

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Wasn't Conklin's Southern Comfort origonaly Deggeler's Magic Midway?

I think Strates' wheel was built by Houser.

Conklin ran under the banner of Magic Midway I believe which was the Deggeller Magic Midway originally. The sons started Deggeller Attractions a few years later but I think as part of the agreement they had the most of the kiddie land rides during the Conklin era, and they got most of the spots when they started DA.

Deggellers wheel at Ohio SF in 1985 had quartz lights in the A frame. You can still see the brackets for them at Knoebels.

Believe Conklin got their wheel around 1977 time frame, so the first traveling giant wheel in north america...

Reithoffers wheel is a kroon and I believe Conklins, Deggellers and Strates were not made by Kroon, but by other manufactures. (RCS might have been made by the same company as strates?)

think Deggellers was made by Baker or braker and something???
Strates is Interpark I believe, could be wrong and way off????

Have heard Strates is either Interfair or Hauser./ It was the first one I saw with solid poles in the A frame. Conklin, Reithofffer and Deggeller had open gridwork.

just in case you have not seen it, below is a link to a great 48 minute video about tear down and train loading of the Strates show, which includes some tear down of the large wheel. Video was shot in Danbury CT 2008 by Lane Talburt. I really enjoyed it.

video link 

Strates wheel was the one ordered by Bob Meogerle and they were to have the 2nd one, but needed it earlier and Moegerle agreed for them to get it. The company then went bankrupt and Moegerle lost his deposit on the wheel. not sure who the manufacturer was. Moegerle showed us pics of the wheel he had ordered when we visited back when he played Wilmington and eastern NC.

Strates wheel was delivered at Hamburg, NY in July 1986 but the tubs were late so it didn't play the spot. They set up the A frame and put some spokes on in the backlot at Hamburg. First time the wheel operated was at Syracuse, NY, the following spot.

if my memory serves me. deggeller had a big wheel at the florida state fair years ago steel lattice version.late 1970 s.also i think they had a big wheel at ocean city md.the wheel at fair was yellow in color on a. frame it was a sight to see.on the midway before you walked into the joint line up.very impressive wheel. thank you bigjlh