Baseball cards have long been a staple of childhood summers, providing hours of entertainment for kids collecting and trading the cardboard pieces of sports memorabilia. For a generation coming of age in the 1970s and 80s, baseball cards also served another purpose – decorating the wheels of their bicycles by wedging them into the spokes. This practice, known colloquially as “baseball cards in spokes,” was remarkably common among young bikers looking to customize their rides. Yet putting cards in spokes was far from a safe or advisable activity. In fact, it presented real dangers that many kids at the time did not fully understand or appreciate.
The appeal of baseball cards in spokes was primarily aesthetic. With a card wedged into each spoke, a bicycle wheel in motion would create a colorful, blurry effect as the cards spun. To a child, it must have looked quite novel and added a bit of flair to an otherwise standard bicycle. Cards wedged into moving bicycle spokes created a number of hazards. First, the cards themselves were prone to coming loose and falling out, leaving a small piece of sharp cardboard trailing behind the wheel. This debris posed a risk of causing a fall or injury if struck.
More concerning was the potential for a baseball card to get caught or tangled in the spokes. Due to their flimsy and irregular shape, cards were not securely fastened and could slip at any moment. If a card became lodged sideways between spokes during rotation, it could lock up the wheel, causing the bicycle to suddenly stop and throw the rider. Even if a fall was avoided, a locked wheel would be difficult to control and could easily result in a collision. Tangled cards also damaged bicycle components by jamming critical moving parts. Baseball cards in spokes introduced a serious failure point that compromised safety.
Aside from potential falls, several other risks accompanied the baseball card wheel fad. For one, the cards created aerodynamic drag that made the bicycle harder to pedal and steer at higher speeds. This extra resistance could tire out younger or inexperienced riders. Cards also posed a distraction, taking the cyclist’s focus away from the road and traffic. Perhaps most importantly, they gave the illusion of control while bicycling that was false and dangerous. Kids believed decorating their wheels with cards made their bikes uniquely their own, without understanding the compromised safety. With no instruction or oversight, many were unaware of the risks until facing an accident.
While common in the 1970s-80s, baseball cards in spokes have thankfully fallen out of favor due to growing awareness of their dangers. Some key events helped shift public perception and end the fad. Reports of injuries and accidents linked to tangled cards raised alarms within communities and the medical field. Bicycle safety programs and experts began openly warning against the practice in the 1980s. The release of the film E.T. in 1982, which featured a famous scene of Elliott riding a bicycle decorated with cards, also brought the issue greater public attention. As children who grew up with cards in spokes matured, they passed safety lessons to younger generations.
Today, few would consider putting baseball cards or any loose objects in the spokes of a moving bicycle wheel. The once trendy custom is now remembered as a relic of the past with obvious hazards. While the desire to personalize and have fun remained part of childhood, kids now understand the importance of bicycle safety and control. They know decorations have no place interfering with critical moving components. As the baseball card wheel fad shows, seemingly harmless innovations can introduce unexpected dangers if not approached carefully. With guidance over time, even entire generations can learn and progress towards greater caution. The history of baseball cards in spokes serves as an example of an outdated custom we have grown beyond.
