Wheelchair Wheels: Tube Be, Or Not Tube Be?

Wheelchair wheels pay a dual role in the operation of a wheelchair; they both act as shock absorbers both increasing the comfort of the wheelchair user, and decreasing the stress on the wheelchair to reduce the level of future maintenance it will need.

Many wheelchair users, however, see their wheelchair wheels as one of their chair's most important stylistic features, decorating them with designer hand rims and spoke guards. This is in spite of the fact than most wheelchair wheels are constructed of gray rubber, which has been treated to prevent it from scuffing floor finishes. And many of them share their pneumatic construction with ordinary bicycles.

Pneumatic Tires

Those wheelchair wheels which contain inflatable tubes like those found in bicycles cushion the wheelchairs' users' rides and enable the wheelchairs to maneuver through past closely situated obstacles and tight areas. But pneumatic tires puncture easily on broken glass, nails, or even sharp stones. This is especially true for motorized wheelchairs, which are heavier than manual ones. Having a flat tire with no spare when on a solitary outing is no wheelchair user's idea of a good time.

Solid Tires

Wheelchair tires of solid rubber are a terrific alternative to pneumatically clad wheelchair wheels, because their rubber is sturdy enough to handle event the roughest terrain. Solid rubber will not wear out and need replacing as quickly as pneumatic tires, and unlike the pneumatic tires, rarely become deflated.

But, like all good things, solid rubber does have it s flaws; it will, for instance, let you experience every jarring jolt when you are traveling on unpaved terrain. This discomfort, however, is insignificant given that those wheelchair users who have pneumatic tires who and use their wheelchairs frequently normally have to replace their wheelchair wheels every two to three months.

There has been a recent advance in wheelchair wheel technology, which offers users both a comfortable ride and amore durable tire. Some solid rubber tires are designed to hold a rubber insert which substitutes for the pneumatic tube. This new tire needs no inflating, meaning that it will never become deflated.

Disabled people who have manually operated wheelchairs have reported that this new solid rubber tire with the tube insert provides them with a more cushioned ride, and motorized wheelchair users have also made favorable comments about it. If you are a wheelchair user who is tired of jarring rides and flat tires, this new tire may be the answer for which you've been waiting.

People who are able to get out and about might want to buy a collapsible transport wheel chair which can be used for excursions and will fit in a car's trunk. The transport wheel chair must either be pushed, or maneuvered by the user's feet. Power wheelchairs are not collapsible, and people who use them usually travel by van with specially designed wheel chair lifts.

Before you buy a wheel chair, measure all the tight spaces in the user's environment through which it will have to fit; widen the necessary doorway and move what furniture you need to.