Wheelchair Wheels

The wheels of the wheelchair play an important role than one would initially think. Wheelchair wheels greatly influence the comfort of the ride and amount of maintenance the chair will need in the future. There are some people who greatly consider the aesthetic considerations when choosing wheelchair wheels. Normally, these tires are made from gray rubbers, which are specifically designed to avoid leaving scuffmarks on the floors. This type known as pneumatic tires can be unlikely found on bicycle stores. Wheelchair wheels are equipped with inflatable tubes much like that of the bicycle tires to effectively provide a more cushioned ride and the efficient ability to squeeze through different obstacles. And like other tires, it can also be easily punctured with a shard of glass or a tack carelessly strewn on the floor or road. However, the possibilities of punctures are far greater in power chairs than the mechanical ones. The possibility alone can put a rather grim scenario, since flat tires would mean leaving you stranded someplace that may be far from your home. Solid rubber tires are a great alternative to pneumatic wheels because it is resilient enough to withstand even the toughest ride. While pneumatic wheelchair wheels are known to wear down easily and requires regular replacements, with solid rubbers you need not worry about deflated tires and constant replacements. However, like other products that initially seem too good to be true, the solid rubbers also have it share of drawbacks. The primary ones would be the fact that you will probably feel every bump when riding along unpaved surfaces. This is certainly a small trade off given the fact that the average frequency of wheel replacements is around every 2-3 times a month for heavy users. However, there is now a new variation that has reached compromise of providing comfort as well as the durability one would require. There are now some available solid rubbers with a rubber insert, which is used to replace the pneumatic inflatable tube. This type of tire does not need to be pumped up and filled with air that results to the fact that it cannot possibly be deflated. For people using manual wheelchairs, it has been reported to provide a softer ride and power wheelchair users have also taken to liking this new product. So you might want to consider buying one for yourself too and solve the problems with constant deflation and bumpy rides. This article is brought to you by Directory8.com