These wheels were an absolute game changer for me. I had an active chair, but only used it indoors as I didn’t have the strength to self-propel outside, so I relied on a power chair whenever I left the flat. But these wheels mean I am now able to go out in my manual chair most of the time! I love them and cannot recommend them enough! I’ve had these wheels for about 7 months now and haven’t experienced any problems with them yet! Although I have a particular skill for breaking things, and on occasion (through no fault of the wheels), I’ve fallen out of my chair and had it tip over onto its side.
I got a pair of ‘jack up’ anti-tippers when I got the wheels, which make it much easier to attach and remove the wheels on and off the chair. The wheels aren’t easy to get on and off, mainly due to their weight, but the jacks do make it significantly easier. They come on and off very smoothly in terms of mechanism, but it is made much more difficult by the weight. Obviously, there isn’t really anything that can be done about that!
The wheels have some great features. They can be set to push automatically every time you push. For example, you can set them to assist with 30%, and the wheels will activate the remaining 70% where you need help. You can also customise the wheels to support more on one side if you have a weaker side, helping to balance the pushing so you can go in a straight line even when your arms have uneven strength.
My favourite feature is the cruise control, which costs extra but is definitely worth it, although you can have a free trial to see if it works for you. You push the chair to start it going at the speed you want, and the cruise control keeps the chair moving at the same speed until you stop it. Absolutely brilliant feature for when you run low on spoons while out – it works on flat surfaces and even going up hills!
As with all manual chairs, the wheels aren’t designed to handle grass and especially mud, but if it’s dry, you should be fine on the grass! It handles bumpy pathways like a pro. In my area, the paths are awful, but the wheels handle it no problem!
