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A single-wheeled device which attaches to the front of a manual wheelchair, slightly lifting the front wheels off the ground and transforming it into a trike, with the rear wheelchair wheels and the additional wheel at the front remaining on the ground. It has a bicycle-style handlebar and the option of adapted ‘quad controls’ for those with difficulty operating the standard controls.
I would be lost without my Triride; it works so well in both urban and off-road environments. It’s compact and has far less impact on the mannerly movement off the chair than I expected; you can turn on the spot, unlike some other powered attachments that increase your turning circle. It works well off-road too, but can lose traction on loose ground—particularly dusty or small loose gravel-topped paths—and when travelling uphill.
Since getting a new chair, I have found the reaction is better, so it’s a case of making sure it’s set up to suit the chair you use. It’s also a bit fiddly to take on and off, as there are multiple steps to attaching and detaching it, but after the first few times, I got the hang of it. The battery life is a huge bonus for me – 30+ miles! The top speed is also great, especially for cycle paths. It’s just nice to have that extra speed you don’t get in a standard powered wheelchair; now it’s possible to ‘run’ for the bus! The controls take a bit of getting used to, as it will free wheel like a bike, which is quite different from powered wheelchairs that stop as soon as you let go of the joystick. But now I’m used to it, I find it helpful; you can use the momentum rather than constantly being on the throttle.
Overall, a great piece of equipment, and in my opinion, hugely better than powered attachments that tuck behind/under the chair.
