What are the best tires for a manual wheelchair?

[Travel_World]

My husband had a stroke and needs to use a wheelchair. We have taken cruises to the Panama Canal, Alaska, and New England/Canada since his stroke. We usually rent a scooter for use on the ship and have found that we must use a manual wheelchair for most excursions off the ship.

 

His chair has hard rubber tires. This came in handy when tendering at one island; as the person pushing him onto the tender got the tire stuck and continued pushing to get the chair on the tender. When we got off the tender we found that the tire was pulled off the rim. Luckly, I stopped the person helping my husband off the tender and (with a little struggle he was able to put the tire back on the rim for us). Had he had inflatable tires we would not have been able to continue.

 

My question is: are inflatable tires better for rough sidewalks, cobblestone, etc? Would my husband be more comfortable with inflatable tires to coushion his ride? Are the hard tires better for the reason I mentioned above?

 

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

[uppitycats]

My husband had a stroke and needs to use a wheelchair. We have taken cruises to the Panama Canal, Alaska, and New England/Canada since his stroke. We usually rent a scooter for use on the ship and have found that we must use a manual wheelchair for most excursions off the ship.

 

His chair has hard rubber tires. This came in handy when tendering at one island; as the person pushing him onto the tender got the tire stuck and continued pushing to get the chair on the tender. When we got off the tender we found that the tire was pulled off the rim. Luckly, I stopped the person helping my husband off the tender and (with a little struggle he was able to put the tire back on the rim for us). Had he had inflatable tires we would not have been able to continue.

 

My question is: are inflatable tires better for rough sidewalks, cobblestone, etc? Would my husband be more comfortable with inflatable tires to coushion his ride? Are the hard tires better for the reason I mentioned above?

 

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

I much prefer hard tires (I use a wheel chair full time). While the inflatable tires are supposed to be more comfortable, they can puncture or deflate -- not a good thing when you're in a strange city or foreign port, without repair tools with you..or the skill or ability to do your own repairs!

 

I compensate for the harder ride with a softer cushion on the seat.

[TrikeRider]

I am a full time wheelchair user and only use inflatables - Primo Kevlar Xtreme. In over 15 years, never had a puncture or have them deflate.

[MedicKen]

Just a thought if I may, Can you fill inflatable tires with a "no-flat" compound? This may be an alternative to the flat issue as well as making a smoother ride. I may be full of beans but I was just thinking this may be a viable alternative to the problem. My Dad had both and did prefer inflatable but it was my job to make sure they had the proper pressure.

[MotoRacer598]

I use a chair full time and run the hard tires made by KIK. Love them. I use to run Primo's on mine but being a Quad and having to rely on someone to put air or change tubes if I got a flat was not worth the hassle. Schwalbe makes some good tough inflatables we use them on our Rugby wheels

[ChollaChick]

I use a chair full time and I use the solid tires by KIK. While the ride is a bit nicer on inflatables, the aggravation of having the tires go flat because I ran over a thorn is just not worth it.

 

As for the "fix a flat" liquid stuff that you can put into tires to keep them from going flat, I have tried it in the past and remember it being a very messy experiment. But perhaps I simply did it wrong. Good luck to you and your hubby.

[QuickieGlenn]

18yrs Fulltime chair user

I believe I tried them all

I have had flats in kevlar tires

I have had tires shred

I even have had my front plastic 6" wheels come off the rim in a groove at the store

 

I use flat free inserts

 

Fix a flat will not work in a tube

 

I agree the pneumatic tires give you a better ride

But where are you going

[TrikeRider]

QG - do you notice a different ride with the flat free inserts? Can you recommend a brand?

[ChollaChick]

QG -- I have had tires shred too... quite an unpleasant situation. But the front tire coming off? That's downright scary!!! Flat free inserts? How are they, and do you recommend?

 

I've been in a chair for about 35 years and am still trying to learn all the new stuff out there...

[Travel_World]

Thanks to all for your input. I think we will stay with the hard rubber tires, I would rather not have problems when tavelling.