What should you look at when considering Wheelchair Tires?
- Wheelchair tires play a very crucial role in the overall riding comfort your wheel chair provides. These tires are made of a gray rubber designed not to leave scuff marks on floors. They possess shock absorbent properties but unfortunately, they wear quickly, puncture easily, and are quite expensive. Black tires similar to bicycle tires, were once the standard for the wheelchair industry but are no longer used as they mark flooring surfaces too readily. The life span of tires for wheelchairs depends on their usage. For a heavy user, the tires might have to be replaced once every 6 months, but usually they last about 1 year. At present these wheel chair tires could cost almost $100 each.
- There are two options of tires available for wheelchairs: Pneumatic tires and airless tires. The Pneumatic variety of tires, like bicycle tires, have inflatable tubes in them so they offer a more cushioned ride and can negotiate obstacles better. The disadvantage is, they can be easily punctured by piece of glass lying on the street. Riding on a flat tire can cause damage to the rim of the wheel.
- On the other hand, solid rubber airless tires for your wheelchair make for a rougher ride but your tires will never go flat. A recent type of hybrid tire makes use of rubber inserts. In this tire design, the insert is placed inside a pneumatic tire as an alternative to an inflatable tube. The tire doesn't need to be pumped up with air. But the downside is that chair won't roll as easily.
- To prolong the life of the wheel chair tires it is necessary to make periodic maintenance checks. Keep the tires inflated at the recommended tire pressure provided by the manufacturer. Keeping the tires inflated will increase tire life, decrease rolling resistance, and keep the wheel locks effective. When the tread on the surface of your tires wears out, replace the tires promptly.