16 replies to this topic

[twisted_ophelia]

Hey guys,

I'm thinking of buying a Spinergy wheelset for my new chair. I haven't used Spinergys before but people keeping saying how great they are. I know they are lighter but are they REALLY that much better? On my chair, I currently have a pair of 24" sun rims (came with the chair) and on the rims are a pair of Kenda hybrid knobby tires that were just put on last week. I was originally going to buy a brand new 24" knobby tire wheelset but opted instead just to put the Kenda tires on my everyday rims and they fit/work great. I still need some everyday wheels because having knobbies in the city in Spring is kind of silly and I don't want to have to deal with constantly changing tires on one set of rims. So for those of you who use Spinergys, any opinions, both pro and con, are greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Mimi

Edited by twisted_ophelia, 06 April 2009 - 03:28 PM.

[ems]

I've had my crossfire chair a few weeks now, and I didnt pay for anymore spinergy wheels as I has too many sets of them from all my other chairs, .... they came with sun rims which unfortunatly I was silly enough to decide to use them for outdoor stuff.. two weeks ago I was out with some friends, we got a restaurant which was up quite a few steps, so I coldly decided yes they can drag me up, and told them I'd be fine for the way down... we ate drank and got merry and then we decided to leave, they opened the door door for me and I preceded to bounce, first few steps were fine, just I forgot the last five were quite tall steps, and BUMP BUMP BUMP CRACK two spokes and a buckled wheel. The wheels did not approve. I may have been a little drunk and not quite in "back-up, wheelchair skills trainer" control, ie bit fast going down and not pushing my wheels into the back of each step.. but theres no chance I'm even going to bother getting them re-tuned!! Sticking with my spinergies for life now....


Same thing happened when the X-cores came out.. I cracked the pair both bumping down stuff. They did work for another yr with fibreglass tape some engineering company put on, but again, I went back to spinergies.
Obviously a wheel is only as good as its tuning is, all wheels need checking now and again for looseness of the spokes, and alignment. I get my everyday spinergies done once a yr and more if necessary. MY basketball ones get done twice a season and more if some plonker runs into them and takes my spokes out!

Edited by ems, 06 April 2009 - 04:40 PM.

[LuckyinKentucky]

Being lighter is great but my favorite thing about spinergies is that when breaking down your chair to get in a car you can reach through the spokes to release the axles thus removing the need to spin your chair around on the ground beside your car.

[twisted_ophelia]

I was supposed to pick up a pair of Spinergys to demo today at the med supply place where I get all the stuff for my chair and they didn't fit! They didn't have the ones that fit Quickie Tis and so I didn't get to try them out. They are so expensive and I want to know why it's so worth it to have them, you know? Other than looking cool. I kind of feel like they are somewhat of a status symbol for some and maybe not as good as people say? If they are truly worth the money, I will shell out but otherwise I don't need overpriced stuff, I can make do with the sun rims I've always used.

[greybeard]

twisted_ophelia, on Apr 7 2009, 04:30 AM, said:

I kind of feel like they are somewhat of a status symbol for some and maybe not as good as people say? If they are truly worth the money, I will shell out but otherwise I don't need overpriced stuff,

There are probably many W/C users, particularly newer ones, who would like someone to explain what is so special about them that justifies the very high (exorbitant?) cost.
Anyone?

Edited by greybeard, 07 April 2009 - 07:03 AM.

[ems]

hmm never really thought about it like that, but in a guess I guess it could be true to some ppl.
What makes you choose a tilite $2000 over a steel framed hospital chair $200? Its lighter, its stronger, and it looks better! Beter made rim hub and spokes, less spokes, Same deal on the wheels, they are just a much better wheel, and more efficient.

Cheap wheelsets have never lasted for me, I pop spokes, even when I had a real bike. spokes creak, the wheel doesnt stay true for very long etc etc.. The make Spinergy are not just a wheelchair wheel, they are a big name in professional bike circles too, with Zipp and Phil Woods Spinergy, HED, Nimble and Corima.. plenty more, I could go on but I think you get the drift. They brought a professional cycle wheel into the wheelchair world .... and I've definatley saved money having them. Before them I'd go though two sets of wheels every yr plus spokes, retensioning.. bar bar.. but then I cycled before my accident, so wheels are'nt a new thing.
Now I have some excellent race wheels for my bike.. gorgeous deep rim carbon wheelset.. from zipp. But for everyday running around, I use mavics with phil wood hubs. They roll so sweet, honestly, I've gone though 3 nipples in the last yr, and only two spokes the yr before on my basketball wheelchair, but that was ppl going into them at full speed.

If you buy a pair of spinergies, they will probably outlast your chair if you look after them. My oldest set is the 24 spoked one at 7 yrs old, its still a good set of wheels. I use them on my basktball chair as they take the most battering. 18 spoked spinergieson my outdoor chair, adn another set of 18 spokes on my everyday chair. The 2 month old sun rims just went in the bin, took the handrims off though, they were nice ;)

I cant believe no professional sports ppl have replied to this this topic.. where are you all
?!?!?!??!?! please!!!!!

Edited by ems, 07 April 2009 - 09:06 AM.

[nomis]

I like my Spinergys. They run well and the wider-spaced and thicker spokes are less hard on the fingers removing and replacing wheels. But I don't think you'd appreciate any gain if you are going to use them with knobbly tyres.

If you're planning on using them with fine-tread light tyres as an alternative to your knobbly-fitted rims then ok. But not knobblys on Spinergys unless the cost is irrelevant.

[Hawkeye]

Quote

They are so expensive and I want to know why it's so worth it to have them, you know?

I replaced the stock Quickie hub/Sun rims that came on my GTX with Spinergy SLX 18 spoke wheels. Worth the $600? To me, yes. The individual advantages are subtle, but taken together they add up to a nice upgrade for your chair.


1) Less weight. Some combination's can be as much as 4 pounds less per set. It's had to quantify, but the lighter wheels are so much easier to get moving. Lighter weight is also nice, each time to have to lift them, as when getting in and out of your vehicle.

2) Less maintenance. I could never keep my steel spokes tight and true for more than a day. They were constantly cracking and popping. Spinergy's make no noise. (this was a BIG deal for me)

3) Easier to remove the wheels. The closely spaced steel spokes can pinch/hurt your hands when removing/replacing the wheels. Fewer PBO spokes are easier to grab the hub with, and can allow you to reach through them, which can be very helpful getting your chair in and out of a vehicle.

4) Softer ride. The PBO spokes actually "give" just a bit, smoothing out those little bumps.

5) Look kool. Don't discount the benefit to your attitude from riding around in a chair that has little less "hospital" look to it.


Will Spinergy's make you more mobile or active? No. As I said, the differences are subtle, but only you can decide if they are worth their expense.

Good Luck...

Joe

Edited by Hawkeye, 07 April 2009 - 02:54 PM.

[twisted_ophelia]

nomis, on Apr 7 2009, 05:19 AM, said:

I like my Spinergys. They run well and the wider-spaced and thicker spokes are less hard on the fingers removing and replacing wheels. But I don't think you'd appreciate any gain if you are going to use them with knobbly tyres.

If you're planning on using them with fine-tread light tyres as an alternative to your knobbly-fitted rims then ok. But not knobblys on Spinergys unless the cost is irrelevant.

I won't use them with knobby tires, nope. I will keep the Kenda knobby tires--as long as they last for--on my regular stock sun rims that came with the Quickie Ti and go for a whole new wheelset for my everyday wheels. I have always found the sun rims are hard on the fingers, like you mentioned, Nomis, particularly when putting my chair in/out of the car. I take pretty good care of my rims, take them to bike shops to get them maintained if needed, so mine have always lasted nicely. And I'm pretty hard on my chairs.

Joe, you made some good points! It definitely moved me a bit more over to the "pro" side for Spinergys. I'm not so much concerned about looking cool but I'd definitely like something that lasts, makes for a smoother ride and gives me good efficiency. I'm already super active and mobile but shelling out that kind of money is a little hard to swallow. The Canadian government pays for most chair parts and things but not for Spinergys but I'm going to ask my OT if there is a way for me to get the cost of them covered. I also need to find a pair that fits my chair that I can demo for a week or two to really get a feel for the difference between those and regular ole rims.

Edited to add that I talked to my OT and we're going to try get the government to pay for a pair of Spinergys... everyone wish me good luck!

Edited by twisted_ophelia, 07 April 2009 - 04:30 PM.

[BenjaminLucas]

I mainly got them because they're colorful and light .

But that's just me. I'm a sucker for aesthetics.

[twisted_ophelia]

I ordered a pair. I'm waiting on approval for them so I may not get them but the funding request got put through. I'm gonna go with the yellow... I've currently got the yellow side Kenda knobby tires on my rims and I am kind of enjoying the bright color. I was never one to be all about bright colors on my chairs (I spray painted my old chair black!) but the little bit of yellow is kinda cool and not ridiculous looking. That being said, I totally want a hot pink sparkly chair that I can use occasionally when I feel the need to look super girly. Maybe if I get Tom Hernon at http://www.back2sports.net to build me a chair, I will ask him to paint it hot pink

[ems]

yay, I have a yellow set on my basketball chair well.. blue and yellow.. might replace the blues with blacks, and do them everyother spoke, yellow and black.... just for the sake of matching the tyres.... and the club colorus!!

You wont regret them ;)

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[twisted_ophelia]

ems, on Apr 20 2009, 04:48 PM, said:

yay, I have a yellow set on my basketball chair well.. blue and yellow.. might replace the blues with blacks, and do them everyother spoke, yellow and black.... just for the sake of matching the tyres.... and the club colorus!!

You wont regret them ;)

The blue and yellow looks awesome!!! I love that! If only they made pink spokes... I would be all over that

[twisted_ophelia]

ems, on Apr 20 2009, 04:48 PM, said:

yay, I have a yellow set on my basketball chair well.. blue and yellow.. might replace the blues with blacks, and do them everyother spoke, yellow and black.... just for the sake of matching the tyres.... and the club colorus!!

You wont regret them ;)

The blue and yellow looks awesome!!! I love that! If only they made pink spokes... I would be all over that

[TokenGimp]

twisted_ophelia, on Apr 6 2009, 04:28 PM, said:

Hey guys,

I'm thinking of buying a Spinergy wheelset for my new chair. I haven't used Spinergys before but people keeping saying how great they are. I know they are lighter but are they REALLY that much better? On my chair, I currently have a pair of 24" sun rims (came with the chair) and on the rims are a pair of Kenda hybrid knobby tires that were just put on last week. I was originally going to buy a brand new 24" knobby tire wheelset but opted instead just to put the Kenda tires on my everyday rims and they fit/work great. I still need some everyday wheels because having knobbies in the city in Spring is kind of silly and I don't want to have to deal with constantly changing tires on one set of rims. So for those of you who use Spinergys, any opinions, both pro and con, are greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Mimi

I've had mine for several years and have yet to break a spoke. I'm an active para 180 pounds and 6'3" so they get a workout. Other than an occassional adjustment and tightening I do myself they are great. I've been in a chair for nearly 27 years and these are by far the best wheels for everyday use I've had. I've I had the extra cash, and wanted real stability and flash I'd go all aluminum. Check sportaid.
For wire spokes you can use them for years w/o needing to replace spoke too, but when they start to go they will all need replacement with in a short amount of time. Just find a good bike shop to restring them unless insurance pays.
There are other types of airless too if weight is major consideration for you. I alternate and use wider heavy knobbies during the winter with a double cross spoke weave for better cushion when jumping curves, or regular 24 3/8" wider tires with tread and radial pattern for out across the lawn.
Generally speaking my 25x1" (20X559) SPOX and Primo tire is my most widely used option. Even my back up chair I have 24x1 and sun rims.

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask more questions. PEACE.

[chris3829]

I just bit the bullet and ordered Spox everyday 25"s w/blue spokes and Schawlbe marathons.I ordered them unassembled b/c i luv to wrench...I went thru Sportaid b/c there two states away and shipping turn around is 2-3days..Ive been wanting these rims for like 3 years now but couldnt justify the cost 600bucks!!!!!..After reading some posts about these wheels i did it..So now i cant wait until next week to get them...Pictures to come!!!!!!!

[chris3829]

There IN!!!!!!!!!!