20 replies to this topic

[teaser]

hi there

i'm looking for some advice. my pal has had a pdq power trike and a power trike extra. both of them have been 2nd hand and we're just back from holiday where the extra broke again. not sure of the problem this time but it's very expensive to repair and breaks down too regularly for our lifestyle.

has anyone tried the new Trail-rider power assist (http://www.gblwheelc...st/category/HA/)?

does anyone have any other suggestions?

my pal couldn't use a hand trike for long (c5+ incomplete) and loathes the idea of a mobility scooter so we're looking for something with speed, reliability and good looks. the power trike has been fantastic and the dogs love chasing her but we can't keep spending lots of money on something that keeps breaking down.

grateful for all suggestions,

Teaser

[DaveP]

I have a Viper from Team Hybrid and it's not broekn down once...

www.TeamHybrid.co.uk

[wheelywendy]

i had a speedy from bromakin, never broke down at all even over bad terrain, but was bit sluggish and battery range was pathetic, was brilliant on tarmac or concrete paths, fast and good distances, but rough terrain and grass just slowed it too a crawl and used the battery power really quickly.
wendy

[greybeard]

DaveP, on Jul 5 2009, 06:42 PM, said:

I have a Viper from Team Hybrid and it's not broekn down once...

www.TeamHybrid.co.uk

DaveP,
How do you find it over rough ground, inclines etc?

[DaveP]

greybeard, on Jul 7 2009, 05:19 PM, said:

DaveP, on Jul 5 2009, 06:42 PM, said:

I have a Viper from Team Hybrid and it's not broekn down once...

www.TeamHybrid.co.uk

DaveP,
How do you find it over rough ground, inclines etc?

It needed adjusting so as much weight as possible was placed on the front wheel so it gripped better, but there are limitations in going offraod as it all depends on the grip of the front wheel.

Team Hybrid now have the options of bigger motors available and can set up any combination you want, even having all 3 wheels (ie 2 wheelchair wheels plus the 3rd add-on wheel) motorized. Or you can buy the kit you want and assemble it to suit yourself.

Check out their wbe site and there are video clips there of trials offroad - www.TeamHybrid.co.uk

[Chlo]

Hi there
That's interesting you should say that as my partner and I bought a 2nd hand power trike extra from ebay thinking it would solve all our problems and increase the things we could do together and to be honest I'm not sure I would recommend it either as it breaks down all of the time and he keeps feeling as if he is falling out of it all of the time so it's actually proving to be more stressful than without one!
We are opting for a road legal quad bike 2nd hand which I'm hoping will be more reliable - any other suggestions would be gratefully appreciated thanks!
I was wondering the other day if it would be worth contacting pdq and telling them about the unreliability of the product - what do you think? To be honest it's stressful enough for my partner being in a wheelchair without having the added hassle of things not working reliably!
Good luck I hope you find something that works
Please let me know if you do! Chlo

[Yasko]

DaveP, on Jul 7 2009, 10:58 AM, said:

greybeard, on Jul 7 2009, 05:19 PM, said:

DaveP, on Jul 5 2009, 06:42 PM, said:

I have a Viper from Team Hybrid and it's not broekn down once...

www.TeamHybrid.co.uk

DaveP,
How do you find it over rough ground, inclines etc?

It needed adjusting so as much weight as possible was placed on the front wheel so it gripped better, but there are limitations in going offraod as it all depends on the grip of the front wheel.

Team Hybrid now have the options of bigger motors available and can set up any combination you want, even having all 3 wheels (ie 2 wheelchair wheels plus the 3rd add-on wheel) motorized. Or you can buy the kit you want and assemble it to suit yourself.

Check out their wbe site and there are video clips there of trials offroad - www.TeamHybrid.co.uk

That's sounds awesome, I'll go check them out!
Thanks for your update.

Edited by Yasko, 08 July 2009 - 02:32 PM.

[wheelywendy]

Chlo, on Jul 8 2009, 09:34 AM, said:

Hi there
That's interesting you should say that as my partner and I bought a 2nd hand power trike extra from ebay thinking it would solve all our problems and increase the things we could do together and to be honest I'm not sure I would recommend it either as it breaks down all of the time and he keeps feeling as if he is falling out of it all of the time so it's actually proving to be more stressful than without one!
We are opting for a road legal quad bike 2nd hand which I'm hoping will be more reliable - any other suggestions would be gratefully appreciated thanks!
I was wondering the other day if it would be worth contacting pdq and telling them about the unreliability of the product - what do you think? To be honest it's stressful enough for my partner being in a wheelchair without having the added hassle of things not working reliably!
Good luck I hope you find something that works
Please let me know if you do! Chlo

hi i think i'm right in saying pdq went under (i wonder why!) i think davinci have taken them over now
wendy

[teaser]

hi again

thanks DaveP for the info about the Viper - will see if we can get a trial of one and save our pennies up. the powertrike has been fixed for not much dosh which is fantastic but i think we're just finding what everyone else has already found ie that the unreliability of the pdq is too great.

certainly da vinci have been very helpful but i'm not surprised pdq went under.

would be grateful for any other experiences of these machines cos although i realise they are quite dangerous they are far better than the scooter option and not quite as hard-core as the quadbike and balancing on that without a backrest would be very difficult.

thanks again

Teaser (the one who scoops up the one who falls off the trike)

[greybeard]

teaser, on Jul 11 2009, 09:25 PM, said:

would be grateful for any other experiences of these machines cos although i realise they are quite dangerous they are far better than the scooter option
Teaser (the one who scoops up the one who falls off the trike)

As a matter of interest, what's wrong with a scooter?

I'm brutal with mine, taking it on some totally unsuitable tracks with huge ruts and potholes - and sometimes higher than axle deep in soft mud or sand. It has not let me down yet and I feel really secure driving it.

I'm sure it was not designed for such abuse, but then it's not one of the dinky going-round-the-supermarket ones. It was the cheapest 8mph scooter I could find on the market in the UK, from ProRider in Leicester. £850 well spent and I have to say my dogs agree . From what I've read of the power trike, I'm sure the Road King scooter can do everything that the trike can do.

[teaser]

greybeard, on Jul 12 2009, 12:37 AM, said:

teaser, on Jul 11 2009, 09:25 PM, said:

would be grateful for any other experiences of these machines cos although i realise they are quite dangerous they are far better than the scooter option
Teaser (the one who scoops up the one who falls off the trike)

As a matter of interest, what's wrong with a scooter?

I'm brutal with mine, taking it on some totally unsuitable tracks with huge ruts and potholes - and sometimes higher than axle deep in soft mud or sand. It has not let me down yet and I feel really secure driving it.

I'm sure it was not designed for such abuse, but then it's not one of the dinky going-round-the-supermarket ones. It was the cheapest 8mph scooter I could find on the market in the UK, from ProRider in Leicester. £850 well spent and I have to say my dogs agree . From what I've read of the power trike, I'm sure the Road King scooter can do everything that the trike can do.

Ahhhh, if only my pal would be limited to 8mph.... there would be less scooping up required and my nerves would be less shredded! But no, for now, speed is of the essence. So if anyone has some speedy other options I'd welcome them. But thanks for the info on the ProRider Greybeard - we will bear it in mind.

Teaser

[greybeard]

teaser, on Jul 16 2009, 05:14 PM, said:

greybeard, on Jul 12 2009, 12:37 AM, said:

teaser, on Jul 11 2009, 09:25 PM, said:

would be grateful for any other experiences of these machines cos although i realise they are quite dangerous they are far better than the scooter option
Teaser (the one who scoops up the one who falls off the trike)

As a matter of interest, what's wrong with a scooter?

I'm brutal with mine, taking it on some totally unsuitable tracks with huge ruts and potholes - and sometimes higher than axle deep in soft mud or sand. It has not let me down yet and I feel really secure driving it.

I'm sure it was not designed for such abuse, but then it's not one of the dinky going-round-the-supermarket ones. It was the cheapest 8mph scooter I could find on the market in the UK, from ProRider in Leicester. £850 well spent and I have to say my dogs agree . From what I've read of the power trike, I'm sure the Road King scooter can do everything that the trike can do.

Ahhhh, if only my pal would be limited to 8mph.... there would be less scooping up required and my nerves would be less shredded! But no, for now, speed is of the essence. So if anyone has some speedy other options I'd welcome them. But thanks for the info on the ProRider Greybeard - we will bear it in mind.

Teaser

My pleasure.

I'm thinking of getting FatDave to raise the suspension and fit a 500hp Chevy engine into it, but for the time being 8mph is probably as fast as I can cope with over the ruts and pot holes.

[wheelywendy]

Ahhhh, if only my pal would be limited to 8mph.... there would be less scooping up required and my nerves would be less shredded! But no, for now, speed is of the essence. So if anyone has some speedy other options I'd welcome them. But thanks for the info on the ProRider Greybeard - we will bear it in mind.

Teaser
[/quote]


your pal would love the scooter my retired engineer has just built, i took it out on half speed and it blew me away!! hes used a motor scooter front and a tga breeze 3 back, joined them together and wow boy does it go, i only had it on half speed and i got 15mph out of it, was very exillerating, hmm maybe i'll nick it to run my dog agility courses, poor dog will just be going over the first fence as i finish the course!! cant wait til he brings it out to open country side so i can open it up fully!! couldnt belive something so powerful could be battery operated.

[teaser]

wheelywendy, on Jul 17 2009, 06:45 PM, said:

your pal would love the scooter my retired engineer has just built, i took it out on half speed and it blew me away!! hes used a motor scooter front and a tga breeze 3 back, joined them together and wow boy does it go, i only had it on half speed and i got 15mph out of it, was very exillerating, hmm maybe i'll nick it to run my dog agility courses, poor dog will just be going over the first fence as i finish the course!! cant wait til he brings it out to open country side so i can open it up fully!! couldnt belive something so powerful could be battery operated.

ooooo, now that's an idea to get something custom made... do you have any photos etc???? is he up for making another one? half speed at 15 miles an hour sounds about right for my pal. would certainly keep me on my toes.

T

[wheelywendy]

teaser, on Jul 20 2009, 09:25 PM, said:

wheelywendy, on Jul 17 2009, 06:45 PM, said:

your pal would love the scooter my retired engineer has just built, i took it out on half speed and it blew me away!! hes used a motor scooter front and a tga breeze 3 back, joined them together and wow boy does it go, i only had it on half speed and i got 15mph out of it, was very exillerating, hmm maybe i'll nick it to run my dog agility courses, poor dog will just be going over the first fence as i finish the course!! cant wait til he brings it out to open country side so i can open it up fully!! couldnt belive something so powerful could be battery operated.

ooooo, now that's an idea to get something custom made... do you have any photos etc???? is he up for making another one? half speed at 15 miles an hour sounds about right for my pal. would certainly keep me on my toes.

T

hi hes away for next week or two but will get some photos when he comes back, hes busy remodelling my dog agility kart/scooter at the moment, nice and fast but doesnt keep the power up on grass, i only do one run then half the other and i loose power, yet if go out onto hard path its shoots off, so major rethink on that one at the moment, would attatch a photo of my agility scooter but cant get it to reduce small enough to upload, will work on that one

[wheelywendy]

managed it, appologies for quality of photo but had to print it then copy it to get it to load! by the way this was taken just before it was completed the foot supports are not on it yet!

Edited by wheelywendy, 22 July 2009 - 10:00 PM.

[wheelywendy]

this is another of his inventions its a nice comfortable scooter, does about 16mph has tight turning circle but at the moment doesnt have reverse on it.

[teaser]

wow - Wheelywendy - those are fantastic inventions... he sounds like a great mate to have, is he up for more custom builds? looks absolutely up my pal's street! just the thing for walking her dog who has become an adrenaline junkie due to the powertrike extra - strangely he doesn't go mad when i try it out, only gets hysterical when she's getting on it!

thanks for the pics, def food for thought and seriously, if your mate is up for more builds, please let me know.

cheers

Teaser

[wheeliedef]

teaser, on Jul 23 2009, 10:14 PM, said:

wow - Wheelywendy - those are fantastic inventions... he sounds like a great mate to have, is he up for more custom builds? looks absolutely up my pal's street! just the thing for walking her dog who has become an adrenaline junkie due to the powertrike extra - strangely he doesn't go mad when i try it out, only gets hysterical when she's getting on it!

thanks for the pics, def food for thought and seriously, if your mate is up for more builds, please let me know.

cheers

Teaser

Hey T.. cheers for your input for my probs with the power trike, seems to me that the way forward is wheelywehdy's custom built scooter (wow wendy I am impressed..... I am the 'pal' who causes Teaser such worry but i am a bit of a speed junkie. MMmm def food for thought many thanks wendy for showing us what is actually possible, and T for researching on here. We are off on holiday again on Saturday so hoping the power trike does not break down this time. Thanks again

Wheelydef

[Trike Rider]

Hi. I have a PDQ Power Trike xtra. What I did to safe guard any problems with it was to insure it for accidental damage. Also purchased for £8 a year breakdown and repair insurance. Saves me a lot of worry.

[dangerousdave]

We all know about PDQ failings
Mainly they are 2
The Ni-Mh battery pack life that doesnt last anywhere near long enough
The Power control board
When the battery goes bang - replace with a Lithium pack from China
Use a 4QD Porter 40 boxed control board with a new twist grip

I love my PDQ Extra and am currently looking at upgrading the motor/battery/control board from China

These 3rd wheel m/c such as Viper and PDQ make short work of outdoor terain
But you have to be fit enough to use them - that was PDQ downfall - they dont suit all of us