Handrims / Pushrims For Wet Weather

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#1 tortsfeasors

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Posted 10 October 2009 - 09:35 PM

Any suggestions for pushrims for wet weather?

I've been slipping and sliding in my first season as a chair user (thanks to my recent and 4th spine injury...), so I am having trouble getting around grad school. Can't get up hills, have no control down hills.

I have a TiLite ZRa with the standard metal rims on solid black tires. Looks great, works fine on indoor floors and pavement when it's dry, but I think I am going to need all-terrain wheels with different rims.

I'm posting this message because I am trying to decide between vinyl and foam rims, but I am getting conflicting advice from the few users I have talked to, and I can't seem to find enough to read online to convince me which will provide better grip. Most of my friends with disabilities are power chair users, so they're of no help on this matter (though of enormous help rescuing me up hills when they're around!)

Any suggestions would be most welcome.
Thanks.

#2 Ches

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Posted 10 October 2009 - 11:33 PM

I can't solve your problem but I can tell you what Ive learned in my experience.

I had vinyl handrims at one time.. I thought they were pretty good w/ grip but I noticed right away how slippery they got in really humid weather. If you wear gloves than the slick rims may not be a deal breaker, but I wouldnt say they were any better on hills in the rain.

I have natural grip now and although I dont like them 24/7, they work great in bad weather...

http://magicwheels.c...cts/options.htm Looky there, down at the 7th item.. the two handle option... It may be something to consider if rainy weather and/or humidity are common in your climate.

As for the wheels, if you get something with just a little more tread, you shouldn't have as many issues.. I have the basic gray treaded Kenda, and in my experience I dont notice the transition from indoor to outdoors, its all the same and they do the job.

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#3 edlee

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Posted 10 October 2009 - 11:53 PM

Forgive Ches,,, what do Texans know about slippery surfaces? Mud they understand,, but they've only seen slush in pictures.

Think gloves. Fingered, fingerless,, pretty much up to you. Consider a pair of mechanics gloves from the auto parts store as a start. They work pretty well, and will last long enough for you to find something you like better,,,, and they aren't very pricey.

I got a set of handrims with my last wheelchair, that are more oblong. Makes it easier to grip, but still slick in the wet.

Sorry Ches,,, couldn't help myself.
ed

#4 Tetracyclone

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Posted 11 October 2009 - 12:18 AM

I recently purchased a TRA from Spinlife.com in the USA. The salesman I delt with was Jeff Russell and he know a lot about this chair, lives in one, and has 3 or 4 more chairs he uses at times. He's a knowledgeable salesman.

Jeff Russell
Email: jeff@spinlife.com
Phone: 1-800-850-0335 X727

I know he would be glad to advise. Its what they do.
Pwuff

Look! It's a snail! It's a sloth! Able to creep short distances before lunch!

#5 Jax

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Posted 11 October 2009 - 08:01 AM

Natural Fit handrims coated with Line-X. That's what I did. Works great, doesn't get scratched, and you can get the stuff in colors...

#6 Tortfeasors

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Posted 11 October 2009 - 06:29 PM

Jax, on Oct 11 2009, 04:01 AM, said:

Natural Fit handrims coated with Line-X. That's what I did. Works great, doesn't get scratched, and you can get the stuff in colors...

Thanks for the suggestion, but I have tried the Natural Fit and don't care for the feel. Probably has to do with the fact that I have intermittent C4 nerve root compression which makes my right hand numb and need to push like a quad. I feel like I can hit my palm with more surface contact on the standard rim shape.

So, would you go with foam or vinyl coating in this case? Thanks!

#7 Jax

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Posted 11 October 2009 - 08:43 PM

Tortfeasors, on Oct 11 2009, 01:29 PM, said:

Jax, on Oct 11 2009, 04:01 AM, said:

Natural Fit handrims coated with Line-X. That's what I did. Works great, doesn't get scratched, and you can get the stuff in colors...

Like I said, Line-X coating. It can be textured for even better grip, and water doesn't stick to Line-X, so it doesn't get slicker in the rain. The vinyl coated rims are slick, and when they get wet, they're even slicker... Most of the "foam" coatings I've seen will be destroyed within a matter of weeks, as they are prone to chipping. I don't use grip most of the time for propulsion, as I've begun to have more hand cramps and pain. If you are insistent on using standard rims, the coating is the key, however, there are tabbed rims available for better "quad-grip."

#8 Tortfeasors

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Posted 12 October 2009 - 03:44 AM

[/quote]
Like I said, Line-X coating. It can be textured for even better grip, and water doesn't stick to Line-X, so it doesn't get slicker in the rain. The vinyl coated rims are slick, and when they get wet, they're even slicker...
[/quote]

Ok, cool, so I think I am pretty much crossing foam off the list.
What is Line-X coating? Where do you get it -- is it something from a hardware store? I haven't seen this term on any of the wheelchair supply sites. Pardon my ignorance here -- I am a wealth of useless knowledge and have no idea about many practical matters...!

Thanks again for your input.

#9 greybeard

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Posted 12 October 2009 - 07:16 AM

Google is your friend!

Try http://www.line-x.co.uk/

I am not young enough to know everything. - Oscar Wilde

#10 Hell On Wheels 916

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Posted 14 October 2009 - 04:59 AM

Line-X is like Rhino lining for truck beds

#11 edlee

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Posted 14 October 2009 - 05:49 PM

That takes special spray equipment, doesn't it? Do you go to a specialty shop to have it done?

I've seen the stuff on pickup beds. It looks like it would be a good idea, if I knew how to have it done.
ed

#12 Jax

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Posted 14 October 2009 - 07:00 PM

edlee, on Oct 14 2009, 12:49 PM, said:

I've a friend who owns a shop. He coated them for me. I've got another set I'm going to have coated before too long. If you want something you can do yourself, go to a local auto parts store, and ask for Herculiner. It's a DIY kit that you can roll on with a standard paint roller.

#13 Tortfeasors

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Posted 15 October 2009 - 02:28 AM

Verdict is in:
2" wide knobby tires with vinyl-coated rims and rubber-palmed gloves.
Will buy some of that Line-X, too, in case the rubber + vinyl isn't grippy enough.

"Jimbo" at Sportaid has been so helpful that I wanted to let everyone know about my good experience. He must have e-mailed me about 15 separate times to discuss options/variations and make sure I was getting exactly what I wanted. I will most definitely continue to shop through Sportaid because of Jimbo.

New question for you guys:
Anyone tried spoke guards to reduce the splashing between the spokes in wet weather?
Do they make any difference?
Are they noisy?

#14 oldwheelz

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Posted 15 October 2009 - 04:57 PM

I have vinyl coated hand rims and they are very slippery when wet. Tried various gloves and they don't help. Takes little moisture to make them slippery and if you are getting them coated you would be better off with metal rims. I have tried DIY bed liner coatings and found that it became soft from the sweat or oil in my hands. Get it done by a pro if you can.