14 replies to this topic

[Eric G]

I’m trying to decide if I should get pneumatic tires or solid insert tires for my next TiLite ZRA manual wheelchair. I’m a C6 quad. Any suggestions?

[Trinity]

Having used both solids and pneumatics I would say pneumatic any day, I use marathon plus tyres, puncture resistant and fab, I would never go back to solids.

[Eric G]

Trinity, on 18 December 2011 - 10:58 PM, said:

Having used both solids and pneumatics I would say pneumatic any day, I use marathon plus tyres, puncture resistant and fab, I would never go back to solids.

Why do you like pneumatcs? Better ride?

[Vanessamaee]

I like the pneumatic tires better. I have High pressure KendaCourt tires. they have very little tread (which is good for me since my life is consumed by school and basketball right now) and I find that they have a much smoother ride. The chair I was using in the hospital had the solid inserts and I liked them, then the loaner chair had pneumatic and I LOVED them. Then I got my (first) chair and it had solid wheels and I was really glad I had my spinergy wheels that my rehab gave me. When I got my replacement chair I opted for another pair of pneumatic tires just incase I put a hole in my spinergy ones and can't get it fixed right away.

Just a smoother ride, and a little bit lighter. But solid is less maintenance.

[randomryan007]

pneumatic tires are the only way I will go with schawable marathons or speed runs. no other tire will do! solid stinks. my solids when I did run solids would chuck rubber chunks. solids also weight your chair down.

[Edinburgh Colin]

I've always been a fan of "pneumatics", Pfnarr, Pfnarr.

Edited by Edinburgh Colin, 19 December 2011 - 07:08 AM.

[wheeliebear75]

I'll just chime in with the rest of the cheering section.....

Gimme an "S", gimme a "E", gimme an "M", gimme an "I", pneumatic PNEUMATIC, SEMI-PNEUMATIC, rah rah rah!

I've had air-filled tubes, semi-pneumatic airless inserts, & solids. The air-filled obviously the big draw back is they can get and do get flats from time to time but the + side is everything you'll need is at your local bike shop, the solids although they won't get punctured or get a flat THEIR drawbacks are going over cobblestone & curb-hopping will be a stiffer ride (you'll feel the bumps more with a solid tire) & you'll have to special order the tires when the treads wear down, the semi-pneumatic airless inserts are just as cushy a ride as the air filled & they use the same tires that are sold in any bike shop but unlike the AIR filled there is no air to let out so NO MORE FLATS.

[knightrider]

Pneumatic all the way, they are a softer/smoother ride = less pushing compared to solids. Like Trinity said Schwalbe Marathon plus, they are puncture resistant, last well, look good and can hold 145 psi!! Best set on the market.

[tsh3406]

I'm going to throw in my vote for 1 piece solids. I will also point out that I spend as much time off the pavement as I do on it. We have these things around here called locust trees with thorns up to 5" long. Run over one of those on the ground and it will go through a tractor tire. I also think semi-pnuematic as it is being used here is a little misleading, because it gets used interchangably with airless inserts quite often. They are not the same thing, semi-pnuematic tires do have a gas filled cavity inside them. I don't feel that the rougher ride is all that bad, especially if you are on gravel or otherwise rough terrain. I also think the solids offer significantly better brake holding which is very noticable when you have someone pushing against you. The others just roll around too much. Lastly, there are no bike shops around where I live, so either way, the parts have to be ordered, and a 1 piece solid is easier to change than a tire/tube/insert combo.

I'm not suggesting they are the best option for you, but it's good to have all sides before making a decision....

Tim

[shaunb51]

I would go for pneumatics, basically due to the fact they are of a higher pressure than solids, which means better handling.

I have Schwalbe "Right Run" on my Quickie Argon and they are great, the only problem I have found is, once the pressure starts to go down they squeak/ make noise on floor surfaces but, keep them up at 140 psi (or inflated until you can't press the tyre in with your finger, ss I do with mine) and they are great. I do however cheat,

1 I have 2 set of wheels, so always have a spare when out.
2 I use a car compressor to inflate them to thier max.

As yet, I have not found a set of solids which do what pneumatics do, they always seem to be of a lower psi rating, especially for me on 26" rims.

[ORIGIN]

Hi - I'm a C5/6 tetra - Greek/Latin varies depending on which side of the pond you are - and I'm a fan on one-piece solids. The tyres don't creep on the insert and the solids here are more like a hard foam than a solid piece of rubber - like AERO chocolate. So, they are quite light. See - http://www.mobilityp...CFegmtAodmHgrlA

[megatrig]

Schwalbe Marathon plus - these seem to be taking over the world! Understandably lol

[Quad65]

Another vote for solid inserts. I've been a manual chair user for 46 years. I started off in an old E & J chair with the old skinny hard rubber tires. Then I went to a fatter air filled tire. Punctures and air loss and a lop-sided ride. Pain in the ass. Then I tried a a gel filled tire. What a mess. Finally, I went to a dry foam-type solid insert. Best decision ever. It's bit stiffer ride than an air filled tire, but no punctures, no slow leaks, no lop-sided ride. I get good response with each push on hard surfaces or carpet. Even if the outer tire completely wears through, the insert still gives months of the same ride as a new tire and insert. Solid all the way for me.

[tsh3406]

Just a little technical info from Schwalbe's website regarding the Marathon Plus tires....

"SmartGuard®
A substantial, 5 mm thick layer of flexible, special india rubber offers durable protection. SmartGuard® has a crucial advantage especially with objects that lodge in the tread and that can be forced through almost any other protection belt by the rotation of the wheel. Here the SmartGuard® has the advantage of thickness, because a thumbtack, for instance, simply remains in the rubber without damaging the tube."

That's less than a 1/4", or not quite as thick as a push pin or heavy duty staple. Just something to keep in mind if you are expecting them to be puncture proof....

TH

[Vanessamaee]

tsh3406, on 19 December 2011 - 04:49 PM, said:

I'm going to throw in my vote for 1 piece solids. I will also point out that I spend as much time off the pavement as I do on it. We have these things around here called locust trees with thorns up to 5" long. Run over one of those on the ground and it will go through a tractor tire. I also think semi-pnuematic as it is being used here is a little misleading, because it gets used interchangably with airless inserts quite often. They are not the same thing, semi-pnuematic tires do have a gas filled cavity inside them. I don't feel that the rougher ride is all that bad, especially if you are on gravel or otherwise rough terrain. I also think the solids offer significantly better brake holding which is very noticable when you have someone pushing against you. The others just roll around too much. Lastly, there are no bike shops around where I live, so either way, the parts have to be ordered, and a 1 piece solid is easier to change than a tire/tube/insert combo.

I'm not suggesting they are the best option for you, but it's good to have all sides before making a decision....

Tim

When I was writing my response I was thinking about you (: all of the flats I've had have been due to gravel and locust thorns... lol (: But I spend more time on the court right now and in school than I do in the woods... I havent even been out hunting this season yet! I know that once I start getting back into the outdoors (probably this summer) I plan on having a pair for treaded solids