15 replies to this topic

[Ya Diggg!]

Can ijust roll down a hill at top speed or not a good idea?

I regularly go down this hill where i hurt my hands on the way down.

Could i just let go off the pushrims. I am a motorcycle statistic and i love speed.

Help please

[Apparelyzed]

Hi,

You could just roll forwards down a steep hill, but it all depends how your balance is.

A more controlled way to go down a steep hill, is to balance on your back wheels, and control your speed with your pushrims. This keeps your seating postion nearer to horizontal, and stops you falling forwards on really steep slopes.

Natural inclines are encountered frequently in everyday life. Ramps allow persons in wheelchairs to move from one level to another. Descending a moderate or steep incline in the forward wheelie position has a number of benefits. This method allows the wheelchair user to continue moving forward, looking out for any potential hazards. It eliminates the problem of loss of traction (affecting braking and control) when the uphill wheels become unweighted. This technique also reduces the likelihood of forward tips or digging the footrests into the floor at the transition between the bottom of the incline and the level surface.


- Descending a 7.5 ° incline in the wheelie position. Windows Media Video

- Descending a long incline outdoors in the wheelie position. Windows Media Video

Another way, is to zig-zag down the slope, but this means sitting side on to the slope, so you'll need good balance for this as well.

Hope this helps,

Simon

[KimAndSophie]

LOL that's the OT I had in rehab! Her name's Cher and she's a laugh. I worked a lot in the room where the first video was done and always tried to persuade her into taking that stupid bright orange strap she used on the back of my wheelchair off. She'd stand behind me holding it and I felt like I was being walked like a dog on a leash! It was so I didn't tip over at first. I still think that if I did tip backwards my weight pulling down on the strap would just pull the person standing/walking behind me down with me. I mean they are taller than me and I just always pictured me front wheels in the air on the sidewalk with Cher piled on top of me in a heap!



She was nice though and when her and Ben (the guy from the medical supply store where I got my wheelchair got together we always had a good laugh!

[wheelie182]

i tend to balance on my back wheels because my front casters tend to stutter at fast speeds, and cause me to rapidly slow down, very annoying

it also feels more comfortable becuase your horizontal again even though your going down hill,

but keep doing it and you'll get it, after a while you find it quite difficult to tip back, and wonder how you use to do it so easily.

And any way, if its steep, you havent got far to fall

practise on straight bits first, bendy ones are a pain

[russ1]

wheelie182, on Mar 12 2007, 07:38 PM, said:

i tend to balance on my back wheels because my front casters tend to stutter at fast speeds, and cause me to rapidly slow down, very annoying

THis happens because your castors aren't adjusted properly, the pins that they're mounted on need to be perfectly vertical - there's usually a straight edge somewhere to use to line up with a set square. Sort that out and you'll stop them stuttering

[atvaholic]

http://media.putfile...Never-Giving-UP this is my rehab video and it has some wheelie skills

[wheelie182]

Quote

THis happens because your castors aren't adjusted properly, the pins that they're mounted on need to be perfectly vertical - there's usually a straight edge somewhere to use to line up with a set square. Sort that out and you'll stop them stuttering

Thanks Russ, i knew their was somthing wrong, i have never been bothered to look though,

i check that out soon though

Edited by wheelie182, 12 March 2007 - 09:39 PM.

[bdmpastx]

atvaholic, on Mar 12 2007, 08:04 PM, said:

http://media.putfile...Never-Giving-UP this is my rehab video and it has some wheelie skills

Hey Ben,
Did you ever get an ATV to modify? I am sure you've seen mine. I take it to the MX track quite often.

[atvaholic]

no i haven't because i am upgrading to ayfz for reasons of better suspension, more power, and well everything is avaible to set up for us paralyzed folk on this quad and tryin to sell my ex is a pain in the butt

Edited by atvaholic, 13 March 2007 - 02:32 AM.

[justin]

I go down my drive way it really step. U cant go up my drive way foward u got to either go backward r side to side so it preety straight up. but i go down it without slowing down then i go flying into the garage where i grab 1 wheel and slide into a 180. so yea your theory can work just be careful

[Apparelyzed]

wheelie182, on Mar 12 2007, 08:38 PM, said:

i tend to balance on my back wheels because my front casters tend to stutter at fast speeds, and cause me to rapidly slow down, very annoying

If you want a little light reading, take a look at this article on castor shimmy/flutter!

Happy reading

Simon

Attached Files

•  castor_shimmy.pdf   1.03MB   157 downloads

[wheelie182]

Is that a joke,... im not reading that, I mean i know that im probaly the most intelligent person on this forum but, but............i really cant be bothered

but i did take a look at the maths,






not a big fan, i try and avoid maths at all costs, yet whatever course you do.....theres maths

im studying a gaming course......and guess what

.....yep

Edited by wheelie182, 15 March 2007 - 06:22 PM.

[Bulky]

I'm a mechanical engineer and I love numbers but some maths makes me tired. That file was yawn-sational!

[dancin' johnny]

I saw it was nine pages long and binned it straight away, it was late at night though, I think.

I think it means you got to keep your front casters at 90 degrees to the ground however you have your chair set up, just as Russ suggested.

I like to think that Simon has read it.



As for hills, there's one just round the corner from me that goes into town and I love cruising down it at pace negotiating all the familiar trouble spots and people who dance. When I'm with my mates I always tell them I'll see them at the bottom and roll a fag whilst I'm waiting for them. On the way back I sweat and swear it all the way up.

I always thought it was poignant that the Spinal Unit at Sheffield was (and still is) down lower than the main hospital in its little hollow. I spent many an hour gazing at that mountaenous escape route until me and a few other patients conquered it.

[Apparelyzed]

Quote

I spent many an hour gazing at that mountaenous escape route until me and a few other patients conquered it.

There is an exit which brings you out at the top road from the building, I think it's by the accute ward near the sports hall!

Simon

[dancin' johnny]

Yeah, we used that one a lot once we discovered it!