[Big Valley]

I had 24" wheels long ago then moved up to 26". I could never go back to 24" again. Wheels just to far down and feel like I can't get any leverage. Also with 26" My wheels act almost as a arm rest.



But the trick is order 25-550 rims. Pretty much 26" except they will accept a standard 26" bicycle tire and tube so you don't have to pay those ridiculous prices.



I also like a fat tire instead of Primos. Ui wear that tiny tread off a Primo time in a week. There is more rolling resistance with a fat tire but I only notice it on thick carpet. Fat tires really makes a difference when going off a smooth surface like in the yard. I also think it helps for a smoother ride as there is more give in the tire.



I also can't see how some of you use those little roller blade front casters. I tried a set once and it was so rough they quickly came off. Plus they sank into the ground causing me to almost flip frontwards. Anything but a smooth surface like a mall and I couldn't see the point.



Would like to try Frogleg shocks someday but they are pretty expensive.



So what do you use and why?

[Tim13]

Good timing! Just ordered new tires this AM. For the rear Kenda narrow knobby , blue sidewall, 24X1 3/8 and 5X1" firm roll casters for the front.
Tried a lot of different combos and whether wide large knobbys, smooth tread or just everyday design, when I'm out on the lawn, slogging trough mud or half buried in sand, they're all pretty much created equal. The only real improvement in performance came when i began using the vinyl coated handrims instead of plain aluminum.

[russ1]

Big Valley, on May 3 2007, 05:13 PM, said:

But the trick is order 25-550 rims. Pretty much 26" except they will accept a standard 26" bicycle tire and tube so you don't have to pay those ridiculous prices.

You mean 25-559 rims I think, standard mountain bike rims. Personally I use 25" high pressure 25mm wide tyres most of the time. Have two chairs, one with 25" tyres and 4" roller blade wheel castors which I use inside or out in town where it's relatively smooth. My other chair has 26" high pressure and wide knobbly wheels which are interchangeable with 5" 1.5" wide front castors on frogs legs. Soft ground I use the wide tyres - hard ground of any sort including grass or dirt the narrow ones, they're just easier to push. It's the front castors that make the big difference though on very uneven ground and especially on soft ground.

[lune14]

Would any of you fellas mind posting some pics please?? I'm really struggling with a new chair lately and can't seem to find a good fit. My reps are not very helpful and it's getting old. I'd like to be a little better versed if possible.

Thanks in advance!

[Big Valley]

Russ is right on the 25-559 size. My bad.



My chair is a Invocare Top-end and about 4 years old. I had the same thing for about 6 years before that. The tires are just bike rubber I liked and I have put the 1.5" wide castors on. Really like those wider fronts but they are needing replaced now. Stimulite thin seat cushion. The flash is making my chair look way dirtier than it really is.

[gsp23]

On my everyday chair I have 25-559 and use high pressure tires. Currently using Primos and have had good luck with them. Front casters are froglegs 4x1. My offroad chair currently has wide knobby 24" wheels (50-540) and I hate them, I agree on having to reach so far down for leverage. The tires are also too wide and they trow up tons of junk and there is such little room between the tires and handrims my hands are constantly rubbing. I am definatly going to be getting some bigger wheels for my offroad chair just debating now if I should go with the 25" like I use on my everyday chair (559) or if I am going to go up a size to the 26" (590). I use 6x1.5 semi-neumatic casters on my offroad chair and after several combinations have had the best luck with these ones.

Forgot to add my pic...
Also, my everyday chair is rigid, but I have converted my folding chair into my offroad chair (had to find a good use for it since I otherwise never use it! ). The footplate on my offroad chair is also a one-piece flipup platform footplate as my feet stay better on that and I have better positioning than with the two seperate footplates. My folding chair is a Quickie 2HP so it has a fixed front end and it snaps into place keeping in sturdy with hardly any flex when offroading.

The only pic I had handy of my setup is of me sitting in it after my successful turkey hunt. I cropped the turky and the top part of me out of the pic to focus on the chair better. Offroading for hunting though is the ultimate test for an offroad chair IMHO.

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This post has been edited by gsp23: 15 May 2007 - 07:38 PM

[russ1]

My pictures are in this thread

[gsp23]

Got my new bigger wheels and my chair is updated here.

[wheeliebear75]

I have 24' tires......I also have a "youth" size chair; yup I'm a small fry. I currently have a Quickie XTR with the frog legs you were talking about. Couple of things about the frog legs I can tell you is that #1 if you don't like the small casters you won't like them, because those are the type of wheels they use. #2 I have found out that you can NOT just simply "change a wheel". You have to order a whole suspension system just to replace the wheels. This is VERY inefficient cost wise. I'm not going to have them on my next chair. I have 2 chairs just one is older and has no camber and the other has I think 5degree of camber. My older chair's front tires are all but gone, so I called the manufacturer and found out that I can't just get new wheels. The frog legs do however make for less jarring, so there are perks to having them. As for how to get around with casters......wheelies......lots and lots of wheelies. I guess if we went camping and stuff more often I'd be thinking about bigger tires. But the chairs I like the best all seem to require the smaller wheels, but for me personally I don't mind. Aside from sand (sink instantly all 4 tires) grass and dirt or even gravel I can just go backwards and I don't seem to get stuck too often.

[EmHope]

I don't know my wheel or caster size but I have a question about them anyway...
I have the e-motion power assisted wheels and frog legs with my casters. I've noticed my casters are on the bigger end. I can go through grass, mud, even on a Frisbee golf course through the woods. The problem is when I wheel on pavement, especially when I take my dog for a jog, if I get to a certain speed my casters start violently shaking, making a loud noise, and automatically slowing me down. I'm in the process of getting a handcycle so I can take my dog running faster than in my chair, but the shaking bugs me and I wish I could get it to stop.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

[Texaswheelz]

It's due to them not being even. One wheel is higher or lower depending on how you look at it then the other. So when you start going at faster speeds the one that is slightly lower will run fine while the one that is slighting higher will start shuttering because it isn't fully contacting the ground. You'll notice that if you lean forward a slight bit it should stop and run straight as your putting enough weight on it to give it full contact with the ground. Should be an adjustment to lower that side bit just a tad bit to even it out.

[russ1]

It's not the fact that they're not level although the problem that's causing it may cause that as well if only one castor is out. The problem that causes castor flutter is usually because the vertical axle of the castor is not exactly vertical, you'll need to get a set square (or bit of card with square corners) and line up the flat edge somewhere on the castor that's there for just such a purpose. As you have frogs legs you have to do it with you (or someone of comparable weight in the chair) - it's a right PITA to do but will sort the problem 95% of the time.