Wheelchair Tyres for Racing, Activity and Day Chairs
Wheelchair Tyres in Draft Wheelchairs Warehouse
Wheelchair Tyres
The type of wheelchair tyres you select for your wheelchair will dramatically impact your ride’s smoothness, maneuverability, speed and control. Pneumatic tyres and airless tyres are two types of tyres for use with wheelchairs, and they cost between £10 and £40 (per tyre).
Pneumatic Wheelchair Tyres
Pneumatic tyres for wheelchairs are filled with air. They are lightweight and able to provide the smoothest ride and maneuverability. The downside of pneumatic tyres is that they require maintenance. Pneumatic tyres are vulnerable to punctures and may therefore experience flats. Most pneumatic tyres consist of the tyre shell and an inner-tube insert that holds the air. Puncture resistant wheelchair tyres are fitted with a Kevlar insert inside the tyre which may stop a sharp object up to 5mm long from puncturing the inner tube.
In many cases, when a flat occurs, patching this insert will repair the tyre, but with severe or repeated punctures you will need to replace the inner tube. Replacement inner tubes range in price and quality.
Airless Wheelchair Tyres
Airless tyres for wheelchairs are filled with rubber, plastic or foam. Although airless tyres do not offer the smooth performance that pneumatics do, they may longer when it comes to durability. Since they contain no air, flats and punctures are not a concern. Manufacturers will often focus on the “flat-free” feature of airless tyres.
There are generally three types of airless tires:
- Semi-pneumatic tires for wheelchairs – made of solid rubber or plastic with a ring of air running through the centre.
- Foam tyres for wheelchairs – constructed from pneumatic tire inserts filled with polyurethane foam instead of air.
- Solid tyres for wheelchairs – moulded from rubber or plastic, these are the heaviest and most durable.
Wheelchair Tyres Maintenance and Mounting Information
- Always make sure that you maintain the correct tyre pressure as this can have an effect on wheelchair performance (you can normally find the tyre pressure printed on the surface of the tyre)
- If the tyre pressure id too low, rolling resistance will increase, requiring more effort to move the chair forward, effecting the chairs manoeuvrability
- If the tyre pressure is too high , the tyre could burst
- Tyres can be mounted the same way as a traditional bicycle tyre
- Before installing a new inner tube (especially after a puncture) you should always make sure that the base of the rim and interior of the tyre are free from foreign objects (thorns, nails etc)
- Check the tyre pressure after mounting or repairing a tyre
It is critical to your safety and to the wheelchairs performance that the correct air pressure be maintained and that tyres are in good condition
For more information or help on wheelchair tyres call 01480 451247 or watch the wheelchair tyres video