3 month update on ZR2

[TexasWheelz]

Alright it's been awhile since I've even got to visit the site, just been to busy with life recently. Finally setting down at the computer to type up a review of my ZR2 after 3 months. My initial post was here when I first got the chair.

The one thing above all else that I can not do is complain about the measurements because I took them, however I can give warnings. The first being to take into account if you get a solid seat pan, it will raise you at least a 1/2 inch and in some cases higher depending on how bad you previous sling was sagging. In my case I could handle my chair being up to a inch lower in the front and a 1 1/2 in the back because my previous chairs seat sling was sagging very bad. I took it into account some, but not enough. This leaves me feeling like I am riding on my chair instead of in my chair. Huge difference and it throws everything off.

The solid seat pan is probably much better for my posture, it feels like it when I'm sitting up straight and not moving, however when I start pushing it just isn't comfortable and I have to slide down in the chair some to not feel like I'm teetering up on top of it. With that said, I think if I taken these differences into my measurements and had my chair measured correctly it would fit great. As it is, it's tippy when I don't want it to be, but isn't when I want it to be. Very weird feeling. When I'm just moving around the shop, I've flipped twice and almost flipped probably 20+ times because of how I'm sitting up on top of the chair and it's tippy when I do that. However when I'm rolling around and want to jump a curb or something it doesn't want to come up so easy as I'm having to slouch down a little to roll around.

The next is the back and I have several issues with it, the first being my own problem for ordering it with the Corbac that I'd never seen in person before. I had a speed stream on my previous chair and loved it, I should have stuck with it. The Corbac looks much more solid in pictures then it is, but it's not. It's barely an upgrade to the standard seat sling and only then if you want to add the 2 inserts into it on both sides. You would think with all of the straps that it has that it would be some what stable. I think I'm going to go back to the default back and then use the trick shown on the forums here of putting some bungee on it to hold it tight. So if you like just normal seat backs then you'll probably love the Corbac, if you want something more solid then you won't.

So far there are two options that I chose that I should have done differently. Now we get to the TiLite issues. The first being the back hardware. I haven't read all of the forums yet to catch up on everything but I'm betting it has been discussed some where. First there is the issue of things coming loose. I've got one screw on the left side that I have to tighten ever 2 days, on the right side I've got one that has sheered off some how. Next I can't get it to feel solid, it has at least a inch of play in it and rocks back and forth and has done so before the screw broke and does so regardless of how much I tighten things down. I was so happy to see this new design when they first showed it, but now I'm not very impressed with it. The back can make or break a chair for people spending 15+ hrs a day in em and having one that is nice and sturdy is a hell of a lot better then one that isn't. If I knew it would have been this bad i would have gotten the fixed back and got used to the extra hassle of getting it in and out of a vehicle with it up.

The next is the single sided caster assembly, it simply doesn't look like it's going to last me 3-4 years as it's wearing down pretty fast, I know to make it light it has to be made from light material, but this thing is taking some serious damage.

Now another part not done by Ti is the Spinergy Flexrims. DO NOT GET THEM!! I got mine as I had my hand doctor tell me they are supposed to be good to help my carpal tunnel. They are comfortable...but their is no way they will last and they will burn the shit out of your hands. Within a week of having mine my thumb pushed through the material connecting the wheel and the hand rim. I first called Tilite since it came directly from them with my chair, they told me I had to go through my DME and they'd have to contact Spinergy. So I got a hold of my DME who had me bring it to them as they contacted Spinergy. Spinergy then sent them some glue crap to try to fix the issue with instructions on how to do so. The DME repair guy took it home with him and followed the instructions, wasn't happy with the results and tried it again, still not happy they contacted Spinergy again who told them to send it back. That's been well over a month ago and Spinergy still has not sent the wheel back. At this point I'd rather just trade em in for some LX with normal handrims instead of the Flexrims. Also as I said to begin with they will burn you. If you have just a little bit of speed from going down a ramp or incline you'd think it would be great to grab the hand rim and stick your thumb on the material to slow down, but just a little bit of speed will cause way to much friction and if I wasn't careful I would have had several blisters by now.

Including a few pictures(taken from my crappy phone)..1) Missing screw head, 2)screw that comes loose daily 3) & 4) part of caster that is wearing out 5)little plastic part under footrest wearing out(no biggie, was happy it was there but won't last)

[TexasWheelz]

Pictures of the back and back of the back with all the damn straps that don't even fit tucked in back there anywhere. I should have mentioned that their are two parts to the Corbac, you put one on first and it has 6 straps, 3 smaller ones on the bottom and 3 big ones on the top, Next you put the cover that you see over that, this has 2 more straps that don't go all the way around, but you have to find a way to connect them to the other straps, they are all velcro so you can just velcro them all together, but it just seems like a big strap mess back there with 8 velcro straps total in less then 12 inches of space.

[SCI_OTR]

Here's a post of the updated backrest hardware to save you a little hunting...

http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/showthr...=141625&page=7

[fuentejps]

tw, i would shit can the solid seat, the bolt on sling should fit right on, if not get the strap seat, i think it sucks but the chair isnt really much good for you as is.

contact ti, theres new updated back hardware.

[TexasWheelz]

Originally Posted by SCI_OTR

Here's a post of the updated backrest hardware to save you a little hunting...

http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/showthr...=141625&page=7

Thanks, by looking through that, the stop stud is pretty much the only one of those that hasn't given me a issue, it holds and stops it at that spot, the slop in is from that point forward. Normally not a big issue if you are leaning back, but let some one come up behind you and just a little push will have a big impact on you.

[SCI_OTR]

The redesign has solved a number of members issues with the backrest. Are all of the fasteners on your backrest flat head screws?

[stephen212]

TW: Check out totoL1's thread on carbon fiber by strips. According to toto, this approach allows for a little more sag than a solid seat pan. You could also improvise and come up with a hybrid seat support, say, carbon fiber strips in the front and a nylon seat sling in the rear.

Here's another idea. I once proposed to Bob Hall that he make a nylon seat sling which would attach with a series of 4-5 springs on the underside connecting each side. This system would, theoretically, maintain "day 1" tension (that is, it would never require tightening) and would be more pliant than a solid pan. If there's any merit to this concept maybe Radio Buddha could work up a sketch.

[stephen212]

A solid back support like the ADI/Roho Jetstream would position you slightly forward in your seat making you less tippy. Your chair has the 4" deep rigidizer bar, so that helps.

I trialed a pair of FlexRims for a period of days but didn't care for them: the hump in the rubber was hurting my palms. The increased friction when going down hills was also a deal killer. Plus I've heard from more than a few users who've complained about the rubber tearing.

I can't offer a meaningful comparison between TiLite's SlipStreams and Frog Legs Uni-Tine forks, but so far I have no complaints with the Uni-Tines. Judging from your photos, however, it looks like you're much rougher with your chair than I am with mine.

Sorry that the chair hasn't worked out for you. It's these kind of issues that made the Marvel -- and in the not too distant future, the Icon -- so appealing.

[radio_buddha]

Shonuff. What kind of gauge wiring are we talking about on this spring?

Who could make such a spring? Mattress manufacturer?

Sounds like a complicated idea.

What about a beach lounger? I thought of doing that before. I know a guy who builds beach furniture. Wide latex strips.

While latex on its own will stretch over time, it should last a lot longer in a secondary role underneath a standard bolt on sling.

[stephen212]

Originally Posted by radio_buddha

Shonuff. What kind of gauge wiring are we talking about on this spring?

Who could make such a spring? Mattress manufacturer?

Sounds like a complicated idea.

What about a beach lounger? I thought of doing that before. I know a guy who builds beach furniture. Wide latex strips.

While latex on its own will stretch over time, it should last a lot longer in a secondary role underneath a standard bolt on sling.

So many questions!!

I got the idea from seats that I saw at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art many years ago. The seating was leather which wrapped over the sides and was connected underneath with springs.

Springs come in a dizzying array of lengths, gauges, and alloys. I wouldn't know where to begin to make a suggestion.