New Chair

[Sparkleraptor]

Hi everyone I thought i would stop by and share my new chair with you. i took the advice i was last given and I am really glad I did. Overall the chair is amazing.

My old, crappy folder had the front left caster/fork break completely and it fell off. So I've been rolling around on a chair with 3 wheels. It sucked. really bad. I haven't fallen out of or flipped backwards in a chair for near 18 years....I've been reminded of what that is like in the last month! Then UPS showed up and I was very happy.

So, I went with what everyone was trying to get thru to me the last time (for anyone not remembering i don't have sci). I shortened the frame to 18" (16x18) and the front angle to 85.

Awesome. First, i'm not used to pushing something with minimal effort. I feel like I'm floating. Very weird. And turning is so much easier!

Some things I'm going to adjust when I figure it out and read the directions: I'm going to adjust the COG to 3" instead of the current 2". I would like even tighter turns, etc.

I think I could even go with more dump. Its 2 right now and I think 3 would be nice, but 2 works as well so am not to concerned with that.

I also think I may be able to shorten the frame even more and just use a longer cushion. I may go with 16x17 for my back-up chair.

The front angle is great. My legs (mostly my right) do stick off the footplate and out in front of the chair. The left will stay on the plate fine and takes up about the whole plate with my crooked foot.

I'm very glad I got no taper in the front and was correct assuming that would be a pain and squish my legs, so that works well. I may be able to go to a 90 angle in my future back-up chair although my legs will stick off it. I'm thinking I will just leave my legs alone and focus on the manuverability of the chair instead.

PT/OT were usually aiming for good posture and support with my legs, but I really, really dig having a chair with a sharper front end and better turning, etc. rather than a long angle and tons of supports for my legs.

So now its kind of like I just have the footplate for my left leg and foot. And my right will just float in space, lol.

The width is fine, but I still tilt sideways and sit on my left hip a bit. Not sure if that will be a big deal as I sat like that in the other. I think its due to my right leg being spazzy and sticking out.

Weird not having armrests, but will be good having less stuff in the way.

I haven't put the brakes on yet, maybe I can leave them off my 2nd chair.

At some point (like when I earn the $) I will use the measurements and make some minor changes from this chair and buy my back-up 2nd chair, probably the ZR.

Anyway, I thought I would share it with you all since you helped me out so much. The difference so far is so great and I'm very happy with the new ease of getting around.

I will promptly burn my old 3 wheeled chair now

Thank you again!

[nofuss]

… and here you are! Red-Hot tires n’ all.

Orange-spoked Spinergys … swear I’ve seen that color somewhere … oh yeah, right under Me.

Hey – where are the chair specs! You’re a ‘talkative’ lass and we need some specifics to chew on.

Lookin Good Sparkle!

[Sparkleraptor]

Originally Posted by nofuss

… and here you are! Red-Hot tires n’ all.

Orange-spoked Spinergys … swear I’ve seen that color somewhere … oh yeah, right under Me.

Hey – where are the chair specs! You’re a ‘talkative’ lass and we need some specifics to chew on.

Lookin Good Sparkle!

haha! thanks nofuss Those spokes are actually red, although I would like some orange ones too! I'm tired of blue and cool colors. Now I look like I'm on fire! I'd like to see your chair if you haven't put it up already!

I'll try and go by memory on specs since I have to dig for the invoice, lol.

Seat: 16x18
Front angle: 85
RSH:16
FSH:18
Camber: 2
COG: 2 (soon to be 3)
No tapered front
5 inch front wheels
Adustable/foldable back : medium sized (I think its set at 14, I may make it lower as its hitting a weird spot in my back)
Bolt on push handles
24" Spinergy LX red wheels
Red Shox solid tires
Cushion is my old one so 19 inches long

I think thats all I remember of the top of my brain

[~Lin]

looks great!! I'm so happy for you. I love the red. I'm better with cool colors though, blues and greens.

I'm so jealous of your spinergies. And I want more pictures! Take more with different angles.

[chasmengr]

Congrats!!

[sowseng]

yeah.
How do you like the solid tire?

[Sparkleraptor]

Originally Posted by sowseng

yeah.
How do you like the solid tire?

Hi Sowseng

I like them and they feel fine. I've almost always had solids though so don't have much experience to compare solid vs. air. I really like that they come in different colors too. The biggest plus to me is no maintence, I just go and don't worry about it.

thanks!

[Sparkleraptor]

Thanks Lin and Chas

I'll try and take more pics at some point.


After riding around in it some things are off and so I'm going to have to try some adjustments to this chair. First, my cushion that I loved so much in my POS chair is to thick for this one. I'm sitting up way to high. I took it off and have been riding without a cushion and it feels way better, like I'm actually in the chair. I can also feel the dump more. So that sucked as the cushion was very comfortable for me. I'm going to buy a very low profile foam or whatever cushion so I'm sitting deeper in the chair.


By taking the cushion out though I have a new problem of my right foot dragging on the ground in front of the chair. Since I can't get it to stay on the footrest I'm either going to have to seriously change the RSH to lift the front end off the ground more which will pick my leg up or strap my legs in the front to the footplate. Changing the RSH sounds better to me. I've looked up the video on how to drop the RSH on this chair, but am unsure how to square the casters? I'm a bit nervous as I've never adjusted a chair before! But I'm glad I can adjust stuff.


By getting rid of the cushion the backrest height feels fine now. go figure. It also helped curb some pain I was getting in my legs for some reason.


Only other issue is the poor posture of my legs, which is normal but this chair was not modified with anything to try and solve it so I'm running into a bit of issues. My left one stays inside the frame but severly turns. My leg pushes at the frame and the top of my foot is what is on the footplate. It doesn't worry me much as I have full sensation. So I feel my leg burning after about an hour and it has marks from the frame. So I move my leg off the frame and in front of the frame to relieve it. I'm thinking of ordering some impact guards to cushion the frame some. I don't want to go back to supports in the chair to deal with my legs.


So this is where I'm at with it. Overall great chair, I just need to get it dialed in better. If anyone has any tips on adjusting RSH/sqauring casters I'm all ears. Actually I'm going to go look it up to see if its been discussed on these forums.


Thanks again

[SCIfor55yrs.]

You sound like me when I shed my folding E&J Premier folding chair centuries ago and found out what wheeling could be. lol Happy trails. I will watch for your dust.

[Sparkleraptor]

Originally Posted by SCIfor55yrs.

You sound like me when I shed my folding E&J Premier folding chair centuries ago and found out what wheeling could be. lol Happy trails. I will watch for your dust.

LOL. Yeah, I got in it and pushed it and it went down the whole hallway...I think my first words were..."The eff is this?" I just flew down a hallway without 20 pushes to the chair. And I turned right into a doorway not expected the turn on a dime thing, lol.

I'm going grocery shopping. I want to see what its like to pile stuff on my lap and push without having to control the chair every 10 seconds. hell yes.