NEW WHEELS NEW WHEELS NEW WHEELS
Nov. 20th, 2019 10:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kaberettItem the first: NEW WHEELS. By which I mean: the last remaining part I needed showed up in today's post, as a parcel delivery scheduled for a time window conveniently after I got back from the endocrinologist, and so I swapped all the bits around and set up the app and pumped up the tyres and set the wheels charging and adjusted the brakes and then I took them for a spin and... good grief, they took some getting used to. As far as I can tell, they've changed the response curve a lot in a way that makes a lot of sense once you've worked out what's happening, but is like neither manuals nor M15 e-motions, and therefore Confusing, at least if you are a small and easily confused Alex. (Broadly: lower sensitivity and power-assist beneath some threshold of impulse on the wheels; higher sensitivity and power assist above some threshold. This seems to make navigating enclosed environments AND outdoor environments much more seamless, with much less requirement to faff around changing settings, but takes some getting used to.)
Item the second: PAPER READY TO SUBMIT, quoth the primary supervisor. I'm waiting on a last dribble of feedback from another co-author and squashing the urge to further complicate matters in terms of the modelling, but A Day Next Week gets dedicated to Submitting The Thing. I am getting my head back in gear for Project The Third; I am excited about science; it is really nice.
Item the third: I have POSTED my RESPONSE to some WRETCHED PAPERWORK and get to not think about it againat least until I have a court date.
Ytem the fourth: Adam didn't actually prompt me much, but: with Adam's prompting, I finally, this evening, got around to bringing the lemon tree inside (from the sheltered patio) (I really should see about installing a stealth greenhouse on the secret patio) and putting hats & scarves on the fig & the bay. They now loom ghostly in the murk, and I should really stick their Warm Apparel down so it doesn't blow away next time there's a breeze.
Ytem the Fifth: goodness but I am luxuriating in the relief of getting to gently put down some of the spinning plates for a little while.
Item the second: PAPER READY TO SUBMIT, quoth the primary supervisor. I'm waiting on a last dribble of feedback from another co-author and squashing the urge to further complicate matters in terms of the modelling, but A Day Next Week gets dedicated to Submitting The Thing. I am getting my head back in gear for Project The Third; I am excited about science; it is really nice.
Item the third: I have POSTED my RESPONSE to some WRETCHED PAPERWORK and get to not think about it again
Ytem the fourth: Adam didn't actually prompt me much, but: with Adam's prompting, I finally, this evening, got around to bringing the lemon tree inside (from the sheltered patio) (I really should see about installing a stealth greenhouse on the secret patio) and putting hats & scarves on the fig & the bay. They now loom ghostly in the murk, and I should really stick their Warm Apparel down so it doesn't blow away next time there's a breeze.
Ytem the Fifth: goodness but I am luxuriating in the relief of getting to gently put down some of the spinning plates for a little while.
(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-20 10:04 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-20 10:09 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-20 10:15 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-20 10:32 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-20 10:33 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-20 10:43 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-21 12:36 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-21 12:40 am (UTC)YAY!!!
Date: 2019-11-21 01:29 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-21 02:15 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-21 08:58 pm (UTC)they're trying to claim
to the tribunal
that (1) they are competent to assess needs arising from or related to autism, and
(2) there is no evidence to suggest I have any hearing impairment, and as such there are no possible grounds for me to need to lip-read, and as such I was making eye contact
in spite of my having explained, repeatedly, verbally and in writing, in very small words, that my hearing issues are largely auditory processing disorder
so I have submitted a couple of general-purpose printouts for the consideration of the court.
(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-22 12:35 am (UTC)*and is joined by rhythmic keysmash noises*
sdfkjlfdskjlfds
fdsjklfdsjlksfdjlkdsf
sfdkjlsfdjlkfdsjlkfds
(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-21 06:10 am (UTC)(Also noting partly to note it but also partly to remember MYSELF, at some point convenient I should very much like to pick your brains about power-assist wheels and, like, what kind of terrain can they handle and what the learning curve is like and so on.)
(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-21 07:48 am (UTC)Happy to be asked <3
(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-21 09:00 pm (UTC)Learning curve: takes a few days coming off purely-manual for the first time, but Good Grief They Are So Good.
You miiiiight want to consider some kind of powered add-on like the TriRide instead of e-motion wheels, but I really like the part where I get a flexible amount of help while still, fundamentally, exercising the relevant muscle groups.
(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-22 12:09 am (UTC)are there any restrictions in terms of frames that take them or is it just straight-up replacement wheels in the appropriate diameter?
how long do they take to charge? how long does charge last if you’re using them heavily? (and, er, what…. actually constitutes using them heavily… ?)
what ARE the major differences in, like, operational use between the TriRide vs. the e-motion wheels? I mean -- the thing is I do like the idea of still being able to be use those muscle groups without having to exhaust them. (like -- using them some is good! using them TOO MUCH is not, because it means I can't do aerial because the muscles are used EXTENSIVELY in aerial, and not doing aerial is not great for my brain. :P)
for context: my priiiiimary use case for significant power assistance, to be honest, is going to be tooling around the Desert Botanical Gardens for several hours. which has loosely packed gravel and decently packed dirt trails as well as concrete trails. I mean also it’d also be nice to have an assist when I’m, say, out using the chair in the city such as when I had jury duty because Fucking Camber Is The Fucking Worst. (allllll the sidewalks! are also fucking cambered! very slightly! sometimes more than very slightly! THINGS I DID NOT VISCERALLY KNOW UNTIL I BECAME A MANUAL WHEELCHAIR USER.)
but yeah mostly the Gardens. which I’ve not, actually, dared attempt in my chair because there is SO much up/down and Textured Ground that I mean… I COULD do it, I’ve got the strength, but I’d rather use that energy on aerial. so. >_>
and I’m specifically interested in power-assist on manual because I’ve looked at some of the really lightweight power scooters and, lol, they’re dismally expensive TOO so if I’m already doomed to dropping several grand out of pocket on something that won’t drive me nuts as a frequent use thing, I’d rather something as maneuverable as I’m used to a manual being??
also, I actually already HAVE a damn chair and while I would dearly like to replace it with something customised to me, like. it might be nice to be able to upgrade piecemeal, possibly? (because oh god getting a fully customised manual new is going to be ouchy-spensive.)
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-23 07:53 pm (UTC)To first approximation, no restrictions, no! You do need mounting brackets, but the set of models to which eMotions can be fitted is... pretty comprehensive. If you're buying wheels second-hand you'll probably need to shell out ~EUR300 for a mounting kit for Your Specific Chair as well, but they can be fitted to pretty much anything. They're quick-release, too, so while the mounting brackets are extra weight you can swap manual wheels back in very straightforwardly.
how long do they take to charge? how long does charge last if you’re using them heavily? (and, er, what…. actually constitutes using them heavily… ?)
M15s: ~4-5 hours for a full charge. M25s: ~2-3 hours for a full charge. M25s have somewhat lighter batteries and slightly less range; for me, a charge lasts 2-3 days of "typical" use, where that looks like commuting into central London & back again, meandering trips around the shop & the town centre, etc. I could probably also get away with one day of "typical" use & one day of Going Around Gardens/Museums/Etc, but I've now got myself set up with a charging station such that it's a fairly low executive function cost to set them charging overnight.
I... can probably actually give you an outdoors distance (including hills) that a single charge lasts me for the M25s, because the app is kind of magic??? But I... should poke at that.
(Catalogue says 25km range, and I believe that.)
what ARE the major differences in, like, operational use between the TriRide vs. the e-motion wheels?
Okay, so, I've not used a Triride & my dealership was actually suggesting I consider those instead of an upgrade to the M25s... buuuut for me, okay, my set-up is: I've got a Big Heavy Chair with the mounting brackets & the M25s & the highly supportive seating (that limits how much I can put my back/core into pushing) for Bad Fatigue Days, and the small sporty fully manual chair for days I'm up to it (which... have been fewer than I'd like, recently, but oh well) & for short trips around (indoor) shops etc. For me, the arms-extended position Triride requires would be Difficult, particularly as days on which I want the power assist are days on which I'm less likely to be up for maintaining that position; I'd be less able to Just Carry The Damn Chair Up Some Stairs if I wanted to (which is often my best option, because tradeoffs); there's an increase in footprint while in use (& probably also an increased turning circle for mechanical reasons), though I will grant that Triride + chair is smaller for storage purposes than... two chairs.
For Dealing With Lots Of Gravel, if not going for a Triride I'd recommend something like a Freewheel, because increasing the effective diameter of the small wheels makes a *massive* difference there. Those... are weird about what they'll effectively attach to; higher-end folding chairs are mysteriously Not Achievable.
RIGHT SO YES for me: "getting the exercise" and "not having to hold my arms out static" skew me towards the power-assist wheels. Triride is likely to be transferable between models of chair with less additional faff/expense. I don't know how the Triride handles on camber but the eMotions work pretty well for me.
Uhhh I am less 5eva lab now so if MORE QUESTIONS then please by all means Go For & I should??? manage to get to them in slightly more reasonable time...
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-23 09:00 pm (UTC)So obviously I am going to, y'know, go down to the wheelchair place that repaired my current one and be like "SOOOOO," and see about sitting in things and picking their brains, obviously but.
I wanted to ask if you were aware of any other fold-to-rigids that are probably not the EXACT same kind of clever but are as clever as the Tiga FX in terms of folding down? I definitely need something that can fold up in SOME way to take up less space, because the rigid frame I currently have is incredibly awkward to fit in my car (it JUST fits in the trunk of my car, with the wheels, but ONLY if I have the frame one its side which is... Not Great for the handbrake on that side, for obvious reasons!).
And I am, perhaps unsurprisingly, super enamoured of the idea that the Tiga FX frame FITS IN A DAMN AIRPLANE OVERHEAD BIN for the obvious reason that airlines are The Absolute Fucking Worst about wheelchairs and being able to pop it in the overhead instead of having to trust those fuckheads not to fuck up my frame is... really, really appealing! Especially since navigating airports/travel is one of the things a wheelchair would be incredibly useful for.
*squints at Triride in more detail* Okay, yeah, those ARE very cool but also the arms-extended position looks like a terrible idea for my shoulders. I would also not love the loss in maneuverability/increased footprint. ECVs (ie the whale tanks for rent at, you know, Gardens and Museums and suchlike) drive me batshit and while the Triride definitely would be much better than those things, it would still annoy me. There are other power assist solutions I've seen that I should probably LOOK at, but I think I am probably actually squarely the demographic that the power assist wheels are for, as compared to the other solutions.
aaaaaand everything secondhand on ebay at the moment, in the States anyway, are M12s with no batteries, because of course they are. Or else they're being sold with a whole-ass wheelchair, snerk. I'm not averse to secondhand on the wheels but I'd much rather secondhand of a model they are still making. :P
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-23 09:09 pm (UTC)............... I am Seriously Considering whether there's any reasonable way to get my kinda-temperamental-but M15s to you [more to follow]
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-24 07:06 am (UTC)Poking at UPS very very briefly has suggested a 70lb. (~32kg) package would run on the order of £100 which is not cheap but is not actually totally absurd, either, so, uh. That seems possibly reasonable? I mean obviously I would very much be willing to cover shipping in that scenario, in addition to a reasonable sum for the wheels as well?
(Unsurprisingly, there exists a bracket for my current frame, which is a Colours Razorblade! I mean, sure it's like $230 but it would provide me power while I get a proper new chair sorted which I imagine will take some time even once I know WHAT I'm getting and how exactly all it's being paid for.)
(no subject)
Date: 2020-01-10 01:04 pm (UTC)Oh right thing to flag up -- the chair brackets for M15s and M25s are identical; the only thing that's different is the torque receiver, and a pair of torque receivers is about £30 (which you can then swap out at home, as in, I've done it). IDK if this changes your calculus about new chair first??? new chair later??? but it is a Possible Consideration in terms of Multiple Sets Of Brackets Kicking Around.
Also important point: I don't have spare eMotion anti-tips, so you will need to budget for those as well. xx
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-23 09:20 pm (UTC)Re other clever folders - I think Progeo are the other brand with similar such things on the market -- perhaps http://www.rehateamprogeo.com/index.php/en/products/progeo-wheelchairs/adult-models/folding-hybrid/ego and http://www.rehateamprogeo.com/index.php/en/products/progeo-wheelchairs/adult-models/folding-hybrid/yoga ??? though those look like they don't go ALL the way small hmm
The Champion SK does similar, actually! https://kuschall.com/international-en/wheelchairs/champion I'm very happy with my old-model Champion but would happily upgrade to the SK, heh.
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-24 07:10 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-23 06:01 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-23 07:19 pm (UTC)(comment totally still sat in the pile of "notifs kept deliberately unread until I respond to them", Will Do Now)
(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-21 07:40 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-21 10:50 am (UTC)Do I need to put a hat and scarf on my bay? I have a camellia also. What do?
(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-21 12:47 pm (UTC)Camellia will be fine! Bay is mooooostly fine if it's in the ground, but it's easier for it to get Much Colder if it's container-grown; they're theoretically hardy down to -5°C but mine is only wee & therefore I have put some horticultural fleece over the top of it & some bubble wrap around its container, in the interests of Helping It Along. This is probably superstitious and it would proooobably be fine without but I'd rather be superstitious than not!
(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-21 12:47 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-21 04:00 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-22 03:03 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-22 07:46 am (UTC)