Would love suggestions for best wheelchair front wheels for cobblestones

I saw this earlier and was hoping that someone would respond with a answer based on experience. My response is strictly related to the bicycling world. The big problem I would see is the small diameter swivel front wheels that are just going to bounce around when they hit the uneven surface. Obviously the bigger the wheel better it will handle cobble stones. Can the swivel wheels be lock down? I don't know if you can fit larger diameter wheels on the front.

I am sure that this is a big challenge to manage on rough surfaces. I am wondering if there is a different design that would work better. Good luck.

Have you contacted or visited a medical equipment supply store that sells/rents/services wheelchairs to see what they might recommend.

Have to think you are not the 1st one with the problem, so hopefully they have a solution

I am sorry to say I know little of wheelchairs but I do believe if you can find fairly fat inflatable or soft rubber tires those will serve you best on the cobblestones. As an example look at the inflatable tires on some aluminum hand trucks.

I hope this helps

Hi Becky, sorry, I don't have personal experience, but it looked so interesting a topic that I tried a web search for .. cobblestones wheelchair

The links that were most interesting to read include a thread from a while back here on the Travel Forum, a personal blog, and one includes a tip for pulling backwards instead of pushing. More than one mentions the types of tires. Again, not personal experience, but interesting links, yes:

http://www.sagetraveling.com/Cobblestones/
http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/showthread.php?137441-Wheelchair-that-REALLY-works-on-cobblestones
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/wheelchair-with-cobblestones-in-paris
http://www.disabledtravelersguide.com/disabled_travel_guide/disabled_travel_wheelchairs.htm

Thank you all for your input. We tracked down the Whirlwind chair that’s good on cobblestones, but very heavy. Your links gave some ideas for other places to try. If I find something great, I will be sure to post for others.

Hi Becky,

We have taken a wheelchair to Europe a few times for our daughter who has CP but can walk, just not long distances. We have found a transport chair to work well. It certainly isn't easy to push on cobblestone, and it did wear my hubby out, but it was easy for traveling. We could carry it up stairs, even took it on the metro lifting it over the turnstile to get into where the trains are. Of course this wouldn't work for a person who couldn't walk at all, but for our daughter who could go up flights of stairs etc. it made it easier. We didn't encounter a ton of cobblestones everywhere. In some cities there were smoother pavement areas so we would go over that if possible. But, we had a lot of trouble at Versailles where the stones where probably impossible with any kind of wheelchair.

Anyway, that was our experience. I hope it helps. Good for you for going to Europe even with dealing with your MS. I have it too and although I can walk ok still the fatigue is an issue. Have a great trip!!

Susan

A transport wheelchair is easier than a regular one to pack. That's the end of its virtues.

Unless you are using it on an indoor mall floor, it is hard to push and the person in it gets a miserable ride. On cobblestone sidewalks one would be well advised to get a mouth guard to keep from breaking one's teeth.

Thank you all for your kind messages. So far we have mostly done well with a lightweight Invacare wheelchair. I’m lucky that I can still walk a flight if stairs where needed and my husband can carry up our chair. We’re planning to get mountain type bicycle wheels for the back. We’re hoping to find front wheels that are around 2” or more thick. We love middle aged cities that all seem to have cobblestones. We have had many disabled accommodation adventures. Some of our favorites were in St. Petersburg where 5 staff stopped the metro escalator to all others and then carried me and my chair down many stories of the escalator. I’m very lucky to have a husband that has come up with an inventive system of bungy cording our luggage onto my chair. He can get then us through any airport and onto most public transportation.