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Questions
& Answers |
What
are the color and tread options for your
wheelchair tires?
We have the hospital kind of tread; the
slick, no-tread kind of tread; and a
herringbone tread high performance tire
that people tell us they like. Some
people like being able to feel the
herringbone pattern on the tread,
because it helps them gauge their speed.
Do Air Free wheelchair tires make
black marks on vinyl floors, like black
rubber tires do?
No. Urethane does not leave a mark on
any floor surface, but black rubber
does. So the Air Free wheelchair tires
are a perfect choice for someone who
wants the look of black tires. Urethane
is kind to floors in another way, too:
dirt doesn't stick to the material well,
so the tires don't pick up dirt and
track it inside.
Speaking of colors, do I have other
color options for Air Free wheelchair
tires?
The high performance urethane comes in a
variety of colors, from black to
bubblegum pink.
What do you mean by "high
performance"?
That designation has to do with the kind
of urethane used. The high performance
tires are pretty light and springy, but
they have less rolling resistance than
our other Air Free wheelchair tires.
That makes them great for heavier people
and for people who travel long distances
on hard pavement in their chairs. It's
also the material of choice for
wheelchair athletes.
Do Air Free wheelchair tires come in
different densities?
They come in two different, standard
densities. The high performance tires,
such as the Shasta or Nantahala models,
are about the same feel as a rubber tire
inflated to 90 to 100 PSI. Air Free
wheelchair tires made of the standard
urethane are about the same feel as a
rubber tire inflated to 50 to 60 PSI.
They're a little more cushiony, and
they're great for all-purpose use.
How will I know what size Air Free
wheelchair tire I need?
The size of your current rubber tires is
printed or stamped on them somewhere.
You can use that information to look up
comparable Air Free tires on our web
site. We have tires for the most popular
wheel sizes, whether they are measured
in inches (24 X 1-inch, for example) or
in ISO (32-520). Use the tire sizing
guide here
http://www.airfreetires.com/sizing/WT1.asp
: Click on tire sizing, and choose your
size from the drop-down window. Then
answer two more quick questions, and
you'll have a list of your tire options.
Or if you prefer, you can find your
current tire on our handy grid chart,
and that will show you the options we
carry.
Will you have the size I need?
This web site has a bigger selection of
no-flat tire options than any other tire
on the Internet, including Air Free
tires, super-heavy-duty rubber tires,
and foam tire inserts. For many wheel
sizes, we can offer you all three
options. So whatever you need to
statistically reduce the likelihood of
having a flat, we have it. |
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Is it hard to
install Air Free wheelchair tires on my wheels?
Actually, Air Free urethane wheelchair tires are
designed to be somewhat difficult to install. That's
because we want to make sure they never, ever come
off accidentally. We've got two tools available to
make it possible to stretch the urethane tire over
the wheel: one is a device that looks like a bent
screwdriver, which we will sell to you at cost. It
takes a little patience to use, but it will allow
you to get the tire on the wheel. We also have a new
tool that's a little more expensive ($15), but very
effective. It's a substantial tool. With this tool
and a bench vise, and the help of an assistant,
installing an Air Free wheelchair tire is no
problem. This means that a handyman, someone at a
bicycle shop, or actually, anyone with a bench vise
can do the installation.
Who makes these Air Free
wheelchair tires for you?
We carry tires from a number of top-line airless
tire manufacturers, including Greentyre, Kik, and
Ameritire. Some manufacturers specialize in a
specific type of airless wheelchair tire; American
Airless, for example, only supplies us with
foam-filled Kenda rubber tires. We've got Mako
wheelchair tires, which are probably the most
popular brand sold. Our selection continues to grow
as we discover better manufacturers and better
tires.
What's a wheelchair tire insert?
It's like a donut of polyurethane that goes inside a
rubber tire. It works especially well for people who
use their chairs in off-road situations. With an
insert in a rubber tire, you never have to worry
about that tire coming off the wheel.
Do you carry tires for extreme wheelchair sports?
An Air Free wheelchair can definitely take you
off-road. But there's no tire that can be 100
percent reliable in really extreme situations.
Do you sell wheelchair wheels, too?
Yes, we carry Spinergy wheels. You can spend more on
wheelchair wheel - some sets cost $500 and more. But
if you don't need to spend that much for wheels, get
a set of Spinergys. They're well-built and
engineered to take rigorous use. We believe they're
a great value.
How long will it take to get my Air Free
wheelchair tires or wheels?
We estimate shipping to more U.S. destinations will
be 5 to 10 business days. If you have an urgent
need, place your order with us by phone and we'll
help you determine if faster options are available.
For more information about how polyurethane tires
are made, go to the "How we make tires" page on this
web site by clicking here:
http://www.airfreetires.com/technical/Manufacturing.asp |
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