Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

A $1k Wheelchair

newmobility.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

311–320 of 456 posts

Re: A $1k Wheelchair

#311

Post by conductr »

ninalanyon wrote: post #303

In the UK you can buy a simple wheelchair for 132 GBP: https://www.uk-wheelchairs.co.uk/ugo-essential-self-propelle... And what look like slightly fancier ones for between 300 and 500 GBP: https://www.millercare.co.uk/collections/self-propel-wheelch... A magnesium alloy framed one is only 450 GBP: https://www.mobilitysmart.co.uk/magnelite-self-propelled-whe... So what am I missing?

I don’t know much about wheelchairs but I watched the video in the article and by the looks of it these are a certain class of wheelchair and they don’t look comparable to what you’ve linked to. My guess is photos are deceiving and there’s a handful of features worth having if you spend your waking moments in one of these things. The reviewer in the video mentioned some features he liked and disliked, wheels specifically can be a huge factor and tend to be expensive upgrades

Re: A $1k Wheelchair

#312

Post by srockets »

f1shy wrote: post #306
srockets wrote: post #284

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, you can't buy a reasonable quality wheelchair for less. You can buy what a person who doesn't need a wheelchair consider reasonable. If you had to use those cheap chairs for 16 hours a day, and pushing yourself even just for a mile of well paved roads, not even uphill, you would never consider those reasonable.

This is absolutely the point. You have to live sitting in there. That must be more comfortable than the best thing in your house. No way you can do it for less than 1k.

Not just sitting, pushing yourself. Making a comfy chair is one thing, making one that you can also be mobile in, much harder.

Re: A $1k Wheelchair

#313

Post by throwaway346434 »

bradley13 wrote: post #278
fotta wrote: post #16

Custom fit lightweight wheelchairs are expensive. My Ti-Lite (one of the most popular lightweight chair brands) Aero Z starts at $3k and goes up quickly with wheels and backrest and casters and various other options that I need for sitting 16 hours a day without creating more problems. Insurance covers this for me every 5 years, but of course that's not a luxury every one has. Most plans don't cover DME 100%. What Za…

A manual wheelchair is less complex than a bicycle, and I can get a decent bicycle for a few hundred bucks. The fact that basic wheelchairs are crazy expensive has little to do with the chairs and a lot to do with insane bureaucracy.

You cannot get a custom designed bicycle for your body for a few hundred bucks, particularly from a US manufacturer

Re: A $1k Wheelchair

#314

Post by HPsquared »

Miraste wrote: post #245
HPsquared wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd assume the electronics are very modular and probably just clip into place in a single unit. You do need a battery compartment or something though, and the buttons need to fit well. Wheel can come from donor mouse.

Unfortunately they are not. Mouse motherboards are generally shaped like the mouse, i.e. right-handed, and the side buttons are on ribbon cables too short to move to the other side. Impossible to reorient without serious work.

Sounds like someone could buy a bunch of different mice and x-ray them to look for the easiest candidates. Looking for symmetrical-ish electronics, most of all.

Re: A $1k Wheelchair

#315

Post by throwaway346434 »

spaceman_2020 wrote: post #308
TaylorAlexander wrote: post #283

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, bicycles have more demand and volume (presumably), so that would play in to it. But yes, bicycles are a good point of reference.

Why? The comfort level and ergonomics demands are completely different. Bicycles are for a few hours of weekly use. Wheelchairs are for 16 hours of daily use.

Bicycles built for long duration use - people do ride for 16-24 hours straight more than you'd think do exist.

Re: A $1k Wheelchair

#316

Post by Beretta_Vexee »

ninalanyon wrote: post #303

In the UK you can buy a simple wheelchair for 132 GBP: https://www.uk-wheelchairs.co.uk/ugo-essential-self-propelle... And what look like slightly fancier ones for between 300 and 500 GBP: https://www.millercare.co.uk/collections/self-propel-wheelch... A magnesium alloy framed one is only 450 GBP: https://www.mobilitysmart.co.uk/magnelite-self-propelled-whe... So what am I missing?

Same in France (literally the first Google link): https://monfauteuilroulant.com/Fauteuils-Roulants/Fauteuil-r...

It looks like a US specific problem.

Re: A $1k Wheelchair

#317

Post by tim333 »

bradley13 wrote: post #278
fotta wrote: post #16

Custom fit lightweight wheelchairs are expensive. My Ti-Lite (one of the most popular lightweight chair brands) Aero Z starts at $3k and goes up quickly with wheels and backrest and casters and various other options that I need for sitting 16 hours a day without creating more problems. Insurance covers this for me every 5 years, but of course that's not a luxury every one has. Most plans don't cover DME 100%. What Za…

A manual wheelchair is less complex than a bicycle, and I can get a decent bicycle for a few hundred bucks. The fact that basic wheelchairs are crazy expensive has little to do with the chairs and a lot to do with insane bureaucracy.

If you look on ebay there are loads of wheelchairs for sale from about $100-$200 (£80-150 if british). They are mostly made in China and I think work ok - I bought one for £80 to use with my dad and it was fine. But that was for occasional use. I guess if you were to use it all the time you might want something fancier.

Re: A $1k Wheelchair

#319

Post by joelhaasnoot »

throwaway346434 wrote: post #313
bradley13 wrote: post #278

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A manual wheelchair is less complex than a bicycle, and I can get a decent bicycle for a few hundred bucks. The fact that basic wheelchairs are crazy expensive has little to do with the chairs and a lot to do with insane bureaucracy.

You cannot get a custom designed bicycle for your body for a few hundred bucks, particularly from a US manufacturer

How many wheelchairs are actually truely customized? I hear a lot of complaints from wheelchair manufacturers that this isn't really customized

Re: A $1k Wheelchair

#320

Post by zxexz »

throwaway346434 wrote: post #315
spaceman_2020 wrote: post #308

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why? The comfort level and ergonomics demands are completely different. Bicycles are for a few hours of weekly use. Wheelchairs are for 16 hours of daily use.

Bicycles built for long duration use - people do ride for 16-24 hours straight more than you'd think do exist.

How many of them do that every day?

And of those people that do, how much do you think they spend on their bikes?

Post reply on HN