Wheelchair comparison - how little changes make a HUGE difference!

When I first came out of hospital, I bought a brand new Tilite wheelchair. It was great. 4 years later, my wheelchair needed refining. Now I know just what I need. Enter my new Melrose wheelchair - it's set up differently and I thought you’d like to see what I’ve changed for the better.

[@robbrown6667]

I m an above-the-knee amputee and have been using a TiLite chair for 5 years and have learned to hate it! I am getting a new chair in the next few weeks. It is a Veloce from Motion Industries. It is made from Carbon Fiber and addresses all the issues I had with the TiLitechair. I love your videos.

[@freewheelingwithelise9421]

Thanks! I’m sure that Wchair sounds great for you. Make sure you try and find all things you hate about the TiLite and not have it in the plans for the new one. I always make the chair slightly smaller than you think because your body can adjust to having less which can come in handy sometimes. 😁

[@imafridi]

I am also a wheelchair user but never looked at the wheelchair in so much detail. good comparison. your channel subscribed. love to see more videos from you regarding wheelchairs. keep it up

[@freewheelingwithelise9421]

Thanks - appreciate it 😄

[@An1Kum]

Hi . Just to say that I appreciate your videos. They inspired me a lot. Please keep making them. 👍

[@freewheelingwithelise9421]

Great! Thankyou - means a lot ☺️

[@evviolet.]

This is super helpful!

[@JorgeSmitt]

Gracias por transmitir tu experiencia!

[@freewheelingwithelise9421]

Me alegro mucho de que hayas disfrutado del video, ¿tienes alguna solicitud o sugerencia para más videos?

[@rileywilsoncarson2082]

OMG thanks for the video. I loved all the details. I would love to know how you are settling into it? Can you change the caster wheels easily, depending on where you're going? Are you going to dress it up with any colors? Is it easier to transfer into? Thanks again for your videos keep them coming 😊👍

[@freewheelingwithelise9421]

Thanks for asking.......Because of my diffuse spinal damage and complications my nerves are hyper sensitive to any changes, the weather, medications, food, positions......anything really, making wheelchairs one of them! The usual symptoms I would get with my hyper active nerves are usually lots of legs spasms, loss of appetite and incontinence. After two weeks of my new chair, due to the shorter back height my body completely flipped out and only now I am finally seeing the end of it. I am not finding that the back height is causing me any physical issues, but really making twisting and turning much easier.........so much so I have actually gained a little more trunk movement back, yay!

[@user-qe9mh4qc5g]

Can you tell me if the sides of the wheelchair are pushing you or just touching you? That is, do they leave a large gap, little or not at all? I ask this because I am making my order for my wheelchair and I would like to know how wide I can put it.

[@lj8902]

Was wondering what model is the Melrose WC? Is it a custom build or is it similar to mainstreams like Tilite, Quickie, etc? You've mentioned several points about certain components adding weight. With your new configuration minus those other components, how much less does it weigh?

[@freewheelingwithelise9421]

It’s a Melrose Piranha, Melrose is a New Zealand company that sells wheelchairs in NZ, Australia and now USA. It’s equivalent to a Tilite, which is mostly custom. Obviously, there’s different levels of customisation. I guess the model mostly dictates the frame design but all the rest is custom - wheels, casters, sizing, cushion, backrest type etc. The new chair is about 3kg lighter, that makes a huge difference. I don’t think I could get it any lighter without removing brakes or the frog legs which I need. Oh, I could have a fixed backrest height and balance point next time - wasn’t ready for that yet. That would reduce the weight slightly. I have noticed the lighter weight makes a huge difference with propelling and it’ll be so much easier for me to get in and out of my new car.

[@lj8902]

@@freewheelingwithelise9421 @Freewheeling with Elise Oh ok, a NZ make. I must have seen the USA website by default because of where I am, only showed sport configuration WC. I suppose I've never considered the fixed backrest height option, now I should. And true, every little bit helps when propelling when it comes to weight. Learned that briefly trying out a barebones ultralight WC. Difference between gliding on ice and slogging through mud compared to my current configuration. 3kg won't sound like much to an able-bodied person but it most definitely does make a difference. Thanks for sharing. Have a blessed day...

[@jaymarkcalanas501]

I like this wheelchair. I need wheelchair how to order please

[@freewheelingwithelise9421]

My new wheelchair is from Melrose - you can order from Australia, NZ and the USA. Tilite is also a good brand and is similar to Melrose. You just web search Tilite or Melrose and contact your closest supplier. As you know, it’s all about thinking through every part- what type of wheels do you want, brakes, cushion, back height. Cost - do you have funding as these chair cost heaps? My chair was fully funded through NDIS Australia so I had to first apply with an Occupational Therapist for the funding. Ask LOTS of questions, ask to have a look at different casters, different frames, try out different cushions with your OT (if you have one). If you leave these decisions up to the salesman...who knows what you might get! I was offered hand rests, a much higher back, a really wide chair and a heavier frame. Knowing what you want really means that you get a MUCH better chair. If you can get some help from active wheelchair users... all the better.

[@hand-madebya441]

👍👍👍👍

[@EricK-ed2mt]

I have a electric wheelchair I hate it I want to get a manual chair could you recommend a good one for me to look at

[@freewheelingwithelise9421]

Sure, what country do you live in? I would probably recommend either TiLite or Melrose brand because I have had experience with them and they seem really good chairs. If you can, it is always best if the salesman is in a WC too because they will know exactly what you need. My first chair, the salesman was able bodied and got everything wrong.

[@EricK-ed2mt]

@@freewheelingwithelise9421 thanks the US

[@MiguelRodriguez-pd2nu]

La mia no tiene frenos hola ✌

[@freewheelingwithelise9421]

Hello, do you find having not breaks makes transferring easier, or have you got it for the lighter weight?? How do you get on with having no breaks?? Hola, ¿crees que no tener descansos hace que la transferencia sea más fácil, o lo tienes para un peso más liviano? ¿Cómo se las arregla sin descansos?

[@tayyabahsan4807]

Do you have a Instagram ???

[@freewheelingwithelise9421]

No, but I am planning on making a Instagram page to match my videos and maybe have some extra behind the scene stuff. 😁

[@user-qe9mh4qc5g]

Can you tell me if the sides of the wheelchair are pushing you or just touching you? That is, do they leave a large gap, little or not at all? I ask this because I am making my order for my wheelchair and I would like to know how wide I can put it.

[@freewheelingwithelise9421]

Sure thing! :-) So I asked for a minimal gap between the wheel and the side guard/skirt guard. But they can only go so small because the way the breaks are made to have a gap so the fit to the wheel. Otherwise the breaks wont work, so if you are getting breaks on the new chair you are ordering there has to be some sort of a gap. I find the smaller gap the better, there is less stability but you can push so much easier with the wheels being closer to the body. I hope that helps!

[@user-qe9mh4qc5g]

Can you tell me if the sides of the wheelchair are pushing you or just touching you? That is, do they leave a large gap, little or not at all? I ask this because I am making my order for my wheelchair and I would like to know how wide I can put it.

[@dynamics]

Curious about this too. Thank you!

[@freewheelingwithelise9421]

I like to have a little gap, because it makes easier to swivel the chair with just my hips. Plus it’s lighter and makes fitting through doors and lifting into a car easier, I hope that helps 😄