One of the key components of every mobility scooter are tyres, solid or air ones. Today in our blog we will discern differences between those two options. This should provide a handy guide for all customers, who wonder which kind of tyres are the best ones.
Making a decision to buy a mobility scooter, the choice between air and solid tyres should mostly depend on your intended use and you as the user. Most brands support only one type of tyres, and at Velobike we do not sell solid tyres for good reason.
However, do not worry, as the wheels in our models are standard size ones. This means that solid tyres can be bought by you somewhere online and any workshop can fit those without trouble. The question is, would they suit your needs?
Which type of tyres are best for mobility scooters?
Unfortunately the choice isn’t easy to make, as there are numerous aspects which you should first take into account:
The quality of the ride – In case of pneumatic tyres, which offer much better shock absorption, air tyres ensure smoother ride. On bumpy roads, solid tyres can make your ride highly uncomfortable.
Durability – There is no doubt that solid tyres seem to be more durable than air ones, because lesser external variables can affect them. They cannot be under or over inflated and the risk of puncture is minimalized.
Combined weight of scooter and its user – In case of heavy scooter combined with the weight of the user, solid tyres longevity might be vastly shortened due to weight impact. Were you to drive on uneven roads, there would be no amortization for the impact unlike in case of air tyres.
Terrain which the user travels on – As can be deduced from earlier points, terrain is often the major factor which influences the longevity of tyres. A gravel surface where there might be glass would definitely make solid tyres better suited for the job. In case of other terrain types though, air tyres would be a much better choice for you.
Price – Air tyres are definitely cheaper and in case of their malfunction, it is much easier to fix them. Fixing a damaged solid tyre would cost you more and often its longevity isn’t much bigger than that of an air one.
What are the consequences of picking the wrong type of tyre?
Imagine a situation, in which you pick solid tyres, deciding they will serve you longer. If the road was bumpy and uneven, the ride would not be smooth for you. At first tremors like that might be something acceptable for you, however, it could cause more problems later on!
While it might not be visible to naked eye, all the electronic cables, lightbulbs, battery and other mechanical parts would be forced to withstand continuous shock. This might cause cables to shift, sometimes unplug from important places or even damage electronics. The end result would be the vehicle shutting down in the middle of travel.
Not only that, your own body might also be enduring similar strain on the way, and as mobility scooter providers who want our users to stay safe, we would never accept that. As you imagine, this is one of the reasons we do not sell solid mobility scooter tyres in our offer. Air tyres are simply healthier to use.
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