ON WHEELCHAIRS

Jan 195 min read

Getting Started in Making a DIY Wheelchair - Erik Kondo

I have been getting a lot of requests from people interested in making a DIY wooden wheelchair. While I have detailed CAD plans and...

Dec 11, 20242 min read

Wheelchair First Aid - Erik Kondo

#WheelchairFirstAid As a long time wheelchair user, I am constantly encountering people whose manual wheelchairs have broken down in...

Dec 11, 20242 min read

Over-Treading a Plastic Wheelchair Wheel - Erik Kondo

Before/After Over-Treading I recently wrote about the widespread problem of the cheap injection molded plastic wheelchair wheels. The...

Dec 10, 20243 min read

The Plastic Wheelchair Wheel is a Cheap Flip Flop – Erik Kondo

Plastic Wheelchair Wheels are the Flip Flips of Assistive Technology. The commonly used 24"x1” (injection molded) polyurethane wheelchair...

Dec 4, 20243 min read

The DIY Foot Swing Platform - Erik Kondo

One common problem created by hospital style wheelchairs is unsupported feet and legs. This problem is the direct result of the use of...

Dec 1, 20243 min read

Isn’t Any Wheelchair Better than No Wheelchair at All? - Erik Kondo

I spend a lot of time talking and writing about the deficiencies of hospital (Fast-Food) style wheelchairs. I am sure there are many that...

Nov 24, 20246 min read

"Frankensteining" Your Hospital Wheelchair (aka Pimp My Ride) – Erik Kondo

Frankenstein sitting in a Hospital Wheelchair Almost everyone who uses a hospital wheelchair as their primary form of mobility is hugely...

Nov 21, 20245 min read

Wheelchair Wheels, Part III: Off-Road Wheels - Erik Kondo

Making Sense of Wheelchair Wheels: Part I Wheelchair Wheels: Part II When it comes to navigating terrain in a wheelchair, there are few...

Nov 15, 20243 min read

Wheelchair Profiteering, Part VIII: Wheelchair Design and the “Weakest Link” - Erik Kondo

A bicycle with a high quality frame could last decades with regular replacement of components. On the other hand, manual wheelchairs are...

Nov 15, 20243 min read

Wheelchair Designs: Proprietary Integrated vs. Aftermarket Modular - Erik Kondo

There are two fundamentally different ways you can design a wheelchair. A. PROPRIERTY INTEGRATED DESIGN : You can design and build the...

Oct 29, 20242 min read

Lessons in Wheelchair Profiteering: The Subscription Based Business Model - Erik Kondo

When you build a wheelchair, there are two opposite approaches you can take. Make the wheelchair as easy to repair and replace parts as...

Oct 8, 20244 min read

Is the High Cost of Wheelchairs Only Due to the Economics of “Economy of Scale”? – Erik Kondo

The Legacy Wheelchair Industry has successfully convinced much of society that their pricing structure is simply the reality of the...

Sep 21, 20243 min read

Understanding the Difference Between Robust and Resilient Wheelchairs, and Why it Matters - Erik Kondo

Wheelchairs that are sturdy and don’t break easily are Robust. Wheelchairs that are easy and affordable to repair are Resilient....

Sep 21, 20242 min read

Why Are Low Cost and Functional Manual Wheelchairs NOT Widely Available? - Erik Kondo

If we are to believe the marketing of the Legacy Wheelchair Industry, there can be only two types of manual wheelchairs, either very...

Sep 16, 20245 min read

Wheelchair Wheels, Part II - Erik Kondo

Making Sense of Wheelchair Wheels, Part I Wheelchair Wheels, Part III: Off-Road Wheels Wheelchair wheels and tires are one of the most...

Sep 12, 20243 min read

Why Are Wheelchairs So Expensive? - Erik Kondo

Active manual wheelchairs in high income countries typically cost between $5,000 and $10,000+. This is a lot of money. Therefore, many...

Aug 15, 20243 min read

Going to “The Beach” as a Wheelchair User – Erik Kondo

Ah, there is nothing like a relaxing day at The Beach. Well, that is if you can walk without difficultly. For wheelchair users, going to...

Jun 22, 20243 min read

On Using Abled-Bodied Subjects in Wheelchair Propulsion Research – Erik Kondo

If you can walk in typical fashion, I would like you to imagine what it would be like to walk without having control of your trunk...

Jun 17, 20243 min read

Inappropriate Assistive Technology Disease (IATD) – Erik Kondo

We are all familiar with the stories of the amazing things that assistive technology (AT) enables people with disabilities to do. What is...

Apr 24, 20244 min read

DIY Urban Trike Wheel - Erik Kondo

There are a number of detachable trike wheels available to purchase for active wheelchairs. These devices typically cost about $600 or...