14 ms·

Not a Wheelchair [video]

354 points by priyanmuthu 6y ago

loraa 6y ago
Time to break my spine.
mdasen 6y ago
I think e-bike technology is going to get adapted to all sorts of new uses like this. I think there's a lot of opportunity to create great vehicles for people that will offer a good accessibility. https://rootedinrights.org/video/disabled-bikers/ https://rootedinrights.org/video/disabled-bikers/ This video shows bikers of many different abilities using many different kinds of bikes and it shows how versatile bikes can be for different people. I'm kinda curious why it's a quad-wheel system rather than a tricycle. At 2:28 in the video I linked, there's someone paralyzed that uses a tricycle to go off-roading (two wheels in the front, one in back with a hub motor). I'm not saying there isn't a reason for the 4-wheeled system, I'm just wondering what if offers.
- pkulak 6y ago
  Far more stability, right? I assumed that's why 3-wheel ATVs are banned pretty much everywhere.
  - undersuit 6y ago
    Having the front be single wheeled leads to the a lot of instability because turns change your center of gravity. I just bought a recumbent bike and I had to search extensively to find a nice two-wheeler because the 2 front wheel 3-wheelers are quite popular, just like the motorcycle equivalent. Most bikes and motorcycles with three wheels have the same steering linkage you'd find in a car.
    - abrowne 6y ago
      > Having the front be single wheeled leads to the a lot of instability because turns change your center of gravity. Cue Mr Bean and a Reliant Robin: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=mr+bean+reliant+robin&iax=videos&ia=videos https://duckduckgo.com/?q=mr+bean+reliant+robin&iax=videos&i...
    - jacquesm 6y ago
      Be very careful with two wheel recumbents, I've got half an Ikea's worth of steel bits in my right leg on account of one. The danger is in when your foot slips off the pedal even for a moment and hits the pavement on the downstroke, you'll brake with just that one foot and it is a feed-forward mechanism that you can not break out of. Nasty, to put it mildly. If I had foreseen that particular failure mode I'd have either foregone the bike entirely or I would have placed something underneath the cranks to catch my feet should I ever go there. The lower the bike the higher the risk of this happening.
      - undersuit 6y ago
        Thanks for the advice! I've picked up a tall one, and I'm definitely going to keep your story in mind when choosing my clipless pedals to hopefully minimize that risk.
        jacquesm 6y ago
        Mine was a Zephyr low racer. http://users.skynet.be/ligfiets/phC1/Lrpiste/zephyrrace1.jpg http://users.skynet.be/ligfiets/phC1/Lrpiste/zephyrrace1.jpg
  - ansible 6y ago
    > Far more stability, right? I assumed that's why 3-wheel ATVs are banned pretty much everywhere. Those were single-wheel in front, two wheels in back. I guy from my high-school rolled one and broke his wrist, back in the day.
- dmux 6y ago
  That was a really heartwarming video. I'm guessing that The Rig has four wheels in order to support carrying things (they mentioned in the video being able to strap a chair or coolers to the back).
- wing-_-nuts 6y ago
  I have cp, and used to have a trike. I loved that thing to bits, but I'd never use it in the city. Way to wide for bike lanes and riding it on the sidewalk is illegal. Also, lets be real, this assumes side walks and bike lanes are even available.
- zip1234 6y ago
  It is an exciting time for sure. E-bike technology could change the world massively for the better.
- fastball 6y ago
  Seems like they wanted to leave the back for carrying loads, which you can't do as a trike.
- jseutter 6y ago
  regarding 3 wheels vs 4, I see 4 wheels having some advantages. If you picked a tricycle configuration you'd want two wheels up front and one wheel in the back for stability. If you have steering and drive in the front, you have a more complex system that doesn't get good traction going up steep hills. If you put drive up front and steering in the back you lose good handling at speed. If you put steering up front and drive in the back, you only have one wheel drive. From growing up on a farm, tractors with tricycle gear in the front don't work as well in the snow, and I'm not certain why this is. I think it's because you have to break three paths through the snow rather than two. In addition, a four wheel setup in snow tends to go in a straight line. If you get tricycle gear stuck in a rut, you're going sideways and it can be difficult to maintain a straight line.
hammock 6y ago
They make rugged electric wheelchairs that sit on cat tracks. Would like to hear the pros/cons of this vs that?
- hanniabu 6y ago
  Without having seen or used one, I would assume they're not as fast, not as smooth, more expensive, more difficult to repair, heavier, and potentially bulkier.
  - easytiger 6y ago
    Top gear did a thing on it https://youtu.be/ejkmQffNYjk https://youtu.be/ejkmQffNYjk
- eagsalazar2 6y ago
  If they use treads, they probably also have more traction on slippery surfaces. Having spent a lot of my life on snow, watching her go up that snowy slope made me cringe. I get she was with her husband and they recommended the buddy system, but I definitely would expect that thing doesn't just get stuck on soft snow/sand but also easily slides on harder snow and ice. Of course regular wheelchairs don't do any of that, still think this product is completely amazing. However if you lived somewhere where you were exposed to snow/ice a lot, one of the more expensive treaded options might be the right call for getting around in daily life.
seanalltogether 6y ago
The drivetrain and steering assembly have definitely been designed to make it cheaper to build and easier to maintain which I think is a good thing. I wonder how much more expensive and complicated it becomes to have 4WD.
- hanniabu 6y ago
  My guess is that accounts for about 30% of the costs.
  - neogodless 6y ago
    The existing Rig is $4750 USD and is rear-wheel-drive only. Are you saying it would cost 30% more to make it 4WD?
    - Someone1234 6y ago
      Given that the electric monitor is in-line, and there's no gearing or shaft, I mean is that such a stretch? The easiest way to make it 4WD would be a second electric motor, which could easily be 30%.
      - shoes_for_thee 6y ago
        The motor does appear to drive the rear with a chain drive https://notawheelchair.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/20200129_14120256.jpg https://notawheelchair.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/202001... Not sure what a good way to run power to the front of it would be esp given the steering system and two front axels
      - Someone 6y ago
        Driving the front wheels is more complicated because the front axis is used for steering (it might be easier to go for two motors there, and, if you go there, 4 identical motors might be the better choice for maintenance/repairability). I think you also would need to guarantee that both engines are aiming for (about) the same speed, even in corners or when tire pressure changes. That might require something technically similar to ABS. Also, does this have a differential on the back axis? I couldn’t spot it, but that may be because I don’t know what they can look like on these relatively low-powered devices.
damenleeturks 6y ago
Yay for Utah (and accessibility)! I can practically see my house in some of those shots.
Abishek_Muthian 6y ago
I highly recommend subscribing JerryRigEverything channel. The host's (zack) primary content is dismantling smartphones at same time reviewing it's features fairly. I had unsubscribed to every other smartphone review channel as I'm not going to change my smartphone every other day and at the same time I want to keep myself apprised of the developments in smartphone hardware; JRE serves me perfectly for that.
- throw7 6y ago
  He got very political some years ago (trump/clinton stuff) and I unsubscribed.
  - me_me_me 6y ago
    what? I occasionally watch his videos. The only thing political i heard him say was about rights to repair, apple fighting repeatability, or small rants how apple designs for anti repairs.
    - sebazzz 6y ago
      He approaches things with humor and uses the current news. For instance in one of his smartphone videos "And this phone has a xyz mAh battery, and also if you look close you can read Jeffrey Epstein didn't kill himself." This is without taking a stand in the matter - which is good.
  - jcims 6y ago
    Does Facebook have a patent on their snooze feature? It would be a nice addition to YouTube and Twitter.
    - Abishek_Muthian 6y ago
      There was a discussion in my problem validation platform regarding 'saving offer notifications'[1] for later use. If that is implemented, perhaps we could have snooze feature for any notification on it. [1]https://needgap.com/problems/77-saving-offer-notifications-on-smartphone-notification-offer https://needgap.com/problems/77-saving-offer-notifications-o...
woriuweflksdncn 6y ago
I wonder how those rear wheels handle corners. I'm a little surprised they didn't use two independent drive motors, versus a single motor and solid axle, which could be extended to implement an electronic differential.
- kube-system 6y ago
  Probably just fine. It seems they intend this mostly for use on soft surfaces, where the lack of a differential isn't really an issue, even on large vehicles, because the surface itself is compliant enough to make up for the lack of differential action. But even on a hard surface it might work just fine, because the turning radius looks pretty shallow. The advantage is that a solid axle is simple, cheap, reliable, and performs well in low-traction situations.
  - woriuweflksdncn 6y ago
    I mostly agree about the advantages, but two motors would be arguably simpler from a mechanical standpoint.
    - ansible 6y ago
      Yes, I might have gone for two smaller hub motors, rather than a solid rear axle. But maybe they tried that too.
    - kube-system 6y ago
      Then you have two motors instead of one, and either need an ESC that handles two motors or an additional ESC, and then electronics/software to make sure they work in tandem.
      - woriuweflksdncn 6y ago
        Yes, I agree. I was careful to say from a mechanical standpoint.
    - jacquesm 6y ago
Markoff 6y ago
4750USD doesn't sound extremely affordable for battery only up to 10 miles at best, so less than 5 miles one direction under ideal conditions. I dunno, I would expect at least better range from 4 wheels, simple body, suspension and electric enegine worth 4.8K. this seem like something worth max. half of the price they sell it for I fail to see benefit compared to ATV - I just checked some shops and you can buy brand new gasoline ATV for like 3000USD, electric ATV around 5000USD. ATV will be faster, cheaper and have better range than this
- a-wu 6y ago
  An ATV doesn’t provide the trunk support that most wheelchair users need.
  - manquer 6y ago
    Will modifying an ATV to give trunk support not be cheaper ? it won’t be as portable though
    - a-wu 6y ago
      I suppose so. I think that an ATV’s saddle style seating is less stable in general though. I’ve never ridden an ATV but it seems to me like a lot of the time rider stability is derived from the feet being planted and the quads and glutes being able to hold onto the saddle, which for paralyzed users is unlikely. In this vehicle it has an actual seat so the butt stays planted and provides the side-to-side stability.
- shoes_for_thee 6y ago
  ATV weighs 400 lbs and doesn't use off-the-shelf bicycle components. This is basically a recumbent four-wheel electric light-duty fatbike. It's a niche and I think it's cool. One could just as easily compare an electric bike to a honda ruckus.
- zip1234 6y ago
  ATVs are loud and often require use of legs to ride properly.
a-wu 6y ago
I think the biggest impact of this is the price. There are other similar products out there (Bowhead and Outrider come to mind), but those are really expensive. In a world where mobility product prices are through the roof (my power wheelchair costs north of $50k), selling something like this for under $5k is quite incredible.
- ravedave5 6y ago
  It's because it's not a wheelchair, so it doesn't need to meet the regulatory standards, nor does the insurance middleman pricing kick in.
  - a-wu 6y ago
    Sure but neither do the Bowhead or Outrider vehicles I mentioned. The cheapest Outrider starts at $10k and Bowhead doesn’t even mention base pricing on their site, so a 50% reduction in cost is still really good. Although I will say that I’ve tried an Outrider and those vehicles are way more complex. Edit: Actually I checked again and Outrider has a semi-off-road vehicle for $5k now which is pretty cool.
  - Someone1234 6y ago
    And one might argue, it isn't a usable product without assistance. Per the video, she couldn't even lower the handle without him to exit, and it certainly isn't getting in/out of even wheelchair converted vehicles by itself. Not to mention electrical power (Vs. gas in the competition) definitely could result in the user being stranded, even if it has a power-usage monitor (given how environmental factors can impact non-air conditioned batteries).
    - a-wu 6y ago
      I mean, speaking for myself mainly here, but I wouldn’t really feel comfortable in _any_ off-road situation without a buddy with me. And most of my friends who handcycle regularly generally always have someone with them. But then again I don’t want to exclude the population who are capable of doing this independently.
beefman 6y ago
Compare to Swincar https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3lTz7OIPp7fscYDhig3Qyw/videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3lTz7OIPp7fscYDhig3Qyw/vid...
- Someone1234 6y ago
  I like how the Swincar has a roll-cage. Even if the "Not a wheelchair" has a lower speed, and less off-road capabilities than the Swincar, it still seems like roll protection could be a useful safety system. I guess they're relying on the light[er] weight?
  - VBprogrammer 6y ago
    Your comment reminded me of a motorcycle racer I knew who was paralyzed from the waist down. He had a few funny stories about coming off his bike and having his legs broken and bent like a pretzel. The track martials would come over and just about faint at the sight of it, he often had to calm them down. He'd get looked over by the medics and drive himself to the hospital to get a cast put on.
    - a_t48 6y ago
      That really can't be healthy for him, can it??
      - VBprogrammer 6y ago
        It's not something you should do deliberately for sure. Because he wasn't able to move his body weight on the bike the bike had to lean even further than any other rider so he was often very close to the edge. He also always had to start from the back because he had to have people to launch him.
  - zip1234 6y ago
    They might be able to sell a roll cage as an add-on. Probably most people won't need that but might be good for some. It looks like the frame would be simple to mount to.
Zenbit_UX 6y ago
Can anyone point me in a good direction to start making something like this myself? I've dabbled with arduinos but never really large electric motors and battery packs. I think it would be a lot of fun to make myself an ebike or whatever this thing is.
- canada_dry 6y ago
  Here's a couple similar components I used to build an e-bike. Get at least a 1500W hub motor [i] and a high capacity battery pack [ii]. [i] https://www.amazon.com/JJBOOM-1000W-Electric-Bicycle-Conversion/dp/B07WJ1GGVJ https://www.amazon.com/JJBOOM-1000W-Electric-Bicycle-Convers... [ii] https://calibike.com/product/lithium-ion-72v18ah-ultra-light-battery-pack/ https://calibike.com/product/lithium-ion-72v18ah-ultra-light...
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- imglorp 6y ago
  If I were doing this, and it looks like a load of fun anyway, I'd start with go-kart frame designed for a lawnmower engine. You'd get a roll cage, 5 point seatbelt, brakes, hand controls for throttle. Just add batteries, electric motor, and electronics. Like this one: http://wesellit.ca/m/image/catalog/products/gokart200cc-rollbar/gokart-200cc.png http://wesellit.ca/m/image/catalog/products/gokart200cc-roll...
- Fabricio20 6y ago
  You might find some inspiration in Tom Stanton's [0] videos, he made his own e-bike and documented the upgrade cycles since v1. Just recently he made a summary video about how to start making your own e-bike. [0]: https://www.youtube.com/user/tomstanton282 https://www.youtube.com/user/tomstanton282
- GordonS 6y ago
  If you actually do this, I'd love to read a blog about it!
- 6y ago
burlesona 6y ago
There is such a proliferation of new small electric vehicles like this. Is there a comprehensive catalog or list of manufacturers anywhere?
bborud 6y ago
Solid rear axle? DRIFT MACHINE! :-)
codekansas 6y ago
Reminds me of this passage from Cory Doctorow's book Walkaway: "You realize that they're exactly right," Sita said. She smiled, stopped. "You know, when the first walkaway prostheses project started, most of the people contributing had lost an arm or a leg in Belarus or Oman, and were tired of paying loan sharks for something that hurt and barely worked and could be remotely repossessed by an over-the-air kill-switch if they missed a payment. But once they got here and started living, realized how much had been left on the table by conservative companies that didn't want to get into a patent fight and didn't see any reason to add advanced functionality to something that you didn't have any choice about, they got radicalized. "They stopped saying 'I just want to make an arm that'll get through the day,' and started saying 'I want an arm that does everything my old arm did.' From there, it was a short step to 'I want an arm that's better than my old arm.' And from there, it was an even shorter step to 'I want an arm that's so outrageously awesome that you'll cut off your own to get one.'
- black_puppydog 6y ago
  Gosh I really love-hate that book. It comes up over and over and over again despite what I consider shoddy writing. It's a bit of a blueprint for how to make the best of a foreseeably shitty future.
  - jasim 6y ago
    My feelings as well. But this one sentence made the book worth it - it is a commonplace thought that should've occurred to most others, but anyway was a clearer articulation than whatever I'd had: "I'm suspicious of any plan to fix unfairness that starts with 'step one, dismantle the entire system and replace it with a better one,' especially if you can't do anything else until step one is done. Of all the ways that people kid themselves into doing nothing, that one is the most self-serving."
    - donw 6y ago
      Love that quote. I think why so many people want to "dismantle the system" is exactly the same reason that less-experienced engineers push for rewrites: it seems easier to build a good system from scratch, than it does to build the skills required to refactor what you already have into what you need. (Not to mention, the skills to understand what you actually need!) Because, more often than not, it turns out that the old system had evolved to deal with a crazy number of edge-cases that were, in fact, really, really important. Also, and connected: there seems to be this odd zeitgeist of "make other people solve things". Like, most of us think homelessness is bad, and most of us want to help the homeless, but how few people actually directly invest their own money -- which I would argue is more important than donating time -- towards actually solving that problem? If I lived in the US, I'd be half-tempted to do a YouTube series where all I do is run around, ask people what they think the biggest problem is in society, and then ask them how much money they've spent to help fix it. Might be interesting, especially if I could do so with a curated list of charities (e.g., ones that don't just pocket the money for nefarious purposes)...
freeopinion 6y ago
Quibble: "Stay safe, wear a helmet", in a video full of action with no helmets. I like the product, though. Seems like good people trying to do a good thing.
mrfusion 6y ago
Did he say there’s no differential? Solid read axle? That could be hard to turn on non dirt surfaces?
- lmilcin 6y ago
  He said so and it does seem to have solid axle and it only shows it driving on dirt and grass. One way to solve it would be to have only single wheel powered. If you get that one powered wheel lifted you could shift your weight to tip entire vehicle (assuming you took care to load it evenly).
  - TylerE 6y ago
    Or just use a limited slip diff. Allows some slip for cornering, but only, well, a LIMITED amount you don't end up with one wheel in the air spinning like mad and the one with traction not moving at all.
- jacquesm 6y ago
  At those speeds and slip of the narrow wheels that's manageable. With a lot of weight on it it would be more problematic. At least now when on slippery surfaces you have some traction, a limited slip differential would be tricky to make cheaply and would consume quite a bit of energy. A normal diff would cause you to get stuck very quickly.
mrfusion 6y ago
Any idea how to start building and selling this kind of stuff? It’s my dream job. But I’m not charismatic enough to make videos.
lmilcin 6y ago
Shows simple is sometimes most effective. While a device with bunch of features would be better, most people with disability don't need features, they need something reliable to move around that doesn't require huge fortune to keep running. From what I see this thing is so simple nobody will have trouble repairing it with regular tools and off the shelf parts so most people will be able ask family member to get it repaired.
tsumnia 6y ago
Most of the comments have criticized the price point for what you are getting; however, I would say this looks like a great quality of life tool for disabled individuals. If you are wheelchair bound, there are a number of terrains that a traditional wheelchair will not operate on. They even point this out with their rig on beach sand. There are designs that handle sandy terrain [1], but they would not work well on other surfaces. Without knowing much about the couple's relationship, I would say they are trying to create a design that allows for other outdoor terrains, such as a dirt road. If you imagine a traditional wheelchair design, the subtle bumps and dips on a dirt road would make it taxing for the rider or anyone assisting them. Jerry's Rig tries to mitigate those issues to offer a quality of life improvement so that wheelchair bound outdoorsy people can still be outdoorsy people. Like codekansas said, people can very quickly scope creep into making an all together badass arm when all the person wants is something to get them through the day. [1] https://www.sandriderusa.com/product/sand-rider/ https://www.sandriderusa.com/product/sand-rider/
- black_puppydog 6y ago
  The price point for the beach wheelchair you linked is $2,440.00. That's about half the price of this rig, and it does not get you to the beach. You need to have (and park/stash?) another wheelchair for that. Oh and you have to have someone push you. By the way, I read @codekansas' comment [1] not as a warning about feature creep, but as a comment on the inertia in the medical industry (emphasis on "industry") versus just a few enthusiasts who don't feel bound by patents, conventions and markets, and simply want to build something to improve their lives. [1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23703179 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23703179
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- JshWright 6y ago
  > Jerry's Rig His name is Zach...
voldacar 6y ago
Was hoping there would be blueprints. Still really cool though
cmuguythrow 6y ago
My friend has a trackchair, which is basically a wheelchair with tank tracks. Slower than these bike-style chairs but very off-road capable. The coolest one I've seen is from Ziesel - their track-style chair can go 20MPH! http://actiontrackchair.com/ http://actiontrackchair.com/ https://www.ziesel-adventures.com/welcome/models https://www.ziesel-adventures.com/welcome/models
- mdorazio 6y ago
  They are very cool, but the Ziesel starts at about $25,000... Not exactly comparable to this budget level machine.
lootsauce 6y ago
One trick with regular vehicles to better handle sand is to lower the tire pressure. I'm curious how well you could do on sand with bike tires using lower pressure?
- jacquesm 6y ago
  But you'll run more flats with bike wheels because of how the inner tube will pull on the valve. For tubeless that's not an issue.
tobyhinloopen 6y ago
I bet it scratches at a level 6 with deeper grooves at a level 7
theqult 6y ago
Something that is not a wheelchair is the Genny. I used to work there in IT Dep. many years ago and still i think is the only real useful application of a Segway. And the best part it doesnt't look like a fucking wheelchair, when i was trying it many people stopped me and ask if they could try it. luckly for me, I'm not paraplegic so they had a ride. The only const: Is not that cheap, 20K Euro. But if don't live in a retarded country (yes US, I'm talking about you) the biggest part is on the state https://www.gennymobility.com/int/products.html https://www.gennymobility.com/int/products.html
- djrogers 6y ago
  > if don't live in a retarded country Probably not the best terminology to use on a post about people with disabilities.
  - theqult 6y ago
    Probably the pickiest comment i ever received
  - SquidLord 6y ago
    > Probably not the best terminology to use on a post about people with disabilities. You've obviously never hung around with people with disabilities. "Political correctness" is not exactly their/our long suit. One of my favorite experiences was watching a group of people with learning disabilities call each other "retard" and crack up every time. Don't even get me started about Deaf people and the jokes they make about people that can hear when they think you're not watching.
jacquesm 6y ago
They're going to sell very large numbers of these. In the same week that the SegWay is EOL'd this comes out. If 'It' had been this it would have been a damn sight more impressive. Great work, great people.
paulkrush 6y ago
In the past I have looked for 4 wheel e-bike fat tire builds to find very little. This rig is in the middle of a kids barbie jeep & adult snow machine and smoother & quieter than both.
komuW 6y ago
there's a Kenyan guy[1] who makes electric wheeelchairs out of recycle laptop batteries. and it has some nice off-road capabilities. I can't find his website but he appears to be active on instagram[2] 1. https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-africa-49528426/kenyan-innovator-converting-trash-into-electric-wheelchairs https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-africa-49528426/kenyan-inn... 2. https://www.instagram.com/linccelltechnology/ https://www.instagram.com/linccelltechnology/
ChrisMarshallNY 6y ago
It's pretty cool. Good medical equipment is always going to be expensive. Mist disabled folks won't be able to afford this, and, of the ones that can, they may not want or need them. That doesn't mean they shouldn't make them, but they probably won't get rich on them. If anyone watched the Apple keynote, one of the sessions was introduced by Meg Frost, who rides the most badass wheelchair I've seen: https://youtu.be/GEZhD3J89ZE?t=1299 https://youtu.be/GEZhD3J89ZE?t=1299
danellis 6y ago
Off-topic, but 3 minutes in... so beautiful.
exabrial 6y ago
I'm actually shocked how _little_ that costs. The price for a nice entry-level Carbon Frame XCO Race bike is right around $4k. Most eMTB fall into that price bracket. That's a good deal
dmclamb 6y ago
I want this. I have MS and miss hiking so very much.
paulpauper 6y ago
all they did was modify an ATV to have a wheelchair-like seat and bike wheels. The reason why wheelchairs look they way they do is so they can be accommodated in indoor environments and fit through doorways or on a bus or folded and stowed away. It is pretty cool though and I can see a disabled person finding this useful but I don't see it as a substitute for a wheelchair either.
danial 6y ago
For those of you who haven't followed the story and seen the original reveal video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3_mVryqXpU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3_mVryqXpU Shut up, I'm not crying. You're crying!
not_the_fda 6y ago
I know he's trying to be cheeky by saying its "not a wheel chair" to get around FDA regulation, but that's not how it works. Its clearly being marketed to disabled people as a mobility device, which makes it a wheelchair, and makes it a class II medical device that must have design controls. He's in for a rude awakening by a visit from the FDA.
marshray 6y ago
Looks really cool. But I have to admit, I saw "not a wheelchair" and was a little disappointed that it wasn't a strandbeest chair.
jonah 6y ago
Super rad. Anything to help people go places they otherwise wouldn't be able to. That being said, I'm kinda more partial to the adaptive mountain bikes like the Sport-ONs[1]. Two wheels in front, one powered wheel in back, and a more "aggressive", sporty posture for the rider. Clearly a different market and twice the price as the Rig. It seems to me that the Rig could be a lot more comfortable and competent with some changes. Jeremy P. McGhee[2] seems to be a reseller and booster of them. Here's a video of him and another guy riding them along with a friend of mine (the guy on 2 wheels). The Rig with it's capability for cargo, reminds me of an industrial bike like a Worksman[4]. [1] https://adaptivemountainbikes.com/ https://adaptivemountainbikes.com/ [2] https://www.facebook.com/jer.mcgoo https://www.facebook.com/jer.mcgoo [3] https://youtu.be/-IIQbD0hwto https://youtu.be/-IIQbD0hwto [4] https://www.worksmancycles.com https://www.worksmancycles.com
jlbang 6y ago
Is no one going to comment about how it looks and sounds like their voices were overdubbed by professionals? It just doesn't sound natural _at all_. I know it's not actually overdubbed, but it's so smooth, the inflection is perfect... it's freaking me out.

354 points by priyanmuthu 6y ago

Time to break my spine.

I think e-bike technology is going to get adapted to all sorts of new uses like this. I think there's a lot of opportunity to create great vehicles for people that will offer a good accessibility. https://rootedinrights.org/video/disabled-bikers/ https://rootedinrights.org/video/disabled-bikers/ This video shows bikers of many different abilities using many different kinds of bikes and it shows how versatile bikes can be for different people. I'm kinda curious why it's a quad-wheel system rather than a tricycle. At 2:28 in the video I linked, there's someone paralyzed that uses a tricycle to go off-roading (two wheels in the front, one in back with a hub motor). I'm not saying there isn't a reason for the 4-wheeled system, I'm just wondering what if offers.

pkulak 6y ago
Far more stability, right? I assumed that's why 3-wheel ATVs are banned pretty much everywhere.
- undersuit 6y ago
  Having the front be single wheeled leads to the a lot of instability because turns change your center of gravity. I just bought a recumbent bike and I had to search extensively to find a nice two-wheeler because the 2 front wheel 3-wheelers are quite popular, just like the motorcycle equivalent. Most bikes and motorcycles with three wheels have the same steering linkage you'd find in a car.
  - abrowne 6y ago
    > Having the front be single wheeled leads to the a lot of instability because turns change your center of gravity. Cue Mr Bean and a Reliant Robin: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=mr+bean+reliant+robin&iax=videos&ia=videos https://duckduckgo.com/?q=mr+bean+reliant+robin&iax=videos&i...
  - jacquesm 6y ago
    Be very careful with two wheel recumbents, I've got half an Ikea's worth of steel bits in my right leg on account of one. The danger is in when your foot slips off the pedal even for a moment and hits the pavement on the downstroke, you'll brake with just that one foot and it is a feed-forward mechanism that you can not break out of. Nasty, to put it mildly. If I had foreseen that particular failure mode I'd have either foregone the bike entirely or I would have placed something underneath the cranks to catch my feet should I ever go there. The lower the bike the higher the risk of this happening.
    - undersuit 6y ago
      Thanks for the advice! I've picked up a tall one, and I'm definitely going to keep your story in mind when choosing my clipless pedals to hopefully minimize that risk.
      - jacquesm 6y ago
        Mine was a Zephyr low racer. http://users.skynet.be/ligfiets/phC1/Lrpiste/zephyrrace1.jpg http://users.skynet.be/ligfiets/phC1/Lrpiste/zephyrrace1.jpg
- ansible 6y ago
  > Far more stability, right? I assumed that's why 3-wheel ATVs are banned pretty much everywhere. Those were single-wheel in front, two wheels in back. I guy from my high-school rolled one and broke his wrist, back in the day.
dmux 6y ago
That was a really heartwarming video. I'm guessing that The Rig has four wheels in order to support carrying things (they mentioned in the video being able to strap a chair or coolers to the back).
wing-_-nuts 6y ago
I have cp, and used to have a trike. I loved that thing to bits, but I'd never use it in the city. Way to wide for bike lanes and riding it on the sidewalk is illegal. Also, lets be real, this assumes side walks and bike lanes are even available.
zip1234 6y ago
It is an exciting time for sure. E-bike technology could change the world massively for the better.
fastball 6y ago
Seems like they wanted to leave the back for carrying loads, which you can't do as a trike.
jseutter 6y ago
regarding 3 wheels vs 4, I see 4 wheels having some advantages. If you picked a tricycle configuration you'd want two wheels up front and one wheel in the back for stability. If you have steering and drive in the front, you have a more complex system that doesn't get good traction going up steep hills. If you put drive up front and steering in the back you lose good handling at speed. If you put steering up front and drive in the back, you only have one wheel drive. From growing up on a farm, tractors with tricycle gear in the front don't work as well in the snow, and I'm not certain why this is. I think it's because you have to break three paths through the snow rather than two. In addition, a four wheel setup in snow tends to go in a straight line. If you get tricycle gear stuck in a rut, you're going sideways and it can be difficult to maintain a straight line.

hammock 6y ago

They make rugged electric wheelchairs that sit on cat tracks. Would like to hear the pros/cons of this vs that?

hanniabu 6y ago
Without having seen or used one, I would assume they're not as fast, not as smooth, more expensive, more difficult to repair, heavier, and potentially bulkier.
- easytiger 6y ago
  Top gear did a thing on it https://youtu.be/ejkmQffNYjk https://youtu.be/ejkmQffNYjk
eagsalazar2 6y ago
If they use treads, they probably also have more traction on slippery surfaces. Having spent a lot of my life on snow, watching her go up that snowy slope made me cringe. I get she was with her husband and they recommended the buddy system, but I definitely would expect that thing doesn't just get stuck on soft snow/sand but also easily slides on harder snow and ice. Of course regular wheelchairs don't do any of that, still think this product is completely amazing. However if you lived somewhere where you were exposed to snow/ice a lot, one of the more expensive treaded options might be the right call for getting around in daily life.

seanalltogether 6y ago

The drivetrain and steering assembly have definitely been designed to make it cheaper to build and easier to maintain which I think is a good thing. I wonder how much more expensive and complicated it becomes to have 4WD.

hanniabu 6y ago
My guess is that accounts for about 30% of the costs.
- neogodless 6y ago
  The existing Rig is $4750 USD and is rear-wheel-drive only. Are you saying it would cost 30% more to make it 4WD?
  - Someone1234 6y ago
    Given that the electric monitor is in-line, and there's no gearing or shaft, I mean is that such a stretch? The easiest way to make it 4WD would be a second electric motor, which could easily be 30%.
    - shoes_for_thee 6y ago
      The motor does appear to drive the rear with a chain drive https://notawheelchair.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/20200129_14120256.jpg https://notawheelchair.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/202001... Not sure what a good way to run power to the front of it would be esp given the steering system and two front axels
    - Someone 6y ago
      Driving the front wheels is more complicated because the front axis is used for steering (it might be easier to go for two motors there, and, if you go there, 4 identical motors might be the better choice for maintenance/repairability). I think you also would need to guarantee that both engines are aiming for (about) the same speed, even in corners or when tire pressure changes. That might require something technically similar to ABS. Also, does this have a differential on the back axis? I couldn’t spot it, but that may be because I don’t know what they can look like on these relatively low-powered devices.

damenleeturks 6y ago

Yay for Utah (and accessibility)! I can practically see my house in some of those shots.

Abishek_Muthian 6y ago

I highly recommend subscribing JerryRigEverything channel. The host's (zack) primary content is dismantling smartphones at same time reviewing it's features fairly. I had unsubscribed to every other smartphone review channel as I'm not going to change my smartphone every other day and at the same time I want to keep myself apprised of the developments in smartphone hardware; JRE serves me perfectly for that.

throw7 6y ago
He got very political some years ago (trump/clinton stuff) and I unsubscribed.
- me_me_me 6y ago
  what? I occasionally watch his videos. The only thing political i heard him say was about rights to repair, apple fighting repeatability, or small rants how apple designs for anti repairs.
  - sebazzz 6y ago
    He approaches things with humor and uses the current news. For instance in one of his smartphone videos "And this phone has a xyz mAh battery, and also if you look close you can read Jeffrey Epstein didn't kill himself." This is without taking a stand in the matter - which is good.
- jcims 6y ago
  Does Facebook have a patent on their snooze feature? It would be a nice addition to YouTube and Twitter.
  - Abishek_Muthian 6y ago
    There was a discussion in my problem validation platform regarding 'saving offer notifications'[1] for later use. If that is implemented, perhaps we could have snooze feature for any notification on it. [1]https://needgap.com/problems/77-saving-offer-notifications-on-smartphone-notification-offer https://needgap.com/problems/77-saving-offer-notifications-o...

woriuweflksdncn 6y ago

I wonder how those rear wheels handle corners. I'm a little surprised they didn't use two independent drive motors, versus a single motor and solid axle, which could be extended to implement an electronic differential.

kube-system 6y ago
Probably just fine. It seems they intend this mostly for use on soft surfaces, where the lack of a differential isn't really an issue, even on large vehicles, because the surface itself is compliant enough to make up for the lack of differential action. But even on a hard surface it might work just fine, because the turning radius looks pretty shallow. The advantage is that a solid axle is simple, cheap, reliable, and performs well in low-traction situations.
- woriuweflksdncn 6y ago
  I mostly agree about the advantages, but two motors would be arguably simpler from a mechanical standpoint.
  - ansible 6y ago
    Yes, I might have gone for two smaller hub motors, rather than a solid rear axle. But maybe they tried that too.
  - kube-system 6y ago
    Then you have two motors instead of one, and either need an ESC that handles two motors or an additional ESC, and then electronics/software to make sure they work in tandem.
    - woriuweflksdncn 6y ago
      Yes, I agree. I was careful to say from a mechanical standpoint.
  - jacquesm 6y ago

Markoff 6y ago

4750USD doesn't sound extremely affordable for battery only up to 10 miles at best, so less than 5 miles one direction under ideal conditions. I dunno, I would expect at least better range from 4 wheels, simple body, suspension and electric enegine worth 4.8K. this seem like something worth max. half of the price they sell it for I fail to see benefit compared to ATV - I just checked some shops and you can buy brand new gasoline ATV for like 3000USD, electric ATV around 5000USD. ATV will be faster, cheaper and have better range than this

a-wu 6y ago
An ATV doesn’t provide the trunk support that most wheelchair users need.
- manquer 6y ago
  Will modifying an ATV to give trunk support not be cheaper ? it won’t be as portable though
  - a-wu 6y ago
    I suppose so. I think that an ATV’s saddle style seating is less stable in general though. I’ve never ridden an ATV but it seems to me like a lot of the time rider stability is derived from the feet being planted and the quads and glutes being able to hold onto the saddle, which for paralyzed users is unlikely. In this vehicle it has an actual seat so the butt stays planted and provides the side-to-side stability.
shoes_for_thee 6y ago
ATV weighs 400 lbs and doesn't use off-the-shelf bicycle components. This is basically a recumbent four-wheel electric light-duty fatbike. It's a niche and I think it's cool. One could just as easily compare an electric bike to a honda ruckus.
zip1234 6y ago
ATVs are loud and often require use of legs to ride properly.

a-wu 6y ago

I think the biggest impact of this is the price. There are other similar products out there (Bowhead and Outrider come to mind), but those are really expensive. In a world where mobility product prices are through the roof (my power wheelchair costs north of $50k), selling something like this for under $5k is quite incredible.

ravedave5 6y ago
It's because it's not a wheelchair, so it doesn't need to meet the regulatory standards, nor does the insurance middleman pricing kick in.
- a-wu 6y ago
  Sure but neither do the Bowhead or Outrider vehicles I mentioned. The cheapest Outrider starts at $10k and Bowhead doesn’t even mention base pricing on their site, so a 50% reduction in cost is still really good. Although I will say that I’ve tried an Outrider and those vehicles are way more complex. Edit: Actually I checked again and Outrider has a semi-off-road vehicle for $5k now which is pretty cool.
- Someone1234 6y ago
  And one might argue, it isn't a usable product without assistance. Per the video, she couldn't even lower the handle without him to exit, and it certainly isn't getting in/out of even wheelchair converted vehicles by itself. Not to mention electrical power (Vs. gas in the competition) definitely could result in the user being stranded, even if it has a power-usage monitor (given how environmental factors can impact non-air conditioned batteries).
  - a-wu 6y ago
    I mean, speaking for myself mainly here, but I wouldn’t really feel comfortable in _any_ off-road situation without a buddy with me. And most of my friends who handcycle regularly generally always have someone with them. But then again I don’t want to exclude the population who are capable of doing this independently.

beefman 6y ago

Compare to Swincar https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3lTz7OIPp7fscYDhig3Qyw/videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3lTz7OIPp7fscYDhig3Qyw/vid...

Someone1234 6y ago
I like how the Swincar has a roll-cage. Even if the "Not a wheelchair" has a lower speed, and less off-road capabilities than the Swincar, it still seems like roll protection could be a useful safety system. I guess they're relying on the light[er] weight?
- VBprogrammer 6y ago
  Your comment reminded me of a motorcycle racer I knew who was paralyzed from the waist down. He had a few funny stories about coming off his bike and having his legs broken and bent like a pretzel. The track martials would come over and just about faint at the sight of it, he often had to calm them down. He'd get looked over by the medics and drive himself to the hospital to get a cast put on.
  - a_t48 6y ago
    That really can't be healthy for him, can it??
    - VBprogrammer 6y ago
      It's not something you should do deliberately for sure. Because he wasn't able to move his body weight on the bike the bike had to lean even further than any other rider so he was often very close to the edge. He also always had to start from the back because he had to have people to launch him.
- zip1234 6y ago
  They might be able to sell a roll cage as an add-on. Probably most people won't need that but might be good for some. It looks like the frame would be simple to mount to.

Zenbit_UX 6y ago

Can anyone point me in a good direction to start making something like this myself? I've dabbled with arduinos but never really large electric motors and battery packs. I think it would be a lot of fun to make myself an ebike or whatever this thing is.

canada_dry 6y ago
Here's a couple similar components I used to build an e-bike. Get at least a 1500W hub motor [i] and a high capacity battery pack [ii]. [i] https://www.amazon.com/JJBOOM-1000W-Electric-Bicycle-Conversion/dp/B07WJ1GGVJ https://www.amazon.com/JJBOOM-1000W-Electric-Bicycle-Convers... [ii] https://calibike.com/product/lithium-ion-72v18ah-ultra-light-battery-pack/ https://calibike.com/product/lithium-ion-72v18ah-ultra-light...
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imglorp 6y ago
If I were doing this, and it looks like a load of fun anyway, I'd start with go-kart frame designed for a lawnmower engine. You'd get a roll cage, 5 point seatbelt, brakes, hand controls for throttle. Just add batteries, electric motor, and electronics. Like this one: http://wesellit.ca/m/image/catalog/products/gokart200cc-rollbar/gokart-200cc.png http://wesellit.ca/m/image/catalog/products/gokart200cc-roll...
Fabricio20 6y ago
You might find some inspiration in Tom Stanton's [0] videos, he made his own e-bike and documented the upgrade cycles since v1. Just recently he made a summary video about how to start making your own e-bike. [0]: https://www.youtube.com/user/tomstanton282 https://www.youtube.com/user/tomstanton282
GordonS 6y ago
If you actually do this, I'd love to read a blog about it!
6y ago

burlesona 6y ago

There is such a proliferation of new small electric vehicles like this. Is there a comprehensive catalog or list of manufacturers anywhere?

bborud 6y ago

Solid rear axle? DRIFT MACHINE! :-)

codekansas 6y ago

Reminds me of this passage from Cory Doctorow's book Walkaway: "You realize that they're exactly right," Sita said. She smiled, stopped. "You know, when the first walkaway prostheses project started, most of the people contributing had lost an arm or a leg in Belarus or Oman, and were tired of paying loan sharks for something that hurt and barely worked and could be remotely repossessed by an over-the-air kill-switch if they missed a payment. But once they got here and started living, realized how much had been left on the table by conservative companies that didn't want to get into a patent fight and didn't see any reason to add advanced functionality to something that you didn't have any choice about, they got radicalized. "They stopped saying 'I just want to make an arm that'll get through the day,' and started saying 'I want an arm that does everything my old arm did.' From there, it was a short step to 'I want an arm that's better than my old arm.' And from there, it was an even shorter step to 'I want an arm that's so outrageously awesome that you'll cut off your own to get one.'

black_puppydog 6y ago
Gosh I really love-hate that book. It comes up over and over and over again despite what I consider shoddy writing. It's a bit of a blueprint for how to make the best of a foreseeably shitty future.
- jasim 6y ago
  My feelings as well. But this one sentence made the book worth it - it is a commonplace thought that should've occurred to most others, but anyway was a clearer articulation than whatever I'd had: "I'm suspicious of any plan to fix unfairness that starts with 'step one, dismantle the entire system and replace it with a better one,' especially if you can't do anything else until step one is done. Of all the ways that people kid themselves into doing nothing, that one is the most self-serving."
  - donw 6y ago
    Love that quote. I think why so many people want to "dismantle the system" is exactly the same reason that less-experienced engineers push for rewrites: it seems easier to build a good system from scratch, than it does to build the skills required to refactor what you already have into what you need. (Not to mention, the skills to understand what you actually need!) Because, more often than not, it turns out that the old system had evolved to deal with a crazy number of edge-cases that were, in fact, really, really important. Also, and connected: there seems to be this odd zeitgeist of "make other people solve things". Like, most of us think homelessness is bad, and most of us want to help the homeless, but how few people actually directly invest their own money -- which I would argue is more important than donating time -- towards actually solving that problem? If I lived in the US, I'd be half-tempted to do a YouTube series where all I do is run around, ask people what they think the biggest problem is in society, and then ask them how much money they've spent to help fix it. Might be interesting, especially if I could do so with a curated list of charities (e.g., ones that don't just pocket the money for nefarious purposes)...

freeopinion 6y ago

Quibble: "Stay safe, wear a helmet", in a video full of action with no helmets. I like the product, though. Seems like good people trying to do a good thing.

mrfusion 6y ago

Did he say there’s no differential? Solid read axle? That could be hard to turn on non dirt surfaces?

lmilcin 6y ago
He said so and it does seem to have solid axle and it only shows it driving on dirt and grass. One way to solve it would be to have only single wheel powered. If you get that one powered wheel lifted you could shift your weight to tip entire vehicle (assuming you took care to load it evenly).
- TylerE 6y ago
  Or just use a limited slip diff. Allows some slip for cornering, but only, well, a LIMITED amount you don't end up with one wheel in the air spinning like mad and the one with traction not moving at all.
jacquesm 6y ago
At those speeds and slip of the narrow wheels that's manageable. With a lot of weight on it it would be more problematic. At least now when on slippery surfaces you have some traction, a limited slip differential would be tricky to make cheaply and would consume quite a bit of energy. A normal diff would cause you to get stuck very quickly.

mrfusion 6y ago

Any idea how to start building and selling this kind of stuff? It’s my dream job. But I’m not charismatic enough to make videos.

lmilcin 6y ago

Shows simple is sometimes most effective. While a device with bunch of features would be better, most people with disability don't need features, they need something reliable to move around that doesn't require huge fortune to keep running. From what I see this thing is so simple nobody will have trouble repairing it with regular tools and off the shelf parts so most people will be able ask family member to get it repaired.

tsumnia 6y ago

Most of the comments have criticized the price point for what you are getting; however, I would say this looks like a great quality of life tool for disabled individuals. If you are wheelchair bound, there are a number of terrains that a traditional wheelchair will not operate on. They even point this out with their rig on beach sand. There are designs that handle sandy terrain [1], but they would not work well on other surfaces. Without knowing much about the couple's relationship, I would say they are trying to create a design that allows for other outdoor terrains, such as a dirt road. If you imagine a traditional wheelchair design, the subtle bumps and dips on a dirt road would make it taxing for the rider or anyone assisting them. Jerry's Rig tries to mitigate those issues to offer a quality of life improvement so that wheelchair bound outdoorsy people can still be outdoorsy people. Like codekansas said, people can very quickly scope creep into making an all together badass arm when all the person wants is something to get them through the day. [1] https://www.sandriderusa.com/product/sand-rider/ https://www.sandriderusa.com/product/sand-rider/

black_puppydog 6y ago
The price point for the beach wheelchair you linked is $2,440.00. That's about half the price of this rig, and it does not get you to the beach. You need to have (and park/stash?) another wheelchair for that. Oh and you have to have someone push you. By the way, I read @codekansas' comment [1] not as a warning about feature creep, but as a comment on the inertia in the medical industry (emphasis on "industry") versus just a few enthusiasts who don't feel bound by patents, conventions and markets, and simply want to build something to improve their lives. [1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23703179 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23703179
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JshWright 6y ago
> Jerry's Rig His name is Zach...

voldacar 6y ago

Was hoping there would be blueprints. Still really cool though

cmuguythrow 6y ago

My friend has a trackchair, which is basically a wheelchair with tank tracks. Slower than these bike-style chairs but very off-road capable. The coolest one I've seen is from Ziesel - their track-style chair can go 20MPH! http://actiontrackchair.com/ http://actiontrackchair.com/ https://www.ziesel-adventures.com/welcome/models https://www.ziesel-adventures.com/welcome/models

mdorazio 6y ago
They are very cool, but the Ziesel starts at about $25,000... Not exactly comparable to this budget level machine.

lootsauce 6y ago

One trick with regular vehicles to better handle sand is to lower the tire pressure. I'm curious how well you could do on sand with bike tires using lower pressure?

jacquesm 6y ago
But you'll run more flats with bike wheels because of how the inner tube will pull on the valve. For tubeless that's not an issue.

tobyhinloopen 6y ago

I bet it scratches at a level 6 with deeper grooves at a level 7

theqult 6y ago

Something that is not a wheelchair is the Genny. I used to work there in IT Dep. many years ago and still i think is the only real useful application of a Segway. And the best part it doesnt't look like a fucking wheelchair, when i was trying it many people stopped me and ask if they could try it. luckly for me, I'm not paraplegic so they had a ride. The only const: Is not that cheap, 20K Euro. But if don't live in a retarded country (yes US, I'm talking about you) the biggest part is on the state https://www.gennymobility.com/int/products.html https://www.gennymobility.com/int/products.html

djrogers 6y ago
> if don't live in a retarded country Probably not the best terminology to use on a post about people with disabilities.
- theqult 6y ago
  Probably the pickiest comment i ever received
- SquidLord 6y ago
  > Probably not the best terminology to use on a post about people with disabilities. You've obviously never hung around with people with disabilities. "Political correctness" is not exactly their/our long suit. One of my favorite experiences was watching a group of people with learning disabilities call each other "retard" and crack up every time. Don't even get me started about Deaf people and the jokes they make about people that can hear when they think you're not watching.

jacquesm 6y ago

They're going to sell very large numbers of these. In the same week that the SegWay is EOL'd this comes out. If 'It' had been this it would have been a damn sight more impressive. Great work, great people.

paulkrush 6y ago

In the past I have looked for 4 wheel e-bike fat tire builds to find very little. This rig is in the middle of a kids barbie jeep & adult snow machine and smoother & quieter than both.

komuW 6y ago

there's a Kenyan guy[1] who makes electric wheeelchairs out of recycle laptop batteries. and it has some nice off-road capabilities. I can't find his website but he appears to be active on instagram[2] 1. https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-africa-49528426/kenyan-innovator-converting-trash-into-electric-wheelchairs https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-africa-49528426/kenyan-inn... 2. https://www.instagram.com/linccelltechnology/ https://www.instagram.com/linccelltechnology/

ChrisMarshallNY 6y ago

It's pretty cool. Good medical equipment is always going to be expensive. Mist disabled folks won't be able to afford this, and, of the ones that can, they may not want or need them. That doesn't mean they shouldn't make them, but they probably won't get rich on them. If anyone watched the Apple keynote, one of the sessions was introduced by Meg Frost, who rides the most badass wheelchair I've seen: https://youtu.be/GEZhD3J89ZE?t=1299 https://youtu.be/GEZhD3J89ZE?t=1299

danellis 6y ago

Off-topic, but 3 minutes in... so beautiful.

exabrial 6y ago

I'm actually shocked how _little_ that costs. The price for a nice entry-level Carbon Frame XCO Race bike is right around $4k. Most eMTB fall into that price bracket. That's a good deal

dmclamb 6y ago

I want this. I have MS and miss hiking so very much.

paulpauper 6y ago

all they did was modify an ATV to have a wheelchair-like seat and bike wheels. The reason why wheelchairs look they way they do is so they can be accommodated in indoor environments and fit through doorways or on a bus or folded and stowed away. It is pretty cool though and I can see a disabled person finding this useful but I don't see it as a substitute for a wheelchair either.

danial 6y ago

For those of you who haven't followed the story and seen the original reveal video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3_mVryqXpU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3_mVryqXpU Shut up, I'm not crying. You're crying!

not_the_fda 6y ago

I know he's trying to be cheeky by saying its "not a wheel chair" to get around FDA regulation, but that's not how it works. Its clearly being marketed to disabled people as a mobility device, which makes it a wheelchair, and makes it a class II medical device that must have design controls. He's in for a rude awakening by a visit from the FDA.

marshray 6y ago

Looks really cool. But I have to admit, I saw "not a wheelchair" and was a little disappointed that it wasn't a strandbeest chair.

jonah 6y ago

Super rad. Anything to help people go places they otherwise wouldn't be able to. That being said, I'm kinda more partial to the adaptive mountain bikes like the Sport-ONs[1]. Two wheels in front, one powered wheel in back, and a more "aggressive", sporty posture for the rider. Clearly a different market and twice the price as the Rig. It seems to me that the Rig could be a lot more comfortable and competent with some changes. Jeremy P. McGhee[2] seems to be a reseller and booster of them. Here's a video of him and another guy riding them along with a friend of mine (the guy on 2 wheels). The Rig with it's capability for cargo, reminds me of an industrial bike like a Worksman[4]. [1] https://adaptivemountainbikes.com/ https://adaptivemountainbikes.com/ [2] https://www.facebook.com/jer.mcgoo https://www.facebook.com/jer.mcgoo [3] https://youtu.be/-IIQbD0hwto https://youtu.be/-IIQbD0hwto [4] https://www.worksmancycles.com https://www.worksmancycles.com

jlbang 6y ago

Is no one going to comment about how it looks and sounds like their voices were overdubbed by professionals? It just doesn't sound natural _at all_. I know it's not actually overdubbed, but it's so smooth, the inflection is perfect... it's freaking me out.