Racing wheelchair
A racing wheelchair is a piece of sports equipment that enables wheelchair users to practice a sport that is very similar to running in athletics. Almost all distances, as in athletics, are possible as a competition route.
history
The history of the racing wheelchair begins in the 1970s with modified everyday wheelchairs and self-made wheelchairs that were used for distances of around 20 km in the first races in Meckenbeuren . In 1980, shortly after the Paralympics in Arnhem , developed Errol Marklein with the company Quickie (now Sunrise Medical ) the track . Like the Top End from the USA, this was one of the first racing wheelchairs in the world to be mass-produced.
The early models were still four-wheeled, but this turned out to be a disadvantage: Due to the poor directional stability, too many direction corrections were necessary, which had a negative effect on the speed. Later models were therefore only three-wheeled and hardly resembled everyday wheelchairs. From 1983 lighter and larger wheels were used than before, from 1985 significantly larger front wheels and more ergonomic seating solutions were used, from 1986 the riders' feet were shifted further and further back in order to achieve a more dynamic seating position. Three-wheeled models finally prevailed from 1987, from 1989 an integrated steering mechanism for the stadium curves was common, after that the design of the racing wheelchairs, apart from an extension of the frame, no longer changed significantly.
With the advent of the handbike , which allows higher speeds and steeper inclines, the number of racing wheelchair users declined.
technology
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Racing wheelchairs are made from the lightest possible materials. The rear wheels usually have a severe camber , are larger than the drive wheels of conventional wheelchairs and have hand rims with a significantly smaller diameter. The driver sits in a crouching position in the device, his legs, if any, angled under the seat. The individual front wheel is located far in front of the seat unit and can be locked so that it is possible to drive on a given path. Switching or other translation aids are not permitted. The driver's hands are protected by tape or gloves, and many drivers also use spoke protection .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://www.myhandicap.ch/fileadmin/myhandicap_ch/web-inhalte/Sport_Freizeit/Sport/Handbike/Marklein/Marklein.pdf ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
