Rambling On Wheels - News, Reviews, Hire, Mobility Scooters
Find The Right Off-Road Mobility Scooter, Or Wheelchair, For You
If you are thinking of buying your first off-road mobility scooter or wheelchair, or your next one, Rambling On Wheels aims to help you find the answer that's right for you. Having owned five off-road mobility scooters, and driven many others, as well as several off-road capable powerchairs, I now promote mental health through disabled rambling whenever I can. I also campaign for improved access in town and countryside, and look at what is legally a Class 3 mobility scooter, some that are sold as such, aren't, so can't be used on either roads or pavements, in fact they can't be used anywhere that's open to the public, buyer beware.
The photo is of my first off-road mobility scooter, a secondhand TGA Supersport, which I had re-designed, they can be found for just a few hundred pounds on sites such as Ebay. I've since had a Tramper hand built for me, three Mini Crosser, and a TGA Breeze S4, and I've ridden many others. Here you'll find reviews of each of those that I've owned, and would do again, as well as those that I wouldn't.
As well as having had the main five off-road mobility scooters I have also owned the following powered wheelchairs that each offer some basic off-road capability: a Meyra Optimus 2RS; Quantum Edge 3.0; Permobil M3 Corpus; and I currently use a Quantum Edge 2.0 with upgraded wheels and castors. Sometimes it's not a tough off-road mobility scooter that's needed.
Did you know that Rambling On Wheels gives more than 100 locations where you can borrow, often for free, a Tramper or other mobility scooter? click here
Tip Of The Iceberg - Dealer Sells 3 Illegal Models
If a mobility scooter is too wide, too heavy, or too fast, it's not legal to use it on pavements, even if the high street specialist says that it is. Rambling On Wheels found one such dealer selling three different models, for up to £5,000 secondhand, Read more..
Don't Rely On Dealers To Understand Percentages
I've been looking at what might replace my Mini Crosser and though I need it to manage 15% hills I'm inclined, pardon the pun, to go with a powerchair, if I can find one that can genuinely manage a 15% hill, not just a 15% slope, and rough roads. A motor if its maximum is 15% is unlikely to be happy at its maximum going up a hill.
I've never, literally never, found a powerchair/mobility scooter dealer who has understood that there is a difference between percentages (%) and degrees (°), but I'd always, until now, found that the official literature does.
I became interested in the iChair MC2 RS because its sales literature says "Maximum gradient 15°", which is about 26%, slightly more than a Tramper. That's astonishing, and actually untrue, because if you go to the order form it says "Permitted uphill / downhill gradient 15 %". Which is not surprising as it only has two 350 watt motors.
Why would I want a powerchair over a mobility scooter, some of you will be wondering. Comfort and taxis. Powerchairs are more comfortable and they fit into more taxis - useful if you want to go further afield, or break down for the 6th time. But being joystick controlled (they are very sensitive) they aren't as good on uneven ground as having a tiller, as on a mobility scooter. This is particularly important if you are on a rough road, or one with a camber, as you could suddenly find yourself veering in front of a car, less important off-road. When temperatures drop and you need gloves controlling a joystick in those conditions becomes even more difficult. So there are pros and cons of having a powerchair instead of a mobility scooter, even one that can manage any hill you need it to. And don't rely on the dealer, sometimes, as you see, not even the manufacturer, double check and test whatever machine, powerchair or mobility scooter, where you would actually use it.
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When I Choose To Take My Powerchair Instead
My Quantum Q6 Edge 2.0. is good when the ground isn't too challenging I can enjoy the greater comfort, manoeuvrability, and ease of opening gates that the Quantum offers over a mobility scooter. But my Quantum has the advantage of upgrades of wide, chunky, solid, tyres, and 8" castors (6" castors are standard).
Mini Crosser - The Most Unreliable Mobility Scooter
It's the third Mini Crosser mobility scooter that I've owned and the 4th time a Mini Crosser has broken down on me, making it the most unreliable mobility scooter that I've ever had. read more
Best In Class Off-Road Mobility Scooters
Best Three-Wheeled Off-Road Mobility Scooter
Best Performing Four-Wheeled Off-Road Mobility Scooter
Best Performing Four-Wheeled Off-Road Mobility Scooter
The Tramper TWS - hand built to order near Salisbury in Wiltshire, is available with multiple personal adaptations accommodated, Tramper TWS provide greater manoeuvrability, having three wheels, and are the most reliable and comfortable off-road mobility scooters avaliable in the UK. Click here for further information.
Best Performing Four-Wheeled Off-Road Mobility Scooter
Best Performing Four-Wheeled Off-Road Mobility Scooter
Best Performing Four-Wheeled Off-Road Mobility Scooter
The British designed and built four-wheeled Tramper, is the workhorse for disabled visitors of countless National Trust properties and other charities, as well as being popular directly with mobility restricted clients wanting the most reliable four-wheeled off-road mobility scooter. Read more here.
Most Capable Cheap Secondhand, Or On Motability, Off-Road Mobility Scooter
Most Capable Cheap Secondhand, Or On Motability, Off-Road Mobility Scooter
Most Capable Cheap Secondhand, Or On Motability, Off-Road Mobility Scooter
TGA Supersport three-wheeled off-road mobility scooters are relatively cheap to buy secondhand, and are also available on the Motability scheme. Cheap and cheerful the TGA Supersport is an excellent, but basic, three-wheeled off-road mobility scooter, beware though, as it's totally lacking in any suspension despite the decorative spring on the front. Not as good as the three-wheeled Tramper TWS for comfort and off-road capability, but it can keep up in most situations. Read more here.
Most Comfortable Off-Road Mobility Scooter Available On Motability
Most Capable Cheap Secondhand, Or On Motability, Off-Road Mobility Scooter
Most Capable Cheap Secondhand, Or On Motability, Off-Road Mobility Scooter
The TGA Breeze S4, is not as capable as either of the Trampers but it is more comfortable and cheaper to buy, and it's also available through the Motability scheme.