Folding Wheel For Wheelchair

PROTOTYPE --- PURPOSE: To create a prototype of the Crossbreed folding wheel for wheelchair users and individuals with mobility disabilities. The Crossbreed designer, Duncan Fitzsimons is developing a wheelchair-specific version of the Crossbreed with an integrated push rim and easy-to-use locking lever. The first models of this wheel are made from a carbon-fiber composite to meet the weight and stiffness requirements of the most demanding wheelchair users. This prototype is expected to be available in 2009 and at close to the approximate cost of a nonfolding, high-performance wheel. Fitzsimons plans for a range of models to be available for various budgets and performance needs. TITLE: Reinventing the Wheel. JOURNAL: PN. REF: Vol. 62 no. 9, September 2008: pp. 26-27. PAGES: 3 with cover.