How many people in a wheelchair and still ride?

[sledheadd]

Back in 06 one of my riding buds broke his back in March on snowmobile, then 2 months later my older brother broke his back on a quad . Both broke LT 1
Now it has been almost 2 years and they are wanting to get back out sledding.
What I'd like to hear is stories about guys who sled while in a wheelchair. Things you do to make it easier on them.
Do you use any special equipment ?
Is it better if they would be strapped into the sled or not ?
Which sled do you would be best for them to ride?(eg a wide sled like a bearcat or narrow one like a nytro ?

I'm really looking forward to watching them rip up some powder again.
Any advise or insight would be appreciated .


Paul

 

[Extreme-One]

I have a friend that rides a sled better then most and you'd never know he can't walk. Been riding for the past 12 years. I know that he likes the older style sleds that are not rider forward in design. He uses a aircraft style seat belt that he has a small rope tied to so if he has to get away from the sled he can pull it and bail off. He sets up the sled with the best of suspensions and light wieght parts with aftermarket power mods. He comes from a motor cross racing back ground so that helps a lot.

 

[Fletch55]

Hey Paul,

I'd be more than willing to give you some advice. I've been in a wheelchair for 16 years and used to ride a Summit 600 until about 3 years ago. I gave up sledding more because of the fact that I didn't want to have to drive 4+ hours to get to the mountains to ride as well we were saving for a new travel trailer. So here's my advice:

1) Sleds: the 2000 summit I used to ride was awesome, very stabile, tons of power for me and the best part the seat material seemed sticky, so my butt would stick to the seat. I rode a buddies Polaris and didn't like it, the seat was very slippery and the power band wasn't smooth, so suddenly it would jerk me around a bit and I'd lose my balance. The newer ski-doo with it's rider forward design was a bit high for my liking and thus a but tippy. However, I'll say that I haven't riden a sled in about two years so it might be different now. The best suspension I'd give to Yamaha, for whatever reason on a rough trail I'd be bounced around pretty good at 60km on the Ski-doo but I rode a buddies Yamaha and I could easily do 80km and the seat material was great. If I was buying another sled today I would probably go with the Yamaha.

2) Other recommendations, would be high bid pants - so the snow doesn't get in there, a really good pair of boots and checking occassionaly for signs of frostbite in the feet/legs.

3) As for loading/unloading, I used to use a ride on/off trailer and it was great. But I'm stubborn and would move the ramp by myself.

4) I rode in the Cranbrook, Coquihalla, Kelowna and Revelstoke areas and never had too much of a problem. I can only remember getting stuck a few times and buddies would help get me out. Although I wish I would have put reverse on the sled because it would make a huge difference.

5) The only modification I made to the sled was a 2inches riser because I couldn't stand up the haul the sled over. I found with the riser it gave me more leverage and would assist with some side hilling.

That's about all I can think of, except to say practice, practice, practice. Guys on the hills were awesome to ride with and many people couldn't believe it when I said I used a wheelchair. However, many of the rental companies would not let me on their sleds because they were scared of their insurance and didn't think someone in a chair could ride. So check around if your buddy is going to rent something and be prepared to experience some stupid people.

 

[Fletch55]

Sorry I forgot to mention one thing. Never tie yourself in....you want to be thrown free in the event of a crash, rather than being thrown around with the sled. However, it will be your buddies decision and would depend on level of injury/balance and riding area (mountains/slat trails). But I never had a problem with the right seat material, stuffin my boots in the feet wells and am more than strong enough to hold on.

 

[MOONMAN]

Here's a rider!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=LLhRkNpra84

 

[AdrenalineAddict]

I've rode for years with a parapalegic and he rides just fine. If I would venture a guess the rider forward sleds probably won't work. The fella I've ridden with had a strap that held his legs in place and ran an extremely soft suspension. A stable flat sled is a must. He knows his limitations and rides within them and does great.

 

[Dogmeat]

my dad's cousin who is a parapalegic actually custom built his own snowmobile back in the 1980's ... it resembled an old german "half track" outta WWII sort of, but it had skis on the front instead of wheels.

The guy was a amazing, he also had built himself a side-car for his motorcycle he could wheel his chair up into and go riding with ..

I'll see if I can dig up some old pics of the snow machine he made for himself....

 

[johnsodo]

My hat is off to the riders that are in a whellchair

 

[yammadog]

In the startup of my sledding life, I was at gold creek one day, nice and sunny, good beginner day....lot's of them that day....saw a dude stuck on the side of a small hill, figured it was a noob, so I go over to help him get it headed more down hill, and turns out he was without use of his legs...from that day forward I knew sledding was for me...if this guy was out trying to tear it up...I'm there to help dig him out and if someting was to happen to me...I'd hope someone would dig me out...I'll be doing this until they tear the flipper from my thumb...

Good luck on getting them out there enjoying life!!

 

[1madbird]

My brother was paralized in a snowmobile accident and got back on a sled a year after his accident. I really depends on the severity of the paralisis my brother is from the chest down and so he has no strength to lean over or move around much if he goes to far he's off so we put a back rest off of a 2-up seat from a older polaris to keep him in place and he uses a strap over his lap that is velcro to hold him on the seat but it can be dangerous if he tips over so you really have to have someone always watching him and stay close and dont let him get to out of control also we put some pieces of plastic on the front part of the foot rail to keep his feet in but they have to be able to remove them so he can get on and off. Deffenetly have to have a stable sled he has a polaris XLT which is pretty stable stock and he still had to put a wider front end on to keep it flat so there are alot of options out there but its up to yours and his imagination to find things that work for him. Its alot of work to get him ready and on the sled and off so be ready to dive in and help make it as easy for him as possible or he wont enjoy it.

 

[sledheadd]

Thanks guys this is info that we will definitely take into consideration when setting up sleds for them .
I have no doubt in my mind they will be back ripping it up.
As both are real hard headed and independent.

My buddy drives a semi truck with a set of super b's hauling gravel in the summer .
My brother has some feeling in left leg and has been concentrating on trying to walk again. They feel one day he may walk with the help of a walker .

 

[drmiller100]

rider forward is really bad.

electronic reverse is really good.

a loooong track with very aggressive skis is good. think 159 plus with powder pros.

like they said, seat way high is a bad thing.

does the m7 come with electronic reverse?

 

[06rmk151]

I ride every week with a guy in a wheelchair. He has a backrest on his sled and he wears a seatbelt, with his legs strapped in. He rides a 136 switchback with soft suspension, and simmons skis. And he does awesome. He shaved some of the padding out of his seat to get him to sit a little lower. I hope this helps.

 

[bigtoyz]

I am a T5 complete fractor. I got back into 01-02 season it after my accident in 96 and started on a new 02 700 RMK 144 put a back rest on it and made some side rails for my thighs and that was it. Go like a bad out of hell. Second sled was a 05 900 RMK 166 just a back rest on that one...... love the sled. Also have a 07 1000 renagade x that my wife mostly rides when we go togther and my trial sled. If the trails are rutted up I run a little slower but I have been known to be a 2 guys in a pack running 70-80 mph on the trail. Deep snow I am the first one to it with my buddies. Snow bunjie is all I can say. Been stuck twice. Have a trailer I can pull for my chair and extra gas or other things. Bibs and good boots.

Patrick

 

[sledracer]

T4 complete para here, parlized mid chest - no ab muscles. Been riding since round 2000. Started out on a 98 summit 500, then got an 02 yami MM 700. Right now im on a 05 800 summit 151. Sled has no mods. I put a dual throttle on the yami to aid with off throttle side sidehilling but havent done it yet to the summit. I did tilt the bars down for a more sit down rider position.

I dont strap in an dont recommed it, firstly I wouldnt want to be attached to a rolling sled and second it would limit my movement too much - I can move my butt from running board to running board if I need too. I dont get the comments about rider forward being bad.

My progressive sled choices have been about getting a sled that easier to ride in both weight and how they take the bumps. The rev is the best yet due in large part to rider forward.

I took the sway bar off my yami to make sidehilling easier and will try that next on the rev. Im looking for the best of both world where I can have swaybar on for the trail in and off for the mountains. Im looking at modding the link style swar bar from the newer summit (thanx Slim!) so I can disengage it for off trail.

Counter steering is an essential skill to master, learning that will help compensate for the lack of leaning effort you can exert.

Guys in chairs can do pretty well on a sled to do have to keep in mind that you CANNOT push it past you limits. You cant get yourself in a position where an able bodied rider would have to jump off the sled to keep themselves out of trouble. The most important things is go out with a good group of guys.

 

[goinvertical]

I am a Montana para that has ridden snowmobiles since 1993. I graduated from MMI in 92. Got my "stupid" chair day after graduating. Blah Blah. Anyhow, I have ridden all kinds of sleds that belonged to friends. Currently ride Polaris IQ. This sled has made the bumps a lot more bearable. I dont put anything on my sleds to help,other than suspension setups that use more ski pressure. Never tie my feet in as I tend to go inverted alot trying to show off. I just wait for my buddies to come over and tip me upright after they throw snow in my face and ask how the weather is and w/e goofy comments they come up with. When I get seperated a good distance from my sled we just do the "dead deer" drag. I laugh the whole time as they huff and puff. I never sledded much before my accident but absolutely love the sport now. I like to boondock like all the rest,and nothing makes me feel better than watching as my buddies are getting stuck trying to follow. I do carry a shovel and a sno-bunje that I offer to ease the pain. One thing I have found, more power definitely helps me get out of tight spots. Rode 65 miles yesterday, most off-trail. Nothing you do will keep you in shape better than sledding,clean air,hot food from the cooker,and smack talking about how I didnt get stuck but they did. I would love to ride with anyone else in my situation. My whole group caters to the challenged riders,and they know I dont slow em down. We will ride trails if that is what others want to do, or we will spend all day down in that hole that you really shouldnt go into in the first place. Favorite comment "How in the **ll do you hold on through that?"
I dont know... If you are in the Montana area and want to ride, let me know as a good time is guaranteed.

 

[rowdie15]

I see that "Moonman" posted my video from youtube already. I broke C7 but was fortunate that I kept full use of my arms and hands. I have no use of my core mucsles at all. So this video is just one year after my accident. The only modification that I did to the sled was I had the seat widend to keep me from slipping off. I have yet to go on a mountaing ride, but that is coming. I've been riding for about 15 years and I wasn't going to let my injury stop me. If I can do this with just arms, then so can you!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LLhRkNpra84

 

[To The Pipe]

If you can find an old copy of Rocky Mountain Thunder, one of the first sled videos the Team Thunderstruck crowd produced, there is a fellow who is a double amputee (legs) on a custom Tison sled I believe. This guy gets around with the best of them in this flick, not quite the same as a para, but I think these riders will only be limited by themselves. Hats off to those who persevere!

 

[Kootenay-Stomper]

my dad broke his back in revy,went down a blind hill and flew off a 60ft cliff,he was the only guy that landed outta four guys with out crashing,he crushed two vertabrays

 

[POLZIN]

fuggin awsome this is really inspiring stuff its great to see. this kind of stuff proves that you are only as "disabled" as you think you are .get busy living or get busy dying !!! truer words where never spoken .