Mastodawn

Hey lazy web, my son has POTS which means his legs just go limp at random. Our house is not wheelchair accessible, he uses a cane. He likes to walk places but sometimes gets stranded by a flare-up. Obviously a bike or e-scooter is out of the question. Have you got any image references for a folding tricycle scooter?

ETA: to be clear the intended application is for going to the local shops, visiting friends, and bus trips to cinemas, malls etc.

Kit Bashir Nov 21, 2023

Answering my own question: a folding tricycle scooter, which looks nothing like what I imagined such a thing ( if it existed which I now know it does) would look like.

Bern Nov 21, 2023

@Unixbigot that looks awesome, and very well designed!
- spring suspension for the seat
- powered front wheel
- disc brakes
- nice & compact when folded
- centre of mass far enough back/down that it's unlikely to somersault when braking heavily, meaning it could probably stop much faster than a normal scooter
- you'd have to be careful on cornering, though, as you couldn't lean into it much. A similar design but with two wheels at the front would have much better cornering stability

My only real concern would be the longevity of the rear frame arm where the seat suspension rests in that slot. If that's aluminium, I'd expect it to suffer some damage over time from the seat load.

Kit Bashir Nov 21, 2023

@Bern yeah the manufacturer’s page in that product stresses in several places that turning speed must be kept very low. Probably been some stacks already, reading between the disclaimer lines. Mr 19 is over 2m tall so I’m expecting (if this idea has, ahem, legs) to custom-build.

Kit Bashir Nov 21, 2023

@Bern yea, I was considering two wheels in front, too. I’ve seen compact petrol scooters with that layout. On the farm in the 70s we had an ATV trike, those things were death machines.

Kit Bashir Nov 21, 2023

Results so far. I’ll be custom building as Mr 19 is over 2M tall and doesn’t fit *anything* made for Earthlings.

Topmate ES32: https://www.topmate.cc/product/topmate-es32-electric-scooter-mini-tricycle-electric-scooter/?v=6cc98ba2045f

Atom Trike: https://www.atomtrike.biz

Atto folding scooter: https://attoaustralia.com.au/collections/atto-scooters

Hongyu: https://www.amazon.com/Electric-Three-Wheel-Mobility-Portable-Tricycle/dp/B094VMT329

David Damore Nov 21, 2023

@Unixbigot You might check out this search on Perplexity → https://www.perplexity.ai/search/folding-tricycle-scooter-BClHK6QdRQakX_cHA7AAuA?s=c

Kit Bashir Nov 21, 2023

@admore thanks, that atom trike looks intriguing. Whatever I come up with will have to be custom made because Mr 19 is well over 2m tall.

Amy Toebeans Nov 21, 2023

@Unixbigot a search for "electric recumbent" brought up some options that might be interesting to you

Steveg58 Nov 21, 2023

@Unixbigot
Greenspeed still has some folding recumbent trikes that can have electric assist. Alas they no longer seem to have the 16" wheel versions. Tadpole trikes ( two wheels at the front ) are a lot more stable when turning than traditional wheel arrangements.

Steveg58 Nov 21, 2023

@Unixbigot
You might also check out the #RecumbentTrike and #RecumbentTrikes hashtags.

Kit Bashir Nov 21, 2023

@Steveg58 TIL the name for them (tadpoles) thanks that will help

Steveg58 Nov 21, 2023

@Unixbigot
Tadpole, delta, and Cambridge.

Ari Auntiefa 🏳️‍🌈🌞♾️Nov 21, 2023

@Unixbigot Hmmmm. I ride a folding tricycle, but it is not small compared to the scooters that you have already posted. It does fold, however. The front wheel tucks inbetween the frame and the back left wheel, the handlebars fold down, and the seat can come off to make it a fairly compact package. It is rather heavy, though, at 65ish pounds. Definitely more of an outdoor and going-distances vehicle. Not an indoor thing. Might not be what you were looking for.

Kit Bashir Nov 21, 2023

@arisummerland Thanks, I’m looking for “going to the shops and maybe taking on a bus” level of portability. A full sized trike will be a separate project.

Johann-Tobias Schäg Nov 21, 2023

@Unixbigot
if both legs don't go limp at the same time a (foldable) kick bike might also be worth considering but i guess you wouldn't wanna experiment like that.

OsteoarthriticAutistic Nov 21, 2023

@Unixbigot
https://ukcareguide.co.uk/fold-up-mobility-scooter/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/fold-up-mobility-scooter/s?k=fold+up+mobility+scooter

15 BEST FOLD UP MOBILITY SCOOTERS | UK | November 2023

Read our comprehensive reviews of the the 15 best Fold up Mobility Scooters available to buy in the UK. Our reviews look at the pros and cons of a range of different types of Fold up Mobility Scooters

UK Care Guide