Permobil Street

Thanks to Lewis Stiller for this user review.....

The Permobil Street is a rear-wheel drive chair with Permobil's

Chairman seat. The configuration reviewed supports tilt, recline,

power-elevating legrests and an elevator. It is Permobil's first

rear-wheel drive chair - prior to the Street they focused on

front-wheel drive chairs.

Before purchasing the Street, I demoed *many* wheelchairs from the

major vendors supporting tilt-recline. The Street was far and away the

quietest, most comfortable, and smoothest ride of any that I tried. I

will now discuss its features in detail. I've been using it for a few

months now, about 10 miles/day on average use.

THE RIDE

The best thing about the Street is the ride.

The Street is designed for city riding: it's exceptionally smooth

going over bumpy sidewalks. It has 4-wheel independent suspension, and

what's particularly interesting are the shocks on the front

casters. The front wheels are attached via a horizontal strut to a

horizontal front-to-back spring, thereby cushioning impact from bumps.

Although rated at 7.5 mph, mine was measured over 8 mph on flat

surface. Most important, it's a rock-steady ride even at the highest

speed. I had been used to a mid-wheel drive chair, which tended to

fishtail and required constant correction at any speed over about 5

mph; by comparison, the Street was much more secure and safe to steer

at high speeds. Some other rear-wheel drive chairs I tested tended to

rock back and forth a lot; the Street tends to remain very steady,

even over bumps. It also had no problem with steep hills.

It's easy to maneuver (although I had to spend a few weeks

getting used to a rear-wheel drive steering from my last midwheel

drive, but now I prefer its steering).

The chair is not designed for off-road - I don't think it will work well on a beach or a trail.

I've had no problem going 10 miles and retaining a full charge (all

lights lit). It's rated at 20-25 miles on a charge, and it does

that. It uses an off-board charger, which at first I did not like, but

it works so well now I don't mind it.

THE SEAT

The seat is a standard Chairman seat, which has been around for a long

time. It's very well-integrated into the whole package. Some

tilt-recline packages I tried on other wheelchairs made me feel

unsteady in the tilt-recline; this one feels completely solid. It's also

quite comfortable.

The footrests use a foot-platform approach, which is much easier to get in and out of than separate legrests that I've seen. The cushion is integrated into the seat. It's excellent for my purposes, but some

people will want to use a custom cushion.

I actually did not want the elevator at first, but it has proven to be

fun. It's nice to get a picture of what the world looks like from a

normal height sometimes; to be able to sit at bars; to be able to

reach things from high shelves.

THE SOUND

The Street is whisper-quiet in its operation. The ride makes a faint

hum at the higher speed, and is virtually silent at normal speeds

(such as indoors). The seat is also quite quiet when being

adjusted. My last chair would make a loud "click" whenever the brakes

disengaged; this does not. So it's not as obvious in movie theaters or

office settings.

THE LOOK

The look of the Street is unobtrusive, sleek, high-tech and professional. The Street's look is designed not to be noticed at first - it's designed to blend in in an office setting - but once noticed, it's crisp craftsmanship is evident.

THE PACKAGE

The main thing about the Street is just how well everything goes

together. It's not just the comfortable ride - it's the comfortable

seat too. Together, and you're really comfortable in the

chair. Everything just gives an impression of being very carefully and

well thought-out - there are no major weaknesses to the chair. It's

hard to really articulate how exactly, but it just feels really

well-designed.

Comfort, by the way, isn't just a matter of "comfort" - it's a matter

of stamina and health as well. In a bumpy or uncomfortable wheelchair

you'll feel more pain, get more spasticity, and have less stamina than

in a comfortable one. So you'll be able to accomplish more in a comfortable chair, it's that

simple.

THE COST

The trouble with Permobil is that they don't make any low-end chairs,

so they have a reputation for being expensive. The Street,

surprisingly, turned out to cost only slightly more than other

vendors' offerings comparably configured. The other problem is that

they are very low-key in their marketing, and the Street is new, so

it's hard to get good pictures and videos of the Street in action.

CONCLUSION

I think it's just about a perfect wheelchair for active wheelchair

users who spend a lot of time in their chair.

Full speed ahead with rear wheel drive.

The Street is special in many ways.

It's not the rear wheel drive that makes it special – even if that’s unusual for a Permobil. What’s special about the Street is that the functions of the wheelchair are so geared towards solving the problems posed by city life. The mere fact that the Street manages 7.5 mph goes a long way towards getting around the city in less time.

In all its small details, the Street is designed to flexibly handle narrow and awkward spaces. The 4-wheel adjustable independent suspension system provides a smooth, comfortable ride. Not only that, but the suspension is visible, giving a stylish and powerful impression – and rightly so. The new center of gravity tilt system with recline keeps you over your center of gravity for a new level of balance and confidence.

Practical and extremely comfortable.

The Street is the natural solution for those who prefer rear wheel drive and who were wondering when Permobil would produce such a chair.

 

Features:

  * Rear-wheel drive

  * 4-wheel adjustable independent suspension

  * Motors with 100 amp solid-state electronics

  * 10” power adjustable seat height

  * Center of gravity tilt

  * Front and rear battery access