Stairs!!

[Kitty]

I will soon, probably by February, become a proud owner of a Sherman S. That is essentially a one hundred pound wheel and I live in a second floor apartment with a staircase of 17 concrete steps.

I'm strong, especially for my age, yet I have no desire to ruin my back over this wheel. I think getting the Sherman S up the stairs is just a matter of slowly letting it do the climbing while I keep it level along the way so it doesn't get over anxious to climb. But how to get it downstairs???

I'm pretty sure a ramp is out because I don't  know where to find a slotted ramp that would fit a span of about 20 feet or so. I say slotted to keep it easier to stay straight. But a ramp will also encourage the wheel to pull me down the stairs which I would like to avoid.

The best idea I can come up with is to turn the wheel on and stand directly behind it holding it with one hand and holding onto the railing with the other hand and slowly back it down the stairs.

 Any ideas on how to safely go up and down the stairs without killing myself or the wheel crashing would be appreciated.

There is a second set of stairs but they are much steeper and made of smooth concrete. Dangerous all the time.

I included a couple of photos of the steps. Had to use a cone for scale. I didn't have a banana.

[Paul A]

8 minutes ago, Kitty said:

But how to get it downstairs???

 

Ride it.

 

 

[Kitty]

Not sure if this is an honest suggestion.

I absolutely thought of that and I certainly would if I could.

There is normally a car parked about 10 feet just past the foot of the stairs. And secondly, this is my first wheel. Probably not a good idea for me to try that just yet.

So riding is out. My block and tackle is in my other car so I can't use that.

Maybe I should just throw it down the stairs and let it be that.

[Tawpie]

Stairs are tricky... I have a dent in a wall caused by an 'experiment'. The challenge is keeping the wheel from bouncing, either against the tread it's on or against the next one. If the tire leaves the ground while you're pushing on it, all kinds of bad happens. It'll require practice and patience, getting in a hurry or losing focus aren't good. You are dealing with a 100 lb weight that includes a 3 HP motor that's capable of getting the wheel going over 40 mph, if that gets out of control, don't be located below it!

This kind of thing is expensive (suitable lighter duty ones are available from Bezos) but it's what I'd be looking at myself. It also requires care!

https://www.globalindustrial.com/p/steel-stair-climbing-hand-truck-300-lb-capacity?adlclid=36f5328cb7f41278803f512c50a7595e&msclkid=36f5328cb7f41278803f512c50a7595e&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=[ADL] [DSA] Carts %26 Trucks {High}&utm_term=Carts %26 Trucks Hand Trucks&utm_content=Carts %26 Trucks - Hand Trucks - C 

 

Edited December 19, 2022 by Tawpie

[Funky]

Push back down so it doesn't jump/skip.. And lighter push at front so it goes up by itself.

Or ask some neighbor from first floor - if they wanna change apartments.  

Edited December 19, 2022 by Funky

[Paul A]

Purchase a motorized/powered stair climbing trolley.

Move to a ground floor apartment.

Move to a complex with ramp/wheelchair access.

Wheel the trolley down the stair with motor on.

Use a wooden plank.

Carry down the stairs.

 

Edited December 19, 2022 by Paul A

[Paul A]

10 minutes ago, Funky said:

Edited 5 minutes ago by Funky

 

Going down the stairs should be the same.

[Funky]

44 minutes ago, Tawpie said:

Stairs are tricky... I have a dent in a wall caused by an 'experiment'. The challenge is keeping the wheel from bouncing, either against the tread it's on or against the next one. If the tire leaves the ground while you're pushing on it, all kinds of bad happens. It'll require practice and patience, getting in a hurry or losing focus aren't good. You are dealing with a 100 lb weight that includes a 3 HP motor that's capable of getting the wheel going over 40 mph, if that gets out of control, don't be located below it!

This kind of thing is expensive (suitable lighter duty ones are available from Bezos) but it's what I'd be looking at myself. It also requires care!

https://www.globalindustrial.com/p/steel-stair-climbing-hand-truck-300-lb-capacity?adlclid=36f5328cb7f41278803f512c50a7595e&msclkid=36f5328cb7f41278803f512c50a7595e&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=[ADL] [DSA] Carts %26 Trucks {High}&utm_term=Carts %26 Trucks Hand Trucks&utm_content=Carts %26 Trucks - Hand Trucks - C 

 

17 minutes ago, Paul A said:

Purchase a motorized/powered stair climbing trolley.

Move to a ground floor apartment.

Move to a complex with ramp/wheelchair access.

Wheel the trolley down the stair with motor on.

Use a wooden plank.

Carry down the stairs.

 

Let's be real here - no one will buy/use those.. Just to get euc down/up. Running up/down 2x times - each time you wanna go for a ride.  

If it was my own "house", i would install drive on "plank/metal beam". Going at one side of stairs. You could simply drive on to top floor.

13 minutes ago, Paul A said:

 

Going down the stairs should be the same.

Doh going down one should press a lot more backwards, so euc brakes and doesn't go down flying. 

Edited December 19, 2022 by Funky

[Paul A]

The plank/beam along one side would be the most practical.

Doubtful if landlord would want to pay for it though.

Permission from apartment corporation, consultation and consent of others, permits, professional installation.....nightmare.

Trip hazard. 

Legal liability if someone is injured as a result of the installation.   

Positioning alongside/under the hand rail.

Edited December 19, 2022 by Paul A

[Funky]

16 minutes ago, Paul A said:

The plank/beam along one side would be the cheapest and most practical.

Doubtful if landlord would want to pay for it though.

Permission from apartment corporation, consultation and consent of others, permits, professional installation.....nightmare.

Trip hazard. 

Legal liability if someone is injured as a result of the installation.   

Positioning alongside/under the hand rail.

I did say "my own house".  My property - i can install/do anything i want.

Public space that are shared by many - nightmare if you wanna install/change something. The owner can pay themselves (He wants/needs it).. Cheap/fast install of small beam at very corner of stair would be almost no hazard, because no one is stepping right at the railing.

Edited December 19, 2022 by Funky

[Punxatawneyjoe]

I saw a video awhile back of some people pushing the v13 up flights of stairs. It was powered on and they got behind it and easily pushed it up the stairs, wish i could find it again but i haven't had any luck. Maybe you could try that.  I also have a very steep set of stairs in my house and when i am feeling lazy i just roll my v11 down them powered off and it seems to go fairly smoothly. I don't know if this helps but it couldn't hurt to try it.

[Tawpie]

I tried one of those side-ramp things on a city staircase... you have to tip the wheel to the side and that makes steering to keep it in the track nearly impossible because the side of the tire catches the side of the groove. I went around.

[techyiam]

Well, I only have to push up 5 concrete steps.

It is easy to push up both my V12, and my Abrams up those steps. However, I use different push points for the two wheels.

The trick is not lift the wheel in any way yourself. Let the motor do the lifting. And that means tire traction is of paramount importance. 

Pushing up the two wheels is way easier than having to carry up my T3. I can't push up my T3 because the tire is covered by the shell where it needs to make contact with the next step. 

In the Abrams, to push up, I just push on the rear lift handle / crash bar. Easy peasy.

The Abrams weighs the same as the Sherman-S.

[techyiam]

3 hours ago, Kitty said:

But how to get it downstairs???

Again, let the motor do the work; let it lower the wheel down one step at a time.

On my Abrams, I straddled behind it with one hand holding the front lift handle, and the other hand holding the rear handle. I pull the wheel back onto the step to maximize tire traction. The wheel will brake going down the step. At no time do you do any lifting. There is no bouncing around. The wheel gets lower one step at a time in total control. 

I think your bigger problem is to learn to ride an electric wheel on a Sherman-S. 🙂

 

[UPONIT]

5 hours ago, Funky said:

 You could simply drive on to top floor.

Doh going down one should press a lot more backwards, so euc brakes and doesn't go down flying. 

YES!! One of those bicycle channel things. How expensive can it be? California landlords are supposed to encourage bike use, but it might be worth it even if you have to pay for it?

Or a manual dolly can be found very cheap, and it makes going up/down stairs a breeze. Powered off EUC, bungeed to the dolly. Not MOST graceful thing, but maybe most do-able?

I feel like with a little experimentation when you are more comfortable, you will figure out the method to push it up/down the stairs under power.

[Paul A]

1 hour ago, UPONIT said:

How expensive can it be?

 

Could use a metal gutter, inexpensive, cut to length.

[Hellkitten]

If you keep the knobby tire, you can push the wheel up or down the stairs. The bumps grab the lip of each step and the motor does the work. You’ll need to practice a little to get the hang of it but it’s easier than you think. Street tires are much trickier without the knobs. 

[Cerbera]

1 hour ago, Hellkitten said:

You’ll need to practice a little to get the hang of it but it’s easier than you think.

He's not wrong ! My Master goes up steep vertical concrete steps no effort every time - almost don't need the dog ramp I bought to bypass mine, except for the car, because that wheel will just not climb out again because of the profile of the lip on the boot (trunk), which is very rounded and it slips in the wet, as Bon Jovi tried to warn us all in the '80s...

Edited December 20, 2022 by Cerbera

[Kitty]

Wrong Way released a video today (12/21/22) of his review of the Sherman S. In it he actually addresses, at 37:10, how to walk it up and down stairs. Assuming I have a well behaved Sherman S and I don't totally mess up, his method matches what some of you have suggested. It looks easy but I will find out just how easy it really is. I do plan to get the offroad tire; i.e. the knobby tire, and that should make it much easier.

I will probably get someone to help me get it downstairs where I can practice walking it up a few steps and then back down a few steps before moving on to the entire staircase. Better to drop it from two feet up then 15 feet up. Even better not to drop it at all.

Thank you all for your replies. Together I think we got it done.

[Aztek]

Just grab it and take it down the stairs with working motor step by step (using the motor as brake).

It is not convenient, but these are not too many steps.

The principle is the same going up and down. The feeling is different.

[KiwiMark]

My advice: Find an easier (less steep, longer treads, less high per step) set of steps and roll the wheel (while powered on) up and down those a few times.  Once you get the hang of it then you should be OK with your apartment steps. Also - I agree with keeping it slow & gentle, it isn't like you can save 10 minutes by trying to go up/down those steps as fast as you can, just take your time and you should be fine.

[mike_bike_kite]

I'm just curious how it's going? Also a bit curious why you picked the Sherman as a first wheel?

[Funky]

1 hour ago, mike_bike_kite said:

I'm just curious how it's going? Also a bit curious why you picked the Sherman as a first wheel?

Some people like to get right out what they need. And don't bother buying "smaller/learner" wheels. (Wasting money.) I would have done the same, if i needed big wheel.  

People know what speed/range they wanna go and they usually buy appropriate wheel.

But that's my guess..  

[Kitty]

Well Mr. Funky hit the nail on the head. (You're right, that is.) I didn't have enough money to put the wheel I wanted and to get a training wheel. I would have if it were possible. I want a cruiser so I can go places I haven't been able to go in a car. And now that I no longer have a car I want to also use it to go places. I need to get out and see things and places and meet people. Otherwise I will go stagnant sitting in my apartment every day and that is not the way I want to exit this world. Don't want to get all broken up either.

As for Mr. Mike_Bike_Kite, it is going well. When the wheel arrived last Thursday I was absolutely intimidated. I could barely get it out of the box and then I was afraid to turn it on. I did not want it to crash through the wall. But training finally kicked in and I reached out and turned it on after plugging it into the charger and everything happened just as it should. I've connected it to the EUC World app and tried to set it up. That turned out to be a miserable adventure as I do not understand some of the terms yet. But it does connect and the wheel does balance and I'll figure it all out with help in time.

The slight pressure on the front or back starts the wheel to head off in that direction. I was impressed and can't wait to get started. Tomorrow, Saturday, I begin to learn to move it up and down stairs. A friend and I are going to carry it down a flight of 17 steps and I'll take it up one step, stop, and back down to the bottom. I'll do that until I feel like I can control it and then I'll go for two steps and back down. If all goes well I should be able to take it up and down the flight of stairs with no fear in fairly short order.

Note: the kickstand will be facing toward the base of the stairs and the wheel will be going down backwards to prevent the steps from ripping off the kickstand. I like that kickstand.

To prepare for my first training session on Sunday(?) I wrapped it head to toe in a half inch thick neoprene exercise mat. I wrapped no residue duct tape around it and the only part of the wheel you can see is the very top where the handles are as well as the wheel and the kickstand(?). I'll be training on grass until I am able to stay vertical.  In the long run it may not protect the beautiful finish on the wheel but I have to try my best. Once I complete my first bike path ride I'll remove the raincoat and things should get easy quickly after that.

That is the plan. We shall see what reality has in store for me.

[Tawpie]

21 minutes ago, Kitty said:

Note: the kickstand will be facing toward the base of the stairs and the wheel will be going down backwards to prevent the steps from ripping off the kickstand. I like that kickstand.

Good call. Because if the kickstand were to get hung up on a tread leaving the tire dangling in the air, the tire would spin up to full speed (and then the motor will turn off and it'll coast to a stop).

BTW, if the wheel does get into a spot where it free spins, don't panic. Let it spin until it shuts itself down (it will) and the tire stops spinning. Then and only then let the tire back on the ground. You don't want to drop a free spinning wheel for many reasons, one of which is the wheel is driven by a 3 hp electric motor.

I'm excited for you!

Edited January 21 by Tawpie