Thoughts on Triaxe scooters?

[Jen_G]

My mom uses an ECV at Disney. Last year, the two of us stayed at All-Star Movies and used the Disney bus system to get around. She really hated having to drive her scooter on and off the bus - there were a couple of times she took the corner too tight and nearly fell over because she hit the walls of the ramp.

This year, she was considering renting a Triaxe scooter from a rental company (am I allowed to mention names here?). The one she was looking at folds up almost like a stroller and is supposed to be extremely portable (it's called the Triaxe EZ Traveler on their reservation page). We're not certain yet if we're going to be using the Disney bus system again or if we're going to be renting a car. If she rents the triaxe, would she be allowed to fold it up and roll it onto the bus that way, like a stroller? Are they sturdy enough to support a larger woman, or would she be better off going with a more robust ECV? Thank you.

 

[SueM in MN]

I found the manufacturer's website with a picture.
The specifications indicate it can hold up to 350 pounds, but the overall width is 20.5 inches, which might make it feel tippy.
It also says that the standard seat is 13 inches wide, with the optional larger seat being 18 inches wide. You would need to decide if a seat that size would be comfortable for her. (For comparison, my 5 foot tall 80 pound daughter has a 14 inch wide seat on her manual wheelchair.)
It doesn't appear to have much leg room, so that might impact her comfort - especially if she will be riding it most of the time and not parking and walking with it.

It says it weighs 55 pounds, which would be pretty heavy for trying to hold on the bus. I can't guarantee that they would let you do that in any case.
This is a link to the manufacturer's website, which has a photo of the scooter folded. http://www.enhancemobility.com/product/triaxe-sport-scooter/

If you end up renting a car instead, it might be difficult to get into the trunk because of both the size and the weight.

A tip that might be helpful - rather than driving the ECV onto the bus, many people put it into freewheel, so that it can be pushed on instead of driven on.

 

[Jen_G]

Thank you, SueM. That echoes a lot of the worries that I had about it too. I talked to Mom and it turns out she's started to consider buying an ECV for herself, for when she travels with my dad, and she was really interested in something portable that they could transport easily. She wanted to rent the triaxe as sort of a test run to see how it felt.

 

[lanejudy]

@mamabunny owns her own portable scooter, I believe it folds for a car trunk but I'm not sure she tries to fold it for WDW transportation. She might have some suggestions for you/mom.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[mamabunny]

(Waving Hi! to @lanejudy!)

@Jen_G - What our @lanejudy is talking about is my Travelscoot. I actually own 2 of them now. My first one was purchased used (now named "Max") and the second one (newest model, named "Angus") was a gift from my DH, when he saw how positively Max had impacted my life.

Angus is my daily ride, and is named after Princess Merida's faithful horse from "Brave" & Max (named after Maximus, the Palace horse in "Tangled"!) is actually now my adult daughter's faithful steed. Both Max and Angus have always gotten me home safe and sound after our adventures, just like in the movies!


Angus weighs less than 35 pounds without me - I don't use the seat back (it pops off easily, by sitting up straight I help keep my core strong, and that way I can easily get on and off like a tricycle! LOL) so I drop the handlebars, and pop it right in the back of my Kia Soul without even any further disassembly. Set the brakes, and away I go, on another adventure!

The TravelScoot folds and breaks down to fit into a travel bag that is about the size of a golf bag. Not even kidding. We can easily put two of them in the back of my Kia Soul and still have plenty of room for luggage on top. (Disclaimer: I have one of my rear seats folded down, as we are a family of three, and don't need the fourth seat.)

I picked this model after hours and hours of research - I wanted something sturdy (I am a 3L - Large Lovely Lady) so it had to hold up to a FULL "Disney Day" which could easily be Rope Drop to EMH. I have an extra battery, and it's easy to "double stack" (although I rarely use the second battery, I have it with me just the same) It had to be easy to use, and have a low center of gravity, so I didn't have to worry about tumping over. I wanted some kind of storage, and the ability to customize it if I wanted to. (and I did! LED undercarriage lighting, CrampBuster, cup holders, headlight, tail light...!) I wanted the ability to reverse WITHOUT BEEPING (Because I don't "beep" when I walk backwards - do you?) (Also note that with the TravelScoot, I can also just "Fred Flinstone" it for short distances) and most importantly, I didn't want it to look like a "regular" scooter. I wanted it to be unique, and kinda cool looking.

My hubby is a mechanic for a major airline, so he knows from "aircraft grade aluminum" - he works with the real stuff every day. He was prepared to be skeptical, but is now one of the biggest fans of these little scooters. There is literally almost no maintenance; the solid tires are puncture proof, and all you have to do is fully charge the battery overnight!

I typically run into at least one other Travelscoot owner every trip at WDW - they are super easy to travel with, because everyone from Gate Agents and ground crews at the airport, to bus drivers at WDW love them; they are so lightweight and easy to deal with. The entire scooter is basically one big tie-down point for the WDW bus drivers; they can hook the tie-downs on almost anywhere, and they love these little guys!

The *worst* thing about owning a TravelScoot is that we often get stopped by friendly strangers wanting to know where they can get one!

LMK if you have any questions - you can PM or post here!

 

[Jen_G]

@lanejudy Thank you! We're going in January and it'll be our first time getting my dad to come along with us, so it should be a blast.

@mamabunny That sounds like it would be right up my mom's alley. I didn't recognize the name at first, but after checking out the website I think it might have been one of the brands that my mom had been considering! I'm going to link her to this thread so that she can check it out herself. Thank you for the glowing recommendation.

 

[Jen_G]

@mamabunny My mom was wondering what you do to keep it safe when you're at Disney apart from just taking the key with you. It's so lightweight, do you carry around a bike chain, or is there another way to make sure it's secure?

 

[mamabunny]

@mamabunny My mom was wondering what you do to keep it safe when you're at Disney apart from just taking the key with you. It's so lightweight, do you carry around a bike chain, or is there another way to make sure it's secure?

Hi Jen! Hi Jen's Mom!

Actually, there is *no key*! I know that's kind of scary, but what I do is disconnect the battery, and then tuck the end of the battery cable down under the corner of the red fabric triangle that serves as storage (and BTW, that little triangle can haul a TON of stuff around in it!). So I don't have to worry about carrying or losing a key - I just plug/unplug and go on. I do set the brakes when parking - you do that by squeezing the handles in tight, and then setting the little stopper. You can still move with the brakes set, but it's not nearly as easy, and it's certainly enough that you don't have to worry about him rolling away on a slope.

I have never really had any problems with anyone messing with Angus in all of the times I have taken him to WDW, or anywhere else for that matter. I think that because there is a handicap symbol prominently on the top of the battery, people seem to realize that it is really a mobility device, and they treat it with respect. Although I am no longer able to "park and walk", I do have to (for example) leave him parked while we have lunch at Garden Grill at Epcot, and have never had a problem leaving him anywhere at WDW. Just like with any other scooter, stroller or other unattended mobility device, from time to time a CM might move him, but overall, I never give it a second thought.

We can't use bike chains/cables or anything like that at WDW; someone with a bolt cutter and a CM uniform will come along and helpfully remove that for you! The reason is that CMs have to be able to keep walkways as clear as possible, and they also have to be able to move everything in the event of an emergency in the area. So never try to lock up anything, or you will be out the money for the chain or cable.

You have to remember that everyone at WDW has paid a fairly significant price to get in the gate. And although from time to time we will hear stories of people having things stolen (from strollers, or ECV baskets, etc.) the vast majority of the time there is no problem. I feel safer in the Parks at WDW than I do almost anywhere else in the world; everyone there has been security screened, and there must be a huge number of cameras that Disney has trained on Guests all over the Parks.

I can't guarantee - obviously no one can - that there would be no problem leaving your TravelScoot at WDW, but I do on a regular basis (an average of two times per year and an average of 10 days per trip...) and I really believe that you won't have any problems either.

Also - the "CrampBuster" I referenced above is a device you can easily slip over the twist throttle on the TravelScoot. It gives you a "paddle" that you can either push down on with your thumb, or the heel of your hand, or you can even use the pinky-finger side of your fist if you need to. I had to get a CrampBuster after I dislocated my finger, and now I won't ride Angus without it.

I don't know what part of the country you all live in, but if you are anywhere near Tulsa, Oklahoma, I will be glad for your Mom to meet Angus, and try him out before she buys one.

 

[Joanna71985]

We can't use bike chains/cables or anything like that at WDW; someone with a bolt cutter and a CM uniform will come along and helpfully remove that for you! The reason is that CMs have to be able to keep walkways as clear as possible, and they also have to be able to move everything in the event of an emergency in the area. So never try to lock up anything, or you will be out the money for the chain or cable.

bike chains are allowed to be used. They just can't be chained to anything stationary

 

[mamabunny]

bike chains are allowed to be used. They just can't be chained to anything stationary

This is one of those things where I have heard conflicting reports, so I always err on the side of caution. I have been told by CMs in several different departments that even if the bike chain is threaded through the mobility devices own wheels, in order to prevent theft - the chain or cable will be removed, because it could prevent the device from being moved in the event of an emergency, or simply during "the normal course of operations" (CMs keeping walkways as open as possible by shuffling strollers, ECVs and wheelchairs). Why bring a chain or cable to lock up a device when it really isn't needed? You will spend all day fumbling around with it, and there is the potential that either a CM will ask you to remove it, or it will be removed for you while you are away from the device.

I've never felt the need for that kind of security at WDW, regardless. I suppose that might make me naive' but I simply have not seen the need for it. Yes, there are scattered stories about people having problems with strollers being stolen (and if your child needs their stroller as a wheelchair, then certainly that creates a greater sense of urgency for you) but overall, the number of people who have reported ECVs and wheelchairs as truly being stolen - not simply moved by a CM to a location they just haven't found yet - is statistically so small that I worry more about being struck by lightning at WDW.

The far greater concern for theft at WDW is simply items being stolen from the device; leaving shopping bags, backpacks, purses, etc. on the device while it is unattended could certainly lead to the theft of those items.

 

[Jen_G]

Hi Jen! Hi Jen's Mom!

Actually, there is *no key*! I know that's kind of scary, but what I do is disconnect the battery, and then tuck the end of the battery cable down under the corner of the red fabric triangle that serves as storage (and BTW, that little triangle can haul a TON of stuff around in it!). So I don't have to worry about carrying or losing a key - I just plug/unplug and go on. I do set the brakes when parking - you do that by squeezing the handles in tight, and then setting the little stopper. You can still move with the brakes set, but it's not nearly as easy, and it's certainly enough that you don't have to worry about him rolling away on a slope.

Oooo, shoot. I owe my mom an apology - she was asking about whether it had a key or not, and I said that of course it had to have one. Hahaha, whoops! I'm glad to hear that you haven't had any issues with people messing with Angus. Disney usually strikes me as a pretty safe space as long as you're not leaving your purse sitting in your basket unattended. I'd be more concerned with it when she was off on her cruises, but she could always use a chain there if she needed to. Thank you for all the information! Unfortunately we're not going to be near Ohio anytime soon, but if you're going to be in Disney in January let me know and I'll treat you to a snack and/or drink if you like!

 

[mamabunny]

Oooo, shoot. I owe my mom an apology - she was asking about whether it had a key or not, and I said that of course it had to have one. Hahaha, whoops! I'm glad to hear that you haven't had any issues with people messing with Angus. Disney usually strikes me as a pretty safe space as long as you're not leaving your purse sitting in your basket unattended. I'd be more concerned with it when she was off on her cruises, but she could always use a chain there if she needed to. Thank you for all the information! Unfortunately we're not going to be near Ohio anytime soon, but if you're going to be in Disney in January let me know and I'll treat you to a snack and/or drink if you like!

LOL I won't be near Ohio either - we live in Oklahoma! (although Ohio *is* perfectly lovely, and the land where my DH was born! LOL)

I think we are going to *just* miss you all at WDW - we will be back at WL in February! Shoot!

There *is* a company that rents the TravelScoot, BTW, but I don't know anything about it - TravelScoot Rentals - so your Mom could rent one to try it out before she commits to purchasing.

Just FYI - cruisers LOVE the TravelScoot - if you search Google for "cruise travelscoot" you will see lots of information about the TravelScoot at sea, and more happy owners! And if your Mom flies, she will "gate check" it, and then can drive it right down to the door of the plane, remove the battery (they sell a battery case for travel, and it DOES NOT count against your carry on items because it is considered to be part of your medical device) and carry the battery on board. When you get to your destination (or next airport) they bring it back up outside the door of the plane! Every airline does things a bit differently, so you should always call and talk to them first about how they will handle the TravelScoot and the battery.

 

[Joanna71985]

This is one of those things where I have heard conflicting reports, so I always err on the side of caution. I have been told by CMs in several different departments that even if the bike chain is threaded through the mobility devices own wheels, in order to prevent theft - the chain or cable will be removed, because it could prevent the device from being moved in the event of an emergency, or simply during "the normal course of operations" (CMs keeping walkways as open as possible by shuffling strollers, ECVs and wheelchairs). Why bring a chain or cable to lock up a device when it really isn't needed? You will spend all day fumbling around with it, and there is the potential that either a CM will ask you to remove it, or it will be removed for you while you are away from the device.

I've never felt the need for that kind of security at WDW, regardless. I suppose that might make me naive' but I simply have not seen the need for it. Yes, there are scattered stories about people having problems with strollers being stolen (and if your child needs their stroller as a wheelchair, then certainly that creates a greater sense of urgency for you) but overall, the number of people who have reported ECVs and wheelchairs as truly being stolen - not simply moved by a CM to a location they just haven't found yet - is statistically so small that I worry more about being struck by lightning at WDW.

The far greater concern for theft at WDW is simply items being stolen from the device; leaving shopping bags, backpacks, purses, etc. on the device while it is unattended could certainly lead to the theft of those items.

I used to work in attractions. And we were told that they were allowed. It's not that hard to move strollers that have chains on

 

[SueM in MN]

I used to work in attractions. And we were told that they were allowed. It's not that hard to move strollers that have chains on

I would say the defining question is 'can it be moved?'
If it can be moved by CMs, it can be locked. For strollers, some people lock either the 2 front wheels or the 2 back wheels together. It can still be moved by the CMs just by tilting it up on the 2 unlocked wheels.

That won't work for ECVs, but I have heard of people folding the seat back down and putting a lock in a way that keeps it from being folded back up or placing the lock where you'd have to sit on it - making it uncomfortable to ride.

Besides valuables, be careful of leaving food. I've seen video of squirrels going into bags on strollers to take food.

 

[Jen_G]

LOL I won't be near Ohio either - we live in Oklahoma! (although Ohio *is* perfectly lovely, and the land where my DH was born! LOL)

I think we are going to *just* miss you all at WDW - we will be back at WL in February! Shoot!

Bah, that's what happens when I don't go back and re-read what I'm replying to before I hit post! My bad. We're on the East Coast, so Oklahoma is even farther away from us than Ohio is. I'm gonna forward that travelscoot rental information to my mom, even if she doesn't use it at Disney it would still give her a chance to try it out before deciding if she wants to purchase. Thank you again, you have been a fount of helpful information for us!

 

[mamabunny]

Besides valuables, be careful of leaving food. I've seen video of squirrels going into bags on strollers to take food.

LOL I am going to have to remember that - we always buy a ton of carmel corn at Karamell-Kuche in Epcot to take home, ever since we discovered that you can spread it out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and gently "re-crisp" it in the oven (low temp, we use 185 degrees) and enjoy a favorite Disney treat even after we get home!