What started as an idea to reinvent the wheel has led to a 10-year journey of growth and innovation. Over these years, Loopwheels’ design has evolved from one generation to the next in order to improve their performance for our customers. This blog will look at how Loopwheels have changed over the past decade and what impact these changes have had.
The Beginning: Reinventing the wheel
Reinventing the wheel is no small feat, and so you may not be surprised to know that this process has actually been a lot longer than 10 years in the making! In the lead up to their launch, there was a lot of work behind the scenes to develop Loopwheels: wheels with built-in suspension.
We know from finding patents which are more than 100 years old that over the last century or more people recognised the need for in-wheel suspension and tried to make it work. However, they just couldn’t achieve a successful product, because the composite materials we can use now weren’t available in the early 20th century.
Loopwheels inventor Sam Pearce began working with the idea of putting suspension inside a wheel in 2009, but he didn’t begin developing this seriously until 2011. The first Loopwheels design on the market were created for folding commuter bikes, and launched back in 2013. Since this launch, people began approaching Loopwheels Co-Founders Sam and Gemma to ask if Loopwheels could be designed for wheelchairs. People were interested in Loopwheels to help with travelling down kerbs and over other similar obstacles.
Two years later in 2015, the first Loopwheels for wheelchairs were released! These wheels are now known as Loopwheels Classics *.
If you want to learn more about Loopwheels, click below to view a timeline of the company’s journey!
The First Evolution: Loopwheels Carbon
The Loopwheels team is dedicating to offering the best solution we can to our customers.
In order to achieve this, we are constantly looking out for feedback and trying to understand how we can improve people’s experience with our wheels.
In 2019, we launched Loopwheels Carbon which was an evolution of Loopwheels Classics which offered improved stability and a stiffer suspension*. Loopwheels Carbon was the first model to include a sleek carbon finish to the springs of our wheels (though the springs have always been made with carbon!)
The Next Chapter: 2nd Generation Launch
Behind the scenes in 2019, development and testing for the second generation of Loopwheels began. These wheels you may be familiar with today: Loopwheels Urban, Loopwheels Extreme. The first of these wheels were shipped to customers in February of 2020.
What’s the difference between the design of Loopwheels Classics and Loopwheels Urban/Extreme?
The newer generations of Loopwheels were designed in response to customer feedback collected throughout the years, as well as our improved knowledge of the technology and market.
Loopwheels 2nd Generation offers:
- A lighter-weight design
- Improved lateral stability
- A model specifically designed for use with handbikes and power attachments
- A higher recommended speed limit
- 3 different spring rates so that you can tailor your choice wheels to your needs
- A refined, 3-spring design with improved suspension capability!
Loopwheels LT were actually not launched until 2023, despite having the same design as Loopwheels Urban. This was to clarify the options available to customers concerned that they would not experience the benefits of the wheels due to their weight. Loopwheels LT have softer springs optimal for customers who weigh between 40-60kgs. They are also a great option for people looking for a softer suspension.
By 2024, the first generation accounted for less than 15% of total sales so customers were clearly voting for the the second generation and therefore we discontinued the first generation in favour of the superior product.
The success of the 2nd Generation Loopwheels since their launch:
Since the launch of Loopwheels Urban, Extreme and LT in 2020, these wheels have been involved studies by the University of Pittsburgh Human Engineering Research Laboratories – one of the world’s leading research institutes in the field of wheelchair use.
The first study, published in 2024, focused on the vibration-reduction offered by Loopwheels Urban in comparison to standard spoked wheels.
Standards like ISO 2631 and construction safety laws show how important it is to limit vibration exposure to protect health. People who use wheelchairs are similarly exposed to vibrations, and there is a wealth of evidence which shows the impact this can have on neck pain, back pain and fatigue.
Loopwheels were found to reduce Whole Body Vibration at the wheelchair backrest and footrest by 7-10% compared with spoked wheels. The study stated that this 7-10% reduction could increase the amount of time a wheelchair user can safely push before it becomes hazardous to health.
The second part of this study took place over 12 weeks, assessing the effects of in-wheel suspension on neck-pain, back-pain, fatigue and participation in people who use manual wheelchairs. There were 24 participants total (12 with Loopwheels and 12 without), and the study focused on their use of the wheels as part of their daily lives in the community rather than in a laboratory environment.
A summary of Loopwheels’ performance:
- Participants reported feeling fewer bumps and improved shock absorption compared with standard wheelchair wheels.
- Vibrations from daily wheelchair use were reduced by 35%, while shock exposure dropped by 50%.
- WBV levels fell to levels fell below hazardous thresholds defined by International Standard Organization 2631
- Manual wheelchair users using Loopwheels should be able to propel up to 14-16 hours per day before being exposed to a harmful amount of vibration and shock.
- Participants using Loopwheels reported reduced neck-pain and fewer overall pain problems.
Overall, the studies have concluded that Loopwheels can improve comfort and health for people who use a wheelchair.
Want to hear what our customers think? Read some of their stories here!
Over the past decade, Loopwheels’ journey has been driven by a passion for innovation and a dedication to high-quality manufacturing. The team aims to deliver top solutions for customers and is grateful to all who’ve joined the journey thus far!