GRIT Customer Support Center

The GRIT Freedom Chair requires very little assembly, but the headset (which connects the front fork to the boom of the chair) does need to be installed. Here's how to do it!

Like the chains on a single-speed bicycle, the chains on the GRIT Freedom Chair can become loose and require tightening. Here's what ideal chain tension looks like and how you can adjust your chain tension to match.

The GRIT Freedom Chair uses bike wheels (mountain bike, street bike, etc.). You can inflate the tires using a standard bike pump. In this tutorial, we explain how the valves work.

As with any device using pneumatic tires (those filled with pressurized gas or air), it is important to keep an eye on your tire pressure. Different rides and different performance goals require different tire pressures; checking your tire pressure is an easy way to make sure you're moving as efficiently as possible.

For general use, GRIT recommends keeping all three GRIT Freedom Chair wheels at 45 PSI. If going out for a pavement-only ride, increase your tire PSI by a bit; if going out for a rough-terrain-only ride, decrease your tire PSI. Refer to the inner wall of the wheel for the manufacturer-declared PSI ranges.

Below, see one of GRIT's founders and engineers, Ben, talk about how to inflate those tires!

The GRIT Freedom Chair fits easily into vehicles ranging in size from small sedans to larger SUVs! Check out the below videos for some examples.

When purchasing any kind of mobility device, it is important to consider transportation. After all, what good is an all-terrain wheelchair (or any wheelchair) if you can't take it where you can use it!

The GRIT Freedom Chair is designed to be easily assembled, disassembled, and transported in almost any imaginable vehicle. We've seen our riders load their GRIT Freedom Chairs into Toyota Priuses, pickup trucks, inside or on top of minivans, and even in trailers towed behind their motorcycles. Some vehicles have enough space to hold a fully assembled GRIT Freedom Chair; others require some parts of the chair to be taken off. No matter what you're driving, the team at GRIT wants to make sure you can get out and enjoy the chair, wherever you want to take it. Below are a few videos showing how other riders have put their GRIT Freedom Chairs into their vehicles.

The parking brakes on the GRIT Freedom Chair are adjustable to accommodate a range of riding conditions and even different wheels. In this video, Mario explains how to adjust the position of the parking brakes.

Are you stuck against a curb, wall, or something else? Here are some helpful tips for getting out!

The GRIT Freedom Chair comes with a built-in hill-hold feature that prevents you from rolling backward on inclines. While this feature can be a huge benefit on inclines, it means going backward at all may take some getting used to. Check out the video below for some helpful tips!

This short video covers some basic tips about riding the GRIT Freedom Chair. You'll learn how to use the levers for propulsion: a special technique for climbing steep hills. We'll also show you how the levers are inserted into the drivetrain as well as how you can remove them and store them on the frame.

Many of our riders modify their GRIT Freedom Chairs to improve their performance, comfort, or just to make them look outright awesome. But where is the line? Read more to find out what adjustments are okay and what ones aren't.

Here at GRIT, we encourage riders to make modifications and personalized upgrades to their GRIT Freedom Chairs. After all, once the chair is yours, you should make it as comfortable, stylish, and perfect for you as possible. Some popular additions include custom lever wraps, custom wheel-spoke wraps, stands for phones, cup holders, leg rests, and more!

However, it is important to know when a particular modification risks voiding the GRIT Freedom Chair warranty. Certain modifications may affect the integrity of the chair, cause performance or structural issues, or negatively affect key functionalities or design elements of the chair. Here's the rule of thumb:

Any modification that prevents the chair from being returned to its original state will void the warranty.

Looking to design a custom bracket that wraps around the boom of the chair to hold an accessory bag? Your warranty is safe! Need to drill a hole through the boom to make this bracket fit on? Warranty is not safe! Any cutting, drilling, sawing, breaking, or bending is usually going to void the warranty. Of course, voiding the warranty isn't the end of the world, but if you plasma-weld a custom lawnmower attachment to your GRIT Freedom Chair frame, please understand GRIT can't be responsible for any consequential performance issues.

Not sure if your modification will void the warranty? Contact us at support@gogrit.us and we'll let you know.

We understand that while the GRIT Freedom Chair may have initially been a great match for you or your loved one, things happen, setbacks happen—life happens.

If after 30 days, you or your loved one can no longer use the GRIT Freedom Chair, we want to help you get it to someone who can. Many organizations will keep a GRIT Freedom Chair on-hand for use in events, hikes, races, competitions, and even temporary rental. Here are a few places to start:

· Adaptive Sports and Recreation Organizations: The GRIT Freedom Chair is often perfect for these groups. Adaptive sports organizations host events, competitions, leagues, and more. They strive to connect adults and kids with disabilities to the satisfaction and competition of sports—and they can almost always take advantage of a GRIT Freedom Chair.

· Schools & School Districts: Even if a school has just one GRIT Freedom Chair, many students over many years will be able to take advantage of it. Contact your local school or after school program to see if they’d be able to use a GRIT Freedom Chair.

· Summer Camps & Adventure Camps: These organizations are dedicated to the pursuit of adventure in all forms. They provide the staffing and equipment that allow people with physical disabilities or mobility impairments to go hiking, trail riding, snowshoeing, to the beach, and more— all of which can be made better with a GRIT Freedom Chair.

· Other Veteran Associations: Many organizations are dedicated to physically and financially helping veterans. For example, Oscar Mike and Operation Enduring Warrior help injured veterans access adaptive sports.

· Trail Associations: These groups provide stewardship, mentorship, trail maintenance, education, orientation trips, and more. They often coordinate hikes and are always working to make trails more accessible.

Click here for more information on specific organizations that utilize GRIT Freedom Chairs in their programming.

Need help finding a new home for your GRIT Freedom Chair?

We speak with tons of organizations every week, many of which would love the opportunity to have a used GRIT Freedom Chair. We're happy to make an introduction or even help facilitate the donation. Want to donate the chair to a specific kind of organization but unsure about where to start? No problem. Contact us at support@gogrit.us.

After a fair amount of use, the powder coat on your levers may start to wear off, especially where the lever engages with the wheel. Don't worry! Here's why.

The black powder coat on your levers is purely cosmetic. As you are now seeing, beneath that black powder coat is the steel core of the levers. Wearing away the powder coat is completely normal and, believe it or not, will actually enhance the performance of the levers.

Our steel levers are protected with a zinc chromate plating that has a higher coefficient of friction (COF) than the layer of black powder coat. A higher COF means more friction between the lever and the wheel, which means faster and easier braking. The rubber tires will never be compromised by the contact with the steel.

All this being said, if the metal itself is wearing away (i.e., there's a hole in your lever), you are putting the levers to the test—and that is great. However, you may want to replace your lever(s) to make sure the braking mechanism is in safe and functional condition. If you've worn a hole in your lever(s), contact us at support@gogrit.us and we'll get you set up with some new levers.

This is normal! Brand-new bike chains tend to stretch out and loosen, especially during the first couple of months of use or when a GRIT Freedom Chair is put under high stress. Tension your chains using the following instructions. See the Tensioning the Chains How-To Video below or the GRIT Freedom Chair User Manual for help tensioning the chains. If the problem persists after those first couple of months, please let us know! Give us a call at 617-356-8106 and a member of the GRIT team will be glad to help you troubleshoot these issues.

Make sure your GRIT Freedom Chair fork is centered, the headset is vertical, and the chains are tensioned. Also confirm that side slope is not an issue.

Every GRIT Freedom Chair is both visually examined and roll-tested before shipment. However, here are a few checks to make sure everything is working as it should:

Step #1: Confirm that your front wheel centered in the fork.

Your front wheel should be positioned in the center of the fork (the metal bracket that holds the wheel onto the frame). To make sure this is the case, safely lean the GRIT Freedom Chair backward so the back rest is against the floor. You can also move in front of the chair to get a head-on view of the chair. Next, examine the wheel. Is it centered or is it shifted to the left or right? Next, tap the wheel with your hand to spin it. As the wheel is spinning, look at the center tread—is it spinning straight or snaking left and right? If the latter, take a photo or video of your fork to support@gogrit.us and a GRIT team member will contact you with next steps.

Step #2: Confirm that your headset is vertical.

The headset holds the fork to the frame of your GRIT Freedom Chair. It lives above the fork and front wheel and should be vertical. To confirm that this is the case, lean the GRIT Freedom Chair backward so the back rest is against the floor. You can also move in front of the chair to get a head-on view of the chair. Next, inspect the headset. Everything in the headset should be vertical. If you suspect it’s angled, take a photo of the headset (from the front) and email it to support@gogrit.us, and a GRIT team member will contact you with next steps.

Step #3: Confirm that your chains are properly tensioned.

If the chains aren’t equally tensioned, it’ll cause one side of your GRIT Freedom Chair to move faster than the other. See the Tensioning the Chains video under How-To Videos for help tensioning the chains.

Step #4: Make sure side slope isn't causing the issue.

Most roads are intentionally built with side slope to allow water to run away from the center of the street and toward the drains. This is great for drainage but not so great for adaptive equipment! Ride your GRIT Freedom Chair in both directions on the same side of the street (making sure there is no traffic!) and then over grass. This will help determine if side slope could be part of the problem.

To navigate side slope or crowned roads:

Tip #1: Use quick lever pushes.

Slow, full-extension pushes will make it harder to correct against the side slope.

Tip #2: Keep your back against the seatback

Avoid leaning all the way forward during your lever pushes. This slows you down and will make side slope more difficult. Keep your back flush to the seatback (slight separation is okay) and throw short "jabs" with the levers, similar to a boxer with a speed bag.

Tip #3: Consider this advice from Corwyn, a GRIT Freedom Chair owner:

I remember this from my days and skate and x-country skiing...Try an "asymmetrical plant" with your bars. So what you're going to do is put your hand in the power stroke position on the sloping side of the grade so you get the most power there. Have your opposite hand in the medium-power position. Push hard with your powerstroke on the graded side and then—just right as you begin your power stroke—follow it up with a short burst from the other side. It should sound like a heartbeat when you do it. Just keeps your momentum moving forward and fast without having to correct or only make minor adjustments to your direction. I adapted this from cross-country skiing because we do the same thing with our poles to keep momentum up a hill. You can do the same thing with your GRIT. Check it out! It really makes riding on graded services so much easier and keeps your momentum moving forward.

Tip #4: Consider Steering Pegs

If Steering Pegs are an option, they can be a game-changer when dealing with sloped roads. Check them out on the GRIT Accessories page (click here) or call to ask the GRIT team about this accessory!

Tip #5: Get a buddy!

The GRIT Freedom Chair makes it easy for you and a friend to work together. The Trail Handles accessory makes this particularly effective. Have someone walk behind you to give a bit of steering assistance! Your assistant can give as little or as much support as you'd like—sometimes just a fingertip of assistance is all you need. Together, you may be able to go farther, faster, longer, and have a lot more fun than going solo!

First, check the tension on your chains. Next, send us a photo or video of your frame.

Don’t worry! This is likely due to normal chain stretch that happens with the GRIT Freedom Chair (and bicycles) during the first couple of months of use. While unnerving, the sounds can most often be traced back to the chains—when loose, they can skip teeth and “pop.” See our How-To Videos below for help tensioning the chains.

If tensioning the chains doesn’t help, it’s a good idea to inspect your frame. While uncommon, a misaligned frame can also cause this popping sound. If you think a misaligned frame could be the issue, send a picture or video of the underside of your GRIT Freedom Chair to support@gogrit.us. This photo should show the two horizontal bars that are perpendicular to the T-frame/main tube. Once we receive that photo, a GRIT team member will contact you with next steps.

Step #1: Put your rear wheels on rollers. Motorcycle-wheel cleaning stands (like the ones below) are perfect.

Above: Michelle also uses steel jacks (red) to keep her chair stable.

Step #2: Fix or dock your front wheel. Either build your own frame out of wood or purchase a trailer wheel dock to prevent your front wheel from moving.

Above: Michelle uses a homemade wooden frame to fix her front wheel.

Above: Tim (aka “Gator”) opts to fix his front wheel with a trailer wheel dock. Note that he also uses the motorcycle wheel cleaning stands for his rear wheels.

Step #3: Exercise! Just like that, you can pump your levers through any weather and any season— all from the comfort of your own home. Did you find another way to set your chair up on rollers? Share it with others in the the GRIT Freedom Chair Rider Group on Facebook (click here)!