Invacare XLT Pro Review

by Matt Strugar-Fritsch
Rating: 4/5 stars

I received my Invacare XLT Pro in July of 2004 with stock shimano XT cranks and standard quick release wheels. As parts wore out and I began to focus more on racing and riding long distances, I began to replace and upgrade parts accordingly. Today the only original parts on the bike are the frame, seat and right shifter/brake lever. Overall this bike has performed remarkably well, however there are certain limitations inherent in its design which can limit the performance, adjustability and comfort of the machine.

For a paraplegic, the front mounted horizontal shifter/break lever setup on the cycle is easy to adapt to and effortless to execute. It is easy to flick out a finger on the down stroke to shift both the front and rear derailleur in nearly any riding condition, allowing the user to adapt to terrain “on the fly” instead of relying on intuition to choose the right gear ratio for what lies ahead.

One disadvantage to the stock crank set was the inability to pedal and turn the cycle concurrently due to the cranks clipping my legs. This, in addition to the lack of leverage per revolution that is achieved with V style cranks (which now come stock on this machine) led me to upgrade to V cranks after one year of riding.

After upgrading to the V cranks (length 220mm, width 22 inches) I immediately noticed the increase in leverage which helped dramatically when climbing hills and slightly increased my average riding speed. I also noticed that the V cranks positioned my hands just outside my shoulders with my elbows slightly elevated. This setup utilizes the muscles of the shoulders and back much more than previously. In the long run, more functional muscle groups is an advantage, but in the short run it caused considerable pain and muscle fatigue as my body acclimated to the new riding position.

This handcycle comes stock with a road crown compensator which I feel is one of the bikes greatest assets. An on the fly adjustment of this lever allows you to fine tune the angle of the front wheel to compensate for the downward slope that most roads and sidewalks unfortunately feature.

The biggest downfall of this machine I feel is the lack of adjustability of its seat position. After 3 years of adjustments, it seems that there are only a few functional seat angles that can be achieved on this machine, rendering it nearly impossible to dial in the reclined angle that is desired by most high level paraplegics on the racing circuit. Invacare realized this flaw and recently launched a new bike, the Top End Force, which caters to this demographic much more suitably.

Overall I am more than satisfied with the quality, durability, design and performance of this machine. It is an excellent machine for everyone from the newly injured to the seasoned veterans and I couldn’t agree more with what they say in the bikes promotional material, and that is: “If you want a great way to exercise, cross-train or just have fun, the Invacare Top End Excelerator XLTPRO is what you're looking for!"