Buying a Scooter? Here’s What You Need to Know

This is what you need to know before you buy a scooter.

• My Commute Is Awful. Would Scootering To Work Make It Better?
  
• I’m a Big Guy—110 kg and 193 cm tall—Is There a Scooter For Me?
• Do I Need a Scooter with Large Wheels or Small Ones?
  
• My Dog Loves to Run. Can I Take Him Scootering?
• Do I Need Solid Wheels or Inflatable Tyres? 
• What’s the Best Scooter to Take on the Train or in a Car?
  
• I Don’t Know How to Scooter. Is it Difficult?
  
• Will I Arrive at Work Sweaty and Tired from Scootering?
  
• Scooter vs. Bike. Which Is Better?
• Can Scootering Help You Keep Fit?
  
• Foot Brakes, V-Brakes, Disc Brakes—Which Is Better?
  
• Will a Bigger Front Wheel Be Right For My Scooter?
• Are Scooters as Fast as Bikes in the City?
  
• Should I Buy a Scooter With Front Suspension?
• How Much Ground Clearance Should My Scooter Have?
  
• After Running or Roller Skiing Uphill—Can I Use a Scooter to Go Down?
  
• Let’s Talk Money. How Much Is a Good Scooter?
• Why Are Scooter Decks So Small?
• How to Maintain Your Scooter for Years of Fun
  
• I Just Want To Ride. I Don’t Want To Push!
   

 

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My Commute Is Awful. Would Scootering To Work Make It Better?

Forget getting stuck in traffic or combing the whole city for a parking space. Scooters are ideal for avoiding city traffic stress. Use your scooter to move around the city on workdays, or pack it in your car to take to the beach or another popular destination on weekends. Scooters allow you to park further away than normal, and then just ride in for the last stretch. In many European countries, such as Italy, as much as 50% of inner-city journeys are less than 5 km. When you’re dealing with short distances like these, the fastest means of transport is often a scooter or a bike. Most riders find a scooter with 12-inch wheels, especially folding scooters, work out best for commuting.





I’m a Big Guy—110 kg and 193 cm tall—Is There a Scooter For Me?

Thanks to the surging popularity of scootering, manufacturers now make scooters for all body types—from little kids to tall, strong guys like you. Handlebars can be adjusted up or down, so you’ll be able to set the height that’s right for you. As for weight, some scooters have decks that can support up to 146 kg. Keep in mind that this describes maximum loaded weight, like when you come off a kerb. So if you’re planning on doing lots of high-impact riding, make sure you get a model that will support your weight and has plenty of allowance for max load.

Do I Need a Scooter with Large Wheels or Small Ones?

Your scooter’s manoeuvrability, portability and smoothness of ride are largely determined by wheel size. If you choose a scooter that has small wheels, you’ll love the greater manoeuvrability. You’ll be able to avoid obstacles—such as bumps, stones and small kids jumping in your way—more easily. On the other hand, a larger-wheeled scooter will let you glide over cobblestones, potholes and kerbs smoothly and with greater comfort. That makes large-wheeled scooters better for higher speeds, too.

In general, we recommend you get a large-wheeled scooter if you’re mostly planning on short city journeys or trips out of the city. You’ll have greater riding control, too. If most of your riding will be in the city, then you want an agile scooter that has 16-inch wheels or smaller. And if you know you’ll be taking your scooter on public transport, you’ll need 12-inch wheels or smaller so you can easily pop it in a bag and fit it in tight spaces.



My Dog Loves to Run. Can I Take Him Scootering?

We’re happy to tell you that your dog will love scootering as much as you will! When scootering, you’ll go faster and farther than you would running or walking. This means your dog can run to his heart’s content. And if you think your dog would enjoy it, you can also try dog scootering/mushing, a sport in which your dog drags the scooter!

Do I Need Solid Wheels or Inflatable Tyres?

That depends on the conditions and speeds you want to ride. The wider surface of rubber inflatable tyres will give you more flexibility and stability. You can go over small bumps more smoothly and even get more speed. Solid wheels are less stable on wet surfaces and when turning.


What’s the Best Scooter to Take on the Train or in a Car?



Hudora Big Wheel 205

Need to take your scooter on the train or in a car? Folding scooters make ultra portability possible! Aluminium scooters, for example, models by Oxelo and Micro, are particularly good for commuters because of their light weight that makes them easy to fold and transport. When choosing your scooter, keep in mind that the frame of a folding scooter with large wheels is usually not very stiff

Not sure of the regulations for scooters on your city’s public transport? Many European cities’ rules allow passengers to bring folding bikes with them. Most cities allow you to carry your scooter in a bag or a closed folding scooter (often in dimensions around 80 x 110 x 40 cm) if you keep it in a designated baggage or bicycle area. For example, in Milan, you can take your scooter on the metro all day for free. ATM Milano regulations allow: “the transport of one folding bike per passenger, without having to put it in a bag if the bicycle’s size is less than 80 x 110 x 40 cm, is admitted every day and for the entire duration of the service.


I Don’t Know How to Scooter. Is it Difficult?

Even if you’ve never ridden a scooter before, learning how is easy. Can you ride a bike? If so, great—riding a large-wheeled scooter is even easier than riding a bike! Can’t ride a bike? No problem. You will learn how to keep your balance after the first few pushes. Just step on the deck with one foot and push with the other. You’ll need to alternate your supporting leg roughly every five pushes. After just a few rides, you’ll get the hang of it!

Will I Arrive at Work Sweaty and Tired from Scootering?

Don’t worry! Scootering is easier than it looks. You shouldn’t get too sweaty and tired from your scooter unless you plan a challenging route. Scooters take the least effort when riding on flats or going downhill. Of course, it’s much harder work going uphill, and you’ll probably want to push the scooter up any steep hills!

But on a straight or slope, you’ll need just a few kicks to get to 16 kph easily on a good quality scooter. If low-effort speed is your priority, look for a scooter with large wheels and inflatable tyres. Those models are faster and more stable than scooters with smaller wh

Scooter vs. Bike. Which Is Better?

 

If you’re torn between getting a scooter or a bike and you plan on riding in an urban area, the choice is easy! Scooters are agile. Their manoeuvrability means you can travel around the city easily. They’re also safer because your reaction time is quicker. You can jump off the

deck quickly if you need to avoid a collision. What’s more, scooters are small and compact, which makes them perfect for busy streets where bulkier bikes would just be a nuisance.

Can Scootering Help You Keep Fit?

Not only does scootering help you exercise your muscles, it does so with less stress on your back and joints than running or riding a bicycle. When you ride your scooter, you exercise your whole body, including your arms, back and legs. It’s an especially good for your back muscles if you—like so many of us—spend too many hours sitting in your office.

Just like when you start any sport, at the beginning you’ll notice that a few muscles (maybe even ones you didn’t know you had!) are sore. But your body will soon adapt to the scooter. Our founder Jan says he’s fitter than ever since he started scootering.

 

Foot Brakes, V-Brakes, Disc Brakes—Which Is Better?

Scooters are equipped with front and rear V-brakes are more common, quite powerful and easy to change.

Scooters with disc brakes are more powerful and recommended for dog scootering and downhill. Disc brakes have the advantage of not getting muddy on rough terrain.

Foot brake on the rear wheel. Ideal for children, the foot brake is not very powerful. Being a rear brake only, it avoids potential tumbles when braking, as the child is not tempted to apply the (lacking) front brake.

In general, we recommend different scooter brakes for children than for adults and another kind if you’re planning to ride with your dogs.

The first kind is a foot brake, which presses on the rear wheel. These are ideal for children, even though they aren’t very powerful, because they reduce the risk of flipping the scooter when the rider stops suddenly.

Next are front and rear V-brakes, like you’d find on many bicycles. These are good for adults since they’re powerful and are easy to replace or fix as needed.

The third is disc brakes. These are the most powerful. We recommend them for for dog scootering and extreme riding that might include fast descents downhill. They’re also great if you plan on riding a lot in bad weather—they’re effective even in muddy conditions.

Will a Bigger Front Wheel Be Right For My Scooter?

Looking for a scooter that handles better than the rest of the crowd? Scooters that have a wheel on the front that’s larger than the wheel on the back are more manoeuvrable. In fact, the first scooters had a very large front wheel and a smaller back wheel for this reason. But now, there’s a trend to make models that have the same front and rear wheel measurements (generally from 16 to 20 inches). Why? It’s a trade-off. Scooters with two wheels of the same size are more stable and go faster. They’re just a bit less agile.

Are Scooters as Fast as Bikes in the City?

On a scooter in the city, you’ll travel faster than with almost any other means of transport. Scooters are ideal for short city journeys. Top scooter speeds (for athletes) can reach 40 kph! If you’re like most riders, your average speed would be about 11 to 16 kph. To compare, bicycles have an average speed of about 19 kph but can be slowed down by road conditions and traffic that won’t affect scooters.

Should I Buy a Scooter With Front Suspension?

Many riders have big plans of taking their scooters off-road. But the truth is, about 99% of the scooter owners we know stay on the road.That’s because scootering on rough surfaces tires you out and doesn’t provide the speed that makes scootering for sport so much fun.

If you are one of the rare people who does downhill or other scooter races, then you’ll probably want a scooter made just for that kind of racing. And you’ll want a different model of scooter for riding on tarmac. That said, if you do want to ride your city scooter on rougher ground, and it has inflatable tyres, you can let a little air out of the tyres to create a more cushioned ride.

 

How Much Ground Clearance Should My Scooter Have?



Though scooters with high ground clearance under the deck may look like they’re safer because they’re farther from the road surface, that’s not really the case. It’s not a problem if the deck touches the ground occasionally while you’re riding. After a few rides, you’ll learn the tricks for your particular scooter model—when to lift the scooter over kerbs and other obstacles and when to jump. You’ll also get in the habit of lifting the scooter slightly when you push.

The other reason not to get a higher deck is your legs will get tired faster. That’s because your supporting leg will carry a heavier load than with a lower deck.


After Running or Roller Skiing Uphill—Can I Use a Scooter to Go Down?

You can definitely use a scooter to come down a mountain road where you’ve just enjoyed a good mountain run or roller skiing trip. Although most scooters are too big to carry on your back before the descent, we recommend you check out some of the micro foldable scooters available. One of them could be perfect!

Let’s Talk Money. How Much Is a Good Scooter?

Just as there are scooters for every age and body type, there are models for every budget, too. You can find models costing from €50 up to €1,000. Good quality scooters will be a practical, fun investment.

You don’t have to spend a lot, though, especially for a first scooter. Reasonably good scooters for children start at about €100 for a children’s scooter, and adult scooters at €150.

To be sure, as with any sporting equipment, if you’re looking for something on the cheaper side, be sure to check the quality of materials and workmanship before you buy it. For example, avoid purchasing cheap scooters with an extremely high deck; those will tire you out since you’ll have to bend your legs a lot and push hard. For kids, the biggest problems are going to be with deck height and weight, so check those carefully too before purchasing.


Why Are Scooter Decks So Small?


Scooter decks can seem small. But that’s for a reason! Large wide decks risk touching the ground, which destabilises the scooter, tipping you off balance. If you get a scooter with a larger deck, it will have a proportionately larger frame and will be less stiff—which makes it harder for you to handle.

How to Maintain Your Scooter for Years of Fun

Keeping your scooter in good condition is easy and won’t take a lot of your time. Maintaining a scooter is easier than maintaining a bicycle because it has fewer components. Plus, the components it does have are familiar to most people—they’re the same as, or similar to, the parts you’d see on a bike.

I Just Want To Ride. I Don’t Want To Push!

Looking for a scooter that’s so low-effort you don’t have to exercise at all? Stand comfortably and enjoy the ride on a scooter with a built-in engine. You can choose between gas or electric motors. These are perfect for people who have a lot of places to go and no need for extra exercise, and also for riders who have mobility or other health issues but want to get outside.

Are you looking for a scooter? Bought one already? Veteran rider? Tell us about your experiences in the comments section!

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