Buying scooters
This guide helps you find the right scooter for exactly your needs by explaining some of the most important elements of buying a scooter.
Scooter types are just as various as bikes or cars. To make sure that you find a scooter you'll be happy we've made these guidelines. Scooters are either used for fun, transport or stunts.
You are also always welcome to contact us if you are in doubt which scooter you should buy.
Scooter for fun & play
The market offers a wide range of scooters, and not all of them are of good quality. Therefore, it is important for you to know what to look for:
- Size adjustable: can the bar be adjusted in height? Is this done with a quick lock?
- Is it foldable: how do you fold it, are there any bolts that can fall off or does it use a quick handle you can press for release?
- What is the maximum rider weight?
- Are the wheels made of PU rubber or plastic?
- Can the bearings be changed?
We recommend, that you always buy a trick scooter for children older than 8 years, even if it will be used for transportation.
None of the scooters in the fun category can withstand tricks, stunts or be used on ramps.
Scooter for stunts and freestyle
Doing tricks on your scooter pushes the welding, headset and metal to its limit, especially as wheels on pro scooters do not have any soft suspension and do not absorb impacts. This means, that all bolts and screws have to be re-tightened regularly!
Here is what to look for when buying pro scooters:
- One-piece parts: Is the bar in one piece, is the fork? One-piece parts usually last longer.
- Is the wheel core made of solid metal? Solid core wheels last longer than plastic.
- What compression system is used? HIC, SCS, ICS or another system? These determine how you should maintain your scooter and how it spins and feels.
- Headset quality - better quality headsets last longer and give a better spin.
- Is it lightweight or heavy? Lightweight scooters break easier than heavy, rugged ones, and are mainly used by experienced riders.
Trick scooters have 98 - 110 mm wheels for maximum control and acceleration. They can of course also be used for transportation, but are not as comfortable on long distances. Pro scooters are also lower than scooters for transportation.
See more: Pro scooters explained
Scooters for transport
Transportation scooters are often bigger than stunt and fun scooters, additionally, they have bigger wheels to create more comfort, usually 120 mm and above.
What you should look for when buying a transportation scooter:
- Size adjustable: Can the bar be raised and lowered and is it a quick snap lock?
- Is it foldable: How do you fold it, are there any bolts that can fall off or is there a quick handle you can press for release?
- What is the max rider weight? The weight limit should not be surpassed.
- Wheels made of PU rubber or plastic? Soft rubber is more comfortable, but also creates more friction.
- What type of bearing is used? We recommend Abec 5 and above for transport.
- Some transportation scooters are designed especially for grown-ups.
Never use a transport scooter on ramps or for tricks. It will break quickly, and you won't have the right to claim.
Maintenance and a few more facts about scooters
All scooters, regardless of the type, need to be maintained and taken care of. No scooter can handle humid or wet areas, nor sand.
All scooters can break no matter how much they are reinforced, as the impact on them when riding can be very powerful and often times stunts are landed unevenly, impacting the different parts of the scooter in odd angles.
Maintenance is essential for all scooters, please refer to your scooter manual. But tightening all bolts and cleaning the bearings is always recommended. A lot of users tend to buy new bearings regularly, as bearings wear down quickly due to the impacts.
Thank you for reading our kick scooter guide.
The SkatePro scooter specialists.
Read our guide Pro scooters explained
Read Claims & maintenance of scooters here