How to choose a kick scooter for adults

Decks & Scooters is a specialist in kick scooters. We sell directly to customers, as well as distribute kick scooters to bicycle and sports stores. We have been asked very often about how to choose a kick scooter. We have gathered all the questions and answers and put them into this detailed article to help you answer the most common questions.

This article attempts to answer questions like:

• How should I choose a kick scooter?
• Which kick scooter is best for me?
• Should I get one with or without suspension (shock absorbers)?
• Are large wheels or small wheels better?

We will examine the technical aspects of kick scooters that have an impact on your purchase considerations. This article is written in the context or riding an adult kick scooter in Singapore, but will apply to most urban environments around the world.

OVERVIEW

The purpose of a kick scooter

Most adults buy a kick scooter for one or both of these main purposes:

• transportation or daily commute
• Weekend sport or leisure

Purchase considerations

Based on the two main purposes above, we have distilled the many purchase considerations down to three main ones:

• Practicality / convenience
  how easy or hard it is to bring the scooter around and use it on a daily basis
• Performance
  how fast or far the scooter can glide with each push
• Comfort / Ride quality
  how comfortable it is to push and how much vibration the scooter transmits from the ground

Technical Features

The three main purchase considerations above are affected directly by the technical features of the kick scooter. The major features of adult kick scooters are:

• Tamaño de la rueda
  
• Bearing quality and grade
• Deck size
• Deck height (distance from the ground)
• Folding mechanism
• Suspension (shock absorbers)
• Bicycle-style handbrakes (or the lack of it)
• Other attachments (kick stand, carry strap)
• Overall build quality

Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of the parameters in these features will help you decide which features to choose in the context of the daily commute versus a cruise in the park.

Here is the detailed explanation of how the major technical features affect the performance, comfort and practicality of a kick scooter.

Tamaño de la rueda

The wheel size is the most obvious distinguishing feature on a kick scooter.

Most kick scooters have wheels made of plastic core embedded into polyyurethane (PU) thread. PU is a very effective material for wheels used on urban surfaces. It has been used in skateboard, inline-skate and roller-skate (quad) wheels for decades. It is light, wear-resistant, has a reasonable amount of grip (when dry), and rebound (the abililty to return to its original shape after momentary compression due to weight or pressure).

Venta al por mayor de patinete para niños CE a la venta/EN 71, patinete popular para niños, patinete para niños de 3 ruedas

Large wheels
(180, 200 or 230mm diameter)

Ventajas

• Longer glide distance per push (Better rolling efficiency)
• Better shock absorption
• More chances of rolling safely over objects on the ground (like twigs, pebbles) or cracks
• Usually matched with larger deck for comfort

Disadvantages

• Heavier to carry around (typically 4 to 6.5kg)
• Physically larger and more cumbersom. A possible problem in crowded public transport.
• Takes more effort to speed up and slow down (lower rate of acceleration)
• Less agile with a larger turning radius

Conclusion

Larger wheels are good for performance (faster) and comfort (less vibrations) but make the scooter less convenient to lug around.

Small wheels
(100, 120, 125 or 145mm diameter)

Ventajas

• Lightweight (usually below 4kg)
• Easier to speed up and slow down
• More agile and nimble with a smaller turning radiu

Disadvantages

• Lower rolling efficiency: shorter glide distance with each push
• Transmits more vibration from the ground
• Relatively higher chance of wheels catching on random objects or cracks

Conclusion

Smaller wheels are good for convenience (portable) but score lower on performance (slower) and comfort (more vibrations).

 

Bearing Quality and Rating

Kick scooter wheels use the same type of bearings that have been used in skateboards and inline skate wheels for decades: the 608 bearing. Each kick scooter wheel has two bearings, they are mounted in the centre of each wheel (called the wheel-hub).

This one is easy. Generally, the higher the bearing rating, the higher the performance. There is no downside to a higher bearing rating.

But what is bearing rating? The rating recognised in engineering is the ABEC standard, short for Annular Bearing Engineering Committee, named after the body that established the standard.

The ABEC ratings are (from lowest precision to highest precision) 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9. Most kick scooters in the market use bearings rated ABEC 5 to 7.

The higher the precision, the lower the rolling resistance/friction. Lower friction translates into a longer glide distance for every push. This can be readily experienced when riding a scooter, and is often what makes you feel or judge if a scooter is 'fast' or 'slow'.

However, not all bearings are created equal. In practice, the quality of the bearing has a more perceptible impact than the rating of the bearing. In other words, a well made ABEC 5 bearing will spin better than a poorly made ABEC 7. In general, higher priced, more well-known kick scooter brands tend to use higher quality bearings (rating aside).

Fortunately, bearings can be easily replaced. They can be found in skateboard stores or inline-skate stores.

Conclusion

The higher rating, the better, Bearings in well known brands tend to be of higher quality than bearings from unbranded kick scooters.

Deck/Foot-board Length

The deck of the scooter is where the rider stands. Some people call it the foot-board. Before talking about the deck size you have to first understand the correct riding posture.

The correct riding posture is described as follows:

Stand with your master leg (balance leg) on the deck. The foot should be at the centre of the deck width-wise, and placed as forward on the deck as it allows. The tip of your shoe should be very close to, or touching the front end of the deck. The foot of the pushing leg (action leg), when not pushing, should be tiptoed at the heel of the master foot.

Larger Deck Size

Ventajas

• Easier to step on and off the scooter
• Generally more comfortable as you can shift your weight, or change foot position more easily as you ride
• A larger deck results in a longer wheel base. Longer wheel bases are more efficient for long rides because it is easier for the scooter to maintain a straight line as it rolls. Each time you push the scooter, it 'wiggles' a little bit, resulting in a slighly serpentine line of movement. The less this happens, the more efficient the scooter is.

Disadvantages

• The scooter tends to be larger and heavier
• It takes more effort to speed up and slow down a larger and heavier scooter

Smaller Deck Size: Generally the opposite of the above.

CONCLUSION

For portability, choose a small deck size. For comfort, choose a large deck size.