Scooter Choices

What comes to mind when you hear the word "SCOOTER"? These things below are all scooters and even within the "kick scooter" genre there is still a wide area of variability and misinterpretation.

There are a LOT of choices when it comes to kick-scooters. Just like motor vehicles, different types serve different purposes. A scooter that's not right for you and your riding intentions might be perfect for someone else. Some people transport their scooter by bus or train, some always scooter right from their front door, others transport their scooter using a rack, some may be okay to lock it outside, others want to carry it inside, some may ride on only smooth pavement, others, only on rough or dirt roads. 

Of course it's possible to own several scooters, one for different purposes: speed, commuting, stunts, distance, fitness, dog mushing (yes there is such a thing), cross country, etc. (I told you there were a lot of choices and options.) BUT, if I were to have only one scooter, it would need to have the following criteria:

Nimble and Portable: The scooter needs to fit in the trunk of my Mazda Miata (small). I don't want to have to bother with a bike rack. I want to be able to fold up the scooter, put it in my trunk and go. I'd like something small enough to fold up and walk into a store without having to lock it up outside. Nimble, quick, agile. This factor is important to me and rules out several, larger scooter models. I also want the scooter to be small enough to safely and respectfully ride on a sidewalk. I would feel like I'd be imposing on pedestrians on a sidewalk with larger bike-sized scooters.

Sized for an adult: Some scooters are simply too small. I'd get an aching back if I had to hunch over to ride some of these smaller scooters. The handlebar height and other dimensions should be comfortable for the average adult.

Distance and Speed: I want something that can move at a good clip. Fast. A scooter that will oblige if I push it for a fitness workout. I want something that I can comfortably ride for a long distance, because I often do.

Versatile: I want to be able to comfortably ride over a wide variety of surfaces including rough pavement and dirt roads. Some scooters are VERY "rattlely", bumpy and transmit a LOT of vibration from the pavement. I want to be able to use my scooter to go Geocaching. You can check out my podcast about Geocaching here. 

Here are some examples (certainly not a comprehensive list) of types of scooters currently out on the market.

 

The "original" Razor scooters exploded on the scene in 2000. They had tiny wheels and were really just fun toys. I've tried these and the wheels and setup are not what I am looking for. Maybe good for short scoots around campus or around town, but not built for the type of scooting that I like most. The small wheels are not suitable for rough pavement, or sustained speeds.

Razor makes "adult" scooters (so do MANY other brands). Above is the A5 Lux. It sports larger polyurethane wheels and a taller handlebar height. This was actually the first scooter I owned. They are mass produced and inexpensively made. They have a low cost, but it shows. They rattle, are noisy and feel "loose" when I ride them. Still, it's a good entry level, low cost scooter. If you're just getting started, this might be the choice for you.

My first upgrade was to a Xootr scooter. This is a high quality, well engineered scooter. Smooth and fast, it's far less rattly than the Razor A5. This is a nimble scooter. It folds up quickly and is quite compact. I love this scooter and have logged many, many miles on mine. It's a great scooter. I'd gladly recommend this scooter if you were looking for a premium scooter riding on polyurethane wheels. Sadly, Xootr has recently increased the cost of their scooters quite significantly, most models taking an $80 price jump. Xootr scooters now sit at price points that might make them out of reach for the casual scooter rider.

One limitation of the smaller, polyurethane wheeled scooters is versatility. Aspire to explore rough pavement or dirt roads on polyurethane wheels and you're in for a mighty bone rattling, teeth jarring experience. "Kickbikes" or "Footbikes" are a great answer to those jolts and shocks. With pneumatic tires and "real" bike-like brakes, they are quite capable to handle rough pavement, cobblestones, dirt roads, trails and the like. The above model is a Swifty scooter. 16 inch pneumatic tires and a solid frame make this a versatile ride. I was very interested in this scooter. Although it's one of the smaller kickbikes, it's too large to fit in the trunk of my Miata and they are not easily available here in the US. Shipping costs from the UK to the US are exorbitant and prohibitive.

Kickbikes come in variety of shapes and sizes. Apparently they are much more popular in Europe than they are here in the US. That's unfortunate. I wish I could help the trend catch on here. I did find this US site and Schwinn makes one, but ... nah. Although kickbikes don't have the mechanical advantage of gears like a conventional bike, they're usually lighter and don't give you saddle sores after miles of sitting down. The above kickbike is geared for sport riding and fitness. I'd  love to get one of these someday, but will need to figure out how to carry it on my Miata. Also, I think it's a bit large to ride on a sidewalk or bring into a store, so it's limited in that sense. 

The above beauty is an off road dog mushing scooter. Attach your pup with a special leash adapter and you can both enjoy a scoot together. A scooter with tires like this would certainly open up the variety of terrain I could scoot on. Although I'd love to take Selah mushing, it also sadly won't fit in the trunk of my Miata. 

For my needs and my style of riding, the Boardy scooter is "Goldilocks just right". It's not too small and not too big. It folds small enough to fit in the trunk of my Miata and has a bike-like caliper brake. It's got 12 inch pneumatic tires that smooths out rough pavement and gives me access to dirt roads and trails. It's also small enough to ride on sidewalks and is therefore very versatile. The wood / fiberglass combo deck flexes making for a smooth comfortable ride. Kinda reminds me of skateboards I ride. A smooth, nimble scooter that's built for speed, distance and versatility. Boardys are not inexpensive, but in my opinion worth it. Fortunately shipping was free. 

Obviously no scooter is "perfect" and certainly none can be the do-all-things scooter (just like vehicles can't be the perfect truck, convertible roadster, van, luxury sedan, all in one) BUT I think you can find a scooter that can fit YOUR needs if you know what to look for.

I'll write a more in depth review, pros and cons, specifically of the Boardy on a future post.