Scooters mean different things to different people, it’s probably a generational gap thing, but to a 40-year-old they would probably think of a low powered, automatic motorbike whereas a youngster of today would associate the term scooter with what’s also known as a kick scooter which is something entirely different. They don’t have a motor for a starter, however, they are becoming more and more popular, so, here’s a bit of information should you, or your youngsters want to have a go;
What is a ‘scooter’
A kick scooter which is also known as a push scooter doesn’t have a motor, it relies upon somebody, or something to propel it, in order for it to move, either that, or gravity would do the job. Typically, you operate a scooter by pushing yourself along with one foot whilst holding on to the handlebar and your other foot is placed on the ‘board’ which the wheels, stem and handlebar attach to.
They have come a long way since they were first introduced back in around 1920 where they were very basic indeed, consisting of a couple of wheels and some wood. These days there are a wide variety of materials used which range all the way from heavy steel scooters, all the way through to high grade, super lightweight pro scooters.
Aluminium, titanium, and steel are the most common materials for scooters nowadays; your decision will be determined by your demands and budget. Some kick scooters for younger kids have three to four wheels (though most have just two), are made of plastic, and are not collapsible.
What are Pro scooters?
Jumping straight to the crème de la crème, pro scooters are kick scooters designed for extreme sport, that’s right, from a plank of wood with wheels and handlebars attached to something that you can do acrobatics and various other insane tricks. Pro scooters are built to resist stress and extreme punishment.
Riders of pro scooters will also use a helmet, pegs, perhaps grind wax, and grip tape wax in order to help them stay safe and to perform some pretty unbelievable, death-defying tricks. As well as a sport for people to ‘take part’ in, the world of Pro scooters is also huge as a spectator sport all across the globe. Here is a list of top scooters in India.
A bit of history
To add a little more meat to the bone, one should be aware of the history of kick scooters; they are likely older than most people believe and might very well be the cause to dump your automobile in favour of a more cost-effective alternative. Scooters have been handcrafted in industrial metropolitan regions of Europe and the United States from the 1920s or earlier, according to certain papers, and were frequently produced for children as play toys so that they could explore and play with their friends.
The most common, home-made version was made by attaching roller skate wheels to a board with some kind of handle, usually an old box or by using a second board connected by a crude pivot. Scooter riders can actually learn some really important life skills which include balance, hand-eye coordination and how to turn which are pretty valuable if you don’t want to fall off or ride into something.
An overview of the different scooter varieties
Foldable scooter
As you might have guessed, these scooters are foldable, as the name implies! This style of scooter has foldable joints, making it an excellent alternative for traveling and storage purposes. They take up less storage space and fit well in small spaces such as a train, a bus or a car.
Flicker scooter/scissor scooter/caster scooter
The scissor scooter, also known as a flicker scooter, is pushed in a unique way. It uses the force created from your body and requires you to wriggle from side to side, you need to place your less dominant foot on the footplate while moving the other leg to and fro.
Dirt scooter
This sort of scooter is made for use on dirt tracks, such as BMX tracks and others. They are built of robust and strong materials, making them an excellent choice for enduring friction caused by leaps and bumps encountered when skating off the beaten path.
And finally, the electric scooter
As the world moves into a more technical, electronic space in time electric scooters have become ever more popular for a wide range of people. The technology used in some of these scooters means that you could, if you wanted to, ride around all day on a single charge, going downhill, some of the time, of course.
Electric scooters come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, some of them are foldable too, and, because they are really cool, they are used by a wide range of people too, all the way from children through to commuters looking for an ‘easier’ or ‘cheaper’ way to get to and from work.
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