Best Adult Scooters in 2021

Features To Look For In Adult Scooters

Depending on your scooting ambitions, you’ll want to consider the following before buying the self-propelled two-wheeled vehicle of your dreams:

Deck –the deck is your footplate and also adds rigidity and strength to your adult scooter. Decks made from aluminum or magnesium are the strongest so have the durability for long distances while wood (usually maple) gives you a more flexible, responsive ride.  The size of the deck is also an important thing to check, particularly if you are tall or have feet on the large side as you need to be able to comfortably get both feet onboard; at the very least one behind the other. Deck size is also proportional to the wheel size – the larger the wheels, the larger the deck tends to be. A simple rule of thumb is for portability, choose a small deck size, for comfort, go larger. Also check out the deck height as this really makes a difference to just how easy your scooter is to propel. The lower the deck height from its surface to the ground, the more comfortable the push kick needed to keep your scooter going.

Wheels -to determine the smoothness of the glide, kick scooters use the same type of bearing in the wheels as skateboards and inline skates. Generally, the higher the wheel bearing rating, the better your adult scooter’s performance.

Now, here’s the engineering geek bit – the bearings are rated by the ABEC standard, and the lower the rating, the lower the precision, with the rating running from 1 to 9.  A lower rating means you need to kick more to get a sustained glide, where a high rating means less kick effort to glide like a scooting swan.

Most kick scooters are rated between 5 and 7, 7 being a really smooth, quality glide per kick. The quality of the bearings also makes a difference to the scooter’s overall performance.

Handlebars– for steering, control and all-round comfort whatever your height, you need a good pair of handlebars to get to grips with your scooter.

To get your adult scooter to fit with you, check that the handlebar stem can be adjusted to your height as you don’t want to be stooping as your scooting. Scooter handlebars themselves come in different lengths but the main styles are a one piece T-bar, one piece Y-bar, BMX style bar and bat wing bar. The T-bar is an easy to use option, coupled with comfy grips they are a good bet for your commuter scooter. Y-bar are also a robust handlebar and slightly longer than the T. The BMX style handlebar gives good control and is a feature of the hybrid or dirt scooter while the bat wing bars are the strongest and typically seen on stunt or extreme scooters. Check the width of the handlebars to ensure they are comfortable for your size.

Brakes -the basic adult scooter is designed to be stopped by the rider pushing their foot down on the rear fender to create friction on the back wheel. The rear fender brake is a simple and effective system, but some scooter models also have a bicycle-style handbrake on the handlebars to support slowing and stopping your scooter.

Additional brakes on your scooter are a nice extra feature to have but they do add a little more weight and more parts to keep maintained. Consider a model with additional front brakes if you are manoeuvring around a busy town or city (and pedestrians) and you need extra control, otherwise the rear fender brake works perfectly well.

Wheel Size - although small, wheel size matters when it comes to the performance of your scooter. Most scooter tires are made from polyurethane (PU), which is a great, light and durable material for urban surfaces, and also has good rebound to keep the tirein shape.

To adjust the performance of your tires, pick a wheel size for the type of scooting you want to do. Large wheels (180, 200 or 230mm) have a better rolling motion, meaning a longer glide distance per push while giving good shock absorption. Larger wheels are ideal for long commuting or leisure journeys where you need the glide as well as comfort over objects and small lumps and bumps on the ground. But they are heavier, so make your scooter less portable.

Smaller wheels (145mm or less) make your adult scooter the Michael Jackson of the scoot circuit, giving you better agility and speed while keeping it light on its toes. But the payback is a ‘noisier’ ride when it comes to comfort and vibrations and less rolling and more pushing on your behalf.

Types of Adult Scooters

When it comes to adult scooters, one size does not always fit all and there are different model types to match what you want to do. Commuter scooters are super comfy, lightweight models that are spot on for using on your daily commute to work, around campus or about town. They are also good as general fun scooters and getting outand about with the kids.

Dirt and hybrid scooters are for the more adventurous, who like to take their scooting off the pavement and onto rougher terrain while for the full on adrenalin junkies, stunt scooters – which channel the spirit of BMX and trick skateboards – will be your thing.

Commuter and hybrid scooters are also great pleasure scooters for the weekend.

As well as the different types of adult scooter, you can also choose between human-powered (kick scooters) or electric, for when personal push power just simply is not enough.

Safety Tips When Riding a Scooter

Whether you are whizzing ahead on your daily commuter route or out in the park with your mates or the kids, scooter riding should be a blast. And, while as an adult riding a scooter you really shouldn’t take yourself too seriously, your safety should be. There’s nothing like a misguided tumble from your new kick propelled mean machine for it to be quickly gathering dust in the garage as you renew your subway pass,so a little safety savvy wouldn’t go amiss. Most manufacturers recommend helmets and elbow/knee pads and who are we to argue but if you choose not to kit up, then be safety aware.

Adult scooters are largely robust things and can forgive the odd knock and tumble but to keep you both in good condition, do think about the following. Be aware of the surface you are riding on and adjust your speed or riding style to suit. Life would be boring if you always had to avoid the bumps, jumps and inclines but remember you are on a self-propelled scooter, not on a competitive, hi-spec BMX. Check your speed and make sure you are in control, especially if you are whizzing along a pedestrian-packed sidewalk to make that 10am meeting. And keep your scooter in tip-top condition so no unexpected mechanical failings literally take the scooter wheels from under you.

Q: Should I buy a scooter with or without suspension?

A: By absorbing the micro-shocks when rolling over uneven and rough surfaces, especially when you are going at a speed, suspension is good for keeping you comfortable as you scoot. However, there is always a trade off as a suspension system will make your adult scooter heavier, meaning you do sacrifice a little on both performance and portability. And with the extra moving parts, you do get a noisier ride. So, when deciding whether to go for a model with suspension, you need to think about what the main reason you are getting an adult scooter for.

With suspension making your ride a breeze over rough or uneven surfaces, then it would be a good move if you regularly commute the same route and know it has its rough moments or you are a total scooter off-roader.

But if you are a leisure scooter or your routes vary from smooth to a bit more bumpy and prefer to have a lightweight, portable machine, then you could happily go without. If you do opt for no suspension, look for other features that can help to smooth out your ride, such as skateboard-style cambered wood decks rather than rigid aluminum and air-filled pneumatic wheels. But it is a personal choice and a few bumps in the road will keep you on your toes!

Q: How do I maintain my scooter?

A: You can certainly increase the shelf life of your adult scooter and maintain the comfort on your ride with a few simple maintenance hacks.

Keeping your new scooter clean is the easiest way to keep it on the road, so wash out all that city grime from your daily commute with a wipe down of the key areas such as the wheel bearings, wheel fixings and deck. Also keep those nuts and bolts and moving parts clean and well-greased.

If the ride is starting to slow down, check and replace your wheel bearings and test the tread on your tires. Replace if they are wearing too low. When not out scooting your little heart out, keep your adult scooter stored away from the elements to keep it rust free and rolling smooth.

And the simplest maintenance hack is to know your scooter and don’t push it beyond its limits. Even if you feel under peer pressure from your scooter mates.

Q: What is the maximum weight for an adult scooter?

A: Most kick scooters work to a payload of between 200-250lbs but there are models designed specifically for taller adults - the super-robust XOOTR Adult Kick Scooter can take up to 800 pounds!

Check the product spec of your chosen scooter for its maximum weightbefore you buy as what you don’t want to do is put your new urban mode of eco-transport under too much strain. Overweighting your adult scooter will just make it wear and tear quicker or simply ruin its ride ability.

If you are a taller or larger adult, as well as its maximum weight, check out its maximum handlebar height as a scooter too small and low will have you running to the chiropractor quicker than you can shout ‘I’m a scooter dude’. Ideally the height of your scooter’s handlebars should be between your hips and your chest.

Q: How do I lock up my scooter securely?

A: When locking up your scooter, it is best to lock it to a fixed object, so it cannot be quickly lifted and scooted away. A locking cable is a good way to secure your scooting pride and joy, taking it through the wheel spokes and around the body to fix it to the bike rack, railing, lamp post or similar. Some folding scooters also use the folding mechanism to lock the collapsed body in place for added security.

You can buy locks specifically for scooters or a simple strong bike lock would suffice; go for a coded lock so you don’t have to fiddle around with keys. If you use your adult scooter for your work commute, then if it’s possible store your folded scooter indoors (many fold down small enough to fit under your desk or in a work locker) for added scoot-tastic security.